(1) When allocating use of college facilities, the highest priority is always given to activities specifically related to the college's mission. No arrangements will be made that may interfere with or operate to the detriment of, the college's own teaching, research, or public service programs. In particular, college buildings, properties, and facilities, including those assigned to student programs, are used primarily for:
(a) The regularly established teaching, research, or public service activities of the college and its departments;
(b) Cultural, educational, or recreational activities of the students, faculty, or staff;
(c) Short courses, conferences, seminars, or similar events, conducted either in the public service or for the advancement of specific departmental professional interests, when arranged under the sponsorship of the college or its departments;
(d) Public events of a cultural or professional nature brought to the campus at the request of college departments or committees and presented with their active sponsorship and active participation;
(e) Activities or programs sponsored by educational institutions, by state or federal agencies, by charitable agencies or civic or community organizations whose activities are of widespread public service and of a character appropriate to the college.
(2) College facilities shall be assigned to student organizations for regular business meetings, social functions and for programs open to the public. Any recognized campus student organization may invite speakers from outside the college community. The appearance of an invited speaker on campus does not represent an endorsement by the college, its students, faculty, administration, or the board of trustees, implicitly or explicitly, of the speaker's views.
(a) Student organizations officially recognized by the college may invite speakers to the campus to address their own membership and other interested students and faculty if suitable space is available and there is no interference with the regularly scheduled program of the college. Although properly allowed by the college, the appearance of such speakers on the campus implies neither approval nor disapproval of them or their viewpoints. In case of speakers who are candidates for political office, equal opportunities shall be available to opposing candidates if desired by them. Speakers are subject to the normal consideration for law and order and to the specific limitations imposed by the state constitution regarding religious worship, exercise, or instruction on state property.
(b) In order to ensure an atmosphere or open exchange and to ensure that the educational objectives of the college are not obscured, the president, in a case attended by strong emotional feeling, may prescribe conditions for the conduct of the meeting including, but not limited to, the time, the manner, and the place for the conduct of such a meeting. Likewise, the president may require permission for comments and questions from the floor and/or may encourage the appearance of one or more additional speakers at a meeting or at a subsequent meeting so that other points of view may be expressed.
(3) Reasonable conditions may be imposed to regulate the timeliness of requests, to determine the appropriateness of space assigned, time of use, and to ensure the proper maintenance of the facilities. Subject to the same limitations, college facilities shall be made available for assignment to individuals or groups within the college community. Arrangements by both organizations and individuals must be made through the designated administrative officer. Allocation of space shall be made in accordance with college rules and on the basis of time, space, priority of request and the demonstrated needs of the applicant.
(4) The college may restrict an individual's or a group's use of college facilities if that person or group has, in the past, physically abused college facilities. Monetary charges may be imposed for damage or for any unusual costs for the use of facilities. The individual, group or organization requesting space will be required to state in advance the general purpose of any meeting.
(5) Commercial activities. College facilities will not be used for any commercial solicitation, advertising or promotional activities, except when such activities clearly serve an educational objective including, but not limited to, the display of books of interest to the academic community or the display or demonstration of technical or research equipment and when such commercial activities relate to educational objectives and are conducted under the sponsorship or at the request of the college or the student association if such solicitation does not interfere with or operate to the detriment of the conduct of college affairs or the free flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic. For the purpose of this regulation, the term "commercial activities" does not include handbills, leaflets, newspapers, and similarly related materials as regulated in WAC
495B-140-045.