FI0325 – Vending and Solicitations on the University Campus

FI0325 – Vending and Solicitations on the University Campus

Topics:

General Policy	Procedures
Vending Operations	Contacts
Solicitations On Campus

Objective:

To provide policies and procedures on vending and solicitations on the university campuses.

Policy:

General Policy

1. The university does not permit the operation of any concession such as vending machines or any other sales operation, the profits of which solely go to private individuals or groups, students, or faculty.

Vending Operations

2. All departments must comply with the following policies and procedures.
   1. With CBO approval, vending machine equipment may be installed on university premises only under the terms of formal purchase orders or contract between the vending company and the university.
   2. With the CBO approval, deans, directors, or administrative heads desiring installation of vending equipment in their areas of operation should make a written request to the appropriate campus department who manages vending.
   3. Personnel from Facilities Services and the campus vending department will inspect the premises and review the service requirements of such installations with the department.
   4. Because of utility requirements, vending equipment should be kept to a minimum and should not be requested unless justified on the basis of service to students or employees. The department shall also consider options that would accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities.
   5. Revenue from vending installations other than those in regular revenue-producing activities such as auxiliary enterprises are credited to the general fund of the university.
   6. Vending machine companies will be ordered to remove any equipment that has not been installed in compliance with these procedures.
   7. All University contracts for food services (cafeterias, restaurants, food courts, and catering services) or vending services shall be subject to applicable laws and regulations, including Tenn. Code Ann. § 71-4-501 et seq., and any existing cooperative agreements between the University and the Tennessee Department of Human Services, which provide certain rights to blind individuals to manage and operate automated vending machines and vending counter services in University buildings.

Solicitations on Campus

3. The university wishes to guard against deceptive promotional incentives and solicitation practices on its campuses and does not wish for its faculty, staff, or students to be unfairly lured into buying any products or services through on-campus solicitations, including the marketing of credit cards. Accordingly, the university does not allow on-campus solicitation of any kind in non-public areas, and solicitation in public areas is subject to advance approval by the university as to time, place, and manner. Thus, within the limits of free speech protections, all solicitation of commercial and non-commercial products and services on campus is controlled to protect the best interests of faculty, staff, and students. Any solicitations made to University of Tennessee purchasing agents must also comply with FI0717, Employee Gift Acceptance Policy.
4. Each campus/institution must establish a process for reviewing requests for solicitations in public areas.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Blake Reagan (865) 974-3971 breagan@tennessee.edu