OUTDOOR EVENT POLICY FOUND IN THE COMPASS STUDENT HANDBOOK:
The Outdoor Event Guidelines were created to help coordinate the numerous outdoor events that occur in our community that are likely to affect neighbors or others not directly participating. Students and organizations wishing to hold outdoor events on College property and/or College recognized organizations that wish to hold an outdoor event in areas surrounding the College must get prior approval from Leadership & Engagement. The purpose of this approval is to attempt to balance the schedule of outdoor activities in an effort to be sensitive to our Community.
Outdoor Events Guidelines
As with all event planning, contracts must be signed by a college official and the event location must be secured in advance. Keep in mind there is no month during the academic year that is guaranteed for good weather.
SELECTING A DATE, EVENT TIME AND LOCATION:
Selecting a Date: Assess your organization’s calendar of events and check the Allegheny Event Calendar to ensure you are not programming over another event. If there is an event taking place on your intended date, could the program become a co-sponsorship or collaboration? Other programs may split your event attendance or compromise attendance of your own members due to commitments to other organizations. As a part of the Allegheny community, strive to be supportive of each other’s programming.
Time of Event: Keep in mind sunset times if you are planning to host an event in which people need to see something or each other. If needed include the cost of lighting rentals in the event budget.
Reserving the Location: After having viewed the Event Calendar as stated above, log onto Scheduler and “Browse Events” for your intended date. Select “Request a Space” and then “Outdoor Non Athletic Spaces” under “Building” to submit the reservation’s Web Request. Be sure to reserve a rain location at this time as well.
OTHER DETAILS:
Amplified Sound: As a rule of thumb, if you are having an event with amplified sound outdoors, plan to wrap up the projected sound between 9:30-10:00 p.m. Our campus is in a residential area and as such we need to be respectful of our campus and surrounding communities. Identify a member of your group to walk the perimeters of your outdoor space to monitor sound travel, lowering the sound when necessary.
AV Equipment: Allegheny does not have outdoor AV equipment. If AV equipment is needed, please contact the college’s AV Technicians at AudioVisualRequest@allegheny.edu at your earliest convenience however a minimum of two weeks in advance of the event, for assistance in locating equipment to rent.
Post Event Clean-up: Following the event, organization members are to clear the space of all trash, recycling, items left behind by event attendees, and all decorations or other event props. If furniture and equipment is included in your set-up, know in advance whether organization members are responsible for returning the items to a secure, covered location, or if other entities will clear the items (Gator Dining, Physical Plant, AV Technician).
Rain Location: Pre-plan the set-up details of your rain location. If in the Campus Center Lobby, a Lobby Diagram is to be completed. Ideally rain calls are made a full 24-hours in advance of your event’s set up, however no later that 10 a.m. for an evening event. Communicate the rain call with pertinent parties, typically Physical Plant, Housekeeping and the gatekeeper of the building providing the rain location.
Tables/Chairs: If tables and chairs are needed it is your organization’s responsibility to coordinate with Physical Plant to request/reserve the items.
Your reservation request for an outdoor space must be approved by Student Life. Once the event’s Web Request has been submitted via Scheduler, a member of Student Life will contact you to setup a brief meeting to review the event plans.
OUTDOOR EVENTS PERMISSION
Please submit the Outdoor Request form in preparation for your meeting with Student Life and consider the following:
- What is the start time and end time of the event?
- How much time is needed for set up and tear down of the event?
- Who is the primary contact for the event who will be on site, and what is their cell phone number?
- Does your event require a signed contract with the performer/company?
- If programming near a residential area, what is your notification plan for area residents?
- What is the rain plan?
- Do you have other planning related questions?
CONTACTS:
Audio Visual Assistance: AudioVisualRequest@allegheny.edu
Housekeeping: housekp@allegheny.edu
Physical Plant: Physical Plant building, x5378 or pplant@allegheny.edu
Public Safety: x3357
Gator Dining: x2317, Catering Manager x4378
Student Life: x4356, sli@allegheny.edu