Solicitation, Political Canvassing, Sales Projects, and Raffles

Jul 02, 2018

Scope:  Who is Covered by this Policy?

Undergraduate and Graduate Students
 

Policy

Solicitation

General Regulations

In an effort to protect privacy within the classroom and University housing, no soliciting (e.g., selling and promotion) is permitted on the campus or within University buildings except as noted below. Solicitors and unauthorized sales representatives are considered trespassers and may be prosecuted. Students may not act as agents for business firms when this entails solicitations or the receiving of business offers or goods on University property. Rooms and apartments in University housing may not be used for business purposes of any nature whatsoever.

The University generally supports moneymaking projects of registered campus organizations. Therefore, the following guidelines have been adopted:

There shall be no door-to-door commercial solicitation in University housing. Vendors and merchants not affiliated with Miami University are not permitted to solicit in University housing or slip their materials under the room doors of residents. Vendors and merchants may put their promotional materials in an accessible location for residents to read or pick up. These locations are limited to the lobby and mailroom areas of University housing buildings.

Any registered student organization may request permission for a sales project. Requests must be submitted in writing, using an Event Planning form, to the Office of Student Activities and Leadership, 2026 Armstrong Student Center (550 E. Spring Street).

If a registered student organization wishes to solicit in University housing, the group must abide by the “Open” or “Closed” solicitation status voted on by the residents as explained below (an exemption exists for political canvassing as defined in the section of this policy titled “Political Canvassing”). In the first two weeks of the first semester, residents will vote to determine if the facility will be open to solicitation or closed to solicitation by student organizations. Until the vote to determine this status has taken place, the facility shall be considered a closed solicitation facility. The solicitation status may not be altered until second semester. At the request of the community council, a second vote may take place during the first two weeks of the second semester to alter the solicitation status.

Open Solicitation

If the residents vote to be open to solicitation, registered campus organizations with the appropriate permissions secured from the Office of Student Activities and Leadership may solicit, campaign, or sell merchandise door-to-door in University housing. Non-Miami University solicitors are prohibited from going door-to-door in University housing at Miami University. Any nonresident representative of a registered student organization soliciting in University housing must be escorted at all times.

Closed Solicitation

If the residents vote to be closed to solicitation, registered campus organizations with the appropriate permissions secured from the Office of Student Activities and Leadership may solicit, campaign, or sell merchandise in the front lobby or mailroom areas of the facility only.

A list of University housing and their solicitation status will be available at the Office of Residence Life and at the Office of Student Activities and Leadership. Registered campus organizations that request permission to solicit, campaign, or sell merchandise are responsible for determining and abiding by the solicitation status chosen by the residents of each facility on campus.

Political Canvassing

General Regulations. Door-to-door political canvassing in University housing is permitted for a single period in the following cases: (a) for each election (university, city, county, state, or national) for matters pertaining to that election; (b) annually, for each other political issue or circumstance. The period will be designated by the canvassers in consultation with the Director of Residence Life. Political canvassing does not include the option to solicit funds for any commercial purposes.

Conditions for Permission. Political canvassing is permitted only under the following conditions:

All canvassers, at least two working days before the period of canvassing is to begin, must register with the appropriate office in the Division of Student Life and at that time provide proper identification and evidence of affiliation with the group the canvasser represents. Registration will include attesting to a statement that their sole purpose for being on student living floors is to campaign for a political candidate or to supply or seek other information directly related to a political issue. After completing the registration process, a card or sheet of authorization to campaign door-to-door under these guidelines will be issued. The authorization card must be signed and dated by the canvasser and the resident director upon arrival and departure; this card must be presented upon request of any resident or staff member.

Door-to-door political canvassing is permitted only between the hours of 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Escorts are required at all times. Canvassing may not take place in areas designated “off limits” to nonresidents by the Guests’ Policy. Canvassers may not solicit funds for any commercial purpose or attempt to advertise or sell any item. Canvassers may not attempt to contact students in their rooms if the students have a “NO CANVASSING” sign on the outside of their room doors. For other rooms, canvassers must knock on the resident’s door, immediately identify themselves, and state their purpose for being on the floor. Canvassers must honor immediately a student’s request to leave the student’s room or doorway. Amplifying devices and other techniques, such as discussion in the corridors, that might disturb the peace of the floor may not be used by canvassers. Canvassing is permitted in dining hall lobbies but prohibited in the dining room.

Violations. Any canvasser violating any of these provisions may be subject to prohibition from canvassing in University housing.

Age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, protected veteran status or political affiliation shall not be considered in issuing authorization to canvass.

Sales Projects 

Student organizations planning any on-campus sales projects must register the event through the Office of Student Activities in the HUB. Any sales project must be within the limits established and listed below:

  • Monies gained through sales or fundraising activities must accrue to the organization or be approved by the Office of Student Activities for off-campus distribution for philanthropic purposes.
  • Public sales tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis inside designated areas in dining facilities, and selected outside locations. A limited number of tables are available by reservation in the Armstrong Student Center.
  • The project must be registered with the Office of Student Activities before tables may be utilized for sales. A limited number of tables are available to be reserved. Space reservation charges may apply.

Projects must take place in areas designated by the Office of Student Activities. If the sales project entails selling goods or products with a vendor, the members of the sponsoring student organization must be present and participating in the sale at all times. A sign must be posted at the sale indicating the name of the sponsoring group. The sponsoring group must also provide to the Office of Student Activities a photocopy of the vendor’s Butler County or State of Ohio vending license. This must be done at least one week in advance of the sale. Authorization for the sale has been given to the student organization as a fundraiser, not to the vendor. A single vendor may only display goods using members of student organizations under this provision once every 30 calendar days.

Student organizations may not sell or distribute any food item that needs to be cooked or refrigerated without obtaining the proper vendor’s license from the Butler County Health Department due to restrictions and liability issues.

The sale period will be registered for no more than seven calendar days. Vendors may not sleep overnight in sales tents.

If a student organization fails to abide by these regulations, the project in violation may be terminated, and its future requests for fund-raising projects may be denied.

Raffles and Games of Chance 

While the University generally supports the fund-raising efforts of its registered student organizations, the legal complexities of definition, methodology, and distribution of monies associated with schemes or games of chance such as raffles, bingo, poker, or other similar activities necessitate the University’s prohibition of such activities in conjunction with its student organizations. A game of chance is any event where a player gives anything of value in hope of gain where the outcome of which is determined largely by chance. For instance, if participants pay an entry fee to play AND prizes of any type are awarded to the players, then this is a game of chance.

Related Form(s)

Not Applicable.

Additional Resources and Procedures

Not Applicable.

FAQ

Not Applicable.

Policy Administration

Next Review Date

7/1/2023

Responsible Officer

  • General Counsel
  • Associate Vice President & Dean of Students
  • Director of Residence Life

Legal Authority

Not Applicable.

Compliance Policy

No

Revision History

Edited July 2018

Reference ID

Student Handbook 5.8

Reviewing Bodies

Administration