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Murray Edwards College
University of Cambridge

Movable Signs and Posters

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Moveable Signs and Posters Policy

Policy Aims

The College wishes to ensure a clean and smart environment for all. It hosts many events which fellows, students and visitors need to find and we aim to ensure enough signs are in the right place at the right time and they are removed promptly. This operational policy aims to achieve those objectives and ownership of the policy sits with the Events team who manage most events in college.

Poster and Sign Content

While the College recognises the importance of free speech, material displayed in the College must adhere to laws of the UK.

In particular posters and signs must not:

  • Contain any material that is obscene, offensive, abusive or hateful.

  • Contain any material that is defamatory of any person.

  • Promote violence or contain a statement or describe or encourage activities that could endanger the safety or well-being of others.

  • Promote discrimination on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, race, religion, or nationality.

  • Advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act or illegal activity.

  • Infringe any copyright, trademark or other intellectual property right of any person or organisation.

  • Be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence.

  • Be used to impersonate any person or to misrepresent the contributor’s identity or affiliation with any person or organisation.

Murray Edwards College reserves the right to review, edit or remove without warning any poster, sign or article displayed, that in its sole discretion breaches this policy and to take further action, including legal action, as the College reasonably feels necessary or is required by law. Notwithstanding the forgoing, and to the fullest extent permitted by law, the College accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party for the content or accuracy of any material displayed.

If anyone has any concerns, please raise them immediately with the General Manager of Events, Catering & Residences.

Guidelines for College Departments, Fellows and Students

To standardize and ensure clarity of all signage in College, all direction signs (whether for student, staff or external events) must be made according to the template located in Y drive. The template uses the font ‘Arial’ as per the College brand guidelines, with centrally aligned text in black capital letters. Size of text is dependent on the amount of text and should be carefully considered, ensuring the sign can be read from a distance and that it doesn’t appear squashed.

  • If there is nothing in a sign holder you may use it however, if it is booked for an event, College or commercial, these signs take precedence.

  • Those posting posters and using the sign holders are expected to respect those displayed by others. In principle a "first-come, first-served" policy applies.

  • Signs will only be placed in sign holders and posters will only be adhered to poster boards or department noticeboards.  They must not be adhered to doors (other than meeting room doors in the appropriate sign holder), the glass on doors, walls, trees, utility poles or any other structure without the consent of the General Manager. Signs must not be adhered to the FDR or SCR doors but placed in a stand-alone sign holder.

    • For example, more extensive signing may be required for a very large event using many facilities. Where possible, signs that are no longer required (E.G. to direct clients to a day meeting room) should be replaced by the new sign (E.G. to direct clients to dinner), even if the meeting room directions must be reinstated the following day.

    • Department noticeboards and student noticeboards should only be used for posters relating to the business of that noticeboard. Any unauthorised signs will be removed without notice and, where possible, returned to the person or department responsible.

  • For certain Admissions and Tutorial events, it may be appropriate for signs to appear on doors within accommodation areas. In the walkway and public areas please use the moveable sign holders or notice boards. Please always refrain from the use of sticky tape or blue/white tack particularly if it will mark or damage the surface that it is adhered to. Please note that tack and tape used on the dark hardwood internal doors of the college can mark permanently. Noticeboards (for posters) are mostly managed by Tutorial. If you are unsure, please pop in and ask them.

  • Posters and Signs must carry a date on which removal is expected and should be removed by the individual posting them. The College reserves the right to remove posters and signs from the sign holders.

Events Team Responsibilities

  • Sign content including text and logos will be asked for on the event booking form or, if not received at that time, when requesting final details for an event.

  • Signs will contain the exact text the client has confirmed, with their logo (if requested) alongside the Murray Edwards College logo.

  • Signs should not be put out more than 12 hours before the event start time, unless it is to accommodate an early start.

  • Signs must be out a minimum of 1 hour before the event start time, so to direct visitors who arrive early.

  • Signs will have a removal date in small font in the footer of the sign.

House Porters’ Responsibilities

  • Moveable sign holders must be cleaned when they are put out and when they are brought in. This includes polishing the internal Perspex signs to remove finger prints.

  • Moveable sign holders will only be put out when required and not left in place without signs or with old signs in place.  This is led by the Events Department and supported by the House Porters.

  • Placement should be with care and in accordance with the locations agreed with the Events Manager. In the event that no suitable pre-approved locations exist, the House Porters will alert the Events Department to identify suitable alternative location(s).

  • Foliage (Gardens responsibility), artworks (Art Curator responsibility) should be managed to ensure they will not obstruct places where moveable signs would normally be located. In turn, the Moveable signs should not normally be located so as to obstruct ornamental foliage, important artworks or other signs.

  • As a health and safety matter signs should not obstruct walkways and must never obstruct fire exits.

  • Should they notice signs are obstructing as described in point above or are themselves obstructed, House Porters and the Events team will notify the suitable department, student or Fellow.

  • Signs and moveable sign holders will be removed and carefully stored in a suitable nearby storage cupboard (such as cupboard 50 or as agreed with Events) within 8 hours of the event finish time.  This is led by the House Porters and supported by the Events team.

  • Any damage to the plastic slots (or the signs in general) should be reported to the Events Department, so that they may be replaced.