Use of Residential Conference Centers - UTDSP5000

Policy Statement

Policy Statement

The University Village Residence Halls at The University of Texas at Dallas have been designated as Residential Conference Centers and may be made available to non-university groups without the necessity of joint sponsorship by the University.

Rationale

Rule 80112 of the UT System Regents’ Rules allows the president of an institution to designate rules for Residential Conference Centers that include rooms for overnight residential guests, conferences, banquets and meetings, catering and other conference related services.

Scope

The policy applies to all University Village Residence Halls and allows non-university persons, groups, associates, or corporations (both for-profit and not-for-profit) to reserve Residential Conference Centers for their conferences, banquets and other meetings without being sponsored by the University.

1. Designations as a Residential Conference Center shall not constitute the facility as a public facility or forum open to use by non-university persons, groups, associates, or corporations on a first-come, first-served basis.
2. Priority in the reservation and use of the Residential Conference Centers shall be given to activities and events sponsored by the University and that are in furtherance of and related to the educational, cultural, recreational, and athletic programs of the University.
3. As a lower priority, the Residential Conference Centers may be made available to non-university persons, groups, associates, or corporations without University sponsorship and may be used for purposes such as banquets or conferences by entities that use annual conferences or other similar activities to acquire operational funds for the entities.
   1. Non-university groups shall be charged for the use of the Residential Conference Center at a rate that will, at a minimum, insure recovery of that part of the operating cost of the facility, attributable directly or indirectly to such non-university use.
   2. The manager of the facility may grant complimentary rooms or food as is ordinary and customary in the operation of similar facilities for promotional or customer relations purposes if it is reasonably necessary for the operation of the facility.
4. Subject to all constitutional and statutory provisions relating to the use of state property or funds for religious or political purposes, the Residential Conference Center may be made available for religious or political conferences or conventions.
5. Non-university groups may rent space for display of advertising and the display of samples of merchandise in designated areas inside the Residential Conference Centers that have been approved by the President or designated University official. Space may be rented or sold on a message center inside the Residential Conference Centers or on the outdoor electronic marquee. A Residential Conference Center retail operation for goods related to conferences or guest services as well as sales of books, other educational products, software, or related products within the Center shall be allowed and considered within the University and Board of Regents’ solicitation policy (Rule 80103, section 2.5).

Definitions

A non-university group is any person, group, associate, or corporation, either for-profit or not-for-profit, that does not have an official relationship with The University of Texas at Dallas and does not have University sponsorship.

Related Statutes, Policies, Requirements or Standards

• UT Dallas, University Policies for Reservation and Use of Facilities – 79-VI.57-25
• UT System, Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, 80112, Residential Conference Centers, https://www.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/80112-residential-conference-centers.
• UT System, Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, 80104, Use of Facilities, https://www.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/80104-use-facilities.
• UT System, Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, 80105, Joint Sponsorship of the Use of Property or Buildings, https://www.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/80105-joint-sponsorship-use-property-or-buildings.
• UT System, Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, 80106, Special Use Facilities, https://www.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/80106-special-use-facilities.
• UT System, Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, 80103, Solicitation, https://www.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/80103-solicitation.
• Texas Education Code Section 51.202 – Rules and Regulations, Penalty
• Texas Government Code Section 2165.002 – Exceptions to Commission Charge and Control
• Texas Government Code Section 2203.004 – Requirement to Use State Property for State Purposes

Procedures

The Residential Camps and Conferences Services program in the Department of Residential Life, under the direction of the Division of Student Affairs will accept, respond to and manage all requests and logistics for reservations and use of the Residential Conference Centers.