VEC Digital Signage Policy

Use digital signage in the Vagelos Education Center (VEC) to publicize events at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) and Columbia University Medical Center (CUIMC). VEC digital signage is administered by the VP&S Office of Medical Education. For digital signage policies for all other buildings, please review the CUIMC Special Event Signage Policy.

Acceptable Digital Signage

CUIMC Announcements

Suitable events are those sponsored or co-sponsored by a CUIMC or Columbia University department, center, or office.

Events that are not suitable for posting on the screens are:

  • Lectures, seminars, or symposia that are invitation only.
  • Courses.
  • Guest appearances by faculty, staff, or students at other institutions outside of Columbia.
  • Administrative or other meetings among a group of faculty, staff, or students that are closed to others.

NOTE: Non-event postings/announcements will be considered if there is room on the rotation schedule. Examples of permitted signage are grant-related announcements, special course announcements, and campus or public safety information.

Student Announcements

Suitable events are those that are sponsored or co-sponsored by a CUIMC or Columbia University department, center or office. Organizations requesting signage must be a registered student organization and/or faculty-sponsored.

Events that are not suitable for posting on the screens are:

  • Events not affiliated with CUIMC.
  • Events that occur off campus (unless officially sponsored by Columbia University).

VEC Request Forms

VEC Request Form for CUIMC Staff

Please complete the VEC Request Form (PDF) and return it to VEC_posting@cumc.columbia.edu. All submissions are reviewed and approved by the Office of Medical Education prior to posting. Given the demand, accepted postings will go up approximately 7 days before the event and will be on the screen for 10 seconds with an average viewing rotation of twice every two minutes. 

VEC Student Request Form for CUIMC Students

Please complete the VEC Request Form for Students (PDF) and return it to VEC_posting@cumc.columbia.edu. Given the demand, accepted postings will go up approximately 14 days before the event.

Specs for Digital Signage

Technical requirements are noted below for the creation of digital signs acceptable for posting. JPEG and PowerPoint files that do not meet the required specifications will not be accepted.

JPEG Specs

  • Size: 1366 (pixels high) x 768 (pixels wide)
  • Resolution: 72 dpi (Embedded images should also be 72 dpi resolutions. Stretching or enlarging images results in a loss of dpi.
  • Orientation: Portrait only
  • Color: RGB

PowerPoint Specs and Templates

There are several PowerPoint digital signage templates available. These files have been formatted to the exact size and orientation required. They are available on the CUIMC Digital Signage website.

Design Guidance

  • Font size: Headline should be 44 points or larger; body should be 30 points or larger.
  • Graphics: Avoid thin or diagonal lines, which appear pixelated.
  • Content: Clear, simple designs and text; do not use large/dense blocks of text

File Submissions

Submit all files and request forms to VEC_posting@cumc.columbia.edu. Allow 2-3 business days for confirmation that your announcement has been approved. Please note:

  • Announcements without a completed form will not be accepted.
  • The Office of Medical Education reserves the right to make decisions about what is and isn't appropriate for posting and when a posting appears in the announcements rotation.
  • Each announcement appears on the screen for 10 seconds. The Office of Medical Education reserves the right to adjust the appearance of time-based on the number of announcements in the rotation.