PLANNING ON-CAMPUS EVENTS
What Type of Event
Researching Entertainment
Reserving Campus Facilities
Forms Needed for Events
Campus Services
Day of Event
After Your Event

 

Planning Campus Events

Deciding What Type of Event to Plan

The first step in the planning process is to determine a general idea of the type of event or program you wish to bring to campus. There are a wide variety of approaches that you can use to develop a list of ideas. Some of these are:

·        Brainstorming

·        Trade publications (available in Student Involvement and Leadership)

·        Call other colleges and universities

·        Go out to local clubs and listen to performers

·        Arts and Entertainment section of newspapers / magazines

·        Listen to the people talking on campus

·        Conduct campus surveys

Note: It is very important that the event you plan to bring to campus is suitable for college students and is in accordance with college policies. If you have any doubts about whether or not the event is appropriate for BSC, consult your OSIL program advisor.

If you determine that you will be hiring outside entertainment or services for your event, then read on!  This section will assist you in planning an effective and smooth campus program.  If you will not require outside entertainment for your event, then please refer to specific sections on reserving facilities, working with your Program Advisors, and campus services.

Researching Entertainment
Once you have decided upon a specific type of entertainment, you must research what is available. Many of the sources used in determining the type of entertainment can again be used to decide exactly which performer will be contacted and pursued further. Some things to consider during this phase of the planning process are:

·        where you plan to hold the event

·        when the event will be held

·        date

·        time

·        how much you plan to pay for the performer(s) and related costs of the event?
(use the Program Budget Worksheet)

Contacting the Artist/Agent for Information

Once you have narrowed your search to specific acts you can begin to contact agencies and performers. Performers will often act as their own agents.
Note: For the purposes of this handbook, a professional booking agency and/or an artist acting on his/her own behalf will be referred to as the agent or agency.

Once you have decided which acts or performers to pursue, the next step is to contact the agent. When speaking to the agent, you must remember that your purpose is to bring quality entertainment to campus. Please make sure that the agent is aware that you are only researching at this point and cannot make any booking decisions without the approval of your organization.

Questions you might want to ask an agent during the research phase are:

·        When is the act available?

·        Is the act going to be in my area?

·        What is the general price range for the act?

·        Does the act have any special technical or facility requirements? Can I receive a copy of the contract rider so I can determine if we can meet the needs of this event?

·        Do you think this act would do well on my campus?

·        How well has this act done at similar schools?

·        Could I get the names and numbers of people at similar schools who have booked this act?

You should also ask the agent to send a demo cd or video and/or press kit so you can let other members of your group get to know the act. An artist will often include any television, motion picture, or other special appearances they have made.  Also ask if they have an electronic press kit that you can view on the internet.

Once you have acquired this information and believe it is a good selection for an event to come to BSC, you should submit your room reservation.  At this point, you will need to submit the requirements for this event on your Room Reservation Form including whether food will be served, how the event will be advertised, and what space requirements you may have.  Once the reservation has been tentatively held for you and you know that we can meet the needs of this event, it is time to start the contract process!

Determining the Feasibility of the Event
You must realize that although the campus has many rooms that can accommodate large events, those rooms may not be available on the dates when you hope to bring the performer to campus. There is also the possibility that the technical requirements of the performer may be more than the available resources of the college. This means that the organization would be required to subcontract or rent equipment to meet additional needs.

Another factor to remember when planning an event is the economic impact of the event on the budget. Your group has limited resources, so be sure to anticipate your event costs while looking at the "big picture" of programs you hope to sponsor all year long.  To help you anticipate budget costs, use the Program Budget Worksheet.

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Reserving Campus Facilities

The Conference and Event Services Office (CESO) is responsible for managing the College reservations system for most activities and programs, with the exception of academic courses. Requests for use of college facilities are made to CESO, in Campus Center room 108, ext 6139.

All student organizations recognized by the college and currently registered are entitled to use facilities for meetings, programs and events without charge.  The sponsoring organization is responsible for all associated program costs including their direct expenses and any special labor costs required for the support of their scheduled event.  

After you have a good concept of what your event will entail, the first thing you should do is to reserve your facility.  Campus facilities are heavily used and early reservation can be essential to ensuring that a room appropriate to the event is available.  Requests for use of space should be made by an officer of the organization or the committee chairperson responsible for the program who is most familiar with the details of the program.

Things you need to know when reserving a facility:

·        Date and time of the program

·        Expected attendance

·        Type of event (performance, lecture, party, etc.) and type of room needed

·        Any special needs of the performer (to be sure the room booked can accommodate)

·        Whether food will be served

·        Whether the facility being reserved will require any special setup to accommodate the program

CESO will tentatively hold space upon request for any student organization.  This tentative hold requires Office of Student Involvement and Leadership approval of the event and all submission of all necessary information and/or paperwork.  The process generally goes as follows for events:

·        Student Organization requests use of a facility for an activity. CESO places a tentative hold on the facility or an alternative within 24 hours and prints a Tentative Reservation Form.

·        The Tentative Event Information printout will be sent to the organization's program advisor and to your OSIL mailbox, in Campus Center room 103.

·        The organization will meet with its assigned program advisor to complete program planning and obtain all the necessary information to finalize the reservation by the required deadline.

·        The fully completed paperwork (Tentative Event Information, Contract Rider form with artist signature, Technical Services Request Form, room diagrams, etc.) is submitted to the Conference Office by the deadline by your Program Advisor.

·        OSIL finalizes the required contracts, purchase orders, etc.

·        The Conference Office coordinates the necessary program support services with campus service providers.

·        Once all the details are finalized, an Event Confirmation is issued to the student porgram advisor or student organization confirming all program arrangements.  Make sure to review this carefully!

Program Deadlines

Program deadlines allow us to maximize facility scheduling and provide the best quality program support service.   The deadline is the date by which fully completed and approved paperwork must be submitted to the Conference and Event Services Office.  Of course, you may always confirm arrangements before the deadline in order to allow yourself to advertise and promote your event earlier.  The deadlines are as follows:

Simple Meetings (involving only members of the organization and requiring no services or food): Minimum of 48 hours in advance and no temporary hold is required. 

Simple Regular Meetings (involving only members of the organization, requiring no services or food, and occurring more than once per month).  Can be held for your organization for the entire year, but will be confirmed for a semester at a time due to possible conflicts with the academic course schedule.  These reservations should be made at the end of the academic year for the following year.

Meetings requiring services: Meetings involving services or the purchase of goods or services should be confirmed one (1) week in advance to ensure that services can be provided and/or purchase orders can be issued.

Most campus programs: Most campus programs must be confirmed no less than two (2) weeks in advance.   This requires the completion and confirmation of all information regarding the program including the submission of any signed contracts.  Events not confirmed 2 weeks in advance may still be approved, but we cannot guarantee that all requested services would be available.

Major events: Major events must be confirmed no less than four (4) weeks in advance.  Major events would include programs involving national speakers or performers; events held in the Campus Center Auditorium, dances, concerts, and events involving major public relations efforts to outside constituents.  Events not confirmed 4 weeks in advance may still be approved, but we cannot guarantee that all requested services would be available.

Event Co-Sponsorship

Campus organizations may not lend their sponsorship to any group that is required to pay user fees for the purpose of eliminating such fees.   If a BSC student organization is interested in co-sponsoring an event with an external sponsor, this should be discussed at the start of the planning process with the group's program advisor.   Organizations may co-sponsor if the college organization assumes complete responsibility for all campus planning and for conduct of the event.   Expenses must be handled through the college organization's account and the external sponsor may not gain any financial profit from the co-sponsorship arrangement.

If your group is co-sponsoring the event with another group, we will ask you to determine which group is the "primary sponsor" of the event.  The primary sponsor should be the group that reserves the facility and makes the reservation arrangements.  To help you with the co-sponsorship arrangements, please refer to the Co-sponsorship Agreement.

Reservation Guidelines

·        Organizations are responsible for leaving all rooms they use in a neat and orderly condition.  Program sponsors may not move furniture in campus facilities.  Organizations may be held financially responsible for any necessary cleaning and/or resetting of the rooms they use.

·        All social events are open only to BSC students unless otherwise approved in advance by OSIL before confirming the approval of your event.   The composition of the expected audience will determine the security measures that are necessary for any program.  All guests must be over 18 years of age unless exception is made by the program advisor.  Examples of possible exceptions are a Little Sibling Event or an invitation extended to an outside group by a member of the college's faculty, administration or staff. 

·        Organizations sponsoring events are responsible for conducting the event in accordance with all College policies.  Organizations are also responsible, to the extent possible, to ensure that their guests behave in and acceptable manner.

·        The Campus Center's normal closing time during the academic year is 11 PM. All events must end by 10:45 PM, unless special permission for an extension of building closing is approved at least two (2) weeks in advance by the Director of the Campus Center. Extending the closing time will involve a charge for building manager overtime. Current rates are available from CESO.

·        If there are special labor requirements to support an event, all expenses will be the responsibility of the sponsoring organization.

·        Events must be confirmed before they may be advertised.

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Forms Needed for Events

There are several forms that are required to sponsor an event on campus. The forms required depend upon the type of event you are planning. Samples and actual forms are linked below. Detailed instructions regarding how to complete them, can be found in the Forms and Resources section of this manual.  If you are unsure exactly which forms you will need, consult a member of the Student Involvement and Leadership Office staff for guidance. The forms which you will use in most cases are:

·        Off Campus Event Form

·      Event Reservation Request - fill out on-line at http://www.bridgew.edu/Conferences/eventresv.cfm

·        Purchase Order Form

·        Technical Services Request Form

·        Contract Generation Form

Off Campus Event Form

This form is the comparable form used for events when they occur off campus including trips, events and conferences.  This form is especially important as it will facilitate contact between the college and the off campus vendor you may be working with to host your event.

Event Reservation Request

Whenever an event is held on campus, no matter how big or small, you must request a room. An Event Reservation Request is prepared and submitted to CESO as soon as possible after the event has been approved byOSIL as rooms are reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

Additional rooms may be required beyond the room where your event is taking place.  Performers often require dressing rooms prior to and/or after the performance.  Some events require rooms for hospitality or for meals before the performance. For convenience, you should try to reserve a space as near to the room where the performance will take place as possible.

For more information on facility reservations, please see the "Facilities Guide" section of this manual.

Purchase Order Form

When you are arranging to purchase items, you must complete a Purchase Order Form. This form must be completed with as much information as you can supply, and submitted to the bookkeeper in the Student Involvement and Leadership Office. Purchase Orders are very common and can take one of two forms: One Time Purchase and Open Purchase Orders.

One-Time Purchase Orders are used when you are placing an order for a specific item or items or arranging for a performer to be paid. The actual purchase amount on a One-Time Purchase Order must be specific and include all associated costs, such as set-up and shipping charges. After the order has been completed, the Purchase Order can be closed out, and no more purchases can be made towards it.

An Open Purchase Order is used when the organization intends to place several small orders with a company and wishes to set aside, or encumber, a specific amount of money from which the orders will be paid. Open Purchase Orders are commonly used to cover costs of items such as office supplies and film developing.

Processing Contracts

The hiring of a service provider or performer of any kind requires the use of a contract.  The contract process requires the use of three parts:  A Contract Generation Form, A Contract Rider, and a Purchase Order form.  Your process is not complete until you have addressed all three parts.

Contract Generation Form

Contract Generation Forms are used whenever the event involves contracting a performer or service provider (such as sound and/or lighting equipment). Contract Generation Forms should be completed as soon as you have gained approval from your organization and advisor to proceed with planning and you have verified that you have a tentative hold on space for your event. In general, a contract takes two to three weeks to be completed, mailed, and returned.

Bridgewater State College only signs the BSC Contract Form.  Many times, a performer/agency/service provider will have a form of their own.  You should explain to them that the BSC form is required and that you will include all mutually agreeable information in that format. 

A performer will not be allowed to perform without a fully executed contract prior to the scheduled performance date. Also, the performer will not receive payment on the date of the performance unless the contract is returned no later than ten (10) business days before the performance.

Contacting the Agent

If the event has been approved, then you must contact the agent as soon as possible to confirm the date of the event. The agent is not required to hold a specific date for you until you contact them and inform them that you have decided to bring the event to BSC. When calling the agent, have a Contract Generation Form in front of you so you can obtain the required information.  Also be prepared to provide information to the agent regarding BSC.  Ask the agent to fax a copy of the agency contract and contract rider for us to use when developing the BSC contract.  The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership will only forward our College Contract Form for signature except under specific circumstances and approval from the Director.  Let the agent know that we will be sure that our contract form includes the essential items from their document.

Reviewing the Agent's Contract/Rider

When you book an act, you must be sure that the College can meet all of the requirements for presenting the event.  To be sure of this, you should request a copy of what is called a contract rider prior to booking an event.  Review the rider thoroughly and accurately as you will need to consult with other college personnel to be sure we can meet the act's requirements. 

College policies strictly prohibit organizations from supplying certain items such as cigarettes and alcohol. If you receive a rider which requests prohibited items, it is your responsibility to contact the agent immediately and inform him or her of the restrictions.

The College has a limited inventory of audio-visual equipment. You may encounter a situation where a rider contains items which are not available using the resources on campus. In this situation, you have three options.

1) Your first option is to call the agent and inform them of the limited resources available. Ask the agent if the show can be performed using what is available on campus. If this is not a viable option, you must consider your second option.

2) The second option you have is to contact a professional sound company and inquire about pricing and availability of the needed equipment. Remember that this may cause your group to incur costs that were not initially planned upon. You will be required to adjust your budget for this event accordingly.

3) The third option is to ask the performer to bring or provide his or her own equipment.

If there is no contract rider form provided to you by the performer, there is a Student Involvement and Leadership Rider Form for your use.  This basic checklist form helps you and the performer establish clear requirements for who is to provide what items for the event and what arrangements will need to be made by both parties before your program. 

Purchase Order Forms

To process payment for your performer or service provider, you must complete a purchase order request form.  For information on how to complete this form, refer to the Dollars and Sense section.

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Campus Services and Event Requirements

Campus Center setup requests

All requests for event setups should be submitted upon confirming your facility reservation with your Program Advisor.   The Facilities Guide section in this manual will provide you with an idea of what kind of equipment is available for your selected facility as well as what set up possibilities are available to you.

The Campus Center building crew will set up your room to your specifications before your event.

Grounds Details

A grounds detail is similar to a custodial detail except it is assigned for outdoor events. 

Events requiring any equipment (i.e. tables and/or chairs); involving food; or likely to require the removal of trash will require a grounds detail of one or more individuals.

Electrical Details

Some events requiring power usage above and beyond the capability of a regular sound system will require an electrician to be assigned to your event.  As with other details, they are assigned at a four hour minimum.

Police Detail Policies

Police details are sometimes required for campus meetings and events.  All police details are arranged through the Conference Office.  Police Details are assigned at the discretion of Campus Police in the following circumstances:

1. When a meeting or event is expected to exceed 100 people
2. When a meeting or event is advertised off campus
3. When a meeting or event includes service of alcohol
4. When a meeting or event requires the closure of any college roadway, or parking lot, or will involve unusual traffic or parking arrangements.
5. Large concerts, bands, or other large events with live entertainment.
6. Outdoor events

Food Services

If you would like to have food available at your event, you will need to work with Sodexho, our campus food service.  In general, the decision to have food at your event means a few things:

·        You may be limited in your options for a facility to have your event, as food is not permitted in some locations on campus.  Please consult the "facilities guide" section of the handbook for clarification.

·        You must work with Sodexho for all of your catering needs.   Please see the "Forms and Resources" section for the Student Organization Menu.

·        You must indicate the need for any tablecloths or table skirting when you request your room.

To order food for your event, you need to complete the following steps:

·        Establish a blanket purchase order for the amount you plan to spend on food.  If you are having multiple events in a year with food involved, you can submit a request for one purchase order that will cover all of your events.

·        Consult the catering menu and the food service staff to determine what items you need to order for your event.  Consult both the catering menu AND the Student Organizations Pickup Menu to determine your needs.  Remember that the Pickup menu doesn't include delivery!  Be sure that you remembered to indicate your need for food on your reservation form when you reserved your facility!

·        Submit a written order indicating items to be ordered, time of delivery and pickup, and number of people you plan to feed.  You can submit your order via e-mail to Bob Cook, catering manager, OR you may use the Special Function Order Form available in the Student Leadership Resource Center.  Again, you should not submit your final order without a PURCHASE ORDER NUMBER.

·        Two days before your event, contact the Catering Office (x2423) to confirm your order.

If you require alcohol service at your event, the process begins with your Program Advisor and requires multiple levels of involvement and approval throughout the campus.  If you are considering alcohol service for your event, be sure to allow at least a month in advance to plan accordingly.

Conference Office Services and Support

Table Skirting
If you are ordering food for your event, you can indicate your table skirting needs through Food Service. If you are not ordering food but would like skirting for a registration table, etc. please note your request for table skirting on your reservation form. There is a charge of $5 per table for skirting tables for your event if you are not ordering food.

Parking
Visitor Parking guidelines-- Visitors to our campus may park in the Chapel parking lot.  Please ask all visitors to stop at the parking attendant's booth, or stop in to Campus Police, to obtain required passes.

Pre-arranging parking
If you are in need of pre-arranged parking for your event performers and/or guests, please note this on the reservation form.  The Conference Office will provide you with the parking passes necessary for any performers or vendors to be able to park on campus.

Parking Signs
Parking signs may be constructed for your event at a cost of $6 per sign.  All signs are double-sided.  Please indicate this need on your reservation form.

Technical Needs
Technical needs within Campus Center
For any event that may require technical equipment from either BSC or from artists or outside agencies, a technical request form must be submitted.   Most performers have what is called a "technical rider" as part of their contract.  Please submit a copy of this rider along with the technical request form.

On most occasions, you should try to have the artist supply his or her own equipment.  The Campus Center's equipment is limited in its capability and in its use.  We do have several microphones, but we do not have monitors or amps that some bands will require.  In order to assist you with this process, you must complete a technical services request form.  This form will clearly identify your needs and will help determine what the Campus Center can provide.  This form must be done before a contract is approved!

Outside Campus Center
For events outside the Campus Center, requirements are different and are subject to varying policies depending on the location selected.  As a general rule, student organization events not held inside the Campus Center can not be technically supported.  Exceptions to this policy include some events in Horace Mann, depending on requirements.  If your event will require technical support and it is taking place outside the Campus Center, please consult your Program Advisor.

Campus Center Support for Events

Building Managers
Our building managers are hired to staff the building during the evening hours and weekends.  These essential members of the Campus Center staff are available in the evenings to assist you and will be available in case of emergency to assist you and your organization. 

In the event that your program might benefit from a building manager devoted solely to the support of the event, you have the option to hire an "Event Manager" to work with you throughout the evening.  If this might benefit you for your event, please discuss this with your SAO Program Advisor and we will attempt to arrange an Event Manager for your program.  Contact CESO for the current hourly pay rate.

Cash Handling and Security
The Campus Center office has a safe that is utilized by student organizations in a number of different ways.  The safe is the place where all raffle prizes are stored for the duration of your organization's raffle.  In addition, the Campus Center will provide you with a cash box or bag for your event in the case that you will be handling money. When this happens, you are expected to leave the cash box or bag with the Building Manager on duty for that evening.  Advance Notice is required -- a cash box or bag cannot be requested the day of the event. Arrangements for cash boxes or envelopes must be made through your Program Advisor when discussing your event.

Campus Center equipment

The Campus Center equipment for each function/meeting room is listed in the "Facilities Guide" section of this handbook.  Campus Center equipment is not available for use outside of this building.  If your event occurs outside of the Campus Center and requires additional support, please make your program advisor aware of this situation and we will help you explore your options.

Information Booth

The Information Booth is located on the Main Level of the campus center and is there to assist with answering any questions or providing information for Campus Center patrons.  Please feel free to utilize the Information Booth as a good meeting spot to find your performers for a Campus Center event as well as an information resource.  It is recommended that you provide the Info Booth with detailed information about your event so that the staff can answer any questions that they might receive.

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The Day of Your Event -- Some Helpful Hints

If the day of your event is looming ahead, you'll want to review your planning checklist and make sure that you've confirmed all of your details with your program advisor.  Be sure to note who is responsible for taking care of remaining details, when they are to be completed, and when they are accomplished.  The following are some of the most frequently noted areas of concern:

Volunteers
Establish all of your committee meetings and assign your volunteers in the correct places.  Remember to assign setup, cleanup, ushers, ticket sellers and overall "event security."  Also review who is responsible for implementing each aspect of your promotional plan.  Finally, be sure that everyone is clear about what time you expect him or her to arrive!

Confirmation of campus services
Your Program Advisor will help you review the list of services that you should confirm for your event.  Services that need confirmation typically are:
 Food Service
 Room Set Up
 Police Details
 Maintainers
 Audio/Visual Equipment
 Travel/Hotel arrangements
 Audience Evaluation
 Do you have a method in place to evaluate your audience's feedback on your event? 

Now that your planning details are all set, be sure to bring the following to your program:

·        Your schedule for the day including who is arriving at what time to volunteer and when your performers are expected

·        A master list of all phone numbers, all purchase order numbers, and contact information

·        A toolbox filled with extra supplies like scissors, tape and markers

Above all else, don't be so involved that you forget to HAVE FUN!  If you've invested time in planning ahead, you will be able to sit back and enjoy yourself.

After Your Event

When the event is finally over, hopefully you will be relieved and proud of all that you have accomplished.  Here are some things you need to remember after your event has ended:

Program Evaluation
Ask your members to evaluate your program and take some time to evaluate things from your point of view.   Save this information in an easily accessible place for event planners that may come next year.

Budget Evaluation
Evaluate your expenses and income for this event.  Note where you may have exceeded your estimates and where you may have saved money.

Review Your Event File
Be sure you are leaving behind the proper information for next year's event planner

Volunteer Evaluation and Thank You's
Note those who may have been key in assisting you with this event.  Send thank you letters as much as possible and let people know that you appreciated their help!  In addition, be sure to note whether or not you had enough help, if volunteers were placed appropriately, etc.

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Last Modified: September 8, 2006