CAMPUS ACCESS POLICY
To that end the Board of Trustees of Sinclair Community College adopts the following policies concerning access to campus property in order to better assure:
- The avoidance of disruption of the educational functions of
- Maintenance of order on campus;
- Protection of persons and property of students, employees, and other members of the public present on campus for lawful reasons as well as protection of Sinclair Community College property;
- Protection of students from illegal, unethical or fraudulent actions;
- Preservation of appropriate academic and work environments for employees and students; and
- Maintenance of
In formulating these policies the Board of Trustees of Sinclair Community College took into consideration the interests of the community it serves in maintaining reasonable access to its buildings, grounds, and facilities. Those community interests include:
- Ready access to the educational services offered by
- Attendance at, or participation in, civic, cultural, and educational events held at, or sponsored by,
- Attendance at, or participation in, sporting events;
- Safe guarding civil liberties guaranteed by the United States and Ohio Constitutions, including freedoms of speech, press, and assembly; and
- Protecting employee rights in accordance with
These policies establish the parameters for access to
It should also be noted that no policy can or should be all inclusive. There are numerous situations which will arise that are not specifically addressed in these policies.
The President of Sinclair Community College and his/her designees are hereby directed and empowered to develop and implement procedures deemed necessary to give full effect to these policies.
I. GENERAL POLICIES APPLICABLE TO ALL CAMPUS ACCESS:
Any unauthorized use of, or access to,
No person shall be in any room, area, or facility for purposes other than those for which the room, area, or facility has been intended. Approval for use of facilities may be revoked by
Youth or children's groups shall be supervised at all times by responsible adults provided by the outside organization seeking access to
Security for Sinclair Community College shall at all times be under the control of Sinclair Community College, and any activity by outside organizations on Sinclair Community College premises shall be open to inspection by Sinclair Community College at all times.
II. SPEAKERS AND PRESENTATIONS BY OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS:
The freedoms of speech and assembly guaranteed by the
However, because there is no absolute right to assemble, to make or hear a speech or to make presentations, at any time or place regardless of the circumstances; invitations to outside speakers, or to outside organizations for presentations shall be limited in the following particulars:
- No request to invite an outside speaker will be granted if the speaker, or presentation, is a part of any program the nature of which is otherwise prohibited by this Campus Access Policy;
- A request to invite an outside speaker, or for presentations by outside organizations, will be considered only when made by a recognized student organization or member of the faculty or staff, or where the speaker, or presenter, is on the program of a meeting or function of a community organization for which access to campus is otherwise permitted;
- No invitation by such student group, faculty, staff or organization shall be issued to an outside speaker, or presenter, without prior written approval by the President of Sinclair Community College (or his/her designee) for scheduling of speaker/presentation dates and assignment of campus facilities;
- Speaker Requests shall be made in writing by the group, person, or organization desiring to sponsor the speaker at least three (3) weeks prior to the date of the proposed speaking engagement. (Requests should be submitted as soon as possible, as facilities are assigned on the basis of availability with first preference to functions sponsored by
- Speaker Requests shall identify the speaker, or presenter, and state the name of the group, person or organization sponsoring the speaker, the proposed date, time and location of the meeting, the expected size of the audience, and the topic of the speech or nature of presentation. (Speaker Request forms are available in the Business Services office.)
- Speaker Requests may be denied if the President (or designee) determines that facilities are not available to accommodate the proposed engagement, if the nature of the program is otherwise prohibited by this Campus Access Policy (for example: the proposed speaker would address a political fund raising dinner), or if the proposed speech will constitute a clear and present danger to Sinclair Community College's orderly operation by the speaker's advocacy of such actions as:
a. The violent overthrow of government;
b. The willful damage or destruction, or seizure and subversion, of
c. The forcible disruption or interference with
d. The physical harm, coercion, intimidation, or other invasion of lawful rights, of Sinclair Community College officials, administrative staff, faculty, staff or students; or
e. Other campus disorder of an obscene or violent nature. [The President may base such determinations on the stated intent or topic of the speaker/presenter and/or past practice or experiences of the speaker/presenter or sponsoring outside group.]
7. In the event a Speaker Request is denied, the sponsoring group, person, or organization may appeal the denial, in writing to the President, who shall set the matter for hearing, within three working days of the receipt of the appeal, before the Access Appeals Committee for consideration of the request. The Access Appeals Committee's decision shall be issued within two days of the hearing, and shall be final.
8. In the event a Speaker Request is granted, the sponsoring group, person, or organization shall:
a) If there are any modifications to the Speaker Request, such as a change in the time or place of the speech, etc., the modifications must be given to the President (or designee), in writing, sufficiently in advance to assure that the assembly can be accommodated;
b) Make public statements that the views presented are not necessarily those of
c) Comply with applicable rules, regulations, and laws for such assemblies, including reasonable requests of the President (or designee) as to the conduct of the assembly. (At the discretion of the President, it may be required that a member of
III. SOCIAL AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY:
1. Social functions, such as weddings, parties, banquets (except such functions sponsored by, co-sponsored by, or for the benefit of recognized student, faculty, or staff organizations, or Sinclair Community College);
2. Religious services, or events which include religious services as a substantial portion of the program;
3. Events which involve gambling of any kind, even if the gambling is intended solely as a fund-raising mechanism for charity; however, recognized student, faculty, or staff organizations may with prior written approval of the President (or designee), include lawful games of chance (such as a raffle) as part of a fund-raising activity;
4. Commercial ventures or proprietary functions intended to generate a profit for a person, group, organization, or company, except such ventures or functions sponsored, or co-sponsored by, Sinclair Community College; (such activities are not permitted even if sponsored or co- sponsored by a recognized student, faculty, or staff organization);
5. Any function or event requiring food and/or refreshments to be supplied by anyone other than the Sinclair Community College food service contractor, unless there has been prior written consent signed by Sinclair Community College and its food service contractor;
6. Any activity involving the collection of, or raising of, funds by any outside person or organization (this prohibition includes political fund raising events); however,
IV. SOLICITATIONS AND LITERATURE DISTRIBUTION:
1. Outside persons or organizations (non-employees, and others not a student or recognized student, faculty, or staff organization) intending to solicit students or employees for any purpose, or to distribute literature must, for each visit:
a. Give advance notice of at least five (5) business days of such intention to the Director of Business Services, which notice shall include the following: (If less than five (5) business days notice is given, depending on the arrangements required to be made,
i. the date and time for such solicitation or distribution;
ii. the identity of the person or organization;
iii. a list of the names of those intending to solicit or distribute literature;
iv. whether the solicitation will include distribution of literature; and
v. the general nature of the solicitation or distribution;
b. Confine all solicitation and/or distribution to non-work areas designated by the Director of Business for their activities;
c. Refrain from the solicitation or distribution of literature to employees during their work-time; and
d. Abide by all other requirements of this Policy, and other applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
2. Employees, students, and recognized student, faculty, or staff organizations may engage in the solicitation of employees only if such does not interfere with, or occur during, the work-time of the employee being solicited or doing the solicitation.
3. Literature may not be distributed in working areas, including: classrooms, laboratories, lecture halls, gymnasiums, libraries, offices, work stations, conference rooms, and corridors leading directly thereto which are an integral part of the work areas.
4.
5. No solicitation or distribution shall be permitted to disrupt or interfere with normal work and educational activities on campus.
6. Violations of this Solicitation/Distribution Policy by employees will be subject to discipline pursuant to
7. Violations of this Solicitation/Distribution Policy by students will subject the student to discipline as provided in the Student Handbook.
8. Outside persons or organizations violating this Solicitation/Distribution Policy will be asked to cease the violation(s) and if necessary escorted off the campus. Flagrant or repeated violations by an outside person or organization may result in denial of future access to the campus and/or prosecution as appropriate.
V. COMMON AREAS:
Common areas such as lobbies, hallways and stairwells are not available to any person or group for any purpose which could impede ingress or egress from any building, room or office, or otherwise interfere with traffic (pedestrian or vehicular). For this reason, any use of common areas must have prior approval of the President (or designee).
No event or function shall be permitted in any common area which could interfere with the orderly conduct of scheduled classes, or other operations of
VI. ATHLETIC/RECREATIONAL FACILITIES:
Athletic/recreational facilities are available only to the following: (Availability of facilities is generally limited to regular service hours according to the published quarterly schedule
of campus, hours.)
1. Administration, faculty, employees, and students of
2. Participants in, or spectators at, any athletic or recreational event sponsored or co-sponsored by
3. Outside organizations may use the facilities provided:
a. the intended use is in keeping with the mission and purpose of
b. requests advance; for use are made at least 3 weeks in
c. facilities are available;
d. all applicable fees or deposits are paid in advance; and
e. evidence of insurance to defend and hold harmless
Any person making use of athletic/recreational facilities must comply with applicable rules, regulations, or laws.
VII. PARKING FACILITIES:
Except for occasional use by civic or community organizations as a parade or march assembly point (for which prior written approval must be obtained from the President or his/her designee), parking facilities are for the use of Sinclair Community College employees, students, visitors, and guests solely to park their vehicles. No other activity in, or use of, parking facilities is allowed. Administration, faculty, staff and students are expected to observe all applicable rules and regulations in using these facilities. Fees, if any, must be paid when due. Parking spaces reserved for use by handicapped persons may only be occupied by properly identified vehicles. Observe all posted traffic regulations.
Pedestrian use of parking facilities shall be limited to travel to or from parked vehicles. No distribution of literature shall be allowed, and no postings are permitted in or on the parking facilities.
VIII. FEES, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:
a. Any event or function which may include the serving or consumption of alcoholic beverages;
