Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: Chapter 13 Subchapter 500: Signs, Banners, and A-Frames

Relevant Excerpt

Sec. 13–501. General Rule on Signs

“Sign” means any method of displaying a visual message to others, except that transferring possession of a copy of the message is distribution of literature and not a sign.

Subject to the rules in this Subchapter and to the general rules in Subchapter 13–200 and Subchapter 13–300, a University person or organization may display a sign by holding or carrying it, by displaying it at a table (see Subchapter 13–600), or by posting it on a bulletin board or other designated location. Signs may not be staked in the ground or posted in any other location except for those areas allowed by longstanding tradition or otherwise allowed by Subsections 13–304(a)-(b) and 13–504(a). Subject to viewpoint-neutral size requirements, University Housing and Dining has designated the windows and doors of a residence hall room as locations where the resident(s) of that room may post signs. Section 13–504 lists other designated locations.

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Sec. 13–504. Signs in Other Designated Locations (Including Departmental Bulletin Boards)

Each academic or administrative unit may authorize the posting of signs in spaces that unit occupies and controls. Such authorization may be granted by general rule, by stamping or initialing individual signs, or by longstanding tradition.

Signs in spaces occupied by academic or administrative units may be:

1. confined to bulletin boards or other designated locations;
2. subjected to viewpoint-neutral rules limiting the size of signs, limiting how long they may be posted, requiring each sign to show the date it was posted and the name of the person or organization who posted it, and similar rules designed to facilitate fair and equal opportunities to post signs; and
3. confined to official statements or business of the unit, or to certain subject matters of interest within the unit, or to signs posted by persons or organizations affiliated with the unit.

4. Each academic or administrative unit will post on or near each bulletin board or other designated location that it administers:

   1. either the rules applicable to that bulletin board or location, or a particular office or website where the rules applicable to that bulletin board or location may be found; and
   2. if a stamp or initials are required on signs before they are posted on that bulletin board or location, the name and office location of the person whose stamp or initials are required.
   3. This notice will be posted in the upper left corner of each bulletin board or other designated location for posting signs, or conspicuously in another nearby location. If no such notice is posted, then the only applicable rules are those contained in Subchapter 13–200 and Sections 13–301 to 13–304.

   Within the scope of the subject matters permitted on a particular bulletin board or other designated location, no academic or administrative unit will discriminate on the basis of the political, religious, philosophical, ideological, or academic viewpoint expressed on a sign.

   This Section does not apply to any enclosed bulletin board or display case that is accessible only to authorized personnel for official University business.