Fayetteville Policies and Procedures 723.0
Exterior Signs and Publicity on Campus
The following policies apply to exterior signs and publicity on campus:
- Signage Standards. Official signage on the campus must reflect the aesthetic quality desired for the
campus landscape and provide only necessary and appropriate information. All permanent
freestanding and building-mounted signs that fall within established sign types under
the campus signage and wayfinding plan shall be reviewed and approved by the office
of Campus Planning. Any other signs shall be reviewed and approved by the Office of
Campus Planning and (as appropriate) University Relations, to ensure compliance with
campus signage standards and UA brand identity requirements.
- Roadway and Traffic Signs. Roadway and Traffic signs shall be the responsibility of the Arkansas Department
of Transportation, the City of Fayetteville, or University of Arkansas Transit and
Parking, depending on jurisdiction. Installation, maintenance and repair of signs
on University controlled property shall be the responsibility of Facilities Management
or Transit and Parking, as appropriate.
- Transit System and Parking Signs. Transit system and parking signs to include pavement and curb markings shall be the
responsibility of Transit and Parking. Transit system signs located off campus shall
also be installed, maintained and repaired by Transit and Parking with the approval/assistance
of the appropriate municipality or roadway authority. Transit and Parking will coordinate
with Facilities Management and other relevant stakeholders to address design and policy
matters concerning transit and parking signs.
- Construction Project Site Signage. Construction project signs, temporary construction banners, and/or other site identification
graphics that are customary and agreed to in construction contracts may be installed
at/on a campus construction site for the duration of the contract. To the extent
agreed to, construction project signs or site graphics may include identification
of the general contractor and their subcontractors, the primary designer of record
and their sub-consultants. Likewise, signs informing the public of the source of
funding for a construction project are allowed on request by the funding source. All
construction project signs, banners or site identification graphics shall be approved
prior to installation by Campus Planning and, as necessary, University Relations.
- Construction site signs must be secured to prevent movement and the possibility of injury to persons or damage to property. The number, size, material, mounting, and location of such signs must be approved by Campus Planning prior to installation.
- Such signs must be removed by the contractor/funding source or relevant campus unit
within five days after final completion, inspection/acceptance of the project. Should
contractor/funding source or campus unit fail to remove a sign within the five-day
period, Facilities Management shall be authorized to remove and discard the sign without
notice. For contractor signs, removal costs may be assessed to the contractor.
- Advertising Signage Prohibited; Official Sponsorships. Subject to all other University policies, including with respect to acknowledgment
of properly authorized sponsorship agreements, advertisement signs shall not be permitted
on campus. Disallowing advertising signage preserves the campus for its educational
mission, prevents visual clutter and assists the campus to maintain impartiality with
respect to supporters of the University and its programs. Further, UA Systemwide
Policies and Procedures 715.1 states: “University facilities exist to carry out the
University’s educational objectives. Subject to official economic development initiatives
of the University and services officially authorized by the University to enhance
the educational setting for students, faculty and staff, University facilities may
not be used for the conduct of private business activity. . . . Any uninvited private
business solicitation, including any private fundraising activity, in University facilities
or on University grounds is prohibited.”
- Roof and Exterior Wall Restrictions. UA Systemwide Policies and Procedures 720.1 significantly restricts access to and
use of roofs and exterior walls of buildings. Use of roofs and exterior walls for
signage will generally be restricted to official University units. Any signage requiring
access to a roof for installation shall generally be installed by Facilities Management.
- Landscape-Related Gift Signage. Identification of landscape-related gifts to the campus shall be governed by the
policy on commemorating such gifts, Fayetteville Policies and Procedures 711.0. The
Campus Building and Grounds Committee shall review any variance requested from this
policy. Any commercial sign or emblem installed on the campus without consent of
the campus administration after review by the Committee shall be subject to removal
and disposal without notification of the donor, installer or campus unit maintaining
the location of the unauthorized sign. The donor or installing unit shall be responsible
for any damages or ensuing costs to the University resulting from such installations.
- Building Identification Signs. Building identification signs, whether free-standing or affixed to the building, shall
reflect the desired aesthetic quality of the campus, and are regulated by the approved
campus master signage and wayfinding plan. Requests for new signs, alterations or
removal shall be reviewed by the Office of Campus Planning and University Relations,
to ensure compliance with campus signage standards and UA brand identity requirements.
Requests for new signs and alterations shall be made to the Office of Campus Planning.
- Temporary, Affixed Signs and Banners; Projections. Temporary banners, signs, and projections to announce special events and student activities
conducted by members of the campus community as defined under Fayetteville Policies
and Procedures 708.0 may be permitted on campus. Plans for proposed banners or signage
to be affixed to University elements, or projections, including the requested duration,
must be addressed as part of the space reservation process under Fayetteville Policies
and Procedures 708.0 or will not be permitted.
- Banner signs which are tied to existing structural elements shall be affixed only after approval as to location, safety, and protection of property by the responsible authority for the location (e.g., Director of the Arkansas Union or University Housing) and the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration or designee. Temporary signs shall generally not be mechanically fixed, lagged or bolted to a building façade without approval from Facillities Management.
- Banners intended to be affixed to landscape elements (e.g., poles in the ground) shall be installed only after prior approval from Facilities Management, and may require installation by Facilities Management. Banners, at any campus location, affixed without approval shall be subject to removal and disposal without notification.
- Except for official signage placed by University academic and administrative offices, signs may generally be placed no more than one week in advance and must be removed immediately after the end of the relevant event.
- Signage placed by University academic and administrative offices should generally
be removed within two weeks.
- Handbills, Notices, Bunting, and Durable Messages. Handbills (flyers), notices, and bunting shall not be taped or otherwise affixed
to campus elements (walks, trees, light poles, etc.) or site furnishings (trash receptacles,
benches, etc.). As with interior spaces where handbills are only permitted to be
placed on bulletin boards or similar authorized locations, such materials are only
permitted to be posted in designated exterior locations (kiosks, etc.).
- Handbills, etc. taped or otherwise affixed to inappropriate campus locations or that otherwise violate applicable law or University policies shall be subject to removal without notification, and cleanup shall be billed to the sponsoring organizations or individuals.
- Further, handbills, etc., may be removed by the University following an event, or in any case a reasonable time following posting.
- Literature distribution activities are covered under Fayetteville Policies and Procedures 708.0. Those distributing loose handbills, notices or flyers are asked to be cognizant of the litter their distribution may create on the campus and are encouraged to help keep the campus clean.
- For guidance regarding interior academic display spaces, see Academic Policy Series 1800.10.
- Any official University unit seeking to conduct widespread messaging involving attachment
of durable messages (including, but not limited to, stickers) to University property
shall submit a plan including the text, design, and posting method to University Relations
and Campus Planning for review, with final approval by the Executive Vice Chancellor
for Finance and Administration or designee.
- Stickers and other durable attachment of messages is not allowed by other entities, including Registered Student Organizations.
- Yard Signs.
- The purpose of allowing yard signs on campus is to enable the brief and temporary promotion of specific events, activities, or programs planned and conducted by University academic and administrative offices, registered student organizations, and official University service providers and support entities.
- Signage from non-University entities is prohibited.
- Private business advertising is prohibited.
- Campaign or political signs that are not part of an approved reservation for a specific event or activity are prohibited.
- Yard signs must be 24 inches by 24 inches or smaller and, in order to prevent confusion, must clearly identify the unit or group responsible for the signage.
- Yard signs must be reasonable in number, must not create a safety hazard, and are limited to generally accessible areas of campus.
- Plans to utilize yard signs to publicize events (whether the event will be indoor or outdoor) must be submitted as an outdoor space reservation request under Fayetteville Policies and Procedures 708.0 or will not be permitted.
- If the event is an outdoor event on campus, the request for signs may be combined with the reservation request for the event.
- In order to reduce clutter and preserve the beauty of the campus, and to ensure that any signage is temporary, yard signs to promote recurring meetings are limited to two postings per month.
- Except for official yard signs placed by University academic and administrative offices,
signs may generally be placed no more than one week in advance and must be picked
up immediately after the end of the relevant event.
Yard signs placed by University academic and administrative offices should generally be picked up within two weeks of placement.
Separate policies apply to yard signs used in conjunction with student government elections.
- Chalking. Subject to all other University policies, temporary chalking on sidewalks (using
water-soluble chalk) as a means of notifying the University community of an upcoming
campus or RSO event is allowed. Chalking for other purposes is prohibited unless approved
as part of an approved reservation request under University policies. Cost of removal
will be billed to the sponsoring organizations or individuals. Under no circumstances
is chalking permitted on buildings, walls, roadways, on Senior Walk segments, or in
parking lots or decks. Further, under no circumstances shall materials be used that
permanently mark or stain campus sidewalks, hardscape, furnishings, or facilities.
- Nondiscrimination. All campus signage is subject to generally applicable University policies and state
and federal law concerning political activity and prohibiting discrimination and harassment.
- Political Activity. Consistent with other provisions of this policy, political or campaign signs and banners
may not be displayed on buildings or in windows of property owned, leased, or controlled
by the University. Campaign or political signs that are not part of an approved reservation
for a specific event or activity are prohibited. Further, political fundraising signage
is prohibited.
- Advance Review. The University requires organizers to furnish text in advance for banners or signage
that will be affixed in place, such as yard signs. The purpose of any such review
is to ensure compliance with the requirements of this policy and other University
policies, for example, regarding commercial use and sponsorships, regulating time,
place, and manner of political activity, and prevention of discrimination and harassment,
and shall not be used to inhibit expression that is protected under First Amendment
principles. This advance review requirement does not apply to banners or signage
to be held or displayed during an in-person event with organizers present.
- Removal. The University reserves the right to remove, or require the organizer to remove, any signage that violates any provisions of this policy. Any signage removed will be held for the organizer to retrieve for a period of two weeks, then may be discarded.
Revised September 8, 2025
Revised July 15, 2019
Revised September 23, 2015
Reformatted for Web April 24, 2014
Revised May 5, 2004
Revised March, 2002
July 1, 1991