Policy on the Placement of Free Newspaper Racks in Campus Buildings

Effective Date

Tuesday, July 1, 2003

Approved By

Richard L. Byyny, M.D., Chancellor

Author(s)

Executive Director, Facilities Management

I. Purpose of this Policy

The purpose of this policy is to establish requirements and standards for the placement of all free publications and newspaper distribution racks in General Fund academic, research, and administrative buildings (“Buildings”). This policy does not apply to other campus buildings such as student housing, UCSU operated buildings and others that are listed on Attachment A. Those buildings may have their own policy on the placement of free publication and newspaper distribution racks.

II. Background

The Boulder Campus has permitted University-related and unrelated organizations to distribute free newspapers and magazines in Buildings without regulation. As a result, newspaper racks have often been placed in locations that violate life-safety and fire codes. Newspapers are often left in hallway floors and not placed in distribution racks. Distribution racks have historically been provided by each individual distributor resulting in a lack of conformity and design.

In the past, newspaper distributors have overfilled distribution racks, have not properly disposed of past issues of their periodicals, and have placed surplus periodicals in the campus waste stream. As a result, the campus has been required to pay the resulting costs of clean-up and waste removal.

III. Policy

The Department of Facilities Management will designate appropriate locations in all campus Buildings for the placement of newspaper distribution racks. All distributors, whether University related or unrelated, wishing to distribute publications for free in campus Buildings must enter into a license agreement with the University. A copy of the license agreement may be obtained at the Office of the Executive Director, Facilities Management. The license agreement will establish the time, location, and method of permitted distribution.

Distributors will be required to pay the University a license fee, which will be established to fund the cost of the newspaper distribution racks and the administrative costs associated with the program. The license will entitle the distributor to use a University-provided newspaper rack.

The license agreement will also establish requirements for the removal of previous editions of publications; require removed material to be disposed of off of University property; prohibit filling distribution racks beyond normal rated capacity, placing publications on hallway floors, affixing or displaying advertising on distribution racks, using racks that are not licensed, or making alterations to the University-provided racks.

The campus prohibits the distribution of free publications in campus Buildings if the distributor fails to execute a license agreement for distribution racks or is found to be in default of an established license as reasonably determined by the Executive Director of Facilities Management after being provided reasonable notice and time to cure.

The campus will dispose of publications discovered in campus buildings that are found to be in violation of this policy.

No newspaper rack license is required if an individual wants to personally distribute publications or other documents to passersby in Buildings. However, such distributions must not impede pedestrian traffic within Buildings and must also comply with the campus Policy on the Use of University Facilities.