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Handbook of Operating Procedures
Chapter 5 - Students
Previous Publication Date: October 21, 2019
Publication Date: January 11, 2021
Policy Reviewed Date: December 15, 2020
Policy Owner: VP for Academic Affairs



5.07 Use of Student Union Facilities


I. POLICY STATEMENT


The Student Union (SU) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is primarily funded by a designated fee authorized by the Texas State Legislature (Education Code §54.532) “for the sole purpose of financing, operating, maintaining and improving a student union building for The University of Texas at San Antonio.”

Use of the SU Facilities is primarily for the University community, although off-campus persons or organizations can access meeting rooms and common spaces in the SU either through the joint sponsorship process or through the designation of the SU as a Special Use Facility. 

Rules for the use of SU facilities by sponsored student organizations, registered student organizations, faculty and staff organizations, University academic and administrative units, and off-campus persons or organizations are presented below and outlined in The University of Texas System (UT System) Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Rules 80104 and 80105; UTSA Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP), policies 8.05 and 9.37; the SU Handbook of Operating Procedures; and the UTSA Student Organization Handbook.

The use of the SU facilities as part of a jointly sponsored program or activity is governed by UTSA HOP policy 8.05.  The use of the SU facilities as a Special Use Facility is governed by the UT System Board of Regents’ Rules, Rule 80106. The SU may also be used for weddings and the use of SU facilities for this purpose is governed by the UT System Board of Regents’ Rules, Rule 80108. 


II. RATIONALE


This policy outlines how sponsored student organizations, registered student organizations, University academic and administrative units, registered faculty and staff organizations, and off-campus persons or organizations access meeting rooms and common spaces in the SU.


III. SCOPE


This policy applies to the use and reservation of SU facilities by members of the University community or by off-campus persons or organizations through joint sponsored events or through the designation of the SU as a Special Use Facility. 


IV. WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY


http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter5/5-7.html


V. RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS


UTSA or UT System Policies or the Board of Regents Rules & Regulations        

  1. UT System Board of Regents’Rules, Rules 80104, 80105,  80106 and 80108
  2. UTSA HOP policy 8.05, Use of University Facilities by Outside Groups: Joint Sponsorship
  3. UTSA HOP policy 8.06, Use of Campus Facilities Other than for Regular Classroom Instruction
  4. UTSA HOP policy 9.37, Peaceful Public Assembly
  5. SU Handbook of Operating Procedures
  6. UTSA Student Organization Handbook

VI. CONTACTS


If you have any questions about HOP policy 5.07, Use of Student Union Facilities, contact the following office:

Student Union - Events Management
210-458-4155


VII. DEFINITIONS


The following definitions are used for the purpose of this policy:

Registered Student Organization:  a separate, independent entity from UTSA whose membership is composed of UTSA students, or a combination of students, faculty and staff, that have complied with the registration procedures to be officially registered (granted approval to operate on campus) by the University. 

Sponsored Student Organization: a registered student organization created by, or in conjunction with, a University department to support the ongoing interests of the University community. A sponsored student organization supports the mission of its aligned University department.  A sponsored student organization has an advisor that is paid by the University to specifically advise the organization.

Academic or Administrative Unit:  any office or department of the University.

Faculty Member and Staff Member: any person who is an employee of the University, including student employees.

Off-Campus Person or Organization:  any person, organization, or business that is not an academic unit, an administrative unit, a registered organization (student, faculty, staff), a student, or a faculty or staff member.

Registered Student, Faculty, or Staff Organization:  includes a registered or sponsored student organization under the Student Organization Relationship Statement, a registered faculty or staff organization under the Board of Regents’ Rules, Rule 40201, and Student Government and any unit or subdivision thereof.

Joint Sponsored Event:  any event, activity, camp, conference, meeting or program that takes place on any of the UTSA campuses, that occurs only after UTSA extends an invitation and is co-hosted by a UTSA or Internal Host and an Invited External Host unaffiliated with UTSA.

Event Sponsor: any registered organization (student, staff or faculty); any office or department of the University; any off-campus person or organization that is not an academic unit, an administrative unit, a registered organization (student, faculty, staff), a student, or a faculty or staff member seeking to use space or host an activity, conference, meeting or program in the SU.     


VIII. RESPONSIBILITIES


  1. Student Union - Events Management
    1. Reviews and coordinates space reservations.           

IX. PROCEDURES


  1. Event Scheduling Priority
    The SU is primarily funded by a designated student fee and student events take precedence over all other activities in the facility. Events are scheduled in the SU for groups in the following priority:
    1. Sponsored Student Organizations
    2. Registered Student Organizations
    3. University academic/administrative units
    4. Registered faculty/staff organizations
    5. Joint sponsored events or special use events such as weddings, banquets and receptions.

    NOTE: Academic classes are not scheduled in any SU space except on rare occasions and with special advanced arrangement through the Office of the Registrar in conjunction with Academic Affairs.  The Dean of Students approves all space requests for academic classes in the SU.   

    For specific scheduling priority dates, please visit the SU website at: http://www.utsa.edu/studentunion/events

  2. Requests for Space by University Community Organizations
    Event sponsors affiliated with the University will use the electronic request form available at http://utsa.edu/studentunion/events These reservation requests will be processed as follows:
    1. Space request is submitted for review.
    2. Space request is approved and a reservation confirmation is sent to the requestor.
  3. Request for Space by Non-University Person or Organizations
    Event sponsors will contact Student Union - at 210-458-4155 for assistance with their space requests. Following a consultation with the requestor, staff will determine whether the request is a joint sponsored event or a special use event.
    1. Joint Sponsored Events
      For joint sponsored events, off-campus persons or organizations can find all related information, including definitions, application form, approval process, and timeline at http://www.utsa.edu/events/cohost/  and http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter8/8-5.html. Rules for the use of SU facilities for joint sponsorship are outlined in the UT System Board of Regents’ Rules, Rule 80105 (Joint Sponsorship of the Use of Property or Building), and UTSA HOP policies 8.05 and 9.37.

    2. Special Use events
      For a special event use such as a dinner, conference, meeting, training, quinceneara, off-campus persons, or organizations can complete a request form at http://utsa.edu/studentunion/events. Staff will promptly contact them as soon as the inquiry is received.  Rules for use of SU facilities are outlined in UT System Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Rule  80106 (Special Use  Facilities) and UTSA HOP policy 8.06.

    3. Weddings
      Event sponsors interested in hosting their wedding in the Student Union should visit our website at http://utsa.edu/studentunion/events or contact Student Union- Events Management at 210-458-4155. Rules for use of SU facilities for weddings are outlined in the UT System Board of Regents’ Rules, Rule  80108 (Use of Facilities for Weddings).
  4. The use of SU meeting rooms and common spaces during regular operating hours shall be free of charge to student/faculty/staff organizations and University academic/administrative departments except when the Event Sponsor is charging or collecting any type of fee or monetary donation or when special arrangements or accommodations are necessary. Event sponsors will be assessed a fee for use of various SU resources and labor. A charge will be assessed to all joint sponsored Event Sponsors and off-campus persons or organizations using the SU as a Special Use facility. For additional information, please review the SU Handbook of Operating Procedures for policies and the SU fee schedule.


X. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION


None


XI. FORMS AND TOOLS/ONLINE PROCESSES


XII. APPENDIX


None


XIII. Dates Approved/Amended


01-11-2021
10-21-2019