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Publicity And Advertising Policy

General statement

Central College supports the freedom to publicize and advertise activities, events, or announcements as well as to distribute materials by internal or external entities relating to functions on and off-campus that are judged to benefit the college community and are consistent with Central College values.

To ensure publicity/advertising is consistent with Central College policies and values, the following are required of all types: 

  1. Approval must be obtained from the dean of students or designee (generally student involvement staff) prior to all posting and/or distribution. Academic and administrative department materials do not need approval but must follow all other requirements.
  2. The dean of students or designee reserves the right to decline publicity/advertising content written, designed and/or received from organizations whose purposes do not fit the mission, welcome and/or non-discrimination statements of Central College.
  3. All materials created by Central College departments/organizations must be aligned with the Central College brand (see section 2 for details).
  4. Publicity/advertising by student groups may neither promote the use of alcohol nor an activity where alcohol is present.
  5. The sponsoring organization/department must be clearly and prominently displayed on all materials.
  6. Publicity/advertising that does not meet guidelines may be removed without notice.
  7. Each type of publicity/advertising may have specific requirements.  Please review those specific requirements under each type of advertising in sections 3 through 10.

Central College Branding Standards

  1. All publicity/advertising produced by on-campus departments or groups must align with the Central College brand.
  2. All materials must indicate sponsorship by “Central College (department or group)”.
  3. Students and student groups may receive more specific branding information in student involvement.
  4. Departments may link to branding information

See full branding standards and information at brand.central.edu.

Posters, Flyers, and Signs

Definition:  Publicity/advertising designed to be hung on bulletin boards or appropriately designated walls.

Policy and rationale:  Posters, flyers, and signs are permitted to be hung in approved locations on campus. 

Procedure for printed publicity/advertising

  1. Bring one original – print or electronic media – to student involvement (second floor of Maytag Student Center) for review.  Approval is time specific so please identify duration of publicity/advertising at time of approval request.  Approval is demonstrated by the original being stamped. Please allow up to 24 hours turnaround time for approval.
  2. Reproduce original.
  3. Properly display in approved locations according to the list available in student involvement.
  4. Remove publicity/advertising within 24 hours after the activity ends. 

Additional promotion guidelines

  1. The number of posters, flyers, and/or signs is limited to 25 per event that may be posted on campus.
  2. Posters, signs and flyers depicting external/off-campus employment opportunities for Central College students must be approved by career and professional development.
  3. Only blue painters’ tape is suitable for affixing posters, signs, and flyers on approved walls. Tape is available for check out in student involvement.
  4. Off campus businesses and groups may provide one poster or flyer to student involvement for approval and posting in the Maytag Student Center only.
  5. Posters, signs and flyers may not:
  • Cover other posting, publicity or advertising
  • Be posted on glass doors, floors, or varnished surfaces.
  • Impair an individual’s line of sight.
  • Be posted on painted surfaces in Central Market or Maytag Student Center.
  • Be placed on vehicles parked on or near campus.
  • Remain posted for more than 24 hours past the announced event or longer than 30 days.  Exceptions may be granted on an individual basis.

Table Tents

Definition:  Publicity/advertising placed on tables in campus dining areas and/or within napkin dispensers.

Policy and rationale:  Table tents are permitted in Central Market, Fred’s, and the Café with prior approval.

Procedure

  1. Bring one original – print or electronic media – to the director of dining services for review.  Upon review and approval from director of dining services, submit original to student involvement (second floor of Maytag Student Center) for review and approval.  Approval is time specific so please identify duration of publicity/advertising at time of approval request. Approval is demonstrated by the original being stamped. Please allow up to 24 hours turnaround time for approval.
  2. Reproduce original.  Consult with student involvement for quantities recommended for each location.
  3. Properly display on approved tables in Central Market, Fred’s, and/or the Café.
  4. Remove publicity/advertising within 24 hours of the end of the activity. 

Literature Distribution

Definition:  Literature distribution describes an activity of personally handing publicity/advertising to students, faculty, and/or staff.

Policy and rationale:  Literature distribution is permitted on the Central College campus with prior approval.

Additional promotion guidelines:  

Literature distribution by Central College organizations and departments:

  1. Must have sponsorship by college organization or department.
  2. Must be supervised by a member of the sponsoring organization/department.
  3. May only occur in Maytag Student Center and Central Market.
  4. May not be placed on vehicles parked on or near campus.

Literature distribution by non-Central College organizations:

  1. Must have sponsorship by college organization or department.
  2. Must have written approval of the office of conferences and events and/or the dean of students or designees.
  3. May only occur in Maytag Student Center and Central Market.
  4. May not be placed on vehicles parked on or near campus.

Sidewalk Chalking

Definition:  Publicity/advertising that uses chalk on outdoor sidewalks.

Policy and rationale

  1. Chalking is permitted on horizontal surfaces that may be easily cleaned/washed.
  2. Vertical surfaces may NOT be chalked.
  3. Must be done in chalk only, no paint may be used.
  4. Overwriting, erasing, defacing, or altering the approved chalking of another person or organization is prohibited.

Procedure

Request

  1. Bring outline of the content to student involvement (second floor of Maytag Student Center) for review at least 24 hours prior to the anticipated date of chalking.  Approval is time specific so please identify duration of publicity/advertising at time of approval request.
  2. Exceptions to the time requirement are at the discretion of dean of students or designee (usually student involvement staff).

Content Approval

  1. Must follow procedures for general campus publicity/advertising.
  2. Must have written approval of the dean of students (or designee).
  3. Deviation from the approved content will result in immediate removal.

Banners

Definition:  Banners are large publicity/advertising items that are suspended using string/rope/etc. from railings, windows, lampposts, trees, etc.

Policy:  Banners publicizing/advertising a campus event are permitted. 

Procedure

Content Approval

  1. Must follow procedures for general campus publicity/advertising.
  2. Must have written approval of the dean of students or designee (usually student involvement).

Additional promotion guidelines

  1. Publicity/advertising banners are not permitted in Maytag Student Center.  Exceptions may be granted by dean of students or designee (usually student involvement staff) with permission for specific occasions.
  2. A list of recommended banner locations is available in student involvement.

Electronic Media Players

Definition:  Televisions, monitors, and video screens

Policy:  Publicity/advertising and messaging is permitted on digital monitors in various locations across campus with specific policies affecting each location.

Procedure:

Maytag Center

  1. Only recognized student organizations or campus departments may submit content.
  2. More in-depth procedure available in student involvement.

P.H. Kuyper Athletic Complex

  1. To be determined

Central Market

  1.  To be determined

Campus Mail

Definition:  Publicity/advertising that is distributed through on-campus mail boxes.

Policy:  Publicity/advertising to all students and/or faculty and staff is permitted with approval.

Procedure

Approval

  1. On-campus departments and organizations must obtain prior written approval from post office manager for campus mail publicity/advertising distribution.
  2. Outside businesses and groups must obtain prior written approval from post office manager for campus mail distribution.
  3. Distribution of material will occur by campus mail staff. 
  4. One flier, coupon, etc., per mailbox is permitted.

 The Crier

Definition:  The Crier is an on-line announcement resource for the Central College campus community.

Policy:  Central College community members and off-campus businesses and groups may post announcements to the Crier.

Procedure

Students, faculty, and staff may submit announcements through “myCentral”

  1. Select the tab labelled “The Crier”
  2. Select the “Submit an Announcement” link at the bottom of today’s announcements section.
  3. Complete form.

Off-campus Businesses and Groups may submit announcements through www.central.edu/go/thecrier

Additional guidelines

  1. Dean of students or designee (usually student involvement) reserves the right to edit all announcements.
  2. Announcements may run no more than 7 consecutive days and may be no more than 300 characters.
  3. Announcement content must pertain to, benefit, or otherwise affect Central College students, faculty, or staff.
  4. The Crier is available to the Central College campus community on weekdays during the academic year via email and the myCentral homepage.

Failing to abide by the policy

Failure to abide by this policy may result in losing the privilege to distribute or post materials on campus for a limited amount of time.  Examples of posting violations include but are not limited to:

  1. Posting or removing materials without proper approval or authorization.
  2. Posters with alcohol as the primary emphasis.
  3. Posters that violate human decency or contain content deemed to be harmful.
  4. Use of two-sided, electrical, or duct tape.  (Only blue painter’s tape is permitted unless posting on bulletin boards where tacks must be used.)
  5. Cover another group’s publicity/advertising.
  6. Posting in non-designated locations.
  7. Distributing on vehicles.

 Off-campus publicity/advertising by Central College organizations or departments

Any publicity/advertising at an off-campus location by students, employees, or groups, must abide by Central College brand requirements and requires permission of the proprietor.