Facility Use Policies
UW–Madison specific policies in the university Policy Library related to the reservation and use of university spaces. The policy library brings all university-wide policies together in one place so you can quickly locate the most accurate, up-to-date version of a policy.
UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land
With the creation of the UW-Madison Policy Library in FY22, the Facilities Use Committee (a non-shared governance group of individuals from across campus, whose responsibilities include management of facilities and space and who meet to discuss best practices and campuswide facility issues) took up a project of evaluating and transitioning the Facilities Use Guidelines to policy as appropriate. A subset of nine of the Facilities Use Guidelines (outlined below) were determined to be related to outdoor space use and were proposed to be consolidated into a single policy.
In fall 2023, as the consolidation of the nine guidelines was complete, other campus working groups were also discussing clarifications related to the term “sponsorship” and “invitation” (as outlined Wis. Admin. Code UWS § 21.04) and their relationship to hosting events, and the implications for campus departments and liability, all of which were determined to best live in UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land. Additionally, it is noted that the last substantial update and revision to UW-6000 occurred in 2003. A subset of the Facilities Use Committee worked over June and July 2024 to revise and update UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land to incorporate these and other updates to the policy.
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Updates
- Removed procedure from the policy; applicable portions of previous procedure are included as policy
- Added ordered lists
- Reduced limited redundancies
- Revised wording to focus on Plain Language where possible
- Consolidated policy language from the following Facilities Use Guidelines into policy:
- G-2 Use of Bascom Hill
- G-3 Use of Library Mall
- G-5 University Lands Available for Scheduled Use
- G-19 Storage of Materials Outside Buildings and Temporary Utility Hook-Ups
- G-20 Use and Scheduling of Camp Randall Memorial Park (G.A.R. Park) [UW-6039]
- G-21 Use and Scheduling of East Campus Mall
- G-24 Use of Alumni Park
- G-26 Edible Landscapes [UW-6046]
- Ho-Chunk Clan Circle Usage
- Now provides:
- Clarification for terms and conditions related to events hosted by individuals or organizations/groups not associated with the university or events in which attendance extends beyond UW-Madison faculty, staff, and students (sponsorship/invitation), including responsibilities for direction and control of an event.
- Stipulations related to when events/reservations may be denied, revoked, or terminated
- Limitations on the location and times of reserved use of space and lands
- Clarification about insurance related to reservations and use of university facilities and lands
Facilities Use Committee action as a result of updates
- Establish a communication and education plan for the campus community related to the updated policy, with specific attention to the implications of clarified sponsorship and invitation terms.
- Update processes and documents to comply with the language and direction provided in the revised policy.
- Publish and update a standard website location for information related to facilities use.
- Retire and remove Facilities Use Guidelines and existing university policies consolidated into this policy.
- Conduct annual review of UW-6000.
UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land Update - Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the significant updates to this policy?
- Updated the organization of the information in the policy. Adding ordered lists and grouping similar items.
- Consolidation (and retirement) of the following facilities use guidelines that were previously separate documents in UW-6000:
- G-2 Use of Bascom Hill
- G-3 Use of Library Mall
- G-5 University Lands Available for Scheduled Use
- G-9 Liability Insurance
- G-19 Storage of Materials Outside Buildings and Temporary Utility Hook-Ups
- G-20 Use and Scheduling of Camp Randall Memorial Park (G.A.R. Park)
- G-21 Use and Scheduling of East Campus Mall
- G-26 Edible Landscapes
- G-27 Ho-Chunk Clan Circle Usage
- Added clarification related to events/reservations by organizations affiliated with the university (an officially recognized staff or student group, an administrative or academic unit of the university, or a state agency) and individuals or organizations that are not associated with the university.
- Clarified that individuals or organizations not affiliated with the university must be either sponsored by a department or office or invited by the chancellor, the provost, a vice chancellor, a dean, or a director.
What is the difference between sponsorship and invitation for individuals or organizations that are not associated with the university holding an event or reserving a space?
Sponsorship
- Requires a contract with the sponsoring unit
- Sponsoring unit assumes direction, control, and responsibility for all administrative, financial, and insurance requirements associated with the use of the space
- The head of the unit or their designee must be present for the event/reservation and is responsible for ensuring compliance with policies and procedures
Invitation
- Requires a contract with the inviting department
- May only be offered by the chancellor, the provost, a vice chancellor, a dean, or a director
- The person or organization invited assumes all administrative, financial, and insurance responsibilities associated with the use of space
How does this affect registered student organizations (RSOs)?
RSO events in campus spaces/on campus lands are limited to attendance by only UW–Madison students, faculty, or staff; unless sponsored by a university unit or conducted at the invitation of the chancellor, the provost, a dean, or a director. Appropriate documentation (outlined in the policy) is also required.
How does this affect UW–Madison units?
Website/Forms/Links
If your websites or forms referenced any of the former guidelines that were consolidated into UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land, please update the language and links to point to the revised policy.
Space Contracting
If your unit is responsible for reserving and managing space, please review processes and contracts to ensure compliance with UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land.
Do the regulations and policies listed in UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land apply to UW–Madison locations that are not contiguous with the main Madison campus or located elsewhere throughout the state?
Yes.
When did these updates occur?
The updated version of UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land was published on August 27, 2024.
How were these updates made?
The Facilities Use Committee has been reviewing the Facilities Use Guidelines since the summer of 2023. The consolidation of nine “G-series” guidelines into UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land is the first portion of the culmination of this review work.
What happened to the Facilities Use Guidelines (“G” series) documents?
Here is a quick look at where the information from the former facilities use guidelines has migrated to:
| Number: | Title: | Now Lives In: |
| G-1 | Use of Lobbies in Academic Buildings | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land UW-6013 Expressive Activity |
| G-2 | Use of Bascom Hill | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |
| G-3 | Use of Library Mall | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |
| G-4 | Film/Video/Audio Location and Photo Requests for Commercial Purposes | UW-202 Filming and Commercial Production on Campus |
| G-5 | University Lands Available for Scheduled Use | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |
| G-6 | Temporary Food Sales in UW Buildings | UW-2014 Temporary Food Service |
| G-7 | Outdoor Banners guidelines – PDF and Banner Request Form | UW-6036 Banners |
| G-8 | Framework for Planning a Public Lecture | Retired – No longer in use |
| G-9 | Liability Insurance | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |
| G-10 | Catering Service | UW-3049 Catering On and Off – Campus |
| G-11 | List of Special Use Facilities | Retired – No longer in use |
| G-12 | Rental Charges for UW Auditoria | Retired – No longer in use |
| G-13 | Terms and Conditions | Retired – No longer in use |
| G-14 | Event Alert | Retired – No longer in use |
| G-15 | Acknowledgement by University Units and RSO’s on non-UW Revenue | UW-205 Use of Institutional Names, Logos, Symbols, and other Trademarks UW-3030 Revenue Producing Activities UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |
| G-16 | Sponsorship Addendum to Facility Use Agreement by RSO’s | Retired – No longer in use |
| G-17 | Procedure for Handling Gifts to RSO’s | Student Organization Resource & Policy Guide |
| G-18 | Revenue Producing Events in University Facilities and Grounds | Retired – No longer in use |
| G-19 | Storage of Materials Outside Buildings and Temporary Utility Hook-Ups | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |
| G-20 | Use and Scheduling of Camp Randall Memorial Park (G.A.R. Park) | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |
| G-21 | Use and Scheduling of East Campus Mall | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |
| G-22 | Temporary Outdoor Art Exhibits on Campus Grounds | UW-6040 Temporary Art Exhibits on Campus Grounds |
| G-23 | Watercraft Storage | UW-6047 Lakeshore Nature Preserve |
| G-24 | Use of Alumni Park | Retired – No longer in use |
| G-25 | Outdoor Use of Chalk, Paint and Colored Powders | UW-6013 Expressive Activity |
| G-26 | Edible Landscapes | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |
| G-27 | Ho-Chunk Clan Circle Usage | UW-6000 Use of Facilities and Land |