6.7 PUBLIC ACCESS POLICY
Policy Statement: Central Lakes College is a publicly supported institution of higher education, maintained by the people of the State to further the educational and cultural opportunities of the citizens. Education, broadly received, is the fundamental purpose and responsibility of the College and to this end its staff members direct their efforts. Contributing to this primary purpose and erected solely to further it is physical plant facilities that house various educational activities that are initiated and developed by the College.
These facilities are of many types and adapted to a wide variety of purposes, some of which are specialized, as in the case of the library, program shop areas and laboratories. Others are adaptable to more general use, such as classrooms, gymnasium, auditorium, etc. Regardless of the uses to which the College facilities may be put, all of them were conceived and planned with the immediate needs of the institution and its educational program in mind. The one justification for the extension of the physical plant has been that of enabling the College to do its broad educational task more effectively.
Procedures
A. General – All persons on College property are required to abide by College and MinnState policies, State laws, and College regulations. Violation of law, policy or regulation may subject a person to legal penalties, removed from the campus, or other sanctions; if the person is a student, faculty member or staff member of the College, that person may also be subject to College discipline.
1. All persons on College property may be required to identify themselves to, and comply with instructions of, authorized officials acting in the performance of their duties.
2. Food, beverage, and other consumables may be distributed on campus only in accordance with state and federal regulations and campus policies, and regulations governing food service operations implemented by the Office of Business Services. All groups, including campus organizations, College groups, Student Governments and Support Groups are required to have prior approval from the Office of Business Services, before dispensing such items.
3. The name, initials, insignia, logo, mascot, seal, or address of Central Lakes College or any of its offices or units shall not be used except for official or authorized College purposes.
4. No sign, poster, paint, chalk, or ink messages may be placed, affixed, or applied to the walls, windows, floors or surfaces of campus buildings or structures, streets, walkways, utility poles, construction fences, trees, or any location other than designated college bulletin boards, unless approved by the Office of Business Services.
B. Public Access -The grounds open to the public generally are the paved walkways on College property. Grounds are open to the public generally between the hours of 6:00 am and 10:00 pm. Between the hours of 10:00 pm and 6:00 am, these areas are generally closed to all activities except coming and going to a College function or crossing the campus.
The College reserves the right to reasonably limit or otherwise direct demonstrations, especially for safety reasons. Such activities shall not be disruptive, impede access, or litter the campus. Limitations are as follows:
1. Picketing in an orderly manner outside College facilities is not prohibited. Picketing is not permitted inside College facilities or in other areas used for instruction or student activities.
2. Literature may be distributed in public areas of the grounds and in certain facilities after receiving the appropriate approval provided that the free flow of traffic is not obstructed, literature or materials are not forced upon others and literature is not placed on or in vehicles parked on campus. The college reserves the right to determine the time, place, and manner of distribution of literature.
3. Displaying a sign, gesturing, wearing symbolic clothing or otherwise protesting is permissible unless it is a disruptive activity or impedes access. Such acts should not block the audience’s view or prevent the audience from being able to pay attention.
The criteria to be used to determine whether an activity, program or event unreasonably disrupts the orderly operation of the college or an official College function or any other scheduled activity shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. the expected duration of the activity
2. the activity’s timing in relation to the academic calendar (for example, proposed scheduling during the first week of classes or during final examination week)
3. the number of participants
4. the expected noise level to be generated by the activity.
5. the need for College resources, security, and personnel to oversee or control the activity.
C. Educational Activities: Because the facilities of the College are requisite to the educational activities and designed to house them, specific underlying assumptions are made with respect to their use. They are at all times available for purposes that the College itself develops as a part of its own educational program. Such use constantly extends beyond that associated with the courses of instruction. It may and does include programs that contribute to the physical and cultural development of the students supplementary to the formal course work. The College, through its departments, invites lecturers to come to the campus; it provides opportunities to hear good music, to see fine examples of art, and in many specific ways it stimulates the intellectual and emotional life of the students. All such extra classroom activity is a definite part of the educational program. The people of the State are invited to share in many of these advantages and do so.
It is not in connection with such educational programs that questions arise concerning the use of the facilities of the College; rather, it is in connection with the desire of and request by non-College groups to come to the campus and use the facilities to house programs or activities which they themselves have initiated. The College appreciates the fact that its facilities are sometimes more adequate for specific purposes than are other buildings that may be available. At the same time, it reiterates its basic assumption that the buildings are designed for the educational uses of the College and not for general use.
D. Co-sponsored Activities: There are circumstances in which the purposes of non-College groups coincide with or complement those of the College itself. In such circumstances, non-College groups may be authorized to use College facilities under agreements in which all conditions and pertinent details are arranged by the College or subject to its formal approval.
Central Lakes College will not, under any circumstances, permit the unrestricted use of its facilities by non-College groups. In order that there may be a clarification of the policy governing the use of College facilities, these principles are listed:
1. Events involving the use of College facilities by non-College groups may be co-sponsored by the College, by College units, or by recognized student organizations.
2. The College cannot be a co-sponsor with any non-campus group for political, racial, or sectarian gatherings, unless such are directly related to the educational mission of the college.
3. Whenever non-College groups share in the use of College facilities, it is with the approval of the College, and all conditions of that co-sponsorship are to be set by the College in the Facilities Utilization Procedures.
4. The College will not enter into co-sponsorship of any program or activity in which the educational or public service implications are not evident and which does not relate appropriately to the mission of the College.
5. Upon entering into co-sponsorship or any program or activity, the College reserves the right to pre-approve all copy for advertising as well as all news releases.
E. Rental Agreements: Conflicting Activities: in the event of a conflict with regular College programs or activities, College activities have higher priority.
F. Rates: College will set rates for use of its facilities.
Conflicting Opinions: Entering into a Facilities Use Request Form with a non-College organization in no way indicates official College sanction of or agreement with the policies, goals, or opinions of the non-College group. In cases where there may be groups with differing views, it should be clear that such groups have an equal opportunity to use College facilities. For example, the College’s location in the community and the lack of availability of space in other facilities may make it appropriate for a political party to use College facilities for a caucus meeting. In that case, opposing parties must be afforded equal opportunity to use facilities, according to established procedures.
Denial of Use of College Facilities to Authorized Users: The use of College facilities may be denied if the proposed activity.
1. is not approved by college administration; or
2. is clearly contrary to expressed College policies or campus regulations concerning the general use of
3. properties or use of specific properties; or
4. is likely to significantly harm the safety or welfare of persons or property; or
5. would involve an off-campus audience under circumstances not permitted by Central Lakes College.
Implementation: The Director of Business Services is responsible for implementation and interpretation of this policy and procedure, including actions to approve or disapprove proposed public access requests, or regulate public access consistent with this policy and procedure.
Date of Implementation/Presidential Approval: 11/15/2002
Date of last review: 9/14/2020