Guidelines for Journalists

As a public institution, the University is an open and public place that provides journalists reasonable access to campus. However, the University may regulate journalists’ access so as not to:  

• disrupt teaching or research
• protect the health and safety of students and staff
• protect the privacy of students and others who live on campus
• comply with state and federal laws on student and personnel data

These guidelines pertain to any individual or group on University of Minnesota owned or controlled property conducting interviews, making audio or video recordings, or taking photographs for dissemination to the public via commercial or non-commercial news and information outlets, including the Internet.

Please adhere to the following guidelines when visiting campus:

• Journalist vehicles must be parked legally. For more info, visit our parking policies page and click on Media Permit Policy.
• Equipment must not damage University property.
• Equipment, vehicles, and personnel must not restrict traffic or access to buildings and fire lanes.
• Additional restrictions on the use of television cameras, still cameras, flash photography, and other special lighting and audio equipment may be implemented on a case-by-case basis to minimize disruption or protect safety or security. If security is an issue, these items may be subject to inspection.

Journalists are generally permitted to film or otherwise have access to spaces on campus that are open to the public, subject to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions. This includes access during regular operating hours to any building or portion of a building that is open to the public.

• All campus outdoor sidewalks, green spaces, parking lots and ramps are open to journalists.
• Campus events, such as lectures and forums, that are free and open to the public are open to journalists. Restrictions may be placed on cameras, lights, flash photography and other equipment to minimize disruption. Advance notice or credentials may be required.

Kirby Student Center

• Common areas within Kirby Student Center are open to journalists; individual offices are not. 
• If a reporter or photojournalist wishes to enter a private or group office, he or she must get permission from a person who works in that office. 
• Members of the media are encouraged to notify University Marketing and Public Relations to facilitate the visit and to ensure that disruptions to activities, events, and reserved spaces in the Student Center building are kept to a minimum.

Classrooms, Offices, and Laboratories

• Corridors and common areas within University laboratory and classroom buildings are open to journalists.
• Faculty, staff or student offices, laboratories, and conference rooms are not public. Permission to enter must be granted by the person or persons who work in that area.
• Media may not enter a classroom while a class is in session without permission being granted by the person teaching the class.

Permission or Credentials Required

Journalists are allowed in the following locations only with express permission from an administrative authority or with clearly displayed current official press credentials:

• Intercollegiate athletics venues, including stadiums, arenas, fields, athletic complexes. However, an official University escort is also required to accompany any journalists in practice fields and workout facilities.
• Recreational sports facilities when an event is being held, including the recreation center, rinks, fields, and fieldhouse. An official University escort is also required to accompany journalists in practice fields and workout facilities.
• Inside any venue charging admission. In these cases, members of the media must abide by the policies applicable to all ticket holders.

Permission and Escort Required

Journalists are allowed in the following locations only with express permission from an administrative authority and only with an officially designated University escort:

• Residential areas.
• Any secured area or laboratory.
• The private offices or research laboratories of faculty, staff or student employees.
• Inside libraries, museums or other areas where quiet study is enforced or where collections may be endangered by media activity or equipment.
• Inside private functions that are not open to the public.
• Inside any University facility that is not open to the public, including the steam plant, other utility operations, waste facilities, maintenance and repair facilities, and public safety facilities.
• Any marked construction area, crime scene or hazardous or unsafe location.

Permission is required for media to access University-owned housing, including campus residence halls, apartments, and off-campus student and family housing. Journalists must be escorted by Housing and Residential Life or University Marketing and Public Relations staff or a resident at all times while in University housing facilities. Unescorted media will be asked to leave.

To protect privacy, health and safety of residents, escorted media may only film in, or report from, housing common areas (lounges, dining areas, corridors) with approval of University officials.

Journalists must have permission from all occupants of individual living quarters to enter, report from or film that space.

Journalists may film or solicit interviews on the public sidewalks or common areas outside of University housing. In some special situations, media access to these areas may be limited to protect privacy, health or safety.

To obtain permission to enter University housing facilities, contact University Marketing and Public Relations at [email protected] during business hours, Monday-Friday.