Atwood Memorial Center - Creating a Student Centered Community

Atwood Memorial Center Space Use Policies

The following policies pertain to all areas within Atwood Memorial Center and the mall areas on the east, west and south sides of the building.

In keeping with the goals and objectives of St. Cloud State University, the purpose and function of Atwood Memorial Center shall be to provide a comprehensive program of social, recreational and cultural activities as well as physical facilities for students, faculty, alumni and various non-university groups and individuals. The following policies shall serve as guidelines regarding all use of the facility Atwood Memorial Center.

I. The use of the facilities and space of Atwood Memorial Center shall be available to:

Recognized student organizations
University community
1. Faculty and staff organizations
2. College programs, divisions or areas
3. Alumni Association
4. Continuing Education
5. Institutional events
Groups outside the university community
1. Community organizations
2. Community governmental organizations and associations
3. Regional, state or national organizations
4. Non-profit groups
5. Related state and federal government agencies

II. Scheduling regulations

PRIORITY: As a general rule, scheduling for space and facilities will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals are encouraged to make reservations no later than two working days in advance. Effort will be made to meet last minute requests when possible.
Reservations for the use of facilities and space in Atwood Memorial Center shall be made in the Conference and Scheduling Office.
1. RIGHT OF STAFF TO CANCEL/MAKE CHANGES: The administrative staff of Atwood Memorial Center reserves the right to cancel a reservation if it conflicts in any way with the general policy of the university or Atwood Memorial Center. Atwood Memorial Center also reserves the right, under special circumstances, to make room changes. Considerable care will be given to ensure comparable meeting space is given. Atwood administration will attempt to notify the group in advance, but may make a change without discussing the change with the group.
2. REQUESTS/REHEARSAL SPACE: Reservation requests will be taken as far in advance as the academic calendar allows. Groups needing rehearsal space can schedule up to two rehearsal times. Additional space can be scheduled on an availability basis two to seven days in advance. Each group or event is limited to having only five future dates per semester on the charts.
3. ROOM SET-UPS: Arrangements for changes in room setups or placement of equipment shall be given to the Conferences and Scheduling Office no later than two working days prior to the scheduled event.
4. CANCELLATIONS AND ALTERATION OF ROOM SET-UPS: Groups failing to cancel a reservation at least two working days in advance or changing room setups without prior approval will receive a warning after the first infraction and a $25 penalty for each time thereafter.
5. LATE NIGHT EVENTS /SECURITY: Late night events are events or programs that are open to the general student population or general public and are scheduled later than Atwood's normal operating hours. Late nights events may require the hiring of SCSU Public Safety staff or St. Cloud Police depending on the potential liability risks as determined by SCSU Public Safety and approved by the Director of Conferences and Scheduling. Late night events are also subject to a per hour charge for hours outside the normal hours of operation as listed on the Atwood Room Rental chart. All exterior doors will be secured at midnight unless otherwise arranged in advance.
  
  Security must be arranged or contracted 14 days before the scheduled date of the late night event. Room reservations for late night events will not be confirmed until security arrangement have been finalized. The number of security officers required will depend on the nature of the event and anticipated number of participants. All charges for security will be the responsibility of the organization sponsoring the event. Charges will be based on the current hourly rate for the officers from SCSU Public Safety or the St. Cloud Police Department. The sponsoring orgnization will be responsible for all damages to the premises as a result of the event as detailed under General Policies VII - Section D. Inappropriate behavior including, but not limited to, the consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs, will not be tolerated and the continuation of the event will be at the discretion of security officers on duty, in consultation with the Atwood management on duty at the time of the event.
6. SCHEDULING MULTIPLE ROOMS: When a meeting room request is submitted for an event that requires the booking of multiple meeting rooms, the Scheduling Office reserves the right to hold one large (capacity of 75+) smart meeting room for other requests. This alternate room shall be one of the following: Alumni, Glacier, Cascade, Voyageurs North or Voyageurs South. This policy does not apply to student organizations. Two weeks before the event, the room can be reserved by the group if it is still available.
STUDY GROUPS: While the primary intention of Atwood's meeting rooms is for organizational meetings, limited use of meeting space for study groups will be allowed. The following policy applies:
1. Study rooms may not be reserved in advance.
2. Space may be requested from building managers or the Conferences and Scheduling Office receptionist on an as needed/available basis.
3. The responsible student must leave an ID and sign an agreement before using the room. This agreement guarantees that the room will be left in the same condition as it was found.
  
  (Note: Building managers or the Conferences and Scheduling Office receptionist will work with general maintenance staff in determining what space, if any, is to be used.)
ACCESS TO RESERVABLE SPACE: Atwood Memorial Center staff shall have complete access to the reserved activity area at all times. The staff may terminate a scheduled activity if any incidents occur that might jeopardize the general well being of the building or its patrons.
WEEKLY MEETINGS: Scheduling regular meetings
1. Student organizations may schedule regular (e.g., weekly) meetings in advance.
2. Organizations who historically maintain the same time and day of the week for their meetings each year may schedule as far in advance as the scheduling system allows.
3. Organizations whose meeting schedules vary from semester to semester must limit their advance scheduling to one semester at a time. New programs or new organizations who wish to schedule regular meetings must meet twice to determine room size need before requesting a semester-long reservation.
4. Each student organization will be limited to no more than three regularly scheduled meetings (i.e., weekly) per week. Student Government and University Program Board are exempt due to the many subcommittees.
FAILURE TO COMPLY: Groups using Atwood Memorial Center facilities shall agree to comply with all regulations governing the union and the university campus. Any individual or organization or department violating the policies for use of Atwood Memorial Center may be denied the right to schedule facilities for future activities. This would include failure to reconcile within 60 days outstanding charges to Atwood Memorial Center or Dining Services.
CLASS POLICY: Regularly scheduled classes may not be held in Atwood Memorial Center, except for those classes that require Atwood Memorial Center's unique facilities (e.g., bowling).
SCHEDULING KIOSKS
1. University-recognized student organizations and academic/administrative departments of the university may reserve space at the kiosks at no charge. Other individuals and organizations can reserve kiosks and pay a daily rental fee.
2. Specific policies regarding the kiosks and other promotional space are as outlined in: Promotional Space Procedures for Student Organizations and Campus Departments and Promotional Space Guidelines for Off-Campus Vendors.
ATWOOD MALL: The Atwood Mall space is reserved by the Conferences and Scheduling Office for all events. Solicitation by individuals who do not reserve space (e.g., petition drives, religious speakers or dissemination of political literature) is not covered by Conferences and Scheduling Office policy. Please refer to the Use of Outdoor Space Policy.
1. Sales or promotion space requires advance registration with the Conferences and Scheduling Office and up to five future sales dates can be reserved in any one semester.
2. Groups must follow general campus posting guidelines.
3. The use of Atwood audio/visual equipment outside of Atwood requires hiring an Atwood audio/visual technician.
4. Groups selling food must contact Sodexo Food Service. Refer to Section VI on Food and Beverages.
5. Amplified sound on the mall areas is allowed but must not disrupt classes or other campus events. Atwood reserves the right to limit volume levels or prohibit amplified sound when necessary.
CREDIT CARD SALES: Credit card sales will not be allowed in Atwood Memorial Center except for those situations where a charge card is provided as an incidental service to a product or program being sold. The card must work only for that product or service (e.g., phone calling cards that can be used only to charge calls). Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union and other official St. Cloud State University credit card programs are exempt from this policy.
LOGO AND PRODUCTS WITH A MESSAGE: Products bearing the St. Cloud State University official logo or the St. Cloud State University name must be approved by University Communications. Atwood Memorial Center strongly discourages the sale of any item that is inconsistent with the University Code of Conduct or Mission and reserves the right to prohibit the sale of such merchandise. Sales of items that violate state, city or federal law are prohibited.
UNION ROOM: Only registered student organizations or student service offices housed in Atwood are allowed to use this room during the academic year.
PRIMROSE ROOM: The Primrose Room may be reserved for special events/meetings by the university community and may not be used for regularly scheduled meetings. The President's Office is given priority for the use of the Primrose Room.

III. Building hours

The building hours for Atwood Memorial Center will be determined according to the needs and interests of the university community.
After hours use. Groups scheduling an activity in Atwood Memorial Center that occasionally goes later than or begins prior to the established building hours will be assessed an hourly rate for each hour or part of an hour the building is used.
Special events scheduling. Groups may be permitted to schedule space on days when the building is normally closed (holidays, semester breaks, and summer weekends). A fee for this use will be negotiated by the Conferences and Scheduling Office director or his/her designee based on the amount of space and time requested.

IV. Charges for use of facilities

Fees will be charged for the use of the rooms according to the current schedule, determined by the Atwood Memorial Center director with advice from the Atwood Center Council.
Recognized student organizations (Section I.A) will not be charged rental for events that they sponsor. When cosponsoring an event, they need to complete an Event Co-Sponsorship Request Form. Cosponsorship of events that are consistent with the organization's mission will not be charged rental. Cosponsorship of events that are fund raisers for the organization will not be charged rental if the group will receive compensation equal to or higher than what the non-student group would have been charged otherwise. Atwood will not tolerate use of an organization's name as a cosponsor to avoid payment of rental. Organization representatives are expected to organize and work at events they cosponsor.
University groups listed in Section I.B will not be charged rental for departmental meetings. Fees will be waived for the following programs held for the campus community:
1. Cooperative meetings between SCSU and outside organizations—meetings directly related to university business including, but not limited to, MnSCU meetings, campus/community advisory committees, and joint ventures of SCSU departments and business or civic organizations.
2. MnSCU events will be charged the nonprofit rate less 10 percent unless either of the following applies:
  1. Reservation is made for the MnSCU Chancellor's Office.
  2. Reservation is for the MnSCU service unit at SCSU.
  3. An SCSU department is initiating and sponsoring an event that is open to other MnSCU campuses.
3. Job and internship fairs—programs designed to secure internships or post-graduation employment for SCSU students.
4. Recruitment programs—university-sponsored events whose primary purpose is attracting potential students to the campus or programs that can be reasonably construed as having such an effect.
5. Armed forces recruiting.
  
  Campus groups not listed above will be charged 90 percent of the nonprofit rental for events that are:
1. Cosponsored with a non-campus group.
2. Programs offered to the public or off-campus client groups.
  
  Events and programs for which fees are charged to the participants or that receive funding from additional sources can expect to pay for space consistent with the current fee schedule. Consideration will be given to those programs for which these monies are used strictly to offset costs. In these instances, a reduction or waiving of fees may be authorized by the Conferences and Scheduling Office director. Rental for events that are not clearly defined by this policy will be determined by the Conferences and Scheduling Office director based on a list of exceptions that are approved by the Atwood Memorial Center Council.
Groups outside the university community as listed in Section I.C will be charged rental for space used in the building even though some members of a group may be on the faculty or staff.
Groups outside the university community as listed in Section I.C will receive a 10 percent rental discount for space used in the building if the group is cosponsored by any academic or administrative department. The act of cosponsorship is defined as the active participation and support of the event. The following two procedures will be necessary for cosponsorship: (1) The department chair must approve the cosponsorship, and (2) the cosponsoring department must designate a campus contact to work with the scheduling office and be present at the entire event. If this policy is violated, 100 percent rental will be charged.
If major changes in Ballroom or Voyageurs setups are requested, labor charges will be made to the sponsoring group.
Rental charges for space do not include charges for student managers (hired during hours the building is not normally in use) and technical help that is required. All organizations listed in Section I will be charged for technical assistance as requested or required.

V. Scheduling of Atwood Memorial Center equipment

Procedures for use of Atwood Memorial Center equipment (e.g., lights, sound systems, staging)
1. Need for equipment should be indicated at the time the room reservation is made.
2. Special equipment is on a reserved first-come, first-served basis.
3. Only Atwood technicians are required to set up, run and take down some A/V equipment.
4. No furniture, equipment or supplies may be taken outside the building without the express permission of the Atwood director or her/his designee.
5. Fees may be assessed for certain equipment use.
6. All groups will be required to hire an Atwood technician when in the judgment of the Conference and Scheduling Office their skills are necessary to properly provide the group with audio-visual support.
Technician charges - two hour minimum - charges are $10.00 an hour ($12.00 an hour if last minute) for on campus organizations and departments and $14.00 per hour ($16.00 an hour if last minute) for groups outside the university community. Last minute is defined as 7 calendar days. A written notice of cancellation must be received a minimum of 7 calendar days prior to the scheduled event or the two-hour minimum tech fee will be charged.
Atwood Memorial Center will not be responsible for equipment or property owned by other student organizations or departments that is stored on the premises.
When Atwood Memorial Center agrees to provide storage space, equipment will not be moved to another area without prior agreement between Atwood Memorial Center management and the organization owning the equipment.
Ballroom Temporary Storage space is available to reserve for up to 7 calendar days for storage purposes.

VI. Food and beverages

No food or beverage will be sold or served in Atwood Memorial Center (AMC) or on the adjacent malls, unless purchased through or prepared by, Sodexo, AMC Convenience Store and/or AMC. This is in accordance with Minnesota State Law, St. Cloud State University and MnSCU policies, as well as the existing contracts. (See Food and Beverage Policy).
Other policies
1. The possession or use of intoxicants in Atwood Memorial Center is prohibited.
2. Food is permitted in the Theatre. However, food is not to be served in the Theatre.
3. Potlucks are not allowed. This does not include individuals within an office area of Atwood who would like to host a potluck.

VII. Ceremonial burning

Ceremonial burning in meeting rooms and other non-office areas

Atwood Memorial Center does not allow the burning of incense, sage or ceremonial open flame except for religious ceremonies at scheduled events, and only then with advance approval.

The burning of small amounts of incense for religious purposes during a scheduled event is allowed only when the following requirements are met.
1. Burning is in enclosed spaces so that the smoke will not disturb participants in other parts of the building.
2. Enough time must be scheduled in the room to allow for adequate ventilation of the space after the event is over (approximately one hour after the material is extinguished).
3. The volume of the products of combustion must not be large enough to set off the fire alarm system.
4. The smoke or fumes must not irritate or cause health problems for others in the building.
5. The fire safety of the building must not be compromised.
6. Requests for burning of incense, sage or open flame made less than one week in advance may be denied because of logistical problems.
  
  On occasion there will be special situations where the volume of combustibles will be sufficient to trigger a false alarm in our fire safety system. These situations will be examined on a case-by-case basis by the Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management depending on the requested room and smoke source. Special permission may be granted and special precautions taken. These precautions may involve assigning an Atwood or university employee with a radio and fire extinguisher to the room of the ceremony. The employee must be trained in fire suppression and Atwood's emergency procedures as he/she functions as both the fire alarm system and fire suppression system. These special preparations for large volumes of smoke may be arranged on very special occasions but not for frequent or weekly events. When there is not adequate staff in the building to cover the special fire alarm/suppression role, additional staff will be brought in and charged back to the sponsoring group. Due to staffing requirements, requests for this level of smoke must be received at least one week prior to the event.
Ceremonial burning in offices

In order to facilitate ceremonial burning of sage, incense, sweet grass, cedar, etc., by cultural groups within Atwood Memorial Center, the Atwood Center Council in conjunction with American Indian Student Office and the American Indian Center has developed the following guidelines:
1. No prior notification to Atwood staff is necessary to conduct a spiritual/ceremonial burn in a cultural center office space.
2. Any spiritual combustibles will be burned in a covered, fireproof container.
3. Spiritual combustibles will never be left burning unattended.
4. Individuals conducting the burning need to be aware of the location and proper use of fire extinguisher.
5. Burns will be conducted with the office door closed.
6. An air filtering appliance will be used immediately following the burn to reduce impact on others in the building. The filtering system will be provided by Atwood Memorial Center.
7. Individuals conducting the burn agree to use the smallest amount necessary in order to reduce the potential impact on others who share the Cultural Center and surrounding area.
8. Should a complaint be received, the Atwood management will assess the situation and consult with the individual conducting the burn to find a resolution.

VIII. General policies

ANIMALS: Animals, other than service animals assisting individuals with disabilities, will not be allowed in Atwood Memorial Center without prior approval from Atwood administration.
COVERING DOOR WINDOWS: Groups covering their meeting room windows must notify either the Conference and Scheduling Office staff or building manager in advance.
DECORATIONS
1. Time requested for decorating a room must be scheduled in the usual manner. Requests for more than two hours of decorating time cannot be honored if another request for the room is received.
2. Decorations may not be nailed or tacked to walls, floors, or any other part of the building without the express permission of the Atwood administration. Gaff tape and masking tape are the only acceptable adhesives for decorating purposes in Atwood.
3. Decorations must not create a fire hazard.
4. All decorations must be removed immediately after the event. Based on availability, permission may be granted for delayed removal/clean-up of decorations.
5. No latex in public hallways and staircases.
CLEANING/DAMAGES: Atwood facilities must be left in generally the same condition that they were found prior to the event. Groups and/or individuals using facilities of Atwood Memorial Center will be held financially responsible for damages and excessive messes occurring during their use of reserved space and, in certain cases, for damages in the building that are a direct result of their activity or event. Financial liability will be limited to the cost of labor and materials to repair or replace damaged areas/equipment and to clean up messy areas as determined by the Atwood director or his/her designee.
SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited in all areas of Atwood Memorial Center.
CLOTHING: Shoes and shirts shall be worn in Atwood Memorial Center at all times in all areas.
ROLLERBLADING AND SKATEBOARDS: Rollerblades and skateboards are prohibited in Atwood and the upper level of the mall area directly outside the east entrance.
CHALK: The use of chalk on the Mall is not permitted.
BICYCLES: Bicycles may not be transported through or stored in Atwood Memorial Center.
PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM: Personal pages will be made only in case of an emergency. Use of the public address system is otherwise limited to general operational announcements
EXTERIOR POSTINGS. The posting of banners on the exterior of Atwood Memorial Center is limited to the following university-sponsored events: Celebrate! St. Cloud State, Lemonade Concert and Arts Festival, and SCSU Kick-Off (no commercial sponsorship permitted on this banner). In these instances, the banners must be professionally made with no hand lettering, of durable quality, and no larger than 200 square feet. Location of the banners is restricted to the east (mall) side of Atwood above the South Voyageurs Room window and must not obstruct said window. The banner will be hung and removed by Atwood staff and may be displayed only during the actual event.
SKYWAY POSTINGS: Three central windows on both the north and south side of the Atwood-Centennial walkway will be available for use as poster space. The three window spaces are designated to: Student Government, University Programming and the Department of Campus Involvement. Organizations will be allowed to display computer generated posters that are 72" x 42" or smaller. The content and duration of the materials hung will be managed by the department responsible for the window. Atwood staff will be responsible for hanging and removing materials. Posters or banners will be hung in the evenings by the Building Managers. Materials need to be dropped off at the Information Desk.
WINDOW CLINGS: Window clings can be displayed in Atwood Center for campus wide initiatives only - limited to: Kickoff and Orientation, Homecoming, Family Weekend and the Lemonade Art Fair and Concert, and any other event that would be defined by the Atwood Center Council as a "campus wide initiative."