GENERAL RULES

1. Be respectful of others, including their property and personal space.

2. Silence devices and be courteous during panels and events unless otherwise noted.

3. Please stay home if you are experiencing COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms for the safety of yourself and all attendees.

4. Respect university property.

5. Attendees must respect personal space.

6. No solicitation.

7. No loitering, smoking, or public displays of affection in the stairwells.

8. No running inside or jumping off ledges.

9. Keep exits, elevators, and hallways clear enough to be walked through.

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BOWEN THOMPSON STUDENT UNION RULES

1. The fourth floor of the union is OFF-LIMITS. The rafters beyond the safety rails are especially off-limits because they are hollow and you will fall through.

2. Please pick up trash and recycle.

3. Please keep the toilets clean for other guests.

4. Return chairs to where they were originally.

5. Do NOT shake the cherry trees outside. The Yoshino Cherry Trees are a historical gift from the people of Japan and are easily damaged. Please preserve their beauty for others. A volunteer will be surveying the area.

 

UNIVERSITY POLICIES

1. Follow the University Policies.

2. Follow the BGSU Code of Conduct.

3. Follow the BGSU Smoking-Free Policy. Smoking, vaping, and non-smoking tobacco products are only permissible for use at designated smoking areas (near the student union, behind University Hall in Lot A, and behind the administration skyscraper in Lot 11).

4. No theft; thieves will surrender suspect items and be blacklisted. Police will also be notified.

5. No fighting (posing for a photo is OK, but no sudden movements or blows).

6. Sexual or general harassment will not be tolerated.

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SAFETY RULES

1. Use common sense with props and actions.

2. Pretend battles are ONLY allowed during the cosplay competition.

3. If a guest participates in a fight or hurts someone, they will be asked to leave and police may get involved.

4. Regarding alcohol, please drink responsibly and make a plan to safely depart the campus (designated driver, cab, etc.).

5. You must be 21 years of age or older to legally consume alcoholic beverages.

6. Open alcohol containers are not allowed on campus, outside of Pub 1910.

7. Jaywalking is not permitted. Exercise caution while crossing Wooster Street.

8. Children aged 12 or under must always be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times and must have their parent or guardian's name and contact information written on their badge.

9. Attendees must meet the age requirement—when applicable—to attend panels or events.

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CLOTHING

1. Shirts and shoes are required.

2. Clothing must cover genitals.

3. Pup hoods, ahegao paraphernalia, and yaoi paddles are strictly forbidden.

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These are what the items look like that are BANNED

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WEAPONS

1. All weaponry must be checked at the door.

2. No real weapons.

3. Nothing that can be used like a weapon.

   • Modifications that make usage difficult are OK. Swords should be sheathed and zip-tied several times.

   • No metal pipes, throwing knives, or any other devices that can’t be easily disabled.

4. If a weapon is purchased at the artist alley, it must be immediately checked, deposited at the Coat Room, or outside in a vehicle trunk.

5. Checked weapons must have a multicolored band on them and remain visible at all times.

6. Weapons must not have any movable parts.

7. An orange tip alone on a makeshift/toy gun is not enough. They also need a multicolored band and disabled triggers.

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TECHNOLOGY

1. Cosplay is not consent! Please always ask cosplayers and people in general for pictures before taking them.

2. Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) are not permitted.

3. Do not leave high-value electronics lying unattended.

4. No reckless use of virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR).

5. Do not disrupt university Wi-Fi by broadcasting a network on conflicting wireless channels.

6. No phone or GPS jammers.

7. No Samsung Galaxy Note 7s or other recalled devices.

8. Guests should exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings when using selfie sticks.

 

HOW ARE RULES ENFORCED

1. Animarathon staff, university staff, and law enforcement officers are the ultimate authority on acceptable behavior at Animarathon.

2. Attendees who are disruptive or break the rules may be asked to leave without a refund based on a staff member's decision. Possible punishments for rule-breaking could include one or more of the following:

   • Being given a warning.

   • Being removed from Animarathon for the remainder of Animarathon.

   • Being placed on a permanent blacklist, unable to return to Animarathon in the future. This list will include your reason for exclusion. We may share this list with other conventions in the future.

   • Paying for any damages.

   • Police involvement or action.

3. BGSU security is active at Animarathon and enforces the rules and guidelines in addition to Animarathon staff. BGSU security also enforces all laws and BGSU rules.

4. If we have confiscated something from you, or we have found your lost item, you may pick it up at the coat room when leaving.

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WHAT TO DO IF THE RULES ARE BROKEN

1. If you see someone breaking the rules, especially in an unsafe way or in a way that makes you uncomfortable, please report it to the nearest staff member or registration as soon as you can.

2. If there is an emergency where someone is seriously injured or is in a life-threatening situation, dial 911 immediately and order a specific nearby person to get to a security officer as fast as they can.

   • Your location is the BGSU Student Union.

   • Public telephones along the wall if you do not have a cellphone.

   • The emergency rescue point is in the stairwells.

3. If there is a less pressing but still serious issue, please contact an Animarathon staff member and we will do our best to resolve the problem.