Camping on Campus
Adopted Policy 7.1
Policy Purpose
To set forth University at Albany policy on camping on or at University Campuses.
Responsible Office
Associate Vice President for Facilities
Responsible Executive
The Associate Vice President for Facilities
Policy History
- Date of Interim Approval:
- Date of Permanent Approval:
Policy Statement
The University at Albany is committed to maintaining a clean, aesthetically pleasing, healthy and safe work, educational, and living environment in order to efficiently carry out its educational mission. This policy enables the University to control its buildings and grounds consistent with the SUNY policies for use of facilities, which prohibits the use of University property or buildings for purposes unrelated to the regular programs and activities of the University.
Persons Affected
Students, Faculty, Staff, Third Parties
Definitions
Camping is:
- The establishment of, or attempt to establish, temporary or permanent living quarters at any location on University property other than residence halls, apartments, or other University managed housing;
- Sleeping outdoors with or without bedding, tent, hammock, or similar device, structure, protection or equipment between the hours of 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.;
- Sleeping overnight in or under any parked vehicle;
- Establishing or maintaining outdoors, or in or under, any structure not designated for human occupancy, at any time during the day or night, a temporary or permanent place for cooking, storing of personal belongings, or sleeping by setting up any bedding, sleeping bag, mattress, tent, hammock or other sleeping equipment, or by setting up any cooking equipment that has not been approved by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
Campus or Campuses is any University owned, leased, licensed or operated space, facility, property, grounds or building.
Third Party or Parties is any person, organization, group or entity not legally affiliated with the University including, but not limited to the general public, contractors, vendors, guests and visitors to the University, those using University facilities or property under a University revocable permit, and volunteers not enrolled as such on University systems.
University is the University at Albany, State University of New York.
Policy
- Camping is prohibited on University Campuses.
- Exemptions
- Actions that constitute “camping” as defined above may be permitted in the following special circumstances:
- By artists or actors who participate in University authorized and approved artistic performances that require such actions as part of the artistic production and only so long as it relates to their performance.
- In other circumstances as approved as part of a revocable permit for Campus use or approved in advance in writing by the Responsible University Official designated for this policy.
- In extraordinary circumstances, such as times of natural disaster, when approved in writing in advance by the President of the University or his or her designee.
- Actions that constitute “camping” as defined above may be permitted in the following special circumstances:
- Enforcement and Compliance
- University Police Department is responsible for addressing non-compliance with this policy by all persons, and may address violations of this policy that constitute criminal trespass or any other violation of law.
- Students, faculty and staff may be referred for discipline for alleged violation of this Policy.
- This Policy shall be effective immediately upon approval.