President Donald Gerth recently approved a stricter policy regarding commercial solicitors and credit card vendors on the Sacramento State campus.

The policy not only places strict limits on the locations that solicitors may set up booths, but it also sets a minimum daily fee of $300 that the vendors must pay before they are given approval to come on campus.

In addition, solicitors that offer a free gift as a part of the promotion must make the gift available to any student who requests the gift. For credit card vendors, this means that they must give out free gifts to all who ask, whether or not the individuals sign up for credit cards.

Credit card vendors must also follow other new regulations.

“Commercial solicitations that include credit card applications must also provide educational material about credit card debt,” Gerth said in a memo regarding the new policy.

This material must be approved by Student Activities before the vendor is allowed on campus.

All vendors must also display both the terms and conditions for the goods they offer and a signed copy of the permit given them by Student Activities, the policy states.

“The overall policy is a great document and we have no problems with it,” said Sean Lumachi, California State Student Association representative.

Lumachi and Associated Students Inc. President Jason Bryant worked on this policy for over a year, and Gerth approved it on Oct. 16.

One of the changes to the policy affects the locations on campus where vendors may set up booths.

In his memo, Gerth said that solicitors and vendors “shall be limited to the walkway area between the Library and the University Union.”

Under special circumstances, the Commercial Activities Advisory Group may consider other locations. However, Director of Student Activities Lou Camera said the Advisory Group was very adamant that no groups be allowed on the Library quad.

Large vendors such as poster sellers will have to work with the walkway area allowed them.

In addition, the minimum fee of $300 may be higher for such large groups. Previously, there was no minimum fee for vendors, although the average was approximately $100 per day, Camera said.

“The money goes through the Student Activities Account and is then given to the club upon completion of the event,” Camera said. “The University does not keep any of the money.”

Camera does not yet know how this new policy will affect prospective vendors, although he does think that the number of credit card vendors on campus will drop.