Use of Facilities

Purpose

The College recognizes that freedom of expression and assembly are important aspects of the educational experience.  The College provides opportunities for discourse, debate, sharing of ideas, and other expressive activities while operating and maintaining an effective, safe and efficient institution of higher education.

This Protocol sets out how to make arrangements for use of publicly available spaces for expressive activity in a constitutionally protected manner consistent with the needs of the College to identify the appropriate time, place and manner for these activities in order to coordinate multiple uses of limited space, provide adequate services to support the campus, maintain the safety and appearance of the campus and preserve financial accountability.

Application

This Protocol applies to use of publicly available spaces for non-commercial expressive activity by the general public.  This Protocol does not apply to space requests for official College activities, authorized uses by recognized student groups and Colorado Community College System (CCCS or System) affiliated entities, rentals under the College’s protocol for facilities use, or solicitation and vending.

Definitions

The following definitions apply for purposes of this Protocol:

1. Amplified sound means sound that is increased or enhanced by any electric, electronic, or mechanical means, including handheld devices such as megaphones and sound trucks.  Other sound, specifically individual shouting or group chanting/singing is subject to general requirements concerning disruption of official College activities.

2. Campus Community means employees, students, recognized student groups and CCCS-affiliated entities.

3. Campus contact means the person through whom a member of the Campus Community or general public arranges space for their official College activities and/or authorized activities in support of the College.

4. CCCS-affiliated entities means any foundation, partner, governmental agency or nonprofit service provider acting in support of the Colorado Community College System mission in accordance with prior approval by the System Chancellor, College President or designees.

5. College facilities means CCCS-owned and controlled buildings, grounds, space, property and other facilities including but not limited to residence halls, buildings and the space within and between buildings, parking lots, athletic facilities, sidewalks, lawns, fields, shelters, amphitheaters, airspace, and all other spaces where events may be held, activities may take place, or that may require services.

6. Literature means any printed non-commercial material that is produced for distribution or publication to an audience, including but not limited to flyers, handbills, leaflets, placards, bulletins, newspapers, and magazines, but does not include the College bulletins or newsletters or official College material.  Distribution of commercial literature is governed by the College's solicitation and vending protocol.

7. Non-commercial expressive activity means the verbal or symbolic expression of an idea, thought or opinion and may include speeches, assembly, vigils, picketing, distribution of literature, displaying hand-held signs and other similar activities intended to communicate an idea or opinion.  It does not include commercial soliciting and vending.  For those interested in commercial solicitation and vending, please refer to the campus protocol for solicitation and vending.

8. Official College activities means College or System activity undertaken by or under the authority of a College or System official within the scope of his or her duty as part of the CCCS mission.

9. Publicly available space means an area of College facilities that has been identified as conducive to and available for non-commercial expressive activity by the Campus Community and/or members of the general public by reservation as outlined in this Protocol.

10. Recognized student groupmeans a student group that has met the published College requirements for student clubs and organizations and is recognized and registered with the College’s Office of Student Life.

Priority for Use of Publicly Available Space

College facilities that are identified as publicly available spaces will be made available for non-commercial expressive activity by groups in the following order of priority:

1. Official College activities,

2. The Campus Community (including students, employees, recognized student groups and CCCS-affiliated entities), Members of the general public.

Campus Contacts for Reserving Space

Members of the Campus Community should arrange any use of publicly available space, whether for official/authorized College activities or for other expressive activities, through their Campus contact.

Reservations for all instructional and non-instructional spaces, including those utilized for student clubs/organizations, will be administered by the Office of Instructional Services.

Reserving and Using Space

The following provisions apply to the use of publicly available space for non-commercial expressive activity:

1. Those planning to engage in expressive activities as a group or individuals planning to engage in expressive activities intended to attract the attention of passers-by must reserve appropriate space for a proposed activity at least 10 business days in advance.  Reservations, including expected number of attendees and the proposed manner in which the activity will be conducted assist in identifying an appropriate location and time, thus avoiding conflicts that could require rescheduling an activity and permit the College to evaluate necessary services and costs.  Where an activity requires more than a nominal increase in services to accommodate the event, or results in damages, the additional costs of such services and/or damages may be assessed to the individual or group reserving the space.

2. Space is available for reservation and activities only during the normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for scheduled days of operation.  To allow for a diversity of information and perspectives no one may reserve more than five consecutive days and fifteen days total for the semester.

3. Upon arrival on the day of the reservation or activity, the individual making the reservation must check in with the Office of Student Life at the respective campus location.

4. Internal campus-controlled streets and walkways are for public ingress and egress for activities open to the public.  Persons must abide by all applicable laws, policies, procedures and protocols and not block or otherwise interfere with the free flow of vehicular, bicycle or pedestrian traffic.

5. Persons must not engage in activity that defames, is obscene, incites violence, or threatens physical harm.

6. Persons must not obstruct, disrupt, interrupt, or attempt to force the cancellation of any event or activity.

7. Persons shall comply with the directions of a College official or law enforcement officer acting in the performance of his or her duty.

8. Persons shall not disrupt official College activities or other reserved or authorized uses or impede pedestrian or vehicle traffic or access to buildings.

9. Continuing to approach anyone or stop anyone who has indicated a lack of interest is prohibited.

10. Amplification is not permitted unless prior arrangement has been made through the reservation process for the activity to take place at a time and place where the amplification will not interfere with official College activities or the space is being rented and the rental agreement provides for amplification.  No individual or group will be permitted to use amplification that interferes with official College activities.

11. Signs, images and demonstrative items or artwork used in connection with the activity must be hand-held.  They may not be affixed to College facilities.  No structures may be used or erected.

12. Persons on campus may be required to provide picture identification and provide information regarding their status as a student or employee upon request.

13. Campaign fundraising is not allowed.

14. Candidates for public office may not use student groups to directly or indirectly secure the use of College facilities for free or at a reduced rate for campaigning in violation of law.  Candidates may rent available facilities or solicitation or vending space in accordance with the College's protocols for facilities rental and solicitation and vending.

15. To avoid the appearance that the College supports or opposes a particular candidate, ballot issue of referred measure, College facilities may not be used for collecting signatures for ballot initiatives, referred measures, or candidate petitions, except when the collector rents space in accordance with College protocol for facilities rental or protocol for solicitation and vending.  Streets and sidewalks abutting campus property that are under the local government's jurisdiction are available for signature collection in accordance with federal, state and local law.

16. Distribution of Literature:

a. Distribution of non-commercial literature is considered an expressive activity and may take place by reservation in publicly available space identified for expressive activity in accordance with this Protocol or in conjunction with a reservation of vending and solicitation space or a facilities rental.  College property, such as parking lots and internal campus walkways and other spaces are for supporting official College activities and for authorized activities of the Campus Community and are not available to the general public for distribution of commercial or non-commercial literature.  Streets and sidewalks abutting College property that are under a local government's jurisdiction are available for distribution of literature in accordance with federal, state and local law.

b. Those distributing literature may not continue to approach anyone who has indicated a lack of interest, follow or stop anyone, shout, or interfere with any person's progress.

c. Those distributing literature should be considerate about collecting any litter that may be generated as a consequence of their distributions and are expected to collect literature that is left over or that is on the ground in the area in which it is distributed.

Literature distributed on campus that contains the College's name or acronym in the organization's name or that contains any reference to being affiliated with the College, or references an activity as taking place at the College, must include the statement that the literature is not an official College publication and does not represent the views or official position of the College.

Publicly Available Space

Publicly available space identified in this Protocol is also available for assembly and expressive activity in accordance with law, Board Policy and System Procedure and this Protocol.  Publicly available space(s) is/are currently identified as available for reservation for expressive activity as follows:

• Rotunda space at Rampart Range Campus or Centennial Campus.  Activities approved for Rotunda must not interfere with instructional activities.
• The Courtyard space at Centennial Campus.
• Patio at Rampart Range.
• Playing field at Centennial Campus.
• Walking track at Rampart Range Campus.
• Parking lots on all campuses.
• South Entrance Foyer/Lobby and West Patio at Downtown Campus Studio Campus.

The College reserves the right to modify, change, delete, or add publicly available space as it deems appropriate.

If the above-described space(s) is/are unsuitable for the proposed activity because of logistical, support services or safety concerns, the College will work with the requester to identify and reserve other suitable space on campus on a case-by-case basis.

In addition to the above space(s) available for reservation by members of the general public and the Campus Community for expressive conduct, students may assemble for spontaneous expressive activity without a reservation, on College walkways and outdoor common areas, so long as they remain at least 50 feet from building entrances and otherwise conduct their expressive activities in a manner consistent with this Protocol.

Refusal of a Reservation

The President or designee monitors and responds to refusal of requests to reserve space.  When deemed appropriate by the President or designee, a requester may be asked to meet with the President or designee to clarify the request before a reservation is made so as to assist the requester to conform the request to the requirements of law, policy, procedure and this Protocol and discuss time, place and manner considerations for effective communication that protects the safety of the requester, the Campus Community and any visitors.  The President or designee may refuse a reservation request for the following reasons:

• Conflict with an earlier request to reserve the same space and time, whether for official College activity or other previously reserved use.
• Failure to conform to the requirements of law, Board Policy, System Procedure or this Protocol.
• An adjacent space is being used for an official College activity or a previously reserved use that renders the requested space unsuitable for the proposed activity.
• The request form is incomplete.
• The request alone or cumulatively with other requests exceeds more than fifteen days in a semester or is for more than five consecutive days.
• Lack of resources necessary to support an activity in a manner that preserves College facilities and protects the safety of the campus.

Refusal of a reservation may not be based on the viewpoint of the proposed activity.

Request for Review of Refusal of a Reservation

If a request for a reservation is refused by the President or designee, the requester may request review of the refusal by the President, whose decision will be final.

Enforcement

Activities that commence without a reservation may need to be moved or cancelled if the size and nature of the event cannot be accommodated without jeopardizing the safe and orderly operations of the campus or a previously scheduled use.  If an activity attracts more attendees than can be effectively managed by available staff and/or resources, or is otherwise occurring in a manner that fails to observe this Protocol, a College official acting in the performance of his or her duty shall determine appropriate action up to and including directing individuals in violation of this Protocol to leave campus or cancelling the activity and directing participants to disperse.  Any participant who fails to leave campus or disperse after having been requested to do so by a College official or law enforcement officer acting in the performance of his or her duty may be subject to arrest and/or issued a no trespass order.

Violation of this Protocol may result in being asked to leave immediately.  The College reserves the right to refuse to grant future applications to individuals or groups in violation of this Protocol.  Students and employees also may be subject to discipline up to and including suspension or expulsion for students and dismissal or termination for employees.

Purpose

The College has determined as part of its facilities use planning, to make certain College facilities available for solicitation and vending.  This Protocol sets out the process and requirements to reserve space for vending and solicitation.

Application

This Protocol applies to students, employees and the general public.  The Protocol does not apply to Colorado Community College System (CCCS or System)-affiliated entities and recognized student groups engaging in authorized Campus Community activities.

Definitions

1. Authorized Campus Community activity means any activity of a recognized student group that is within the group's mission, and any activity of CCCS-affiliated entities that is in support of the CCCS mission or has gone through the appropriate channels to receive approval and be held at CCCS Facilities.

2. Campus Community means employees, students, recognized student groups and CCCS-affiliated entities.

3. CCCS-affiliated entity means any foundation, partner, governmental agency or nonprofit service provider acting in support of the CCCS mission in accordance with prior approval by the System Chancellor, College President or designees.

4. Campus contact means the person through whom a member of the Campus Community or general public arranges space for their official College activities and/or authorized activities in support of the College.

5. Official College activity means any College or System activity undertaken by or under the authority of a College or System official within the scope of his or her duty as part of the CCCS mission.

6. Recognized student group means a student group that has met the published College requirements for student clubs and organizations and is recognized and registered with the College’s Office of Student Life.

7. Solicitation means the act of:

a. distributing solicitation materials including flyers, handbills, leaflets, placards, bulletins, newspapers, magazines, coupon books, samples, and promotional items;

b. marketing for commercial purposes, and offering information about services or sales; or,

c. seeking petition signatures or a donation (whether money, services, or tangible item).

Vending means any transaction that involves the exchange of money for services and/or goods.

Campus Contacts for Reserving Space

Requests to reserve space for vending and solicitation on campus are coordinated and approved through the Office of Instructional Services.  A certificate of insurance is required.

Reserving and Using Space

The following provisions apply to the use of campus space for vending and solicitation:

1. Vending and solicitation are permitted at the College with prior reservation only.

2. Members of the general public will be required to enter into a use agreement and may be charged fees in accordance with the rental schedule.

3. Solicitors and vendors will be assigned a location.  The vendor or solicitor must adhere to the reserved location and this Protocol.

4. Locations are allocated based on space available and space appropriate to the proposed activity.  Certain spaces and vending and solicitation opportunities may be limited to, or priority given to, recognized student groups or CCCS-affiliated entities depending on the nature of the activity, the location and the College objectives to be advanced by providing the vending and solicitation space.

5. Solicitors and vendors shall not disrupt official College activities or other reserved or authorized uses, impede pedestrian or vehicle traffic or access to buildings.

Continuing to approach anyone who has indicated a lack of interest or stopping anyone, shouting, or using an amplifier of any kind is prohibited.

Rental Schedule

The designated facilities may be available for rent for solicitation and vending, depending on availability.

Refusal of a Reservation

No reservation for solicitation or vending space will be granted for the following activities:

1. Any activity that competes with official College activities or businesses with which CCCS has entered into an exclusive contract (e.g., food service, beverage/snack vending); or,

2. Any activity prohibited by local, state and/or federal laws (e.g., solicitation for credit cards, campaign contributions, sales or promotion of tobacco and tobacco-related products and marijuana or marijuana-related products).

The President or designee monitors and responds to refusal of requests to reserve space.

In addition, the Campus contact for reservation of space may refuse a reservation in the following circumstances:

• Conflict with an earlier request to reserve the same space and time, whether for official College activity or other previously reserved use.
• Failure to conform to the requirements of law, Board Policy, System Procedure or this Protocol.
• An adjacent space is being used for an official College activity or a previously reserved use that renders the requested space unsuitable for the proposed activity.
• The request form is incomplete.
• The request alone or cumulatively with other requests exceeds more than 15 days in a semester or is for more than 5 consecutive days.

Enforcement

Violation of this Protocol may result in being asked to leave immediately without refund.  The College reserves the right to refuse to grant future applications to individuals or groups in violation of this procedure.  Students and employees also may be subject to discipline up to and including suspension or expulsion for students and dismissal or termination for employees.

Purpose

The College has determined to make certain College facilities available for posting items on designated bulletin boards.  This Protocol sets out the rules for posting at the College.

Application

This Protocol applies to students, employees and the general public.

Definitions

1. Campus contact means the person through whom a member of the Campus Community or general public arranges space for their official College activities and/or authorized activities in support of the College.

2. Community Boards means bulletin boards available to the general public for posting items or virtually in accordance with this Protocol.

3. Student Life Boards means bulletin boards, display rails and other areas designated for display including virtual spaces designated for posting by the College, including College departments and recognized student organizations and approved through the Office of Student Life.  Other items from the general community may be posted only after approval through the Office of Student Life.

Campus Contacts for Bulletin Boards

Requests to post items on campus bulletin boards and display rails are coordinated through the Office of Student Life.

Rules for Student Life Bulletin Boards

1. Postings on Student Life bulletin boards, display rails and other approved areas for display must meet the following criteria:

• Due to limited amount of space, posted materials must be 8 ½” x 11” or smaller.
• Flyers/posted materials posting are stamped for 30 days from the date of receipt by the Office of Student Life and will be removed once the prescribed time has elapsed.
• Office of Student Life staff will post and remove all flyers in College-approved areas.  Exceptions may be made for College staff who are posting College-related and/or time-sensitive materials.  Such items must still receive approval through the Office of Student Life and be date stamped.
• For all materials approved and posted by the Office of Student Life, the Flyer Identification Sheet must be completed with the following information:
• Point of contact’s name, phone number, and email address.
• A written description of the event or overview of information presented on the flyer.
• Acknowledgement that Student Life reserves the right to refuse posting material that is inconsistent with College rules, processes, and procedures.
• Acknowledgement that the information provided on the flyer/material is accurate.
• Priority will be given to College-related materials.

2. Posting of announcements, handbills, posters, advertisements, flyers or printed material of any kind is prohibited everywhere on any College campus, except on authorized bulletin boards, display rails and other expressly designated areas.  Prohibited areas include the following:

• Light posts.
• Windows (interior & exterior glass surfaces unless approved in advanced by the Office of Student Life).
• Trash cans.
• Building exteriors.
• Fences.
• Trees.
• Parking lots surfaces.
• Signs.
• Doors (unless approved in advanced by the Office of Student Life).

3. Water soluble chalking is permitted on the ground level (sidewalk) exterior entries, to advertise special functions (if approved in advanced by the Office of Student Life) on the day of the event.  Chalking is only permissible on the horizontal concrete ground surfaces (not on walls, brick surfaces, etc.) and must not be on the elevated step entries.

4. Postings related to specific events must be dated and will remain posted through the date of the event, space permitting.

5. The Office of Student Life will be responsible for posting and removing all approved items.

Items that are not approved may be removed by the College, without notice, and items will not be returned to the owner.

Rules for Community Bulletin Boards

1. Postings from the general public must be approved by the Office of Student Life. (request form attached)

• Postings on community bulletin boards must meet the following criteria due to limited amount of space, posted materials must be 8 ½” x 11” or smaller.
• Flyers/posted materials posting are stamped for 30 days from the date of receipt by the Office of Student Life and will be removed once the prescribed time has elapsed.
• Office of Student Life staff will post and remove all flyers in College-approved areas.
• Exceptions may be made for College staff who are posting College-related and/or time-sensitive materials.
• Such items must still receive approval through the Office of Student Life and be date stamped.
• For all materials approved and posted by the Office of Student Life, the Flyer Identification Sheet must be completed with the following information:
• Point of contact’s name, phone number, and email address.
• A written description of the event or overview of information presented on the flyer.
• Acknowledgement that the Office of Student Life reserves the right to refuse posting material that is inconsistent with College rules, processes, and procedures.
• Acknowledgement that the information provided on the flyer/material is accurate.
• Priority will be given to College-related materials.

2. Postings related to specific events must be dated and will remain posted through the date of the event, space permitting.

3. The Office of Student Life will be responsible for posting and removing all approved items.

4. Items that are not approved may be removed by the College, without notice, and items will not be returned to the owner.

Refusal of a Posting

Postings will not be approved for the following:

1. Any advertising that competes with official College activities or businesses with which the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) has entered into an exclusive contract (e.g., food service, beverage/snack vending); or,

2. Any activity prohibited by local, state and/or federal laws or conflicts with the mission and purpose of the institution (e.g., solicitation for credit cards, campaign contributions, sales or promotion of tobacco and tobacco-related products and marijuana or marijuana-related products).

The College reserves the right to deny a posting to any requestor who has already posted previously in the semester, in order to allow fair access to the bulletin boards for other requesting parties.

Enforcement

Violation of this Protocol may result in having a posting removed without notice and without return of the item.  The College reserves the right to refuse to grant future requests to individuals or groups in violation of this Protocol.  Students and employees also may be subject to discipline up to and including suspension or expulsion for students and dismissal or termination for employees.