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Interior Signage Standards

Purpose

The purpose of the Interior Signage Standards is to provide a set of guiding principles for all interior signage on the Boise State University campus. This serves to provide way-finding information to ensure the safety and security of students, staff, faculty and visitors.

Signage and graphics are defined as:

  • Any object that reflects association with the university and is designed to be seen from a public area or within a university facility.
  • Any object placed within a public area, on or within a university facility, that is intended to communicate information, identification or direction through the use of letters, words, numbers, symbols, pictures or patterns.

Signage Guidelines

The Boise State University Interior Signage Standards describe the processes and standards required to assure a high-quality and consistent visual presence on campus to achieve functionality, while also reinforcing university values, brand and aesthetics.

All interior building signage on Boise State University owned properties must follow these guidelines and standards. All signage requests must be submitted to and produced by the Boise State Sign Shop unless otherwise noted.

Any signage requests deviating from the standards outlined must be submitted for approval by the Boise State Signage and/or Brand Committee(s). All signs must comply with university policies including the University Signage Policy and the Boise State Brand Standards.

Any temporary or permanent banner requests must also comply with the Campus Posting and Distribution of Materials Policy and the Use of University Space Policy .

General Guidelines

  1. All requests for permanent signs, temporary signs, banners or other forms of visual communication must be submitted to the Boise State Sign Shop and, if needed, reviewed and approved by the Brand and/or Signage Committee(s) and, depending on the request, Facilities Operations and Maintenance.
  2. Installed signs are always subject to review, alteration and removal.
  3. All signage and branding associated with new construction must be approved by the the Brand and/or Signage Committee(s) and, depending on the request, Facilities Operations and Maintenance.
  4. Installation of all signage and visual communication systems must be managed by the Boise State Sign Shop or Facilities Operations and Maintenance.
Requests will be reviewed for:

Alignment with the Interior Signage Standards

Appropriate mission message

Structural viability

Maintenance costs

Anticipated display duration

Color pallet

Graphics

Fonts and sizes

Brand complyance

Materials

Structural design

Construction complexity

Financial arrangements

Advancement office coordination

Requests for permanent signs or banners that do not compliment the overall campus message will be disapproved. Temporary signs should be used for individual program or event messages. Auxiliary units are responsible to comply with these policies and shall fund any associated costs.

Projects Exceeding Size or Scope Limits

The Boise State Sign Shop is the primary vendor for interior signage created for campus facilities. In some instances, requests may be too large for the Sign Shop to produce due to limitations on equipment and/or time frames.

All signs and banners that fall into a large scope project should be first given to the Sign Shop for production. If the Sign Shop is not able to produce the request, the use of a Boise State licensed vendor is required.

Coordinating University Policies and Standards

The following university policies dictate regulations and procedures for all signage on campus:

  1. University Signage 9100
  2. Campus Posting and Distribution or Materials Policy 10010
  3. Use of University Space 1100
  4. University Brand Standards 10000

Removal of Signs

All signs must be removed by the Boise State Sign Shop or Facilities Operations and Maintenance. No sign is to be removed independently or without approval. If a sign has been removed and not done so by the designated parties above, the department is subject to damage and/or replacement costs of the sign.

Procedures

The Interior Signage Standards have been developed to provide a uniform system of signage that meets the university’s aesthetic and way-finding guiding principles, as well as applicable statutory requirements. The university, Sign Shop, Architectural and Engineering Services and Campus Planning and Space Management are responsible for maintaining the policies and procedures relating to the assignment of room numbers and signage in university buildings.

The interior signage procedures ensure that:

  1. Room numbers are uniquely assigned within a building
  2. Signage conventions follow the university’s rules and good way-finding practices
  3. Statutory compliant signage (federal, state and city) is designed and installed
  4. Changes in room numbering are recorded
  5. Changes are reported to other university data systems in a timely fashion

Signage Installation and Replacement

The responsibility for the installation and maintenance of signage is shared by the university, Sign Shop, Facilities Operations and Maintenance and space occupants, following these guiding principles:

  • The university, Sign Shop and Facilities Operations and Maintenance are responsible for the installation and maintenance of statutory and way-finding signage. This includes entrance, exit, elevator, stairwell, restroom, mechanical and other service room areas, accessible access and emergency egress signage as required by code. Renovation and construction project budgets are required to cover the expense of installing or replacing signage in the affected project area.
  • Space occupants are responsible for the expense of the replacement and maintenance of signage in program space. This includes office, conference room, classroom, and laboratory room number identification signs and any program-related informational signs, such as building directories or way-finding, shall be completed in consultation with the Sign Shop and Facilities Operations and Maintenance.
  • All signage is to be installed, removed or updated only by the Sign Shop or Facilities Operations and Maintenance if designated by the Sign Shop.

Procedures for Signage Installation As Part of a Renovation Or Construction Project

The modification or installation of signage is a required expense of any renovation or construction project.

  1. The project must cover the replacement of all signage in the affected areas, including building common area signage, way-finding and any code-required signage.
  2. Signage must meet the standards outlined in the Interior Signage Standards and be aesthetically compatible with Brand and Signage Standards. The Sign Shop, in consultation with the Signage Committee, manages the design and installation of signs.
  3. Campus Planning and Space Management is responsible for the assignment or review of both room numbers and interior signage.
  4. For new construction projects Architectural and Engineering Services will submit a written signage program specifying the proposed signage to be installed in the building. The submittal should include a schematic drawing and a sign schedule including room number inventory, type of sign and message.
  5. For renovation projects Architectural and Engineering Services will provide a schematic drawing of the space requiring signage. For lager renovations a signage program as described above will also be required.

Campus Planning and Space Management will review the Signage Program and provide comments and/or dated sign-off of the review process in writing.

Any subsequent changes in the Signage Program should be reported to and approved by both the Sign Shop and Campus Planning and Space Management.