Space usage rules

Central Ohio Technical College and The Ohio State University at Newark are committed to protecting the First Amendment right to free speech and expression on our campuses. Intellectual freedom and civic engagement are foundational to the institutions’ values and enhance the academic community. COTC and Ohio State Newark support the right for everyone to peacefully express their views and to speak out about issues that are important to them.

Accordingly, the institutions make available certain designated indoor and outdoor spaces for hosting events which support their missions. The purpose of these standards is to assure the right of free expression on the campuses while supporting the ability of institutional community members to carry out academic and administration pursuits without substantial disruptions.

The institutions’ buildings, grounds, facilities, and other property (for the purpose of these standards, “space”) are dedicated to the fulfillment of their educational missions. The institutions are also responsible for ensuring the continued safe and effective operation of the business of the campus and college. The institutions allow designated outdoor and indoor spaces to be reserved for events consistent with the institutions’ educational missions, administrative and other official functions, and students’ campus-life activities. The institutions may limit access to or use of its space as may be necessary to provide for the safety of the campus/college community and the orderly conduct of the institutions’ educational missions, administrative and other official functions, and students’ campus life activities.

Accordingly, the institutions have designated their classrooms, laboratories, recreation areas and facilities, residential facilities, as well as administrative, office, research, and facilities buildings as closed for public use, unless otherwise specified. Select buildings have spaces, including but not limited to outdoor spaces, conference rooms and classrooms, and designated areas within facilities that may be reserved for activities or events that support the institutions’ teaching, research, and service missions, administrative or other official functions, or students’ campus-life activities consistent with these standards. Non-affiliates are free to visit and walk through our campuses; however, they must comply with these standards to conduct events.

These standards work in conjunction with other college and university rules, policies, standards, and related governing documents including:

• OSU Faculty Rule 3335-11-02;
• OSU Code of Student Conduct;
• COTC Code of Student Conduct;
• OSU Campus Free Speech Policy;
• COTC Freedom of Expression Policy;
• OSU Non-Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy;
• COTC Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-discrimination Policy, and,
• University Signage Standards, including the university’s temporary signage and chalking rules (COTC adheres to these signage standards).

An event is any non-curricular planned gathering including but not limited to lectures, speaker presentations, conferences, forums, performances, concerts, demonstrations, protests, rallies, celebrations and social gatherings.

A non-affiliate is defined as any person who is not a student, employee, trustee, or emeritus of the university or college.

Aregistered student organization is an association of students created for any educational purpose that supports the vision and goals of the institutions.

Restricted noise is defined as noise disrupting the function of the college or campus. Noise that is disruptive includes, but is not limited to, amplified sound [which includes, but is not limited to, audio enhancement devices, vocally amplified sound (i.e. shouting), and other noise-making instruments] and other loud noise that is disruptive as defined within The Ohio State University Faculty Rule 3335-11-02 or in COTC’s Freedom of Expression Policy or is noise occurring during the restricted hours outlined in Section F(2) below. Restricted noise does not include noise which is necessary for the conduct of official university or college functions, including noise related to construction, maintenance, and landscaping.

The phrase “university or college authorized activity” shall be taken to mean any activity that the college/university conducts, sponsors, or permits to be carried out on the campus or in any university/college building or facility.

The phrase “with an intent to disrupt” shall be taken to mean that a person knows or reasonably should know that their act or acts will have the consequence of preventing others from carrying out university authorized activities.

The college and campus have designated some spaces that may be reserved for holding events by registered student organizations, students, faculty, staff, and non-affiliates for the support of the institutions’ missions, administrative functions, or campus-life activities. In these spaces, the institutions may place reasonable time, place and manner limitations on usage to ensure that the usage does not disrupt the institutions’ mission, administrative functions, or campus-life activities.

Designated college/campus indoor and outdoor spaces must be reserved as outlined in Section D. below for the purpose of hosting events, when one or more of the following conditions apply:

• If event organizers expect or promote the activity as having the sole usage of a space; or
• If the activity requires or event organizers expect campus staff support or resources in order to conduct the activity or hold the event; or
• If the activity requires physical set-up of equipment, signs, or other structures.

Similarly, the institutions, within their sole discretion and subject to change based upon the operational needs of the institutions, have designated spaces that are not available for reservation by registered student organizations, students, faculty, staff, and non-affiliates. These spaces are assigned for specific college or university administrative functions, teaching, learning, or research and cannot be reserved.

Use of space for purposes other than those for which they have been designated will not be permitted.

Reservations for spaces are processed on first-come, first-served basis with priority given to college or university departments, registered student organizations, and other official college or university functions. Reservations are non-transferable and the institutions reserve the right to reschedule events consistent with these standards.

Reserving space for events occurring in or on college/university outdoor space should proceed as follows:

1. Registered Student Organizations – Registered student organizations must submit requests through the Office of Student Life student organization form repository. Registered student organizations sponsoring visits from political candidates or surrogates must also comply with the Protocol for Visits by Political Candidates or Surrogates Sponsored by Registered Student Organizations.
2. College/University Departments, Faculty, Staff and Non-Affiliates – College/university departments, faculty, staff and non-affiliates must submit requests through 25Live. Non-affiliates without access to 25Live must submit requests through the Facilities department.

Persons or organizations reserving space are responsible for any damage and shall repair the damage to the satisfaction of the Facilities Department or pay for others to complete. Specific services when required or if needed must be arranged and paid for directly with the appropriate department (i.e., Facilities, Public Safety, etc.). Deposits or an agreement regarding use of space, liability, and payment may be required for reservation.

The Facilities Department reserves the right to cancel scheduled events (or move events to a predetermined alternate location if possible) with a three-day notice due to grounds and maintenance considerations. Notice of cancellation due to weather conditions and/or other unforeseen incidents (i.e. power outages) will be made as soon as possible.

Events that are determined to pose a risk to personal safety, college/campus property, or facility security may be moved to another space or rescheduled, where reasonably practicable, with at least a three-business day advance notice until such time as adequate and appropriate security can be made available, as determined by the Office of Public Safety.

The Facilities Department reserves the right to cancel scheduled events (or have events moved to a predetermined alternate location) with, where reasonably practicable, a three-business day notice due to weather, grounds, and maintenance considerations. Notice of cancellation due to weather conditions and/or other unforeseen incidents (i.e. power outages) will be made as soon as possible.

All persons on college or university property are required to abide by college/university policies and shall identify themselves upon request to institutional officials who are acting in the performance of their duties.

Students, registered student organizations, faculty, staff, and non-affiliates are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with these standards, all applicable college/university policies, and applicable local, state and federal laws. Students and registered student organizations are also expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct. Use of institutional property must not, in any form, disrupt college or university business.

When enforcing these standards, an officer or employee authorized to maintain order on the campus or facility should make a reasonable attempt to warn and advise all persons to cease the prohibited conduct or activity before citing and/or arresting the individual for violation of these standards, except where the conduct violating these standards reasonably appears to create a threat to or endanger health, safety or property.