Room Use Policy

Room Use Policy: The goal of this policy is to: 1. Encourage use of Free Geek's ample space, 2. Provide a low-hassle, affordable place for community groups to meet
List of Policies - Policy Development

Policy

This policy was accepted by council.May, 2004 Revised Policy June 2004 Revised October 2006

Classroom

• Any group wishing to use the classroom must submit a request to staff indicating who they are, what the function is, how long they expect it to be, how many people, and if food and drink will be served or available.
• Staff will discuss proposal. If group is approved, staff will also determine the amount of money to charge as a security deposit, ranging from $50-250. The security deposit will be used as leverage for damage and unpaid room-use fees. Staff may waive the security deposit.
• Staff reserves the right to deny the classroom space to anyone.
• If group is approved, a staff member or volunteer who has assigned him or herself as the Free Geek sponsor will meet with a representative event organizer from the group that is using the space. The representative event organizer will come with the security deposit and sign a contract delineating rules and our clean-up policy, and to work out logistics. They should be sure the event is noted on the Room Use Calendar.
• Room-use fee: If the event is free, no fee will be charged, although donations are welcome (we suggest $5-10 per hour). If the event is not free, Free Geek will charge 10% of the door takings. Staff may waive the room use fee.
• If the event is after Free Geek hours, the loanee of the room will be charged a chaperone fee. The fee will be used to directly pay a Free Geek chaperone, who must be present at all times after Free Geek hours. Staff will set the per-hour fee. If the loanee can find a Free Geek staff member or lockbox combo-holding volunteer to chaperone pro bono for the event, the fee will not be charged.

Meeting Room

• Any group wishing to use the meeting room must submit a request to the Outreach committee indicating who they are, what the function is, how long they expect it to be, how many people, and if food and drink will be served or available.
• Outreach will forward request to staff and if no additional questions or complaints are submitted by staff within a week, the request will go on the Room Use Calendar.
• Outreach will cc final decision to staff
• Room use fee: The room is lent free of charge if the group using it is hosting a free event, although donations are welcome (we suggest $5-10 per hour). If the event costs money for participants, Free Geek will charge 10% of the takings. Staff may waive this fee.

Both Rooms

• If the event/meeting is after or before Free Geek hours, a staff member or key-holding volunteer must sponsor the event, and be responsible for opening and securing the building. If during Free Geek hours, this isn't necessary.
• Groups that use the room will leave them the way they found them: clean, tables and chairs where they were, no spills, etc.
• Loud events are not allowed during Free Geek's business hours.

Extras

• The rooms will be lent out according to reservations on the Room Use Calendar.
• Limit # of non-FG events per quarter to 3
• Give priority to friends of FG
• Train chaperones: having good boundaries (alcohol, facility access, cleanup)
• Better document what spaces should look like when they're clean
• Secure spaces better (like door to lab)

Temporary Policy

No big group use of the classroom until two things are addressed:

1. The artists upstairs need to be spoken to about what level of securement of the area they are comfortable with and this decision needs to be acted upon, and
2. The fire hazard situation needs to be alleviated (i.e., another exit door must be created out of the area).

If the fire hazard is alleviated before the artists' decision has been actualized, non-rowdy parties are allowed in the classroom if two staff are present (one for each staircase) through the entirety of the event.

Notes

Links

• Classroom Use Expectations should be used when a group wants to throw a party in the classroom.
• Room Use Calendar
• Chaperones