University Posting Guidelines

Suffolk University’s posting guidelines were developed to support student organizations recognized by the Student Government Association (SGA), Graduate Student Association (GSA), Student Bar Association (SBA) and department-sponsored student groups as well as administrative and academic departments. Those that consistently violate these guidelines may have their posting privileges restricted. Only Suffolk University sponsoring organizations are permitted to display postings on University property, in accordance with this policy.  This policy is not intended to alter any provision of any collective bargaining agreement.

These guidelines are intended to support the tenets of the Freedom of Expression Policy which may be found on the Suffolk University website.

All postings must comply with contemporary standards consistent with a University environment and may not violate University policies.

Definitions

Sponsoring Organization: Recognized and department-sponsored student and administrative and academic departments.

• Poster: Single sheet of paper or poster that does not exceed 11” x 17” except when authorized by Student Leadership and Involvement (SLI) or the Law Student Affairs Office
• Flyer: Single 8.5” by 11” sheet of paper.
• Banner: sheet of paper/cardboard or cloth that exceeds 11” x 17” that may be displayed on an easel, on or covering a table or by being hung
• Flag: cloth, digital or paper flag that identifies with a specific date, historical event, cause, nation or group of people whereby its display is mean to commemorate the date, event, cause nation or people displaying the flag.
• Digital Media: Digital announcements placed on digital media screens or University calendar media. 
• Posting: term that includes all forms of postings described above: Poster, Flyer, Banner, Flag and Digital Media
• Unrestricted Bulletin Board: Bulletin board designed by these guidelines as a bulletin board available for posting by a sponsoring organization.
• Restricted Bulletin Board: Bulletin boards including those enclosed by glass or designated by a department. No one other than authorized personnel may post on restricted bulletin boards.

Poster, Flyer and Digital Media

All postings must include the following information: 

• Full name and contact information of the recognized student organization or administrative or academic departments(s)
• Description of the program
• Date, time, the location of program/event, and availability of transportation (or directions) if the event is off-campus
• Admission criteria, if necessary, such as ticket price or Suffolk ID required
• Rain date(s) and refund policy (if applicable) Posters or flyers must be limited to one (1) per unrestricted bulletin board per event.

All postings must be removed by the sponsoring organization immediately following the event (or in the case of a student organization, by the date stamped on the posting.) The University reserves the right to remove postings which are not removed by the sponsoring organization in a timely manner, and to restrict the ability of the sponsoring organization to post if it fails to remove their postings in a timely fashion.

Student organization posters and flyers may not be posted on any restricted or glass bulletin boards, windows, doors, building posts, and elevator doors or within elevators or bathrooms, as they will be removed.

Posters or flyers must be affixed with thumbtacks, pushpins or regular staples, not glue or tape. Magnets should be used to post on white magnetic dry-erase boards. Posters or flyers may NOT be posted on walls, posts, woodwork, columns, lockers, doors, windows, or in elevators.. If directional signage is required for a specific event, painters’ tape may be used only to post on the classroom/conference room door or wall outside the room/classroom and must be removed immediately following the event.

If alcohol is served at an event, advertisements shall not mention the availability of alcoholic beverages.

Postings may not violate the Law School’s Marketing and Vendor policy.

Postings placed over the posters or flyers of other sponsoring organizations is not permitted. If space is not available on a particular bulletin board, space must become available before posting additional posters or flyers. Postings displayed over posters or flyers of another group will be removed.

The Sponsoring organization is responsible for providing, and paying for, all copies and supplies associated with the organization’s postings.

Requirements for Student Organizations

Undergraduate and graduate recognized student organizations must be approved and stamped by SLI, located on the 3rd floor of Sawyer.

Law School recognized student organization postings must be approved by the Law Student Affairs Office, located on the 4th floor of Sargent.

The appropriate office must stamp all posters and flyers BEFORE they are posted on unrestricted campus bulletin boards designated as such in these guidelines.

SLI and the Law Student Affairs Office may not approve a posting if it does not comply with contemporary standards of decorum consistent with a University environment. See appeal process below.

Exceptions for Academic and Administrative Departments

The stamping of posters and flyers by academic and administrative departments is not required.

The offices of SUPD, Title IX and Counseling Health & Wellness Health may place flyers relating to health and safety in areas other than those listed below.

The University Posting Policy does not apply to individual offices or workspaces in academic and administrative departments.

The directors of the Moakley and Sawyer Libraries are responsible for posting policies in their respective library spaces (including display cases). Thus, those wishing to post material in a library space must obtain the approval of the library director (or their designee.)

Posting in Suffolk University Residence Halls

After having posters/flyers approved at SLI, all sponsoring organizations who wish to post in the residence halls should bring posters/flyers to the Residence Life and Housing Office. For security reasons, sponsoring organizations cannot post their flyers in the residence halls themselves. Sponsoring organizations must bring the appropriate number of posters or flyers to Residence Life and Housing for distribution.  Decorations and postings by residents within residence halls are governed by Residence Life and Housing rules.

If you have questions about posting in the residence halls, please call 617-305-2500.

Residence Halls

All copies of the approved flyer with the SLI Office stamp must be presented to the designated Residence Life Office for posting within a reasonable time from receipt.

Unrestricted Bulletin Boards

Digital Media

Community announcements, services and events can be displayed on digital screens located throughout campus in addition to, or instead of, print posters and flyers. Any University department or recognized student organization can submit a digital file to be posted. The sponsoring organization is responsible for creating the posting for display; the content must follow all policies outlined in the print posting section.

Process for posting digital messages: Files should be emailed to the appropriate office listed below at least 72 hours (or three business days) in advance of the desired display date. Flyers should be 1080x1400 (landscape orientation for Sargent Law School - portrait orientation for everywhere else) and be either .JPG, or .PNG file types. Please include the beginning and end dates that the content should be displayed. Postings will be displayed for a maximum of two weeks.

• For digital posts in Sawyer, Samia or Stahl contact the Office of Student Life and Involvement.
• For digital posts in Sargent for business school audience contact the SBS Graduate Programs Office.
• For student organization digital posts in Sargent for law school audiences, contact Law Student Affairs.
• For other digital posts in Sargent for law school audiences, contact the Law School Office of Academic Services.

In addition, digital media may be added to the University events calendar to promote University sponsored and recognized student organization events.  Community members may access the calendar by visiting the University events calendar page. Community members may submit events through this page for inclusion in the calendar.  These events will be reviewed for accuracy and compliance with this and other relevant policies prior to being published.  

The University’s Office of Marketing and Communications may bypass the above guidelines regarding length of posting for the purposes of promoting large campus-wide events or campaigns.

Banners and Flags

Banners and flags, as defined above, associated with events may only be displayed during an approved event held by a sponsoring organization within the properly reserved area in which the event is being held.  Displays must comport with any Department of Facilities protocols and may not be hung or otherwise displayed in a manner that violates safety codes, harms the University’s infrastructure, impedes access or egress to buildings, rooms, elevators, or corridors or otherwise disrupts normal operations.  

Flags and banners, whether associated with an event or not, may be displayed in other areas of campus only by the following departments: Marketing and Communication, Office of the Provost, Student Affairs, Enrollment, Administration, Dean of Law School, Dean of SBS, Dean of CAS and Office of the President.  This does not apply to decorations in individual workspaces.  

Organizations sponsoring events may also use foam mounted posters on easels in the first floor lobbies of Sargent, Stahl, Sawyer, Samia and One Beacon ONLY on the day of the event to increase awareness and publicity of the program taking place.

Easels may not be placed at any time on the 2nd floor lobby of the Stahl Building. Easels must be provided by the person or organization responsible for the posting.

Easels may not block access to elevators, door/entrance ways, and egress or emergency exits. ADA compliance must also be taken into consideration. The University reserves the right to relocate or remove easels which limit accessibility or otherwise do not comply with these guidelines. The University is not responsible for easels left in a lobby.

Appeals

Objections to the content of posters, flyers, digital media or foam core mounted posters may be submitted in writing to the Vice President for Student Affairs. Sponsoring organizations may submit an objection if their poster or flyer is not approved. Once an objection has been received, the poster, flyer, digital media or foam core mounted poster will be removed from posting locations and will not be approved for posting until such time as a decision will be made regarding the objection. A committee of 4 people (a student appointed by SGA, GSA or the SBA, a representative from each – Provost’s Office, Office of Administration and Student Affairs) – will be convened within two business days by the Vice President for Student Affairs who will vote only in the case of a tie. The decision of the committee will be final.

Guidelines Revised 8.2024