implementation
The Director of Conference and Reservations is responsible for scheduling non-curricular use of institutional facilities in accordance with the provisions of this policy.
This authority has been delegated to the director by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, who is responsible for the implementation of the facilities use policy.
purpose and scheduling
Purpose
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point recognizes and establishes the primacy of academic programs and co-curricular activities in the use of institutional facilities. Further, as part of its outreach and community service endeavors, the university will also provide its facilities for the use of residents of the state to the extent that the facilities are available and institutional resources permit.
To meet this goal, requests for the use of facilities are granted when facilities are available and when the requested use
1.) will not conflict nor interfere with curricular and co-curricular programs of the university;
2.) will not conflict nor interfere with the general welfare of students or other members of the university community; and
3.) is compatible with the function of the facility to be used.
NOTE. The use of state facilities, including faculty and staff offices, for soliciting, receiving, or making political contributions by mail or in person is prohibited by law (11.36 Wis. Stats.).
Scheduling
Facilities are normally scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Reservations for facilities may be made by calling, writing, emailing, or visiting the Conference and Reservations Office.
Office: Room 340 Dreyfus University Center
Phone: 715.346.2427
Email: conf&res@uwsp.edu
PRIORITIES FOR USE and definitions of classifications
Priorities
Preferential Scheduling
Academic programs and co-curricular activities receive primary consideration.
Annual Events
Annual or on-going university events and activities are normally scheduled well in advance of the date of the activity and before other reservations are accepted.
Priorities
Scheduling and assignment of university facilities is handled and fees assessed (refer to the appropriate subsection below) in accordance with these priorities, based on the
type of event;
relationship to the university's mission and goals;
sponsoring organization; and
charges to event participants.
Priority One
Curricular programs regularly scheduled on the academic calendar.
Priority Two
Co-curricular programs regularly scheduled during the academic year or summer session
Priority Three
Class A
Sponsors of non-curricular events and programs, and within this priority, in this order:
1.) student organizations and groups;
2.) faculty events;
3.) educational events sponsored by the university or a subunit;
4.) state, county, or city governmental agencies; and
5.) educational events sponsored by the university in conjunction with outside organizations.
Class B
Events fulfilling university requirements but sponsored by outside nonprofit organizations.
Class C
Commercial events.
Definitions for Priority Three Classifications
Class A
(university groups or individuals and governmental agencies). Included in this category are
1.) recognized UWSP student organizations;
2.) groups of students who have temporary recognition;
3.) university departments and units;
4.) university personnel meeting to pursue an area of interest related to the welfare or mission of the university; and
5.) state, county, or city governmental agencies, agency subunits, or committees meeting for business purposes.
Class B
(nonprofit organizations and organizations not affiliated with or sponsored by the university). Included in this category are
1.) nonprofit civic or community service groups;
2.) professionally recognized nonprofit organizations related to education;
3.) nonprofit groups wanting to use facilities for programs of public or social significance; and
4.) organizations whose programs are not directly related to the curricular or co-curricular programs of the university but which have a broad general relationship to the mission or goals of the university.
NOTES: Nonprofit organizations sponsored by the university or university subunits receive priority three status.
Class C
Commercial enterprises and private agencies.
FACILITY RENTAL FEES
Assessment Basis
Facility Use
Groups and organizations are assessed fees based on the priority classifications for use.
1.) Priority one and two users are assessed no fees for facility use;
2.) Priority three:
A.) Class A users are assessed no fees;
B.) Class B users are assessed the full rental cost; and
C.) Class C users are assessed double the full rental cost.
Set-up Fees
Facility use charges are only for the physical facility but includes the standard set-up of the facility requested.
Additional fees are assessed for special set-up, additional cleaning, or overtime maintenance. These fees are based on labor costs.
Fee Schedule
The Facility Usage Fee Schedule establishes a minimum fee charged for each facility. The fee schedule is constructed on an hourly rate formula. Contact the Conference & Reservations Office for current rates.
Waivers.
The Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs may grant waivers from the published fee schedule for youth conferences, workshops, and institutes held in facilities supported by general purpose revenue funds.
PARKING FOR EVENTS
Conference and Reservations personnel will assist planners of events in securing parking. Visitors attending conferences, workshops, institutes, or similar activities or events scheduled through the conference and reservations office are assessed parking fees through either
1.) assignment to a coin-operated lot; or
2.) issuance of a temporary parking permit.
When a university department, unit, or office hosts an individual or small group, no parking fee is assessed but the host organization must contact parking services to make appropriate arrangements.
AUTHORITY
Authority for and limitations on granting the use of university facilities to the public is in 16.845 Wis. Stats., chapter UWS 21 of the Administrative Code, and Regent policies.
Behavior on university lands is governed by Chapter UWS 18 of the Code (a copy is in chapter 4, section 7, of the University Handbook).
Statutory Authority
Section 16.845 of the statutes provides for the use of state owned facilities:
Except as elsewhere expressly prohibited, the managing authority of any facility owned by the State may permit its use for free discussion of public questions, or for civic, social, recreational or athletic activities. No such use shall be permitted if it would unduly burden the managing authority or interfere with the prime use of such facility. The applicant for use shall be liable to the state for any injury done to its property, for any expense arising out of any such use and for such sum as the managing authority may charge for such use. All such sums are to be into the general fund and to be credited to the appropriation for the operation of the facility used. The managing authority may permit such use notwithstanding the fact that a reasonable admission fee may be charged to the public. Whoever does or attempts to do an act for which a permit is required under this section without first obtaining the permit may be fined not more than $100 or imprisoned not more than 30 days, or both. This section applies only to those building, facilities and grounds for which a procedure for obtaining a permit has been established.
Definitions
Two definitions from this statute are pertinent to UWSP:
facility includes buildings and any surrounding or connecting grounds; and
managing authority means, among other definitions, the officer responsible for the management of a particular facility.
Chapter UWS 21
A copy of chapter UWS 21, Rules of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, Wisconsin Administrative Code, is in chapter 4, section 16, of the University Handbook.
Primary Use
Board policy establishes primacy of use of university facilities for fulfilling the university's mission of teaching, research, and public service.
Groups Not Part of the University
If a university department or unit believes that the meetings or activities of a group not associated with the university will contribute to and serve the university's purposes, the department/unit may sponsor the group's use of university facilities.