Skip to main content

Hoverboards

It is believed that the safety and fire concerns recently associated with self-balancing boards commonly referred to as Hoverboards is sufficient and their use on campus and presence inside of all campus buildings (including Residence Life) is prohibited at this time. Discussions will continue regarding the ability to use and store these items on campus in the future. See the link for additional detail.

Campus ban on Hoverboards

To: University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Students, Faculty and Staff
From: Sheryl Van Gruensven, Interim Vice Chancellor Business and Finance and Greg Davis, Interim Provost
Re: Use of Self-Balancing Motorized Vehicles (c.k.a. Hoverboards)
Date: December 28, 2015

Red Hoverboard

A growing trend in holiday gifts is expected to be Hoverboards or self-balancing transports. Recently there has been concerns raised about these devices; specifically that the quality of the Lithium Ion batteries used in cheaper models can ignite and explode. Research into this topic has concluded that the presence of these items inside any campus building presents a fire and safety risk. Locally and nationally, a number of campuses have elected to bar these devices from the residence halls and, in many cases, from campus in general. Discussions will continue regarding the ability to use and store these items on campus, but in the near term, it is believed that the safety and fire concern that Hoverboards present is sufficient to prohibit their use on campus and presence inside buildings.

Further, UWS 18.10 (5) states the following:

Operation of a Motor Vehicle Off Roadways. No person shall operate an unauthorized motor vehicle or motorized device, including motorcycles, mopeds, motor scooters and self-balancing transportation devices, off designated roadways, paved or unpaved, or on service roads or pedestrian paths, regardless of the surface, on university lands. This subsection does not apply to motorized wheelchairs or other mobility devices which have the primary design function of assisting the physically challenged.

Currently, these devices are not "street legal" and therefore cannot be operated on our roadways. Based on the above section, they are also prohibited on service roads or pedestrian paths, which for all intent and purpose there would be no space on campus which these items could be used (i.e. interior use prohibited, roadways prohibited, trails and service paths prohibited).

Campus administration will continue to research and work towards developing a policy which serves both the safety of the University as well as the rights of students.