Planning Events on Campus

As the number and complexity of university activities continues to grow, the Events Department would like to share some tips and procedures for continuing to create successful and safe events across campus. Attached is a quick reference guide for planning as well as the University safety guidelines. If you have any questions or want a consultation, please contact the Events Department at 315-268-2189 or at events@clarkson.edu. Refer to the Events webpage at http://www.clarkson.edu/events.

Reserving a Space on Campus and adding events to Clarkson’s Master Calendar of Events:

University-sponsored events:
As you may or may not know, you are now able to book your own spaces for meetings, lectures, catered meals and other events at reserve.clarkson.edu, where you can choose whether you would like to add your event booking to the Master Calendar all in the same step. For more assistance, watch the instructional video shared with us by our colleagues at another institution that uses the same Event Management System (EMS) at www.youtube.com/watch?v=mctYYgCBmpw..

Manually adding your event to Clarkson’s Master Calendar of Events

In order to boost awareness of activities happening on campus, it is essential that you add your event to the Master Calendar by going straight to reserve.clarkson.edu/Mastercalendar/. Just click “Add Event” and fill in the form. Do not change the post date. Once submitted, it goes through an approval process which usually takes less than 48 hours. Directions attached.

For personal events:
If you are interested in hosting a personal event on campus such as a shower, birthday party, etc., refer to our list of room rental fees at www.clarkson.edu/events/rental_fees.html and contact the Events Department directly regarding any of these types of events.

In order to help things run smoothly. All room reservations will receive a STANDARD ROOM SETUP based on your selected setup type and the number of guests attending that meets all safety standards and best practices. All event setups catered or otherwise will be set up once free of charge to the given event. Upon completion of the initial setup, any and all changes will carry a charge per hour of $25 per member to cover the overtime or call-in’s that occur to make changes to the setup therefore it is a good practice to review your needs early and with everyone on your team who may want to influence last minute changes.

Standard Setups types (Attached is a diagram of each setup type)

  • Classroom Style: Tables with chairs on one side, facing a particular direction or screen.
  • Banquet Style: Tables with chairs on both sides (largest seating capacity for a meal.)
  • Lecture/Theater Style: Chairs only, in rows facing a particular direction or screen.
  • U-shape: Tables set up in a U shape with chairs on the outside, and the opening facing a particular direction or screen
  • Crescent-Style Round table with chairs on one side, facing a particular direction or screen.
  • Hollow Square: Tables set in a square with an open center, chairs around the outside.
  • Reception Style-Tables for food and portable high boys.
  • Square or Block– Tables set in a square with a closed center, chairs around the outside.Atriums are used as student study spaces, so you may only reserve these areas on weekends for groups of 150+ guests or during large University sponsored events.

If the Standard setup will not work for your event, or changes need to be made after the initial setup, additional setup fees will apply. Contact our events coordinator, Jason Butchino at jbutchin@clarkson.edu or 315-268-6474 to select this option.

In order to ensure that you have everything you need for your participants to engage in your event, it is critical that we have your room setup details at least two weeks before your event. If you don’t know the details when reserving the room, contact our events coordinator at 315-268-6474 as soon as you have the details. If there is no setup given to the events coordinator within 48 hours of the event, then you will receive no setup. The Events team will work with you to make sure your setup is in within the fire code regulations and will comfortably fit all of your guests.

Requesting Food, Beverages and Linens

To ensure consistent quality, efficiency and safety, the University has an exclusive contract with Aramark for catering. Contact an Aramark representative at extension #3962 or use Catertrax, Aramark’s online ordering system, at clarkson.catertrax.com. Aramark is also the contact for requesting table linens, which carry a fee.

Requesting Audio/Video

We all want to give you good service. Audiovisual needs, such as microphones, laptops, screens, projectors and clickers MUST be requested at least one week in advance by emailing the Help Desk at helpdesk@clarkson.edu. Putting the request in EMS will not be seen by the Help Desk, make sure to put in a ticket separately.

Requesting Other Campus Furniture (excluding indoor tables and chairs)

If you would like to have outdoor 8 foot tables, outdoor brown folding chairs, AC/Heat, garbage cans, picnic tables, power, mowed lawn or snow cleared walkway for an event, Outdoor signs placed, something repaired, area cleaned, stage pieces and/or floor mats you will need to request a work order for both the delivery AND pickup from the location. To place a work order refer to the Clarkson faculty/staff webpage. http://internal.clarkson.edu/facilities

PartyCAD

If you are hosting a University event that will require a more specialized setup, please use PartyCAD, a specialized software program, to determine the layout. If you would like to use or be trained in the program, notify the Events Department. The Events team will work with you to make sure your setup is in within the fire code regulations and will comfortably fit all of your guests. There may be fees for any extensive setups.

Tents/Bonfire permits

Contact us if you plan to rent a tent or have a bonfire (only a limited number of such permits are issued each year to the University by local authorities) as there are special permits and safety precautions we must attend to prior to setup.

Decor, Flags, Easels, Poster Boards, Podiums and Banners

We have large Clarkson banners, easels, flip charts, flags (American and New York), silver indoor sign holders and Poster Boards that you can borrow for your event. Contact our events coordinator at jbutchino@clarkson.edu or 315-268-6474 to utilize these items.

We also have stock items that you can use for décor. You are responsible for picking up the décor items from the Events office, as well as for returning them after the event. Please refer to the form at https://www.clarkson.edu/sites/default/files/2018-07/Lending%20form.pdf for more information. We do not guarantee the items will be available when you request them, so in order to secure items, please reserve them as far in advance as possible. You will be asked to provide an account number to cover the cost of borrowed items should they be damaged or not returned.

Indoor and Outdoor Directional Signage

Outdoor signs:
Many events happen at the same time, so if you would like to utilize outdoor directional signs, please let us know. We will keep a schedule of when the sign holders will be available. University events take precedence over all other events. Signs must be 13” high and 22” wide and laminated for the ease of putting them in the sign holders. All outdoor signs are ordered through UPS. You can email a request to them at store5986@theupsstore.com  or you can call the store. Payment is due upon pickup.

Indoor signs:
We have several 8 ½” x 11” (vertical or horizontal) sign holders that are also available to borrow by using our lending form at https://www.clarkson.edu/sites/default/files/2018-07/Lending%20form.pdf. You are responsible for picking up the décor items from the Events office, as well as for returning them after the event.

If you would like to schedule a one on one with Marcy Bennett on how to host events on campus, feel free to email mbennett@clarkson.edu or call 315-268-2189.

HOSTING AN EVENT CHECKLIST

Event Safety and Security

Master Calendar

 

 

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