Student Commercial Sales Policy
Wheaton College values the opportunity for students to develop entrepreneurial skills and exercise thoughtful stewardship through appropriate student-organized commercial sales activity. At the same time, the College seeks to maintain a campus environment that supports student learning, respects community life, protects individual privacy, and upholds the College’s mission.
This policy outlines the parameters under which goods and services that are initiated, generated, and produced by students may be sold on campus, while prohibiting students selling goods and services that are initiated, generated, and produced by off-campus individuals or entities unaffiliated with Wheaton College.
Policy
Wheaton College considers the opportunity for students to engage in commercial sales on campus to be an integrated component of their education. The College expects students to engage in such activity in a manner that appropriately represents the institution and respects their fellow students, while providing goods and services that are acceptable within the College mission. As part of a "student-first" initiative, Wheaton College does not allow students to engage in such activities at a level that may be considered disruptive to their academic experience. Any student commercial sales activity will comply with the following requirements.
Registration
Students must register their proposal to sell a product or service that they designed with the Student Involvement Office (SIO) prior to beginning any commercial sales-related activity. The registration form will prompt the applicant to provide information needed for the Student Involvement Office to review and approve commercial sales activity. Approval criteria include:
- Acceptability within the College’s mission;
- Usefulness to campus members;
- Acceptability within applicable campus policies as well as local, state and federal laws; and
- Compliance with this policy.
Registering a proposal will also include signing an agreement that the College cannot be held responsible if a customer experiences harm as a result of using the commercial product or service created and sold by a student entrepreneur.
The SIO will review and approve the application, typically within seven days, unless there is an identified issue that conflicts with this policy. Approval of the application will be valid for the current school year only. If the student wishes to continue the commercial sales activity the following year, a new application is required.
Storage
Wheaton College is a residential educational institution. Campus housing units exist primarily as living and learning environments rather than commercial sales spaces. Any student engaged in an approved commercial sales activity should not conduct such activity in a manner that would negatively impact other students’ rights to reasonable comfort, privacy, or use of living space. Campus housing does not contain designated spaces for students to store or manage their commercial inventory. The College may require the inventory to be moved to an off-campus storage unit at the student’s expense if it is negatively impacting the roommate’s living and learning environment.
Advertising
Student commercial sales may be physically advertised on the Beamer Student Center Bargain Board across from the restrooms on the lower level and on approved bulletin boards in the residence halls, if the posters are approved by the Student Involvement Office.
No student may use sandwich boards, spin signs, chalk drawings, or other means of advertising on campus.
Students may use their own personal social media platforms, personal websites, and/or non-college email to advertise. In any advertising, a student must include a statement to communicate, “This product/service was created solely by (name of student creator), and Wheaton College is not responsible for any consequences of its use or consumption.”
Promotion
Wheaton College may, from time to time, facilitate an opportunity for students involved in commercial sales activities to promote their product or service on campus. The College will communicate these promotional opportunities to those who have approved student commercial sales applications.
The sidewalks that line the perimeter of the campus are considered public space, which means students may use this space to promote their product or service if they do not obstruct foot traffic.
Otherwise, students are not allowed to set up a display, run a pop-up shop, or otherwise conduct business from a static campus-based location including, but not limited to, the Beamer Center, Residence Hall lobbies, Anderson Commons (the campus dining hall), or at sporting events.
Casual conversations and product promotion may be acceptable on campus if they are unstructured in nature. Any organized approach which could be considered active solicitation is not allowed on campus.
Use of College Name or Resources
Students may not use the Wheaton College name, trademarks, logos, institutional accounts, equipment, or other College resources in a manner that suggests College sponsorship or endorsement of a personal commercial venture (e.g. students cannot create and sell items of clothing with Wheaton icons and logos). Additionally, students may not use their campus email account, a Wheaton College webpage, and may not use the campus directory for access to campus email addresses to use for solicitation or advertising.
Financial Transactions
Purchasing related transactions must be initiated by a customer.
Hiring
Students may not compensate other students to work for their commercial sales activity unless it has been included in the application and approved.
Policy Enforcement
Failure to comply with this policy may result in the revocation of approved commercial sales privileges and/or referral to the Dean for Student Engagement for disciplinary action. Policy violations may require the student to return any monies collected during the activity.
Off-Campus Solicitation
Students and/or non-students who have been hired as salespersons or vendors and are unaffiliated with Wheaton College are not permitted to solicit, advertise, or sell goods and services on campus under any circumstances.
Conclusion
Wheaton College encourages entrepreneurship and personal initiative within boundaries that preserve the integrity of the academic and residential experience. This policy ensures that commercial sales activity occurs in a respectful, safe, and mission-aligned manner.