Policy VIII-6.00Business Activities

1. Policy
   The mission of UMGC is to provide access to public higher education for Maryland's adult learners by adapting its offerings to the special requirements of this student population. In carrying out this mission, it is often desirable for UMGC to charge fees for educational business activities, i.e., for providing goods and services that enhance, promote, or support UMGC instructional, research, public service, and other educational and support functions, to meet the needs of the students, faculty, staff and members of the public participating in institutional events.
   
   This policy is in accordance with and pursuant to the USM Policy VIII-6.00 Policy on Business Activities approved March 1, 1989.
2. Procedures
   1. Educational Business Activities
      An educational business activity may be established and carried on by UMGC when consistent with the following conditions outlined in the USM policy:
      1. The activity is deemed to be an integral part of the fulfillment of UMGC educational, research, public service, and institutional support functions and other education and support activities, without regard to profit;
      2. The activity is needed to provide an integral good or service at a reasonable price, on reasonable terms, and at a convenient location and time; and
      3. The activity is carried out for the primary benefit of the UMGC community but with sensitivity to the total community.
   2. Other Business Activities
      UMGC will normally engage in business activities that are directly and substantially related to fulfilling its primary mission as described above; however, there may be certain exceptions to this presumption. In those instances UMGC will need to engage in a reasoned balancing of fact to determine whether it should or should not undertake such activities. Among the factors should be:
      
      1. Contribution to the mission of UMGC
      2. Student demand
      3. Accommodation of the needs of students, faculty, and staff for daily life at UMGC
      4. Enhancement of the quality of life at UMGC
      5. Need to report Unrelated Business Income
      6. Potential benefits to UMGC
      7. Degree of adverse or beneficial impact on the private sector
         
         
      Whether it involves the sale of goods or services that are either not commonly available in or not of general use to the community. To this end UMGC will continue its professional relationship with the local business community to discuss issues of mutual concern.
3. Scope
   This policy does not apply to issues covered by other UMGC policies, or to sales by independent contractors that contract with UMGC to provide goods and services in UMGC-managed facilities, provided that (a) the contract is with a person who is not affiliated with UMGC, (b) the contract was let through UMGC normal procurement regulations with a full opportunity given to the local community to participate, (c) the contract provides for rents and other terms that would be applicable in the private marketplace, (d) UMGC does not participate in the daily management of the activity except to act as landlord, and (e) due regard and weight is given in project design and bid solicitation to the concerns of the local community.

*formerly Policy 365.00