Guidelines for Displaying Posters on Campus

Posters are an effective way to promote your event, program or service to NIU Huskies. Approved posters may be placed only on bulletin boards provided for that purpose in university buildings. For the purpose of this policy, a poster is any size printed piece tacked onto a campus bulletin board.

Poster Basics

How to Get Approval

Guidelines for University Departments and Divisions

Any poster featuring the NIU institutional logo or an NIU sub-brand must be submitted to the NIU Clearinghouse before printing, for brand compliance review and the poster approval stamp.

Leave room on your poster for the Clearinghouse to add this language in 8-point Gotham Book or Arial:

Poster Content

• Align content with NIU brand standards, and include the institutional logo or your department sub-brand accordingly.
• Include the sponsoring department's name or logo and a website or other contact information.
• For an event, activity or meeting, include the date, time and location.
• Posters referencing alcohol, in writing or illustration, must state: "No one under 21 years of age will be served. IDs will be checked." References to alcohol abuse, such as all-you-can-drink offers or drinking contests, are not allowed.
• A commercial sponsor's advertisement or logo may be no more than one-third the size of the sponsoring program, organization or department, and must appear in the lower third of the poster.

Posting on Campus

• Every poster needs either the EMMC approval language with its Clearinghouse number or a Division of Student Affairs stamp.
• Post only on bulletin boards provided for general use. Do not use boards designated for specific departments.
• If a board is full after expired posters are removed, a semester-long poster may be temporarily covered by one with an upcoming deadline.
• Building representatives review boards and remove expired posters. Departments are encouraged to remove their own.
• In residence halls, deliver approved posters to the hall's main desk at least 24 hours before posting. Policies differ by hall, so follow each desk's direction.

Approval and Violations

• Approval may be withheld for any poster deemed obscene, offensive or discriminatory toward any part of the university community, or that advertises an illegal or unlawful event.
• Posting without approval, or posting anywhere other than an appropriate bulletin board, may result in loss of poster approval privileges. A poster deemed inappropriate must be removed within 24 hours of notice. Repeated violations may result in loss of department or organization status and adjudication of individuals.

Resources

• Student Organization Poster and Chalk Policy: Approval requirements for recognized student organizations.
• Creative Services Request: Request design help with your poster.
• How to Promote Your Campus Event: A timeline and checklist for promoting events across campus channels.