Student Involvement and Career Center

Image: Photos of SF State student leaders and student organization activities around campus

Publicity

One important factor in the success of a student organization event is the marketing strategies used to publicize. Below are several publicity options available to you as recognized student organizations.

Student Life Calendar

Student organizations can post meetings and events occurring on campus to the Student Life Calendar. This online calendar is intended to be a comprehensive, centralized listing of student activities on campus.

Postings

Student organizations must adhere to the following:

  • Student organizations are to be cognizant to not post flyers on department or specific college bulletin boards without approval.
  • No publicity may be posted on walls, doors, windows, lamp posts, plants, garbage cans, phone booths, vehicles, etc.
  • Printed publicity must be written in English. Translation is required on postings/flyers that are written in a language other than English.
  • The name(s) of the sponsoring student organization(s) is/are required on all postings/flyers.
  • The use of banners, flags and posting of flyers on University buildings is prohibited (including the Student Center).
  • Unapproved postings/flyers will be removed.
  • Accessibility: student organizations must include an accessibility statement on all communications announcing a meeting or other event. An example is as follows: "[Student organization] welcomes persons with disabilities and can make reasonable accommodations upon request. If you need reasonable accommodations for this event, please contact [person in your organization at xxx-xxx-xxxx or person@email.com] by [date-15 working days before event]."

Banners: Cesar Chavez Student Center Mezzanine Railing

Banners advertising major programs and events are popular and effective tools for advertising in the Cesar Chavez Student Center (CCSC): CCSC banner guidelines include:

  • Only recognized student organizations, University departments, and programs may post banners.
  • The banner must be for a specific event (e.g., meeting, reception, speaker). Only one banner is allowed per event.
  • The date, time, and place of the event must be clearly marked on the banner.
  • Philosophical or political statements are not permitted. General “welcome back” statements are permitted for the first 10 days of each semester.
  • Banners may be hung for 5 days before the event. Each organization is responsible for removing its banner after 5 days or the student center staff will remove and recycle the banner.
  • All banners must be approved and date-stamped by the Information Desk staff. Banners without the date stamp will be removed.
  • Banners must remain down for at least 7 days before they can be approved again.
  • Banners advertising ongoing Associated Students programs (e.g., EROS, Women’s Center, Legal Resource Center, etc.) may be hung for one month at the beginning of each semester.
  • Organizations wishing to post a banner publicizing an off-campus event are required to include the following statement on the banner: “This activity is NOT sponsored by San Francisco State University.”.
  • Banners may be no longer than 10 feet and no wider than three 3 feet and should be neatly lettered and legible from the ground level.
  • If a banner is in a language other than English, it must include an English translation.
  • All sponsoring organizations must be listed on the banner.
  • The sponsoring group is responsible for hanging the banner in an available mezzanine railing space and for removing the banner and tape from the railing when the stamped date has expired.
  • Railing space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • The Student Center is not responsible for banners that become missing or damaged.
  • Banners may not be hung on the cement columns or walls in the Student Center. They must be hung only on the railings. (The sole exception is the railing facing Malcolm X Plaza, which is reserved for use by Associated Students Performing Arts year around.)
    If you have any questions about these policies, please contact the Assistant Director, Programs and Services, at 415/338-2820 or Room T-119 in the Cesar Chavez Student Center.

Banners: Malcolm X Plaza Events

If a student organization has an authorized Malcolm X Plaza event, approved by LEAD, they may hang a banner or banners on the metal scaffolding of the Malcolm X Plaza stage on the day of the event. The banner(s) must comply with the sizes listed for each location. The banner(s) may be hung 30 minutes before the event and must be removed immediately after the event. The banner must be legible, with the sponsoring organization clearly named. All tape, string, or rope used to secure the banner(s) must be removed following the event. All unauthorized banners will be removed.

For more information, please contact LEAD at lead@sfsu.edu or SSB 105.

Campus Memo

Campus Memo is a newsletter published by the Office of University Communications and Publications on a weekly basis. Campus Memo is disseminated electronically for faculty and staff. Student organizations interested in publishing their event for the campus community must meet the deadline (Tuesday at 5pm of the week preceding publication). For more information contact University Communications at 415/338-1665 or http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/campusmemo.htm.

Cesar Chavez Student Center (CCSC) Information Desk

Student organizations may submit two fliers per event to post in the CCSC. CCSC will date stamp the flyers and post them for one week. Unauthorized flyers will be removed. Student organizations are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the CCSC banner and posting policies/procedures. For more information contact the Assistant Director of CCSC at 415/338-2820.

Chalking

Student organizations should consult with LEAD prior to chalking on the university sidewalks or cement paths. Information for chalking must be provided at the time of the event planning process. Ground-chalking only is allowed, chalking on walls is not permitted.

Email/Web Account

Student organizations can request to have a SF State email/web account. Visit the student organization email/web accounts page on the LEAD web site for more information.

Golden Gate [X]press

The Golden Gate [X]press is the student newspaper located in the Journalism Department. Student organizations interested in placing an article, news release or announcement should contact the Golden Gate [X]press for more information at 415/338-3313 or http://xpress.sfsu.edu/.

KSFS Radio

KSFS Radio is the campus radio station located in Creative Arts Room 125. For more details about submitting brief announcements contact 338-2428 or http://ksfs.sfsu.edu/.

Literature Distribution

Student organizations are allowed to distribute literature under Executive Directive #89-13. Prior approval must be obtained through LEAD. Student organizations are to adhere to the following:

  • Literature distributed at an approved event should be such that it is not likely to incite violence and must bear the name of the sponsoring organization.
  • Literature may not be distributed in University buildings or residence halls.
  • Pedestrian traffic may not be interrupted.
  • No literature may be placed on vehicles on or surrounding the campus.
  • Literature available in the Bookstore utilized for course credit may not be sold.
  • Obscene/indecent literature and/or materials may not be sold and/or distributed.
  • Literature may be distributed from informational tabling after obtaining a tabling permit and approval from LEAD for a designated reserved area.
  • No commercial advertising may be distributed unless it is part of a student organization’s fundraising.
  • Any sale of literature must adhere to all fundraising policies.
  • Off-campus entities must obtain approval from the Director of Special Events at 415/338-6141 to distribute literature on campus.

Mail Services

All student organizations receive a mailbox with a SF State mailing address. The student organization mailroom is across from LEAD in the Student Services Building. Space is limited holding 220 student organization mailboxes. A counter is provided for student organizations’ publicity flyers, pamphlets and brochures. Please keep the mailroom clean and accessible for all. It is the responsibility of the student organization to pick up and discard excess mail. Mailboxes are cleared out in the summer, with excess mail being held at LEAD for 2 weeks and then returned to sender.

Mailing address for student organizations:

Name of Organization
LEAD, SSB #105
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132

On Campus Mail

Mail sent within University departments is free. You must have the name, department and campus mail written on each piece. It can be mailed through the LEAD ‘OUT’ mailbox.

Off Campus Mail

Mail sent outside the University is handled as personal mail, requiring postage. The Associated Students Business Office can explain how to use your student organization postage funding, if applicable.

Off-Campus Publicity

University Communications is the news office and the University’s designee for off-campus publicity (media, press releases, etc.) For more information contact University Communications at 415/338-1665 or pubcom@sfsu.edu.

LEAD Newsletter

Student organizations may send a brief announcement regarding their on-campus events in the text of an email to lead@sfsu.edu to be included in the newsletter. Upon approval, the Director of LEAD will then include your e-mail request in the weekly newsletter sent to all currently recognized student organizations that have obtained a San Francisco State University account. Email submission must be received by LEAD the Thursday prior to the week they wish posted.

Signs

Signs may not be mounted to sticks, poles, wires, etc. for safety reasons. Hand held signs used during events must be made of paper, cloth or cardboard. Sign supports for flags and banners shall be limited to 1/4 inch or less in thickness and 2” or less in width and have no sharpened edges. Sign supports will be confiscated if not in compliance with this standard.

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