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Posting Rules and Regulations

I. SCOPE

This policy applies to all Angelo State University students, faculty, staff, and their registered campus organizations that are directly associated with ASU programs and activities. Section III, items E, F, G are not applicable to Administrative units, academic departments, and the Student Body elections. ASU does not allow any outside postings or solicitation of any kind.

II. DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this policy, the terms “sign ” and “signs ” shall include, but are not limited to, billboards, decals, notices, table tents, flyers, placards, posters, banners, and hand-held signs. “Posting ” shall refer to any means used to display one or more signs.

III. PROCEDURAL REGULATIONS

  1. Individuals and campus organizations have and assume full responsibility and liability for the signs which they post, and should realize that legal action against persons or members of groups who participate in defamatory action, intentional infliction of emotional distress, or such other causes recognized and allowed by law may be possible.
  2. No object, other than a sign, may be posted on University property unless approved in writing by the Vice President for University Relations & Development.
  3. Only students, faculty, staff, and their registered campus organizations may post signs on University property. Posting must be conducted in compliance with this policy and University guidelines regarding the reasonable time, place, and manner in which signs may be posted.
  4. A sign or combination of signs with the same message cannot be larger than 616 square inches unless authorized by the University Center Director or his/her designee. Authorization for larger signs shall be based upon matters relating to space availability.
  5. The individual or campus organization wishing to post a sign must submit two copies of the sign to be posted to the University Center Program Office at least twenty four (24) hours in advance of the proposed posting. Weekends and holidays shall not be included in the calculation of the 24 hour period. The proposed sign will be checked for compliance with this policy.
  6. Each sign to be posted must contain the following information on the front of the sign:
    1. The name of the individual or organization responsible for the posting of the sign. The name of the individual or  organization must be fully spelled out in print which must be at least 1/4” in height. Organizations must also include the name of an individual who is the authorized representative of the organization; and
    2. The legible signature of the individual or the authorized representative.
  7. The current address and telephone number at which the individual or authorized representative may be contacted, or where comments or informational requests can be sent, must be filed with the University Center Program Office personnel when a sign is presented.
  8. All signs to be posted on University property must be stamped and dated by staff personnel at the University Center Program Office. Signs complying with this policy will be stamped and dated in the lower right-hand corner by the University Center Program Office personnel and will be available for pickup by the responsible party within twenty four (24) hours of their receipt. Weekends and holidays shall not be included in the calculation of the 24 hour period (one full business day). The party responsible for posting the sign shall bear the responsibility of picking up the stamped/dated sign from the University Center Program Office.
  9. Signs may be posted for a maximum of fourteen (14) days. The signs must be removed no later than the stamped removal date by the person responsible for posting the sign. Signs relating to a particular event must be taken down by 5:00 p.m., on the next class day after the event. The person or organization shall clean and remove any litter which results from the posting of its signs. In the event that such persons or organizations fail to abide by this provision of the posting policy, the University Center Program Office staff shall be authorized to remove the sign(s). A first degree penalty letter will be sent out. See Section VI. Penalties.
  10. Posting in University buildings is permitted in designated areas approved for that purpose. All bulletin boards in the University buildings that are under the jurisdiction of a department, college, or administrative office that maintains them are for departmental use only. Only one sign of a particular announcement may be posted on an individual bulletin board/posting area. A current list of posting areas and those in charge of bulletin boards is available at the University Center Information Desk.
  11. Signs to be posted out of doors may be displayed at one or more of the official posting areas designated by the University. Only one sign regarding a particular announcement may be posted at each outdoor posting area.
  12. No individual may remove a sign posted in accordance with these rules without the authorization of the Student Life Office, University Center Program Office, or the individual or organization posting the sign.
  13. Posting of signs may be prohibited for failure to follow the reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions included in the posting guidelines. See section VI. Penalties.

IV. VIOLENT OR OBSCENE SPEECH

The four (4) exceptions to speech (expression which may be restricted) are: Violence, Obscenity, Defamation, and Commercial Speech.

  1. Posting of signs may be prohibited based upon written or graphic expressions which are an incitement to imminent lawlessness. The University will give careful consideration to the actual circumstances surrounding such expression, and a decision to refuse posting will only occur if it appears that such provocation causes an immediate likelihood of violence or illegal acts.
  2. Posting of signs may be prohibited based upon “fighting words” expressions. “Fighting words” are similar expressions of imminent lawlessness, except they are addressed to individuals on a personal scale. Careful consideration must be given to the actual circumstances surrounding each expression.
  3. Posting of signs may be prohibited based upon obscenity. In determining what constitutes obscene material, a three-part test applies:
    1. The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest in sex;
    2. The work depicts or describes in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law; and
    3. The work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
  4. The Dean of Student Life is responsible for determining that sign content meets the established regulation. Before a decision is reached on whether to prohibit posting based on any of the above grounds, the Dean of Student Life shall meet with the student(s), faculty, staff, or organization representative(s) involved and allow for input and discussion. Procedures for prohibiting the posting of signs are as follows:
  1. The Dean of Student Life may contact the System Attorney for advice and shall obtain approval to proceed with the prohibition from the President of the University or his designated representative. The decision to proceed with prohibition must be made within seventy-two (72) hours from the time of the meeting between the student(s), faculty, staff, or organization representative(s) and the Dean of Student Life. Weekends and holidays are not included in the calculation of the 72 hour period.
  2. Upon deciding to proceed with this prohibition, an appointment will be made and a written notice must be given to the individual or organization involved. Such notice shall include a copy of this policy and shall cite the specific section which the University believes has been violated.
  3. The prohibition on the posting of the sign in question shall continue unless a court of proper jurisdiction overrides the prohibition.

V. OTHER REGULATIONS

  1. Anyone who violates this policy may be disciplined pursuant to The Texas Tech University System, Rules and Regulations, and University policies.
  2. Signs posted pursuant to this policy which interfere with the free and unimpeded flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic can be removed by the University.
  3. Signs posted pursuant to this policy which materially disrupt or interfere with the normal activities of the University can be removed by the University.

VI. PENALTIES

  1. First offense: A letter will be submitted to the organization’s Advisor and President, informing them of the infraction. For each offense, a letter will be put in the organization’s official file in the Student Life Office.
  2. Second offense: The University Center Program Office has the right to cancel the organization’s posting privileges for 30 class days.
  3. Third offense: The University Center Program Office has the right to cancel the organization’s posting privileges for 90 class days.
  4. Fourth offense: The University Center Program Office has the right to cancel the organization’s posting privileges for 1 calendar year from the last infraction.

HELPFUL REMINDERS ABOUT POSTING

A number of University buildings have general use bulletin boards for student posting. Designated departmental bulletin boards may not be used without approval from the appropriate department head.

Outdoor Posting boards are located at the ASU Super Slab facility and along the exterior wall of the University Center, facing the Porter Henderson Library.

All of the Residence Hall Supervisors and Apartment Managers have a box located in the Administration Building in the Mail Room marked “Residential Programs”. Flyers or information for Residence Halls’ bulletin boards should be placed in this box and the Supervisors and Managers will post them in their respective buildings.

Specific sections of the general posting policy do not apply to administrative units, academic departments and to Student Body elections which are governed by the Student Election Code.

Questions relating to posting on campus should be directed to the University Center Program Office in the University Center, Room 211 or the Student Life Office in the University Center.