rules
Please be sure to read through all of the rules before pre-registering, registering, or applying for artist alley, panels, or our cosplay contest.
General Guidelines
Badges and/or wristbands must be visibly worn on your person at all times.
Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Unattended children will be turned over to University of Chicago Police by the Info Desk in the Ida Noyes Lobby.
Entry into 18+ events require a valid government-issued ID with your date of birth printed on it. School IDs will only be accepted if they have a DOB on them.
We are a family-friendly, PG-13 convention. This means:
No vulgar language, hate speech, or explicit behavior.
No gore, explicit, or suggestive material displayed on your person.
Dress code must adhere to the Costume and Prop Policies.
Artwork displayed at the Artist Alley should also follow all listed PG-13 guidelines (no vulgarities, nipples, gore etc.)
Do not linger, loiter, sit, or take pictures on the stairway in Ida Noyes, regardless of how busy the staircase is. Do not sit on the benches on the stair landings. Please only use the stairs to travel between floors. Loitering on the stairs is a fire hazard, and if you do so, you will be asked by a staff member to vacate the stairs.
Please respect your fellow con-goers:
Horns and other loud noise-making devices may not be used indoors.
Cosplay is not consent. Do not touch or take pictures of people without their permission.
Should a problem ever arise, the following people are on-site to aide you:
UChi-Con volunteer staff (marked by a staff badge)
University of Chicago Police Department
University of Chicago First Aid Medical Staff
All federal, state, and local laws, and University of Chicago policies still apply while at uchi-con. These include but are not limited to:
Do not damage or deface the property.
Do not take that which is not yours. This includes laptops, kimonos, and pizzas.
No smoking or illegal drug use is permitted on the premises.
Enforcement of all policies are at UChi-Con staff’s discretion. We have final say over whether a policy has been violated or not. Please respectfully abide by any rulings and requests they make.
Costumes and Props
UChi-Con is strictly PG-13 and must abide by University of Chicago event dress codes:
No nipples or genitalia (real or artificial) can be visible. This applies to all genders.
No ahegao hoodies or clothing.
Footwear is required. No bare feet, and no footwear that may damage or mark up the hardwood floors of Ida Noyes. This means no ice skates.
Dress must be fairly visible at a distance on all sides. For example: String bikinis like Yoko from Gurren Lagan or Nami from One Piece are not OK, while conservative sports bikinis with thick straps or bandeaus like Winry Rockbell from Fullmetal Alchemist are OK.
Costumes or clothing that contain vulgar remarks, illustrations or hate speech in any language are not acceptable.
Props and costumes may not inhibit anyone’s path. Costumes must be able to fit within a 32” x 32” x 78” box. We will have an area for size testing at registration.
All weapons must be either fake, wood, and/or zip-tied shut. All weapons must be peace bonded (marked with a bright ziptie) at the designated desk during registration.
No live steel.
No real firearms.
No props heavy enough to bludgeon someone with.
The convention is in winter. While we have heating, we do not control the thermostats. Please dress appropriately.
Please do not swing weapons around.
Confiscated and illegal props/weapons must be removed from con premises or turned into the Info Desk. Retrieval of these items may be done with a valid ID when you leave the convention.
UChi-Con staff reserve the right to have final say over the acceptability of any costume or prop. If your costume violates any of these rules, you may be asked to change, and if you refuse, you may be asked to leave the convention.
If you are signed up for the cosplay contest and show up with a costume that violates these rules, you will not be allowed to participate.
If you have concerns over whether your outfit abides by our policies, please feel free to email or Facebook message us in advance.
Mission statement
UChi-Con strives to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for everyone. The policies stated herein are to pursue that goal but are not exhaustive, and any behavior that threatens the safety or comfort of anyone at the convention will be addressed.
anti-harassment policy
In accordance with our mission statement, UChi-Con does not allow harassment of any kind on convention grounds.
This Anti-Harassment Policy applies to everyone at the convention, including but not limited to attendees, panelists, artists, and staff.
What constitutes as harassment includes but is not limited to:
Stalking
Sexual, discriminatory, or offensive comments
Photographing or taking a video of someone without their explicit permission
Any unwanted physical contact
Hate speech
Visual harassment (leering, making sexual gestures, etc.)
Displaying/distributing explicit content
Coercion of any kind
Physical or verbal intimidation
Continuing to engage with someone after being asked to stop
Any behavior that makes someone feel unsafe or uncomfortable may constitute harassment and will be handled according to outlined procedures.
Cosplay is not consent. Do not touch or take pictures of people without their explicit permission beforehand.
Be mindful of how your words and actions have an effect on those around you.
Respect people's rights to say no, regardless of whether they said yes or agreed earlier. Do not attempt to coerce someone into changing their answer.
If you observe, become aware of, or encounter harassment of any kind during the convention, immediately notify any staff mentioned in the Policy Enforcement section. UChi-Con takes enforcement of this policy very seriously and will take action to help those affected feel safe again.
The university’s Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct is always in full effect on campus grounds and in relation to any interaction with university-affiliated staff or students.
Policy enforcement
Enforcement of all convention policies are at UChi-Con staff’s discretion. They have final say over whether a policy has been violated or not. Respectfully abide by any rulings and requests they make.
As UChi-Con is run by a recognized student organization of the University of Chicago, the convention must also adhere to the policies and expectations set forth by the Center for Leadership and Involvement, alongside general campus-wide policies established by the university’s administration.
Enforcement of policies may include but are not limited to expulsion from convention premises, being reported to the appropriate investigative bodies and processes at the university, and/or being refused admission to future UChi-Con events.
The following people will be on-site during the convention to enforce all policies on this page:
UChi-Con Staff (marked by a special staff hat)
University of Chicago Security Officers
The University of Chicago Police Department (773-702-8181) is also on-call during the event.
covid-19 policies
Masks and vaccinations are not required for UChi-Con 2024 but are strongly encouraged to keep everyone as safe as possible!