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Purpose
The purpose of the buildings, grounds, facilities, and other property (“space”) at Westminster College is to support the educational mission and activity of the College. Spaces are available primarily for programs offered by and intended for the campus community, including teaching, research, administrative functions, and student life activities. The College has spaces, including, but not limited to athletic and outdoor spaces, conference rooms and classrooms, banquet and entertainment spaces that may be reserved for activities or events that support the College’s mission, administrative functions, and student life activities.
Space Reservation
Space may be reserved for an event by administrators, faculty, staff, and registered student organizations, and students for events that support the educational activity of the College. In these spaces, the College reserves the right to require reasonable time, place, and manner limitations to ensure the usage does not disrupt the College’s mission, administrative functions, or student life activities. Similarly, the College reserves the right to restrict, cancel or change a reservation based on operational needs. Members of the College community wishing to use College space for purposes outside the academic mission, administrative function, or student life activities may reserve space by contacting the Westminster College Business Office. Fees apply.
Reservations are generally managed via AdAstra and are processed on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to College departments and registered student organizations. All-College events, such as orientation, homecoming, URAC, and Commencement are given priority. Administrative functions such as recruitment events are given second priority. Once reservations for all-College events are completed, the College community will receive notification to submit space reservation.
Persons or organizations reserving space are responsible for set up and tear down. Set up/tear down services through Physical Plant may be requested via the work order system, for a fee.
Reserving space for events occurring in or on College space should proceed as follows:
- Academic and Administrative Departments, Faculty, Staff, Students - Parties must submit requests via Reserve a Campus Location found in quick links on My.Westminster.
- Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) - Recognized student organizations must first submit a Campus Event Registration Form, at least two weeks in advance (10 business days) with three weeks (15 business days) recommended for large-scale campus events. After approval, the recognized parties must submit requests via Reserve a Campus Location found in quick links on My.Westminster.
Reservation Managers
To troubleshoot or follow up on a reservation, contact the following:
Rules Governing Usage of Space
- Facility Hours and Usage - Space utilization is limited to the designated hours of operation for the space unless prior authorization is given in writing.
- Ingress and Egress - To ensure accessibility, any event approved for an outdoor space may not block or obstruct sidewalks, walkways, or streets. For indoor events, ingress and a minimum of two means of egress must be maintained at all times.
- Quad - The quad is maintained for the enjoyment of students, faculty, and staff. Events may be relocated to preserve the quality of the grounds.
- Use of Sound - Amplified sound and other loud noise is restricted Sunday through Thursday prior to 9 a.m. and after 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday prior to 10 a.m. and after 1 a.m. in indoor spaces. For outdoor spaces, use of sound must comply with the New Wilmington Borough noise ordinance. Restricted noise is defined as noise disrupting the educational and administrative functions of the College. Noise that disrupts includes, but is not limited to, amplified sound and other loud noise that is audible more than 50 feet from the source of the sound and/or noise occurring during restricted hours. Use of sound may be further restricted in support of prioritized events such as Commencement.
Exceptions to this rule may be granted in consideration of the duration of the sound, time during the academic semester, and type of amplified sound used. Exception requests must be submitted to Student Life for review a minimum of 2 business days prior to the event. The College may request that organizers adjust the volume of sound if it is disrupting a function of the College.
Use of sound equipment in indoor spaces must be coordinated with designated staff. Contracts with external vendors must be reviewed by the Director of Compliance and Risk Management prior to signature.
- Signs and Banners - Signs, a-frames, banners and other forms of advertising may only be posted adjacent to the approved event and are not to be raised in other areas of the campus. Signs may not impede ingress or egress to campus buildings and may not block sidewalks, walkways, or streets. Freestanding signs must be safe and secure. No signs causing ground or building penetration are permitted without prior approval from Physical Plant. More information about signs and banners can be found in the College’s Posting Policy in the Student Handbook.
- Tents and Temporary Structures - No tents or other temporary structures requiring stakes may be set up without prior approval from Physical Plant. Tents may not cover grass for more than 24 hours after the conclusion of the event. Air-supported temporary structures (i.e., inflatables) must be under contract from a College-recognized provider, and the contract must be approved by the Director of Compliance and Risk Management at least one week prior to the event
- Overnight Events - Events consistent with the College’s mission spanning overnight hours must be confined to a single 24-hour period. Outside habitation must not be the primary focus of the event and require prior approval by the Office of Student Life. Encampments, defined as a place where one or more individuals stay for a continuous time that includes temporary or permanent structures and personal belongings, are not permitted on College property.
- SGA Gas Fire Pit - Reservations are required for use of the SGA Fire Pit. The SGA Fire Pit is not eligible for overnight programming. Event organizers are responsible for ensuring the area is cleaned up following any event and will be held responsible for failure to do so, including financial responsibility for the cost of clean up.
- Food - Sodexo Dining Services is the vendor of record for Westminster College and will have first right of refusal to serve food in any reserved space. Sodexo has exclusive catering rights on campus. Sodexo must be consulted prior to scheduling food trucks. Registered student organizations must complete event registration processes prior to contracting with a food truck. A contract is required for food truck vendors and must be approved by the Director of Compliance and Risk Management.
- Alcohol and Other Drugs - All College policies related to alcohol and drug use apply when using College spaces.
- Grills - Only use of a College-approved and owned gas grill is permitted. To reserve a grill, contact the Athletic department.
- Brittain Lake - Fishing at Brittain Lake is permitted in compliance with state and campus guidelines. Other recreational use of Brittain Lake must be supervised and organized through the Athletics, Campus Recreation, or Student Life departments. Swimming, wading or entering the water is not permitted. Skating on or walking across the frozen lake also is not permitted.
- Rescheduling of Events - Events that are determined to pose a risk to personal safety, College property or facility security may be moved to another space or rescheduled, where practicable, with at least three business days’ notice until such time, as adequate and appropriate security can be made available, as determined by the Department of Public Safety or the President if the event involves a guest speaker/lecturer.
- Public Safety Needs - When planning a public event, the event organizer and/or student organization advisor must request the development of a safety plan from the Director of Public Safety prior to signing a contract, if applicable, or a minimum of two weeks in advance of the event. Security personnel will be provided by the College’s Department of Public Safety, and DPS will coordinate with local law enforcement if applicable. The College reserves the right to postpone or cancel an event if adequate public safety measures cannot be provided by DPS. Costs for public safety arrangements will be incurred by the sponsoring department or recognized student organization.
Crafts at Campus Event
When RSOs host an event on campus, scattering rice, birdseed, confetti, glitter, Mylar sprinkles, sand, silly string, or other items are not permitted inside or outside College facilities, except by permission from the Office of Student Affairs. Charges will be applied for clean-up if this policy is violated.
At times, RSOs may wish to register an event that includes paint, whipped cream, or any other art creation. To register these types of events, organizations should prepare and present a Care of Facilities plan to the Office of Student Life alongside their event registration. This should be a comprehensive plan to ensure that College facilities are cared for before, during, and after an event. Events of this nature will not be approved until a Care of Facilities plan is created and shared with the Office of Student Life. RSOs are financially responsible for any damages caused by paint, whipped cream, shaving cream or other art creation materials as determined by the Physical Plant Office.
Student Life staff may require an RSO to seek additional guidance from the Physical Plant Office before approving an event.
Damage to Space
Persons or organizations reserving space are financially responsible for any damage and should be reported to Physical Plant by placing a work order.
Enforcement of Rules
All College policies apply when using College spaces. Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct found in the Student Handbook, as well as local, state, and federal laws. Faculty and staff are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with College policies, local, state, and federal laws.
When enforcing these rules, an official or employee authorized to maintain order on the campus should make a reasonable attempt to warn and advise registered student organizations, students, faculty, and staff to cease the prohibited conduct or activity before citing and/or arresting the individual for violation of these rules, except where the conduct violating these rules reasonably appears to create an immediate threat to or endanger health, safety, or property.
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