Policy Statement

Use of University facilities by non-University organizations may be approved subject to the guidelines established by this policy and other appropriate University policies. University use of all facilities shall have absolute preemptive priority over all non-University groups. The University reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or alter arrangements for any event if necessary (University Policy AD02). Should Penn State Altoona close its operations due to inclement weather or other extenuating circumstances, Penn State Altoona reserves the right to cancel the event. Under these circumstances, no fees will be incurred by the renter.

Definition

Non-University organizations, as covered by this Policy, shall be defined as groups that meet the following criteria:

  1. Have no official affiliation with Penn State or any of its recognized clubs, committees, departments, etc.
  2. Are affiliated with an official club, organization, professional group, business, non-profit entity, and the like.

The designation "non-university organizations" does not include personal/individual requests from Penn State faculty, staff, or the public.

  1. Reservations:
    1. To reserve the chapel for a wedding, please contact the Office of Strategic Communications at 814-949-5160.
    2. To reserve space in the Devorris Downtown Center or Aaron building (1431 12th Avenue), Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence (1309 11th Avenue), or Ivyside campus (3000 Ivyside Park), please visit the Facilities Reservation Request page.
    3. All other reservations shall be directed to the Office of Strategic Communications at 814-949-5160, regardless of the facility being used. Strategic Communications will then coordinate the facility request or will direct the requesting party to the appropriate person or department.
    4. Reservations cannot be made until the class schedule, room assignments, and athletic schedule for the requested time period have been made by Penn State Altoona. The Office of Strategic Communications will take an early request and keep it on file until such time but cannot confirm a reservation until such schedules have been set.
  2. Rates:
    1. See Rate Chart.
    2. This policy does not cover any rental fees which may apply to Penn State-sponsored events or organizations.
    3. The fee schedule shall apply to all non-Penn State-sponsored events and organizations, regardless of Penn State student, faculty, or staff participation in the event or organization.
  3. Permitted Uses (include, but are not limited to):
    1. Chapel uses include weddings, funerals, memorial services, worship services, and meetings.
  4. Non-permitted uses:
    1. Reservations shall not be made for personal parties for the general public's individual usage (i.e., persons who are not affiliated with an official club, organization, professional group, business, non-profit entity, and the like).
    2. Alcohol: No permission shall be granted for a non-University-sponsored organization to use or possess alcoholic beverages or for a personal party by a faculty or staff member. (University Policy AD18).
    3. Commercial, ticket, and/or merchandise sales/orders: The use of University facilities and/or property for commercial sales activities by individuals or non-University for-profit groups is prohibited.
  5. Fund-raising:
    1. Except as set forth below, the use of facilities shall not have as its purpose the raising of funds for activities or causes unrelated to the University. (University Policy AD02).
    2. If any fundraising activity takes place, a detailed plan for the designation of funds must be specifically approved by the appropriate budget executive at the campus. No funds can be distributed to any organization or individual other than a tax-exempt organization. (University Policy AD02).
    3. Approved use of facilities by non-University groups for the purposes of fundraising may or may not be restricted to co-sponsorship by an authorized University group. (University Policy AD02).
  6. Laurel Pavilion
    The Laurel Pavilion is available for use by the public, free of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations for the usage of the pavilion by the public are not taken; the exception is if the individual/organization plans to use Penn State Altoona Housing and Food Service for their catering/food needs. In that instance, reservations for the pavilion made be made through the Office of Strategic Communications at 814-949-5160, and food service needs may be made through the Office of Housing and Food Services at 814-949-5400 or [email protected].
  7. Food Service:
    1. Penn State Altoona's Housing and Food Service Office (HFS) has the first right of refusal for catering. If HFS is unavailable, a Penn State-approved caterer may be used. (University Policy AD26). Click here for a list of all Penn State-approved caterers in Blair County. If an outside caterer is utilized, all arrangements are the responsibility of the organization renting the facilities and will not be handled by the rental coordinator.
  8. Housing:
    1. All requests for on-campus housing shall be coordinated through the Office of Strategic Communications, which will work with HFS to ensure that policies and procedures are followed. Billing will be handled through the Housing and Food Services Office.
  9. Port-Sky Café:
    1. All requests to use Port-Sky Café shall be coordinated through the Office of Strategic Communications, which will work with HFS to ensure that policies and procedures are followed. Billing will be handled through the Housing and Food Services Office.
  10. Adler Athletic Complex:
    1. The Adler Athletic Complex (including the pool and the outdoor athletic facilities) shall be used for student functions, and related Penn State Altoona functions only. It is not available for rental by outside groups. Exceptions to this general policy shall be made on a case-by-case basis. For information, contact John Carey at [email protected].
  11. Chapel:
    1. Weddings: all wedding arrangements, including billing, shall be coordinated through the Office of Strategic Communications, 814-949-5160.
    2. For all other uses of the Chapel, the Office of Strategic Communications shall coordinate such rental by non-University sponsored groups or by Penn State Altoona faculty and staff.
  12. Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts: all usage of the theatre or galleries shall be coordinated by the Theatre and Gallery Manager.
    1. Expectations:
      1. It is the rental coordinator’s responsibility to ensure that their attendees understand and will abide by the policies set forth.
    2. Respect for the Performance/Space:
      1. The audience should remain quiet and attentive, allowing the performers to express themselves fully without disruptions.
      2. Applause should be reserved for appropriate moments—typically at the end of a piece or during interludes.
      3. The audience should refrain from talking, using phones, or making noise that could distract from the performance.
    3. Audience Arrival and Late Seating Guidelines:
      1. Prompt Arrival: Renters are kindly requested to remind their patrons of the importance of arriving on time. Timely arrival ensures the smooth flow of the performance and minimizes disruptions.
      2. Late Seating: In the event that significant late seating is necessary, the renter must provide 1-2 ushers from their team. These ushers must be trained by Misciagna staff no less than one hour before the performance begins to ensure proper procedure and minimal disturbance.
    4. Building Use and Rental Guidelines:
      1. Acrobatics, flips, or other dance rehearsals are prohibited in public service areas (lobbies, hallways, etc.)
      2. The building will no longer be unlocked prior to the scheduled arrival time.
      3. The renter is responsible for cleaning up personal belongings. All items should be removed at the end of the rental period and spaces restored to their previous state. No furniture, instruments, or other equipment may be moved during the rental period. Absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS will be made to this policy. Art studios will no longer be available for use as dressing rooms.
    5. Rehearsal and Performance Schedule:
      1. Adequate time must be allotted for rehearsals for all songs and scenes prior to the performance.
      2. Partial rehearsals will no longer be allowed.
      3. The tech crew will not edit music or lighting during the performance. All technical elements must be finalized before the event.
      4. Breaks for the tech crew and building staff must be included in the rental schedule. All staff and crew must have a 30-minute break (This does NOT include 30 minutes before the performance (house is open). Staff and crew are required to be monitoring the premises at this time.) No exceptions will be made for this.
  13. Satellite Downlink:
    1. See the rate chart for the current rate. This rate does not include long-distance charges that may be incurred when toll-free numbers are not utilized for hook-up.
    2. When facilities are rented for use during times when Penn State Altoona Instructional Services does not have anyone regularly scheduled, support personnel will be available at the rate of $10/hour with prior notification that this service is required.
  14. Picture Tel:
    1. See the rate chart for the current rate. This rate does not include long-distance charges that may be incurred for calls originating from Penn State Altoona.
    2. When facilities are rented for use during times when the Penn State Altoona Instructional Services Office does not have anyone regularly scheduled, support personnel will be provided at a rate of $10/hour upon prior notification that this support service is requested.
  15. Audio/Visual: see rate chart.
  16. Set-up of facilities:
    1. Set-up arrangements for all facilities shall be coordinated through the appropriate rental coordinator, including audio-visual needs, except:
      1. Weddings
      2. Port-Sky Café
      3. Residence Halls
  17. Contract:
    1. All requesting parties must sign the Penn State University Indemnification Agreement and a Penn State Altoona Facility Use Request form. The Facility Use Request form is available online. The indemnification agreement will be provided after the reservation has been made.
  18. Billing:
    1. All billing of non-University sponsored groups (exclusive of Chapel weddings and the galleries) shall be handled by the rental coordinator, who shall send one bill to the customer, including audio/visual and room rental fees. A separate food services bill will be sent by the Housing and Food Services Office.
    2. Should the reserving party cancel its event within seventy-two hours of the event, there will be a cancellation fee in addition to any day-of staffing fees.
    3. Fees are based on the prudent use of facilities. Any damages caused by outside groups will result in additional charges.