SIGNAGE ON CAMPUSES
Signage on Campuses
The purpose of the Pellissippi State Community College Signage Policy is to support and maintain a consistent, cohesive, welcoming campus environment; maintain the integrity of campus facilities; and ensure a positive on-campus experience for faculty, staff, students and visitors.
All types of interior and exterior signage, displays, and installations are included in this policy.
- Permanent – permanently installed signage, exhibits, installations, displays, etc.
- Temporary – signage, displays, flyers, posters, banners, yard signs, etc.
- Digital – signage, displays, televisions, monitors, etc.
Responsibilities
Select departments have enhanced responsibilities as stewards of the campus environment.
Marketing and Communications
The Office of Marketing and Communications will coordinate with the Facilities department on all signage, display, and installation requests for Pellissippi State. This broad responsibility includes the following aspects:
- Maintaining the College’s brand standards.
- Facilitating the quoting and ordering process for signage-related items.
- Providing high-resolution artwork for signage-related projects with external audiences.
- Providing oversight for projects and items that involve the College’s brand.
- Coordinating signage requests with Facilities.
- Under no circumstances will stickers, decals, glue, or any other such adhesive be affixed to campus surfaces without prior approval. In all cases, costs associated with the removal of this material may be passed on to the concerned individual, department, group or organization.
Marketing and Communications does not provide funding for signage, displays or installations. All requests for use of the college brand must be coordinated with Marketing and Communications.
Facilities and Maintenance
The Facilities department is responsible for coordinating the installation and maintenance of all signage, displays and installations on campus as well as the following:
- Ensuring that capital projects and upgrades to facilities that are managed by Facilities comply with this policy.
- Ensuring that any brand-related artwork complies with the College’s brand standards.
- Coordinating with Marketing and Communications when requests to order signage, display, or installation-related items are received.
Policy
The College’s Signage Policy applies to all college-owned facilities and is encouraged, where permissible, at leased facilities. All signage, displays, and installations intended to be posted on college property must adhere to this policy, and the college reserves the right to remove signage, displays, and installations that do not conform to this policy.
Acquisition & Installation of Permanent Signage
Requests to purchase or install new or existing signage, displays, or installations should be submitted to Marketing and Communications project request form or by emailing marketing@pstcc.edu.
Requests will be reviewed with the College’s Facilities team to ensure all impacts are addressed. The naming, dedication of, or recognition of donors or donations related to college spaces must also be coordinated with the Pellissippi State Foundation.
Authorized Parties
Signage and installations must be requested through a Marketing and Communications project request form or by emailing marketing@pstcc.edu. Requests will be reviewed with the College’s Facilities team to ensure all impacts are addressed before becoming active projects with Facilities or Procurement.
Adherence to Graphic Standards
Consistent adherence to graphic standards is vital in establishing the Pellissippi State Community college brand. Therefore, all permanent signage and installations must adhere to Pellissippi State Community College’s Brand Standards as maintained by Marketing and Communications, which include graphics and writing standards.
Use of Logo and Seal
Permission from Marketing and Communications must be obtained before use of the college seal or logo is permitted on any materials, signage, displays or installations. The Marketing and Communications team is available to consult with students, faculty and staff projects.
Temporary Signage
Temporary signage includes any sign or display placed on any campus property that is not permanently installed by Facilities Services or a third-party contracted by the college. This includes, but is not limited to banners, directional signs, yard signs, sandwich boards, A-frames, feather flags, sidewalk stickers, and pennant streamers. This policy applies to Pellissippi State administrative and academic units and their staff and faculty as well as student organizations.
Outside organizations, businesses or individuals are not allowed to place signs on college property.
Signage will not be approved or disapproved based on the sign’s message or content.
This policy does not include the distribution of posters, fliers, or handbills on campus. Students, faculty, and staff should reference the “Posting Materials on Campus: 08:03:02” policy for more information.
General Guidelines
- Signage must promote or support a specific event, series of events or initiative.
- Signage may not be displayed on, or attached to, building exteriors, structures, railings or handrails.
- Signage that requires placing a spike, post or base in the ground (including bow banners, feather flags) must be installed by Facilities to avoid damage to underground utilities. All other approved temporary signage (including yard signs) may be placed by staff, faculty or students following approval, following the guidelines within this policy.
- Signage may be displayed no earlier than two weeks before the start of the event and must be removed within 24 hrs. after the event (or the next business day).
- Signage installed by Facilities will be removed by Facilities following the event.
- Signage promoting recurring events or ongoing initiatives may request standing approval. Extended display schedules will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Approval may be revoked if any of the guidelines within this policy are not met.
Basic Criteria for Approval
Facilities and the Office of Marketing and Communications will consider the following conditions of each temporary signage request to determine whether the request will be approved. Signage will not be approved or disapproved based on the sign’s message or content.
- Adherence to general guidelines (above)
- Number of other requests in the same vicinity
- Timeframe requested
- Adherence to college brand guidelines (academic and administrative departments only)
Yard Signs, Bow Banners, and Feather Flags
- Must be placed in landscape beds where possible. Turf areas are maintained regularly, and removal may be necessary.
- Must be placed at least 36 inches away from sidewalks and curbs to avoid damage to irrigation systems. If damage occurs, responsible unit will be responsible for repair costs.
- Yard signs may be placed by the requestor.
Sandwich Boards/A-Frames
- May not be placed in locations that will impede pedestrian traffic or vehicle visibility.
- Must allow 5 feet of clearance around any sandwich board in an open paved area or sidewalk.
- May not be placed in landscape beds or turf areas.
- May only be secured with self-contained weighting systems.
- May not be chained or cable locked to college property (including, but not limited to trees, bollards, railings, street or lamp posts, and buildings).
Sidewalk Stickers
- Must have textured surface to be slip-resistant.
- MUST be removed after event by the requesting unit or the installer.
- May not be placed on steps or stairs due to visibility/ ADA issues.
College Council, April 21, 2025