Kennesaw State University forbids students selling on the Green, but why?
Students’ small businesses can be found selling or advertising all over campus, especially on the Green. However, their stands are prohibited; if students are caught soliciting or selling on campus, they will be stopped and may face fines.
Although Kennesaw State University’s policy website doesn’t explain what exactly is or isn’t allowed, a representative explained that only Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) are allowed to register for spaces on campus, and they have very strict rules for fundraising.
Many of the vendors students see on campus are actually doing so illegally, like certain student-run bake sales and the Vintage Clothing Market that has since been shut down for violating policy.
One of the issues with this is that Kennesaw State University is a public university, which means that any non-student group is allowed to solicit on campus while actual students are kicked off the Green or fined for the same offense. When there are stricter policies imposed on actual student groups and businesses than non-student ones, it sends the wrong message on how KSU views student involvement.
Allowing students to hold spaces and sell on campus would be a way for KSU to promote entrepreneurship, build student-run support systems and encourage student success. It would also allow disadvantaged students at KSU to gain access to networking and opportunities they may not be able to find or afford elsewhere.
To mitigate any legal issues that may arise, KSU could require students to go through a similar reservation process that RSOs do; students could also sign waivers, pay a fee or register with the university to abide by policy.
If policy conflicts are still a problem, KSU could always take a less involved approach by simply supporting student businesses outside of university-sanctioned events. For example, they could allow and encourage student businesses to put up flyers for events and products both inside and outside university buildings.
Not only would this allow student businesses to build their brand and clientele, but it would also show the student body as a whole that KSU wants to promote success and community among its students.
Another option, though more extreme, would be to simply revise policy. Policies are set in place for a reason, but reform is always an option in cases like these where neither party is benefitting. By changing policy, KSU could maintain control over the legalities of the situation while still opening doors for students and student businesses.
As a university that prides itself on community building and engagement, KSU should invest in student businesses that promote supporting each other and building experience, whether it’s through encouraging outside involvement, creating a small student business RSO or revising policy altogether.
