Vending
The use of the University's indoor and outdoor facilities for the purposes of selling a product or service is strictly regulated. Accordingly, the following guidelines have been established:
711.1 INDOOR VENDING
Machine vending inside University buildings falls under the jurisdiction of the Director, Penn Dining and those to whom that authority has been given. Any other vending is not permitted in accordance with the University's SOLICITATION policy.
711.2 PENN STUDENT AGENCIES
The Director of Student Employment or designee oversees the vending activities of Penn Student Agencies. The Director of Student Activities and Student Life Facilities or designee is responsible for vending requests from University affiliates on Locust Walk between 36th and 37th Streets.
711.3 OUTDOOR VENDING
Apart from approved truck vendors, outdoor sales are generally restricted to registered student organizations and University departments who wish to fundraise for their own benefit. Approval for such activities must be obtained from the Office of the Director of Student Activities and Student Life Facilities. Outside groups or corporations, however, will not normally be permitted to conduct sales on University property under the sponsorship of University groups.
Because the profits raised by Penn Student Agencies are transferred into the University's funds for student financial aid and other services, Penn Student Agencies should be given exclusive rights or preferential treatment in the selling of certain products or services in the outdoor area of campus. Responsibility for such decisions rests with the Director of Student Activities and Student Life Facilities, and at the beginning of each academic year, PSA shall provide the director of Student Activities and Student Life Facilities or designee with a list of those products or services it wishes to sell. The Director of Student Activities and Student Life Facilities will share that information with any other student organizations that may be interested in selling similar products or services.
711.4 VENDING PERMITS
Vending permits are required for all organizations or departments wishing to sell items in outdoor campus areas. Permits must be signed by the appropriate University employee. Current, approved street venders must apply for permits through Business Services. Potential venders who wish to sell items on city-owned sidewalks must obtain a permit from the City of Philadelphia. All other vending activities in the outdoor areas of the University require permits from the Office of the Director of Student Activities and Student Life Facilities. Permits must be shown to any University official, including University of Pennsylvania Police Officers, on request. Failure to obtain a vending permit will result in the vendor's eviction from campus and may result in a loss of future privileges.
711.5 LOCATION OF VENDING ACTIVITIES
All vending activities, including ticket sales, credit card applications, etc., will normally be located in the block of Locust Walk between 36th and 37th Streets in order to eliminate traffic congestion elsewhere on campus. Requests for vending activities in other campus areas (e.g., Levy Park) may be approved by the Office of the Director of Student Activities and Student Life Facilities or designee in consultation with other appropriate administrators when unusual circumstances warrant a different location.
711.6 FLYERS AND HANDBILLS
The distribution of noncommercial handbills or flyers by University groups is generally permitted on Locust Walk as long as the individuals conducting such activities are not impeding traffic, imposing their will on the University community (e.g., forcing people to take handbills), creating a disturbance, or generating an excessive amount of trash. Posting of handbills and flyers is restricted to authorized kiosks and bulletin boards. Individuals or groups are responsible for cleaning up trash related to their activities.
711.7 NOISE LEVELS
Vendors on Locust Walk close to classroom or residential buildings shall keep their volume of noise to a level that does not interfere with normal University activities. Bullhorns and other forms of noise amplification may not be used unless special permission is received form the Office of the Director of Student Activities and Student Life Facilities.
711.8 RIGHT TO CHALLENGE
The University of Pennsylvania Police Department has the right to challenge any vendors and to require them to obtain permission from the appropriate University office or leave the campus.
Policy Number: 711
Effective Date: 9/28/2005
Supersedes Policy Number(s): 711 (02/01/1990)
Applicability: All Vendors, Employees & Students
Cross-reference: Policy 001