Sidewalk advertising does not chalk up

By Ann E. Dyar
Staff Writer

The chalk on the sidewalks on campus has become an issue that people are starting to question.
Student organizations have been using the sidewalks to advertise meetings, rush and more. Lately the sidewalk chalking has expanded to more than just Georgia College & State University information.
Dr. Bruce Harshbarger, Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students, has noticed an increase in the number of messages.
“They’ve (the students) been chalking for as long as I’ve been here. It’s really only
this year that the volume has gotten this heavy, so it’s not previously arisen as a concern,” Harshbarger said.
Though there have not been any formal complaints, there have been a few e-mails that indicate a problem is arising.
“I’ve received a couple of e-mails this fall; Eddie Howard says he’s had the same,” Harshbarger said.
Currently there are rules about advertising on campus, but nothing that regulates chalking the sidewalks in a thorough fashion.
“GC&SU has a posting and advertising policy, but it does not address chalking, so at present there are no formal rules about it. I’ve asked the Department of Student Activities to work with student leaders in revising and updating the policy, adding regulations about chalk,” Harshbarger said. “That effort started in the fall and is still going on. In the meanwhile, I’ve asked Mr. Howard to designate areas that are OK for chalking and those areas they want to keep “chalk-free zones.” I think the latter would include areas directly outside the doors of buildings where the chalk could be tracked in on pedestrians’ shoes.”
Eddie Howard, the director of student activities, has developed a committee to research and determine where all types of advertisements, including chalking, may be placed around campus.
“The committee is going to address where chalking can occur, where postings of banners, political signs, table tents, sheets and free standing signs may be posted.”
The committee includes Mitch Clarke from University Relations, Mike Haun from Sodexho, Joey Villamez from SGA and more.
Howard does not feel that an end needs to be put to the chalking, but he does feel it needs to be regulated more.
“I don’t particularly like it myself, but the students seem to and that is fine. I think it looks tacky when prospective students and their parents are here on a tour of the campus,” Howard said. “We have a beautiful campus, and we need to keep it that way. The chalk takes away from how good our front campus looks.”
One solution that has already been agreed upon by the committee is that a form explaining what will be chalked has to be approved prior to the actual chalking.
“A form will have to be filled out prior to chalking that will describe what the design will look like, and it will have to be approved,” Howard said.
Aside from student organizations on campus using the space to advertise, businesses in Milledgeville have been doing the same. Bands that are playing in restaurants have chalked to get the word out. Harshbarger and Howard have checked into this issue.
“I’ve tried to check into advertisements about those businesses; I know Mr. Howard has contacted them as well and I’ve asked Chief Vance to do so upon occasion,” Harshbarger said. “What I’ve been told this year is that the establishments
themselves are usually not doing the chalking – it’s the members of the bands that play there, who are often GC&SU students.”
The main problem with the chalking that restaurants or bands do is that drink specials are advertised. According to Howard, it is not just a GC&SU policy.
“The Board of Regents has a policy against advertising alcohol – as well as our school policy,” Howard said.
Harshbarger has taken action on occasion when he noticed the chalk that referred to alcohol.
“The advertising of alcohol is specifically prohibited on campus,” Harshbarger said. “I have taken some water to some chalk displays myself which included references to alcohol and asked Chief Vance to call in regard to windshield flyers.”
Despite the few complaints by e-mail and word of mouth, chalking the sidewalks is here to stay. The new committee that has been formed will regulate it so that the chalk may serve its purpose without offending anyone.
“Chalking has never been a major problem before – it’s effective, temporary, and a part of the culture here. I hope that designating areas and creating reasonable guidelines will address most of the current concerns about it,” Harshbarger said. “It seems to me that similar policies should apply to chalking by groups external to the campus as apply to other means of posting. That would involve filing a plan and having it approved in advance by the Department of Student Activities.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Dec 7 2001. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry