Policy for Campus Sales and Solicitation

Source: Office of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Affairs

BACKGROUND: Wisconsin Administrative Code UWS 18.06 Conduct on University Lands, (16) selling, peddling and soliciting stipulates:

Selling, peddling and soliciting.

No person may sell, peddle or solicit for the sale of goods, services, or contributions on any university lands except:

• When the occupant of a specific university office, or university house, apartment, or dormitory room has given specific permission in advance for a person engaged in that activity to come to that particular office, house, apartment, or dormitory room for that purpose.
• Sales/solicitation by an individual of personal property owned or acquired by the seller primarily for his/her own use pursuant to an allocation of space for that purpose by an authorized university official.
• Hawking newspapers and similar printed matter outside university buildings.
• Subscription, membership, ticket sales/solicitation, fund-raising, selling and soliciting activities by or under the sponsorship of a university or registered student organization pursuant to a contract with the university for the allocation or rental of space for that purpose.
• Admission events in a university building pursuant to a contract with the university, and food, beverage or other concessions conducted pursuant to a contract with the university.
• Solicitation of political contributions under ch. 11, Stats., and institutional regulations governing time, place and manner.

Consequently, it is necessary and appropriate for the university to establish a policy that provides guidelines to administer the exceptions cited in the administration code.

POLICY: All sales/solicitation activity must be sponsored by a recognized university department or organization, or student organization, and must comply with the following guidelines. Officers and members of the sponsoring and/or participating organization assume full responsibility for items (including literature) sold or contracted for sale/solicitation, which would violate University Policies case law or statutory authority:

• Items sold or to be offered for sale may not be in violation of existing University contracts (i.e., University Dining Service Contract, Beverage Contract, Vending Contract, etc.) nor duplicate items currently sold in the University Bookstore.
• Sales/solicitation activity must be in accordance with applicable state, local and federal laws.
• Items for sale/solicitation to the University community should be available for immediate distribution. Sponsors are encouraged not to take orders for sale of articles and materials with the promise of later delivery.
• With the exception of the sale of baked goods and candy, no other food preparation/sales is permitted. "Homemade" baked goods (not store purchased) and candy sales will be permitted.
• The sponsoring organization must have approval of the appropriate Building Supervisor to conduct sales/solicitation in or around the building(s). Sales/solicitation is not authorized on University grounds unless it is in proximity to a building and approved by that Building Supervisor. The time, manner and location of the sales/solicitation activity must comply with the stipulations set forth by the Building Supervisor.
• Each Building Supervisor is responsible for establishing and for administering a policy and corresponding procedures for reviewing and approving requests to conduct sales/solicitation in the building(s) and other ground areas around the building(s) they supervise. Generally sales/solicitation activity will be limited to the University Center, Residence Halls, Esker Hall and Drumlin Hall to minimize conflict with core academic programs. However, it may be appropriate to conduct sales/solicitation in other facilities if the specific activity is closely aligned with academic programs based in a particular building.
• The University reserves the right to disallow or discontinue any sales/solicitation activity that it determines to be confrontational, over-bearing or creating a hostile environment for campus staff, students and/or guests.
• All sales/solicitation activity must comply with the UW-System policy on Competition with the Private Sector.
• Promotion of the event must comply with the University Posting Policy, the University Policy on Sponsorship and Advertising, and with policies established by the Building Supervisors.
• Sales/solicitation by vendors must comply with all University policies on the use of alcohol and for non-discrimination.
• Sponsoring and/or participating student organizations, in addition to arranging for the space with the appropriate Building Supervisor, shall register for the activity with the Office for Leadership Development at least five days in advance of the planned activity.

As amended October 2005
Last Reviewed: October 2015