Section 1: Purpose
There is a need on the RCTC campus to maintain appropriate oversight of organizations and individuals that wish to promote or sell products, services, and ideas to students and staff. There is also a need to provide students and employees access to educational, career, community, and other beneficial resources while ensuring that such activities support the College’s mission, comply with Minnesota State requirements, and do not disrupt campus operations.
Section 2: Definitions
Solicitation: any verbal, written, electronic, or in-person effort to raise funds through the sale of merchandise or services, charitable donations, membership recruitment, promotion of a cause, or distribution of information intended to gain support for an issue or organization.
Vendor: any individual, business, non-profit organization, government agency, or other entity providing information, goods, or services to students, faculty, staff, or visitors.
Sponsor: a recognized student organization, academic department, administrative office, or service area that agrees to support and assume responsibility for coordinating a vendor’s presence on campus.
RCTC/WSU-Rochester students, faculty, and staff are not considered vendors unless acting on behalf of an organization external to the College.
Section 3: Responsibilities
Subpart A: Criteria for Approval of Vendors:
- Activity is consistent with the educational mission and values of the College.
- Does not promote illegal, fraudulent, deceptive, discriminatory, or misleading activities.
- Does not endanger health, safety, or well-being.
- Provides educational, career, cultural, civic, community-service, or consumer benefit.
- Does not violate College, Minnesota State, or contractual obligations.
- Vendor is sponsored or receives administrative approval.
- Vendor complies with College policies, Minnesota State requirements, accessibility requirements, and nondiscrimination requirements.
Subpart B: Responsibilities of Vendors:
- Vendor must secure appropriate sponsorship or administrative approval
- Vendor must submit appropriate paperwork for the reservations at least two weeks prior to being on campus.
- Vendors will solicit participants only at their table.
- Vendor will confine posting any and all literature to the table or assigned space and to community bulletin boards.
- Vendor will solicit only on scheduled date and time.
- Vendor will pay for the use of the space within ten business days of its use.
- Vendor is responsible for being familiar with College policies and procedures directly related to the use of facilities and the prohibited unlawful use, possession, distribution, manufacturing or sale of any alcoholic beverage, controlled substance or illegal drugs on the campus.
Subpart C: Responsibilities of the Sponsor:
- Ensure vendor activities align with the College mission.
- Ensure that the vendor’s presentation has a benefit to students and staff. Ensure the vendor does not promote illegal, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading products or activities, or products which may endanger students’ health, safety and physical well being.
Section 4: Procedures
- The vendor will contact the Facilities Scheduler.
- The vendor will be referred to possible sponsors and informed of facility use requirements.
- Sponsor and vendor will complete vendor agreement and return it to the Facilities Scheduler.
- If the vendor agreement is approved, the Facilities Scheduler will notify vendor of next steps
Section 5: Enforcement
Vendors failing to comply with this policy may have approval revoked and may be prohibited from future use of the College facilities.
Date of Implementation: Immediate
Date of Adoption: 5/11/2005
Date of Revision: 4/25/2006, 9/26/2017, 10/2/2026