Proposal: A Revision of Texas State University's Solicitation Limitations
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Proposal: A Revision of Texas State University’s Solicitation Limitations
Authored by: Nathan Rowell & Anna B. Mobley
OVERVIEW
It has come to the attention of several student organizations at Texas State that there will be a major push from the university to enforce solicitation regulations. The most drastic enforcement concerns the frequency with which a student organization can be present in the Quad or LBJ Mall.
“ UPPS 07.04.03 due to the increase of solicitation and space requests please note in Section
04. Procedures for Booth Solicitation:
b. No booth may be installed and maintained for more than five consecutive calendar days. No organization will be allowed to sponsor more than one food or beverage solicitation per month.”
Although most students were unaware of this existing stipulation, the university has begun to take a firm stance on the practical enforcement of this clause. As of January 2nd, 2014 (originally November 1st, 2013), organizations may only host one beverage/food solicitation per month (for up to 5 consecutive dates if space is available).
HOW THIS POLICY DETRIMENTALLY AFFECTS STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS:
The quad has become an ideal spot for organizations to appropriately fundraise, advertise, and solicit involvement and events in the local sector. By enforcing limitations of every student organization to 5 consecutive solicitation days per month, the university has initiated a drastic cut in the amount of revenues generated to these organizations.
In addition, by limiting the frequency a student organization may solicit to student in the quad and cutting back on fundraising efforts, this policy limits organizations from being self-sufficient. By doing so, student organizations will become more desperate for funds and will seek more support and funding from the university.
Furthermore, the Quad is a natural community-focused and student-enriched atmosphere for Bobcats to congregate during operating weeks of the semester. A policy limiting the sale of food/beverage for organizational fundraising will decrease the incentive of these organizations to set up in the quad. In essence, limiting solicitation has both adverse financial and social implementation.
WHY THIS POLICY ENFORCEMENT IS INAPPROPRIATE
Beyond the obvious cuts in generated revenue for organization-related activities, this policy represents a direct student infringement from the university towards its students. Individuals who pay college tuition receive the privilege to use the facility's private sector amenities; solicitation on designated property at Texas State University is included among these student rights.
Furthermore, limiting students to one full week of solicitation has the potential to make student efforts far more tenacious, confrontational, and boisterous in areas like the LBJ Student Mall or the Quad. To elaborate: putting students within constrained and consecutive solicitation dates will only increase the
pressure to meet fundraising quotas or goals; this will have an adverse effect on the student body passing through the Quad during normal class hours, henceforth making it more like the undesired 'marketplace' atmosphere that this policy's creator envisions.
PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION
It is not an unreasonable concern from the university that the Quad and LBJ student malls have the potential to become a 'marketplace' environment for outside organizations to inappropriately target students. This is a legitimate point for the enforcement of this ruling.
However, the issue that arises is simple: student organizations ARE NOT outside businesses that solicit without permission, and they generate appropriate revenues which other students willingly, legally, and rightfully submit within the designated areas at Texas State University. We propose nullification to this newly enforced policy, and have gathered signatures (See the pages that follow) from a large percentage and number of current Bobcat students to show their support of this addendum.
•Rewrite UPPS 07.04.03 (Section 4, Article B) to do away with any limitation of solicitation requests within the calendar month.
•Clearly define the limitation of outside vendors not associated with student organizations, but remove the clauses limiting to student orgs
•Allow students to apply for any number of solicitation requests in the Quad or LBJ Mall as long as 2 students from the organization are present at all times and as long as there are availabilities in the Quad
•Require all affiliated university departments (example: CASO, SACA, etc.) to adhere to the changes expressed through the removal of these enforcements.
Please support this reform petition by PROVIDING YOUR NAME, TXSTATE EMAIL. ALSO, PLEASE PUT YOUR STUDENT ID IN THE COMMENT BOX (in case the University wants to verify that you are an actual student). If you havealreadysigned paper copy, please DO NOT sign again, we're trying to eliminate duplicate signatures. :)
Your voice matters! Thank you for your consideration!
Sponsor
HBSA, CRU, SIFE, and many other student organizations on the Texas State University campus.
Links
A link to the University Policy and Procedures with the cited guideline can be found here:
http://www.txstate.edu/effective/upps/upps-07-04-03.html
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