Who Would I Ask Permission?

[DarthJustice]

For a while now, I've been wanting to hide a cache somewhere. If and when I do, this will be my very first hide since I started caching last year.

 

I have been trying to find a nice place to hide a cache that has something interesting be it a nice area and/or view or something of historical purposes or along the lines of that. The original place I had wanted to hide it is unfortunately blocked off from the public at the moment. Because of that, I have been trying to find a different place for a cache.

 

Just a few minutes ago I realized what might be a nice place to hide one. It's at my former college, Delta State University. Where I want to place it is near a historical marker. Essentially it talks about how the Marshall Plan was originally revealed/unveiled/discussed by Dean Acheson at the college.

 

There is one cache nearby but fortunately if I did get permission, the placement would fall beyond the minimum .10 distance.

 

But the problem is, I don't have a clue who exactly to ask permission.

 

Can someone give me an idea on who I would ask? Where I want to hide it and the marker are very close to the museum/achives building on campus (meaning, it's on the building's 'property'), so would asking the head of the museum be appropriate or the right thing to do?

 

I want it all to go smoothly and not get myself or anyone in trouble and all that.

Edited June 19, 2009 by DarthJustice

[+ReadyOrNot]

For a while now, I've been wanting to hide a cache somewhere. If and when I do, this will be my very first hide since I started caching last year.

 

I have been trying to find a nice place to hide a cache that has something interesting be it a nice area and/or view or something of historical purposes or along the lines of that. The original place I had wanted to hide it is unfortunately blocked off from the public at the moment. Because of that, I have been trying to find a different place for a cache.

 

Just a few minutes ago I realized what might be a nice place to hide one. It's at my former college, Delta State University. Where I want to place it is near a historical marker. Essentially it talks about how the Marshall Plan was originally revealed/unveiled/discussed by Dean Acheson at the college.

 

There is one cache nearby but fortunately if I did get permission, the placement would fall beyond the minimum .10 distance.

 

But the problem is, I don't have a clue who exactly to ask permission.

 

Can someone give me an idea on who I would ask? Where I want to hide it and the marker are very close to the museum/achives building on campus (meaning, it's on the building's 'property'), so would asking the head of the museum be appropriate or the right thing to do?

 

I want it all to go smoothly and not get myself or anyone in trouble and all that.

 

Personally, if the other cache is on the same property and has been there, I would assume permission. If there isn't explicit permission, you run the risk of jeapordizing the other caches placed in the area.

 

Is the school a community or publically owned college or is it private? If public, that would lend even more to the implied permission argument. Is the placement in an area that is open for public use? If so, then even more towards implied permission. If the answer is no, then I would lean more towards explicit permission.

[+RonFisk]

For a while now, I've been wanting to hide a cache somewhere. If and when I do, this will be my very first hide since I started caching last year.

 

I have been trying to find a nice place to hide a cache that has something interesting be it a nice area and/or view or something of historical purposes or along the lines of that. The original place I had wanted to hide it is unfortunately blocked off from the public at the moment. Because of that, I have been trying to find a different place for a cache.

 

Just a few minutes ago I realized what might be a nice place to hide one. It's at my former college, Delta State University. Where I want to place it is near a historical marker. Essentially it talks about how the Marshall Plan was originally revealed/unveiled/discussed by Dean Acheson at the college.

 

There is one cache nearby but fortunately if I did get permission, the placement would fall beyond the minimum .10 distance.

 

But the problem is, I don't have a clue who exactly to ask permission.

 

Can someone give me an idea on who I would ask? Where I want to hide it and the marker are very close to the museum/achives building on campus (meaning, it's on the building's 'property'), so would asking the head of the museum be appropriate or the right thing to do?

 

I want it all to go smoothly and not get myself or anyone in trouble and all that.

 

Why don't you make it a Virtual. They can be very interesting as well as informative and the good thing is that you don't need permission. The other option is to hide the cache somewhere else and use clues obtained at the site for the coordinates.

[+StarBrand]

A good place to start on a college campus is with campus security or groundskeepers.

[+Cache O'Plenty]

In cases like this, I usually opt for the maxim "Ask someone who I think knows more than I do". Thus, your idea of asking the head of the museum would be an excellent start. If he can grant permission, you're done. If not, odds are he has a pretty good idea who to refer you too. Eventually, you'll get to the right guy.

 

Oh, and make sure that Security is clued in when you do end up getting the permission. That will save a bunch of headaches down the road.

[+Cache O'Plenty]

Why don't you make it a Virtual. They can be very interesting as well as informative and the good thing is that you don't need permission. The other option is to hide the cache somewhere else and use clues obtained at the site for the coordinates.

 

No new virtuals. Not allowed.

[+RonFisk]

Why don't you make it a Virtual. They can be very interesting as well as informative and the good thing is that you don't need permission. The other option is to hide the cache somewhere else and use clues obtained at the site for the coordinates.

 

No new virtuals. Not allowed.

 

My mistake! Thanks for correcting me. It's been a while since I set one and I look forward to them while I travel. There are still quite a few out there that have been grandfathered in. I guess they've gone the way of the buggy whip and Pontiac...

[DarthJustice]

 

Personally, if the other cache is on the same property and has been there, I would assume permission. If there isn't explicit permission, you run the risk of jeapordizing the other caches placed in the area.

 

Is the school a community or publically owned college or is it private? If public, that would lend even more to the implied permission argument. Is the placement in an area that is open for public use? If so, then even more towards implied permission. If the answer is no, then I would lean more towards explicit permission.

 

Yeah, the college is a public one. I'm not sure if the particular building is for public use in general though.

 

In cases like this, I usually opt for the maxim "Ask someone who I think knows more than I do". Thus, your idea of asking the head of the museum would be an excellent start. If he can grant permission, you're done. If not, odds are he has a pretty good idea who to refer you too. Eventually, you'll get to the right guy.

 

Oh, and make sure that Security is clued in when you do end up getting the permission. That will save a bunch of headaches down the road.

 

Fortunately, I was an intern for the campus police my last semester there (August - Dec. of last year) so that'll make it easier I hope if it's them I need to get permission or just to let in on the placement.

 

But thanks guys. I guess I'll start with getting in contact with the museum/archives head after I get an appropriate container. Hopefully that'll be as far as I need to go with permission.

[knowschad]

 

Fortunately, I was an intern for the campus police my last semester there (August - Dec. of last year) so that'll make it easier I hope if it's them I need to get permission or just to let in on the placement.

 

But thanks guys. I guess I'll start with getting in contact with the museum/archives head after I get an appropriate container. Hopefully that'll be as far as I need to go with permission.

 

Wow! You're almost there, then!

 

I don't think that I would *ask* their permission, though. I think that I would ask security who I needed to get permission from. Or, if they can't tell you that, ask who you should ask that question of. Work your way up. Security and groundskeepers are not going to be able to make a decision that will stick.

Edited June 20, 2009 by knowschad

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

Personally, if the other cache is on the same property and has been there, I would assume permission. If there isn't explicit permission, you run the risk of jeapordizing the other caches placed in the area.

 

Is the school a community or publically owned college or is it private? If public, that would lend even more to the implied permission argument. Is the placement in an area that is open for public use? If so, then even more towards implied permission. If the answer is no, then I would lean more towards explicit permission.

 

Yeah, the college is a public one. I'm not sure if the particular building is for public use in general though.

 

In cases like this, I usually opt for the maxim "Ask someone who I think knows more than I do". Thus, your idea of asking the head of the museum would be an excellent start. If he can grant permission, you're done. If not, odds are he has a pretty good idea who to refer you too. Eventually, you'll get to the right guy.

 

Oh, and make sure that Security is clued in when you do end up getting the permission. That will save a bunch of headaches down the road.

 

Fortunately, I was an intern for the campus police my last semester there (August - Dec. of last year) so that'll make it easier I hope if it's them I need to get permission or just to let in on the placement.

 

But thanks guys. I guess I'll start with getting in contact with the museum/archives head after I get an appropriate container. Hopefully that'll be as far as I need to go with permission.

 

That's certainly probably sufficient to get it published. Your local review may already be aware of the general policy of geocaches on campus property. You might try sending your local reviewer a message and ask. If you look at that other cache, and view all of the logs, the first log is a "published log"from the reviewer.

 

You might consider, however, contacting campus security and the grounds maintenance department just to let them know that you've place a geocache with adequate permission. If campus security knows about it they might get as suspicous as them might when they see someone poking around the pushed, and the grounds maintenance ground that stumbles upon you're cache won't just toss in the trash if they know what it is.

 

Even though your campus may have a generally permissive policy on geocaching, don't assume that you can place a geocache anywhere on campus property. There are lots of cache on university property where I work but I have had two instance where permission was denied or someone with an overinflated sense of entitlement thought I was infringing on his domain and asked that a really cool multi cache in a "natural resources" area owned by the university be removed.

 

In the first instance, I wanted to place a cache on campus property where an astronomy department observatory is located. I saw an area from the road with a clump of trees in a field. Even from the road the view at the top of the hill is impressive but a couple hundred feet from the road would be even better. I actually knew the person that ran the observatory and asked about placing a cache there. He denied the request because apparently it was also somewhat of a popular "party spot" and they had placed "private property" signs (technically the university is a private university, there are many public roads and public areas).

 

In the second instance, I discovered a "natural resources" area that was near the observatory. While checking out the area I found lots of trails, a very unique object in the woods, and even some hunters blinds. I found a really cool spot for a finale and created a multi with the first stage closer to the road that was thematically linked to a recreational activity that took place nearby that was run by the outdoor education department. It was found about ten times with rave reviews (many spent time chatting with some of the employees running the recreation program). Then I got an email message from someone from that department asking me to remove the cache because some of the people looking for it were "trespassing on private property". There are no posted signs anywhere nearby, and the obvious approach to the cache wouldn't put someone anywhere other than campus property. I pulled the cache, but was a bit peeved about the issue.

 

In any case, when placing a cache it's always a good idea to consider the outcome. There are going to be a bunch of people looking for it, which will assume that you've place the cache with adequate permission. Taking a little extra time to let anyone associated with the property of the caches existence will be appreciated by those that choose to search for your cache.