On Tue, 5 Aug 1997 16:50:28 -0400, you wrote:

                snip

>As we left our staff meeting this morning, we noticed a new sign on each of the
>entrance doors of the museum - both staff and public entrances - that reads
>as follows:
>"NO TRESPASSING - The use of this facility is restricted to UNCG students,
>faculty, staff, and other persons authorized to enter these premises by the
>director of public safety and police.  Trespassers are subject to prosecution
>under the laws of North Carolina G.S. 14-159-13."

                snip

>>Have any of you ever encountered a situation like this?  If so, any suggestions
>on how to work on getting the signs removed?  Evidently they were installed
>because in order to prosecute someone for trespassing, they must be made aware
>that there is a no trespassing order for that building - but of course a
>museum that is open to the public and has a mission to serve university,
>community, state, and national audiences functions differently from a
>traditional classroom building!  Our director will be speaking to the head
>of public safety soon about removing the signs, and I would like to hear your ideas.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Pam Hill
>Curator of Education
>Weatherspoon Art Gallery, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
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>
Pam, 

My reaction to your situation is that for the legal reason given, the
execution is heavy handed and harmful to the very thing it claims to
protect.    Some thoughts:

1.  If your museum is, like ours, a so called 501 (c) non-profit,
public benefit corporation, you may be in a technical default in
denying access to anyone of the public.  

2.  Legal requirements vary in the states, but is it really necessary
to say "No Trespassing" and then in small print leave the door open
for authorized outsiders.  Isn't it legally the same to say, in
effect:  "Welcome to the Museum"  but clearly state in the small print
that the staff have the right to deny entry to anyone who does not
conform to the rules of the museum?  This  does not prejudge who can
come in and who cannot and should accomplish the same degree of
control.     This presupposes that the reason given for the signs is
the whole story.

3.  Does this mean that in NC unless you have a No Trespassing sign on
the front door of your home, you cannot call the police if a stranger
barges in?  

Please keep the MUSEUM-L group appraised of your troubling situation.


--
John A. Bing
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