Kansas State University

Use of KSU Buildings and Grounds

Chapter 7840

Revised August 31, 2016; August 2, 2017; May 16, 2018; July 3, 2018; August 14, 2020; August 22, 2024

Table of Contents

.005 Purpose

.010 Building Access

.020 Scheduling Buildings and Grounds Use

.030 Pre-Planning Meeting

.040 Security

.050 Food

.060 Electronically Amplified Sound

.070 Specialized Procedures

.080 Control of Animals on Kansas State University Property

.090 Expressive Activity Time, Place and Manner Restrictions

.100 Questions

Attachments

.200 Request for Use of University Buildings and Grounds

 

.005 Purpose

This policy is to help provide for the safe use of KSU buildings and grounds and the avoidance of scheduling conflicts. Nothing in this policy is intended to or shall be used to prohibit free expression based on viewpoint, or to prohibit unscheduled expressive activities on KSU grounds. Safety rules and other content-neutral reasonable time, place and manner restrictions may be enforced.

.010 Building Access

All University buildings are open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays and closed all day Saturday and Sunday unless scheduled to be opened by request for special use. All office doors should remain locked after hours or when offices are unattended for a prolonged period.  Kansas State University Police Department is responsible for unlocking exterior doors only.

Colleges or departments that desire to have the building in which they are located open outside of the above standard open/close times should complete and submit a Request for Standing Building Order form.

Faculty and staff personnel who have a need to be in a building during closed hours should request, through their department head or dean, an outside door key to be issued to them.

.020 Scheduling Building and Grounds Use

University facilities are available for use by authorized groups for activities that complement the teaching, research, and service programs of the University. Academic scheduling is given priority. The use of buildings for other than regularly scheduled academic classes and functions is considered special and is subject to these guidelines.

Scheduling of University buildings and grounds shall be approved only for a University department or a student organization that is registered with Student Programs and Involvement. The Assistant Vice President for Facilities may request verification of eligibility if necessary.

For scheduled activities, a Facilities Request for Use of University Buildings and Grounds form (Attachment 200) shall be completed and submitted at least one week in advance of the requested activity. Building opening requests should be submitted at least 24 hours in advance or before noon on Friday for weekends. Activities to be held on University grounds areas must be scheduled according to the same guidelines. A shorter notice period may result in a denial because of lack of time to make necessary arrangements. If 0.25 inch of rain is received during the 24-hours preceding a scheduled outdoor event, the event may need to be postponed/canceled in order to protect the grounds.

Activities are scheduled only for the current semester. Regularly scheduled continuing functions will be approved for one semester only. Applications for renewal will be submitted and processed in the same manner as new requests.

Activities will be confined to as few buildings as feasible in order to comply reasonably with State, Federal, and University requirements on energy conservation. A report of activities scheduled after 5:00 p.m. and on weekends is provided daily to the Kansas State University Police Department as authorization to unlock outside doors of buildings to be used. The Police Department is not responsible for unlocking department space doors. General use classroom doors are to remain unlocked at all times unless approval has been received from Facilities to do otherwise.

.030 Pre-Planning Meeting

Once an organization has scheduled a facility for its event, the facilities representative has the authority to determine at the time of reservation the necessity of a pre-planning meeting. If a pre-planning meeting is necessary, one will be scheduled at least two weeks prior to the event.  The purpose of the planning meeting will be to discuss the final logistics of the event. A representative responsible for the facility in which the event is scheduled, will coordinate the meeting. The following individuals will be involved in the meeting: a Facilities representative, a student event coordinator, the recognized student organization's advisor (or designee), and a campus police representative. The facilities representative may determine if additional individuals need to be involved in the meeting.

.040 Security

Any activity which is sponsored by a registered student organization that involves a request for money from non-members, and is publicly advertised or solicited, requires a Fund-Raising Permit.

Use of buildings and grounds for political activity will be subject to the Board of Regents and Kansas State University Political Activity Guidelines currently in effect.

Individual use areas such as All Faiths and Danforth Chapels, McCain Auditorium, Military Science Building, Room 8 and the Kansas State Student Union have specialized policies in addition to this basic policy and they are defined in the section of this document called Specialized Procedures. These areas have use fees and the group is responsible for submitting payment for all areas except Military Science to the Division of Facilities, Dykstra Hall Room 109, prior to the event.

University facilities are not available for private use. (See Specialized Procedures for All Faiths and Danforth Chapels.)

.050 Food

Food is not permitted to be handled and served in University buildings, except in non-classroom areas.

Registered student organizations and University departments desiring to serve food at any type of event on campus property must adhere to the Policy Regarding Events Serving Food on Campus found in Policy and Procedure Manual Chapter 3700.030.

The menu and food preparation plan for such events must be approved by an Environmental Health and Safety designee in order for the event to receive official approval from the Division of Facilities.

Any off-campus vendor who is catering an event on campus must have a State of Kansas catering license.

Under certain guidelines, alcohol may be served at events held on campus. Those guidelines may be found in Policy and Procedure Chapter 3053 Alcohol and Cereal Malt Beverage.

.060 Electronically Amplified Sound

The use of electronically amplified sound may be desirable or necessary in connection with certain special events or activities on campus. However, amplified sound presents a potential for interference with essential University activities. Therefore, the use of amplified sound, such as public address equipment, sound vehicles, electronically amplified musical instruments, and so forth, is generally restricted to non-classroom, non-laboratory, and non-office hours and/or to such locations as auditoriums, stadia, or other areas in which amplified sound is unlikely to disturb the regular academic or administrative functions of the University.

Based on the above considerations, electronically amplified sound is permitted on campus, but generally only on Bosco Student Plaza, in the quadrangle east of Calvin Hall, and around the perimeter of Bramlage Coliseum. Amplification is permitted on Bosco Student Plaza generally only between 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m.

Persons wishing to make use of electronically amplified sound must consult with the special events coordinator of the Division of Facilities in order to schedule the time and place. If another group or individual has already scheduled a certain time and place for the use of amplified sound, anyone later making the same request for the same time and place will need to schedule an alternative time or place, so that amplification is not magnified and/or so that the groups do not interfere with each other's ability to be heard.

Requests for exceptions to this regulation shall be made to the Special Events Coordinator and will be considered by a committee composed of one representative of the Student Governing Association, one faculty member, one representative of the Dean of Student Life's office, and one representative of the Division of Public Safety. Requests will be considered without regard to the content of the speech or activity. Exceptions will be granted if the committee determines that the proposed use of amplified sound will not interfere with University classes or other academic or administrative activities. Decisions of the committee are final.

In any event, no matter what prior permission has been granted regarding the use of electronically amplified sound, if the sound level does in fact interfere with any academic or administrative activity, as indicated by one or more complaints about sound level or by other indicia of excessive noise, the amplification will be reduced or eliminated at the request of any campus law enforcement personnel or other University official.

.070 Specialized Procedures

A. General Use Areas

All arrangements for service, equipment, or personnel for general use areas will be made by the Division of Facilities unless otherwise agreed by both parties. Service requests will be required where specified. Billing for services will be done after the event based on time and materials used unless mutually agreed upon in advance, and use fees are to be paid in advance.

Sponsors of non-academic functions are required to see that special area use fees are paid in advance. Final approval for an activity will be granted upon receipt of the specified amount.

Areas should be cleaned up and left in their original condition and may be subject to inspection by a representative of the Facilities staff. Charges may be assessed for additional clean up or damage.

All fire, safety, sanitation, or special regulations specified for each area are to be obeyed. Infractions may result in the curtailment or cancellation of the event.

For all overnight outdoor events, one K-State Police security officer will be required, at a minimum. This safety and security requirement will be for any overnight event, no matter how many participants.

Faculty sponsors, sponsoring departments or units and requesting groups make a commitment in the course of using University facilities to use the areas without disruption to academic programs, to avoid any damage to the areas, to conserve energy, and to conform to all regulations. Abuse of use regulations will result in restricted or withdrawn privileges.

All requests are approved in accordance with University regulations concerning use of Kansas State University facilities. Some using groups are required to sign a waiver of liability and/or obtain event insurance. All requests are subject to cancellation by the Assistant Vice President for the Division of Facilities.

B. Individual Use Areas

Individual use areas such as All Faiths and Danforth Chapels, McCain Auditorium and the Kansas State Student Union, have specialized policies in addition to this basic policy and they are defined in the section of this document called Specialized Procedures. These areas may have use fees and must be requested by completing the Request for Use of University Buildings and Grounds (Qualtrics form).

University facilities are not available for private use except in accordance with this Policy.

If a principal user unexpectedly requires the facility, every effort will be made to relocate the events and to keep inconvenience at a minimum.

All-Faiths and Danforth Chapels

The chapels were given to Kansas State University for the religious life and growth of the University community — Danforth Chapel by the Danforth Foundation and All Faiths Chapel through private donations as a memorial for K-State alumni who died in World War II and the Korean War. At the onset, it was decided that Religious Activities, Dean of Student Life, and the Music Department would share All Faiths Chapel.

The original intent for use of the Chapels is to provide a place for holding meetings, services, or other activities of a religious nature and for individual private meditation by students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, the facilities are to be used by the Music Department to support their academic program as long as the All-Faiths Chapel organ is the only one available. University-related religious activities and academic programs have use priority.

The schedule for University-related religious activities and Department of Music programs is established and maintained through mutual agreement to accommodate valid religious activities and priority time for the Music Department. Scheduling is done on a single semester basis.

All requests for use of Kansas State University Chapelswill be processed and approved by the Facilities Special Events Coordinator. The Division of Facilities maintains the Chapels as public use facilities and charges a use fee for all non-academic related activities. Non-academic activities include, but are not limited to, wedding rehearsals, weddings, and special events that charge an admission fee, such as concerts or speakers. The fee is used for special custodial upkeep and building maintenance. Added fees may be assessed if a special event has an expected attendance of 200 or more and lasts for more than three hours.

Additional services requested by any user will be charged at the current rate for such services, such as table and chair rental, delivery and pickup. All use fees are payable in advance and final approval for use will depend upon receipt of the designated amount. If the facilities are damaged or not left in the same condition as found, the user will be billed for restoration.

The following guidelines are provided in order to facilitate chapel use for religious groups, University chaplains, worship services, weddings, memorial services, music academic classes, faculty and student recitals, and concerts:

1. To accommodate academic music requirements, All Faiths Chapel should be scheduled primarily Monday through Thursday, all day, and Friday until 5:30 p.m and after 7:00 p.m.,and Sunday from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.
2. Similarly, to best accommodate wedding rehearsals, weddings, worship services, and religious activities, All Faiths Chapel should be scheduled primarily Friday from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., Saturday 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and after 4:30 p.m.
3. Exceptions, such as memorial services, special concerts, and musical and religious activities require coordination between the Department of Music and the Division of Facilities.
4. Single or short-term events may be scheduled at any time when space is available on a semester basis.
5. Scheduling of musical programs by off-campus groups should be coordinated with the Head of the Department of Music, while off-campus, non-registered religious groups scheduling should be coordinated with the Facilities Special Event Coordinator.
6. Registered student organizations wanting to use the chapels regularly during a semester are to have their reservation forms submitted to the Division of Facilities by the beginning of each semester.
7. Semester schedules for music student recitals should be completed early each semester.
8. To provide use opportunity for as many units as possible, because of limited availability and heavy demand, it may be necessary to limit the frequency and time length for meetings, regular groups, or events. Weddings should be limited to a maximum of six hours.
9. Danforth Chapel (seating 65) may be scheduled on a regular basis and for single events by religious groups on any day of the week. Other groups or individuals may schedule Danforth Chapel on a space-available basis. Off-campus groups will be coordinated with the Facilities Special Event Coordinator.

McCain Auditorium

Kansas State University's McCain Auditorium is the campus cultural center for the live performing arts. McCain Auditorium, which seats 1,751, serves students, faculty/staff, and the general public. Usage of facilities controlled by McCain Auditorium is accessible to the campus and community under the following:

The intent of McCain Auditorium use is:

1. To provide a place that offers the K-State, Manhattan and surrounding communities a place to experience diverse, world class performances and other activities through the McCain Performance Series and other entities as determined, administered, and sponsored by McCain Auditorium.
2. To provide a space in support of tuition-based academic programming such as classes, rehearsals and performances.
3. To provide a space for registered departmental student organizations to connect with other students and community members.
4. To provide the campus a gathering place to bring community based and University-sponsored arts, lectures and other activities. Community based activities must be sponsored by the University and/or McCain Auditorium.

The scheduling priority is as follows:

1. Tuition-based academic classes and performances in support of regular class instruction. Recruiting and fundraising activities are not tuition based and therefore are not prioritized in this category.
2. McCain Performance Series and other shows determined and sponsored by McCain Auditorium.
3. University non-tuition-based events. I.e.: lectures and performances sponsored by University departments such as Landon Lectures, graduations, etc.
4. Registered departmental student organizations.
5. Off campus community and other groups sponsored by the University and/or McCain Auditorium.
6. Private events sponsored by a University department and/or McCain Auditorium.

All scheduling of the auditorium and its ancillary spaces will be through the McCain Auditorium business office. Any user that obtains McCain Auditorium for an event that will involve large numbers of people or may present unusual safety concerns will be required to ticket the event and obtain security at the expense of the user when deemed necessary by the University or auditorium staff. Non-ticketed events are only allowed if McCain Auditorium determines there will be a small number a people attending that will not pose safety concerns or other crowd-control issues. Events that are potentially hazardous to either students, participants, facilities or equipment as determined by McCain Auditorium are not permitted. McCain Auditorium requires the use of its own box office software and staff for all ticketed events in McCain Auditorium.

McCain Auditorium is a University facility and therefore charges various use fees for all non-tuition-based events. Such fees are submitted to the Office of Financial Services yearly for approval and are charged in a consistent manner. Although rental charges are waived for tuition-based events, other approved nominal charges are assessed to compensate McCain Auditorium’s out-of-pocket expenses (additional labor, use of box office, rental equipment, etc.) and immediate and long-term equipment/supply recovery expenses. A schedule of charges is available upon request. Further specific procedures for usage of McCain Auditorium are also available upon request.

Kansas State Student Union

For information regarding reserving space in the K-State Student Union, please refer to the Union's reservation policies.

.080 Control of Animals on Kansas State University Property

1. The University has the responsibility to provide a safe, healthy, positive learning environment. The uncontrolled and unsupervised presence of animals on campus compromises that environment. This policy establishes and fixes the responsibility with the owner of the animal and sets forth the manner in which the conditions of the policy will be administered.
2. Animals are not permitted in any buildings with the exception of service animals, animals under care and treatment in the College of Veterinary Medicine, research animals housed in University buildings or animals used as part of an academic program. Service animals are defined as a dog or miniature horse (in certain circumstances) individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. Service animals are welcome in all buildings on campus and may attend any class, meeting or other event. Students who use a service animal may voluntarily register the animal with Student Access Center.
3. Assistance animals are permitted in University housing if an accommodation is required under the University Housing Reasonable Accommodations Policy. That policy, the forms necessary to request a housing accommodation, and the Assistance Animal Policy and Agreement can be found on the Student Access Center website. Animals such as fish, non-venomous or non-dangerous reptiles, or amphibians may be allowed in University housing under certain circumstances. Please refer to the relevant housing handbook: For Residence Halls. For Jardine Apartments. For K-State Salina.
4. The Building Authority for each building is responsible for enforcing the policy.
5. All dogs and cats on campus must be licensed with the city in which the campus is located. All animals must have current vaccinations evidenced by a tag on the animal or the vaccination certificate in the immediate possession of the owner.
6. All animals at Kansas State University are expected to behave appropriately at all times. The University may exclude an animal, including a service animal, if the animal:
   1. Is not housebroken.
   2. Would pose a direct threat to the health, safety or property of others that cannot be reduced or eliminated by a reasonable accommodation.
   3. Is out of control.
   4. Would fundamentally alter the nature of a program or activity.
   5. Is not being cared for by the individual. 
7. Animals are not permitted to run free on University property. Animals on University property outside of buildings must be leashed and under personal control of the owner at all times. Animals may not be secured to trees, posts, shrubs, etc., and left unattended. Owners are required to clean up after their animals outside of buildings.
8. Animals that are running loose or unattended will be taken or turned over to the Riley County Police Department Animal Control. These animals will be held in the T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter for five days to be reclaimed by their owners. After five days, if the animal has a stable disposition and is in good health it is made available for adoption. See the animal shelter's website for more information.

.090 Expressive Activity, Time, Place and Manner Restrictions

The University recognizes and supports the rights of individuals and groups to engage in expressive activities on its premises, while ensuring that such activities do not disrupt normal University operations or pose safety concerns. The following restrictions apply to all expressive activities, regardless of content or viewpoint: 

1. Designated Areas for Expressive Activities:
   • Expressive activities, including demonstrations, speeches, and gatherings, will not be limited to any specific outdoor areas on the University campus, when doing so does not disrupt the academic mission or daily University functions, and is consistent with University time, place, manner limitations. 
   • The following locations on campus are most appropriate for outdoor forums, rallies, demonstrations, and other similar activities:
     1. Bosco Plaza
     2. Waters Lawn
     3. In the quadrangle east of Calvin Hall
     4. Around the perimeter of Bramlage Coliseum
   • Individuals are not restricted to these outdoor locations for expressive activities.  
   • Priority to use the aforementioned locations will be as follows:
     1. Members of University community with a reservation.
     2. Other individuals or groups with a reservation.
     3. Member of the University community without a reservation on a first-come, first served basis.
     4. Other individuals or groups without a reservation on a first come, first served basis.
2. Time Restrictions:

• • No event may exceed 8 hours in length in a 24-hour day.

3. Noise Levels:

• • Use of electronically amplified sound is permitted only in designated areas (i.e., Bosco Student Plaza, in the quadrangle east of Calvin Hall, and around the perimeter of Bramlage Coliseum) and must not exceed specified noise levels that could disrupt academic or administrative activities.
  • Non-amplified sound must be maintained at levels that do not disrupt ongoing University functions.

4. Reservation and Approval Process:

• • All groups or individuals wishing to conduct expressive activities are encouraged to submit a Facilities Request for Use of University Buildings and Grounds form at least 48 hours in advance. This form should include details about the nature of the activity, proposed location, and expected number of participants.
  • The Assistant Vice President for Facilities reserves the right to deny or reschedule activities that conflict with previously scheduled events or University functions.

5. Safety and Security Measures:

• • The University may require additional security personnel or safety measures for certain expressive activities, particularly those expected to draw large crowds or that involve heightened safety risks.
  • Organizers of expressive activities are responsible for ensuring compliance with all safety protocols and may be required to attend a pre-planning meeting with University officials to review logistics and safety procedures. 
  • Expression consisting of fighting words, true threats of physical harm, inciting imminent lawless action, unlawful targeted harassment, or is otherwise not entitled to protection under the First Amendment is not permitted.

6. Camping: 

• • Camping (i.e., establishing or maintaining an outdoor site on University Property for the purpose of overnight stays or sleeping) is not permitted on University property except for tailgating activities undertaken within K-State Athletics rules regarding tailgating at sports events.

7. Clean-Up and Damages:

• • The activity may not deface or destroy or create an unreasonable risk of defacing or destroying University or other property.
  • Participants in expressive activities are responsible for cleaning up the designated area immediately after the event ends.
  • Any damage incurred from the activity must be reported to Facilities and may result in financial liability for the organizing group or individual.

Enforcement and Compliance 

Violation of these content-neutral time, place and manner restrictions may result in immediate cessation of the activity and/or disciplinary action in accordance with University policies and procedures. The University reserves the right to modify these restrictions as necessary to maintain safety and order on campus.

.100 Questions

Questions regarding this chapter can be referred to the Facilities Campus Infrastructure Director, 785-532-1721, or the Facilities Service Desk, 785-532-6389, FACCustomerService@k-state.edu.