University signage

The placement of any signage on campus requires review by multiple departments to ensure that it functions efficiently and intuitively while minimizing visual clutter and maximizing brand consistency. ASU Enterprise Brand Strategy and Management reviews all signage to ensure brand alignment and coordinates with the Office of the University Architect and Facilities Development and Management, as appropriate. These guidelines apply to all properties owned, leased, or controlled by ASU and cover the following:

4 ft. by 8 ft. metal banner frame inserts.
Custom wall and window graphics of any application type, including exterior and interior-facing surfaces.
Digital signage – Poppulo.
Fence banners and wraps.
Fulton Center prism banner – restricted to university messaging.
Light pole banners at Old Main.
Public light pole banners adjacent to ASU campuses:
- Once creative has been approved, submit a request for paid media services through the brand guide.

Submit your signage for review.

Temporary signs

Lawn signs and free-standing sign use.

Lawn signs are prohibited on all campuses. The change is due to the university’s expansion of digital messaging opportunities across all its campuses.

Any free-standing signs and WindMaster signs are prohibited for use as directional signage, office or vendor identification, or unit marketing, on all ASU campuses. A-frame use is limited for special events only. Additional information is listed below.

A-frames

If you have a special event and need an A-frame, follow these steps:

A-frame insert - ASU community members may place orders for temporary event signs through ASU Print Online and use an on-brand, pre-approved design template. The template complies with Associated Press formatting and ASU’s font and brand style. See the picture below. On the A-frame insert, The ASU Print and Imaging Lab will print the piece’s request number and removal date.
A-frame hardware rental or purchase - ASU community members may purchase or rent the approved Plasticade Signicade Deluxe. The A-frame will have an identification marker that it is an approved A-frame and was purchased or rented through ASU Print Lab. ASU Facilities Development and Management will collect any unmarked and non-compliant A-frames.
- Purchase - Contact ASU Print Lab to order and deliver an A-frame to a department that includes an instructional guide on policy and placement/retrieval procedures.
- Rental - Departments may request a pick-up from ASU Print Lab when the event is over. ASU Print Lab will ensure a timely pickup.
ASU Print Lab is responsible for replacing damaged A-frames and cleaning them before each rental.

Temporary-a-frame-event-sign

ASU Facilities Development and Management at each campus will remove signage that does not conform to this new policy:

FDM will try to identify the sign owner and request the sign is removed.
If the owner cannot be identified, FDM will remove the sign and hold it for ten days. If the sign remains unclaimed after ten days, the sign will be recycled, repurposed, or sent to ASU Surplus Property.
If you notice that a sign is missing, contact FDM to see if they have it and arrange to have it returned to you.

Please submit your event signage requests through ASU Print Online. They will evaluate existing content and hardware and help you manage your event signs per the new policy.

Generic event signage for a-frames

For sustainability and cost-effectiveness, certain exceptions may be granted for the use of generic event signage. If a unit has a recurring event that takes place more than 50 times in a fiscal year, they may submit a request to be considered for an exception. Each request is evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine whether generic signage should be granted for that event. Before submitting your request, please review the generic signage requirements below:

The event must take place more than 50 times in a fiscal year.
A statement will be printed on the bottom of each sign insert, stating that it has been approved for use as generic signage.
Generic signage only needs to be approved once, but all sign inserts must be replaced and re-ordered from the Print and Imaging Lab at the beginning of each fiscal year.
- If the sign insert is damaged or in poor condition, units may be asked to reprint the sign at any time before the new fiscal year.
- While generic signage only needs to be approved once, there is no guaranteed length at which it is approved for posting. The university may ask units to remove the generic signage at any time after it has been approved.
Repositionable arrows are not permitted. Arrows must be printed on the sign inserts.
If the information has become out-of-date or is incorrect, new signs must be purchased. Covering up old information is not permitted.

If you agree to these conditions and wish to submit for an exception, please fill out this form.

You will receive an email back stating whether your request has been approved or denied. This approval may take up to 10 business days. If approved, the Print and Imaging Lab will be notified as well so they can process your request. All signs must be printed through the Print and Imaging Lab.

Building identification signage

Submit your request for building identification signs.

Submit a building sign request

If you have questions or need assistance placing your order, send us an email or call us at 480-965-3633. Please let us know if you would like an estimator to come and help you.

Accessibility

The Americans with Disabilities Act is the driving force behind changes in the way we design, manufacture, and install signs on the ASU campus. The ADA aids in the development, maintenance, and consistency of room numbers, sign design, and sign placement. Enacted by Congress on July 26, 1990, the ADA was designed to provide comprehensive civil rights to approximately 43 million people with disabilities and applies to all buildings altered or renovated after Jan. 26, 1992.

Consistent sign placement throughout the campus is critical, not merely for following ADA, but because visually impaired people may need to touch the sign to read it. Wheelchair users will need to be able to maneuver around the sign without obstructions.

Room numbers, restroom signs, and stair signs are used to designate permanent spaces on the ASU campus. At entrances to these permanent spaces, ADA mandates that wall-mounted signs must be installed in a manner that allows a person to approach within 3 inches of the sign without encountering any protruding objects or without standing within the swing of the door.

Room identification signs must be installed in the federally-mandated location, which is the 18-inch area immediately adjacent to the knob side of the door, 62 inches from the top of the sign to the finished floor. If there is a window in this location, the sign will be installed on the window. This space adjacent to the door is designated for the safe, lawful access to signage only. Corkboards, vending machines, bookcases, light switches, may not be placed in this space.