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Multicultural Center

Multicultural Center Building Policies

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SECTION 1. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Multicultural Center is a place dedicated to developing a supportive and inclusive campus culture across the boundaries of culture, identity, and discipline. Celebrating unity in diversity, the Multicultural Center invites all of its students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and other friends to join in its work in creating a community of learners within and beyond URI.

  • 1. The Vision
    Through its programs and services, the Multicultural Center works collaboratively with others to transform the campus into a community in which members build bridges of understanding across boundaries of race, gender, culture, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, ability, religion, nationality, and language. Central to this vision is the premise that the development of multicultural skills and attitudes can help lead the way to self and institutional renewal, and international reconciliation.
  • 2. The Background
    Established in 1993, the Multicultural Center is a legacy to the entire campus arising out of student initiatives that began in the early seventies. While peaceful protests led by the Afro-American Society in 1972 and the Black Student Leadership Group in 1992 provided the original inspiration, the Multicultural Center reflects the investment of energy and resource by students, administrators, faculty, staff, and citizens of the State of Rhode Island. Located at the heart of campus, the Multicultural Center symbolizes the hopes and aspirations of many for a more socially just and equitable campus for all.

SECTION 2. BUILDING FACILITIES

The facilities of the Multicultural Center are available for use and must be reserved through the office located in the Multicultural Center. A minimum of 24 hours, for events with less than 50 people, and 2 weeks, for events with more than 50 people in attendance, advance notice by an authorized agent of the organization is required to reserve a room. URI Staff may be required to be in attendance. The Multicultural Center office has handouts detailing the responsibilities of students in charge of events and for their designated staff person. They also have handouts explaining the responsibilities of police and fire persons who are staffing the events.

  • A. Building Hours
    The Director and Assistant Director of the Multicultural Center shall determine the Main Office hours of the Multicultural Center. Presently, when school is in session:

    Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    Saturday & Sunday Closed

    Building hours are regularly extended to accommodate University events, typically until 9:00 p.m. Sunday - Thursday, and 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
  • B. Alcohol Policy
    The Multicultural Center has no alcoholic events.
  • C. Intended Usage
    The facilities of the Multicultural Center will be used as intended and indicated on the reservation requests. No electrical appliances may be used without written approval of the Director of the Multicultural Center.
  • D. Parties and Dances
    Recognized student organizations may host up to two parties or dances per academic semester. Approval is dependent upon staff and security availability. The Director of the Multicultural Center reserves the right to limit parties and dances.
  • E. Decorations
    No thumbtacks, staples, or tape may be used on painted or varnished surfaces. All decorations must be approved prior to the event. All decorations and materials must be removed by the sponsoring organization immediately after the event; this includes picking up all trash, garbage, bottles and cans generated from the event. All trash generated from the event must be bagged and taken to the nearest dumpster. Organizations will be charged a per hour clean-up charge for decorations or food not disposed of per this policy. The current rate is $15.00 per hour.
  • F. Evacuation
    The Director of the Multicultural Center or his/her designee is responsible for designing and implementing effective Fire and Safety evacuation procedures.
  • G. Guidelines for Events Ending After Office Hours
    1. Organizations will be required to pay for Security Officers. The officers will be ordered through the Scheduling Office of the Memorial Union.

    2. If anyone becomes ill and vomits anywhere in the building, no one should attempt to clean it up. Because of Federal and University regulations, this must be done by our custodial staff, who are required to use Blood and Bodily Fluid Kits. The organization will be charged $15.00 for each kit used. The organization may also be charged a custodial fee in addition to the kit charge.

    3. Organizations are expected to pick up all trash, garbage, bottles and cans generated from the event at the end of the event and place them in the appropriate provided containers. All trash generated from the event must be bagged and taken to the nearest dumpster. They may not borrow equipment from the custodian's closet.

    4. Organizations may not do their own set-ups or breakdowns of Multicultural Center equipment, not including tables and chairs. They are done by Multicultural Center staff only. Any set-up consisting of property not belonging to the Multicultural Center must be pre-approved by the Multicultural Center office. Under no condition should the Piano be moved.

SECTION 3. SCHEDULING OF FACILITIES

  • 1. Damages and Labor Costs Incurred
    Organizations are responsible for maintaining the area of facility used. They will be financially accountable for damages incurred. Said damages will include, but not limited to, structural damage to facility, damage to furniture and equipment, and damage caused by adhesive materials used in decoration. The Director of the Multicultural Center will assess any damage to a facility.
  • 2. Fees Charged for Facilities
    Specific rental rates can be found in Appendix I. Organizations may make arrangements to be billed for the use of facilities. There will be no fee charged to organizations if cash transactions are not involved. All non-University organizations will pay a rental fee when using the Multicultural Center for the sale of wares, or other transactions involving cash when a profit goes to the organization.
  • 3. Keylist
    For events taking place after 9:00 pm on Monday-Thursday, after 4:30 pm on Friday, and on Saturday and Sunday; a representative from the group will need to be placed on the keylist. Only up to 3 individuals from any one group can be on the keylist. Individuals on the keylist must have URI student, staff or faculty standing. Campus Security will have this keylist. To pick up the key, the representative will need to go to Campus Security and show identification. The key must be returned immediately after the event.

SECTION 4. BUILDING SERVICES

  • 1. Food and Beverages
    No food and/or beverages will be served in any facility in the Multicultural Center unless catered by the URI Dining Services or other approved tenants and vendors. Any vendor/provider of food must be approved by the RI Department of Health and provide a certificate of insurance for product liability listing the University of RI, Board of Governors & State of RI as additional insured. This certificate must be faxed to the Scheduling Office at the Memorial Union two weeks prior to the event.
  • 2. Lost and Found
    All “found” items are to be turned into the Multicultural Center office. The office will attempt to locate and notify the owner. If after 120 days the item has not been claimed, it will become the property of the finder, or turned over to a charitable organization, or discarded.

SECTION 5. ADVERTISING

The Multicultural Center provides a bulletin board in order to assist organizations with publicity of special programs. All notices, posters, etc., for community bulletin board areas are to be turned in to the Multicultural Center where they will be stamped and posted. All posters and notices not stamped will be removed.

The bulletin board will be for the use of all Student Organizations and University community groups. Only one notice per event may be posted on each bulletin board. All notices in the boards shall not exceed 14”x22” in size and shall be stamped, approved and posted by the Multicultural Center. Posters must include the name of the sponsoring group, the time and date of the event and the phone number of a contact person. Should have accommodations of disability.

SECTION 6. SELLING, SOLICITATIONS AND POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS

  • A. Selling
    • 1. The Director may restrict time, place and manner of sales in the facility
    • 2. Companies (and/or their representatives) promoting a service may schedule a table for the regular fee.
    • 3. The table may be scheduled two days a month for the semester. See Appendix I for fee.
  • B. Solicitations
    • 1. The Director may restrict time, place, and manner of charitable solicitations (as well as information/dissemination of information) in the facility.
    • 2. Non-charitable organizations or individuals are not allowed to solicit within the Multicultural Center.
    • 3. Charitable organizations will be allowed to solicit at a table or booth providing that:
      • i) There are no more than 2 solicitors at a table.
      • ii) The solicitors do not harass passers-by or obstruct free passage.
      • iii) The organization maintains any further stipulations made by the Multicultural Center and/or the Director of the Multicultural Center.
      • iv) No unattended containers for donations or contributions will be permitted.
      • v) Nothing may be distributed by hand in or around the Multicultural Center.
      • vi) Violation of these rules will result in the immediate removal of any group from the Multicultural Center. If a credit card vendor is removed from the Multicultural Center for non-compliance, the main office of that particular company will be called and informed that they will not be allowed to solicit in the Multicultural Center for a minimum of three months.
    • 3. Political Campaigns
      Political campaigns shall follow guidelines set in the University Manual. The enforcement of all campaign guidelines as apply to this policy is the sole authority and responsibility of the Multicultural Center staff.

    SECTION 7. GENERAL INFORMATION

    • 1. Sleeping in the Multicultural Center
      It is not permissible to use any of the facilities of the Multicultural Center as a sleeping area.
    • 2. Building Dress
      In accordance with the University's requirements, no bathing suits or bare feet are allowed in the building. The University's regulations require shirts and shoes to be worn in food and beverage service areas. Also, special athletic shoes such as cleats, etc. are not permitted.
    • 3. Pets
      In accordance with Health and Safety regulations, no pets are allowed in the Multicultural Center with the exception of an animal that is specially trained as an aid for someone with a disability.
    • 4. Smoking
      The Multicultural Center is a smoke free facility. There are no designated smoking areas.
    • 5. Vandalism
      Vandalism must be reported immediately to the main office or to a Multicultural Center Staff member.
    • 6. Emergencies
      In the case of emergency; notify the main office at 874-2851 or Campus security at x4-2121.
    • 7. Exclusions
      Bicycles, unicycles, skateboards, roller skates and roller blades are not permitted in the building. Skateboarding and roller blading in and around the entrances, decks, walls and planters is prohibited. No hazardous materials may be used, stored or transported in the Multicultural Center except by authorized personnel.

    SECTION 8. VARIANCE

    The Multicultural Center and the Director of the Multicultural Center realize the potential difficulty in strict compliance to these policies. In certain situations a variance to these policies may be obtained.

    • A. Procedure
      • 1. Requests for variance forms may be obtained from the main office.
      • 2. Forms are to be completed in the main office at least two weeks prior to the intended event.
      • 3. The Multicultural Center staff will meet and make a recommendation.

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