Posting of Printed Materials Procedure
Division: Operations
SCC Policy Number: SPR3.3.15-P
OPR: Vice President of Administration
Issued: 1/24/2020
Revised: 6/28/2021
Approved SCC President/CEO: 6/28/2021
Reference KCTCS Policy: KCTCS 3.3.15
This procedure outlines how Somerset Community College puts into practice the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Campus Speech Policy 3.3.15 as it relates to posting of printed materials on College property.
SCC permits printed materials only in designated spaces. No printed materials may be displayed, affixed, or otherwise placed in areas that are not generally or specifically intended for use as a forum for printed materials.
To ensure cleanliness, integrity, and repair of SCC properties, SCC prohibits printed material in areas that include but are not limited to walls, doors, windows, tables, counters, and any other space that has not been generally or specifically intended for use as a forum for printed materials or other expressive materials.
Bulletin boards that have been historically open to all individuals, affiliated and non-affiliated, are open forums. As such, persons may place or affix printed materials on those bulletin boards for various purposes. SCC will designate the location of the public bulletin boards and will post on each board the date scheduled for the college to remove the public postings. (Example: The last day of each month all materials will be removed. SCC assumes no responsibility for any claim that removal of any postings on the designated date is improper or inappropriate. Individuals and groups posting materials are obligated to be aware of the removal date.)
SCC expressly exempts printed materials created by, through, or with the approval of the SCC Office of Marketing and Communications. These materials are intended to promote a program, event, or other official activity of SCC. Printed materials exempted from the mandatory removal date shall remain on the public bulletin boards until the event, program, or activity is completed or until such time the college deems them no longer necessary to communicate information to students, staff, or other individuals.
Any area that has not been open to the public without restrictions through practice or express designation is a limited or closed forum and shall be subject to more procedural restriction than a fully open forum (examples may include financial aid, admissions, or other departmental bulletin boards). SCC expressly designates departmental, programmatic, or other college- related bulletin boards as limited and/or closed forums. To ensure consistency college-wide, all departments, programs, and student organizations are encouraged to work with SCC Marketing and Communications to develop procedures and/or criteria for posting on their designated bulletin board. Please refer to the KCTCS Brand Guide for appropriate fonts, colors, logos, and key messaging that is consistent with our brand personality. This collaborative effort with SCC Marketing and Communications will ensure we are speaking with the same voice and tone, distinguish us from our competition, and demonstrate our value to students, community members, employers, and donors. Procedures and/or criteria shall be viewpoint neutral, but based on the limited or closed forum designation, procedures may require a specific scope or general topic connected to the department, program, or organization mission or vision.
When an individual is denied an opportunity to post on a limited/closed forum bulletin board, the poster may request reconsideration but shall not have formal appeal rights if the denial was based on the Department’s, Program’s, or Organization’s process.
All classrooms, labs, internal areas, offices, and other operational areas of buildings are automatically designated as limited and/or closed forums for the purposes of posting printed materials.
Prohibited acts and materials include:
No groups or individuals may place any signs, banners, posters, or other displays on or against, attach them to, or write on any building or feature of SCC property, including, but not limited to, doors, windows, walls, walkway surfaces, fountains, utility poles, lamp poles, waste containers, trees, street signs, benches, and railings. Signs, posters, and other displays also must not damage SCC property or exceed 24 inches by 36 inches in size.
Any postings on unapproved areas such as, but not limited to, glass, painted drywall, doors, columns, railing, fire extinguishers, or fire alarm boxes will be removed. Likewise, no postings on exterior buildings surfaces are permitted.
Exceptions to this rule may include official college notices for immediate issues that affect students and/or operational issues, safety notifications, state and federal posting mandates.
No literature of any kind is to be placed on automobiles, unless it is an official college notice.
Regardless of place of posting, no printed or other expressive materials of any kind, will be permitted if the materials or statements contained in or on the materials:
Violate local, state, or federal law.
Violate SCC or KCTCS policy or procedures.
Communicate directly or indirectly a threat to the college, students, staff, faculty, or any other individual or group.
Contain profanity, nudity, or other vulgar content such that the profane nude or vulgar depiction offends the community sense of decency.
Create an ongoing, frequent, and/or pervasive atmosphere that becomes a legally hostile environment based on the immutable characteristics of any protected class.
Reviewed: 4/13/2022, 4/14/2023: format changes, 5/10/2024
