Student Organization Resource & Policy Guide

Reserving Space

Once your organization is registered with the Center for Leadership & Involvement (CfLI), you are eligible to reserve University facilities for meetings and events. There are many different types of space, and the procedure and policies change depending on the type.

 

CAMPUS POLICIES

All organizations requesting space on campus must agree to the policies listed below:

  • Organizations must keep all contact information for the organization up to date. This includes the list of student organization members authorized to make room reservations (found under the “Edit Profile” button on your org’s WIN page). These members will need to be added to the organization’s roster by Managing Your Roster in WIN.
  • It is the organization’s responsibility to keep track of its reservations and deadlines.
  • The entity that you reserved space with has authority to cancel a Student Organization’s reservation if unable to contact one of the persons listed to confirm details.
  • Registered Student Organizations may lose their reservation privileges if they have any outstanding invoices or are a “no show” for reserved spaces.
  • Registered Student Organizations must specify on all promotions that events held in University Facilities are only open to students, faculty and staff unless a University Department co-sponsors the event.

CONFERENCE PLANNING

If your organization is planning a conference, Campus Events Services can help!  Contact CESO at (608) 262-2511 as soon as possible to ensure availability and to receive assistance with:
  • Room Reservations
  • Event Logistics
  • Catering
  • Hotels
  • Parking
  • AV Equipment

 

RESERVABLE SPACES

Below is a list of different spaces RSOs can reserve.  Each section includes instructions on how to reserve that space, a list of policies for that space and how to use AV equipment in that space, if applicable.

 

MEMORIAL UNION, UNION SOUTH, AND RED GYM

Registered Student Organizations can reserve space in Memorial Union, Union South, and the Class of 1973 Gallery in the Red Gym for organization events and meetings. We are only booking the Class of 1973 Gallery at this time due to current room renovations. There are many rooms of various sizes available to be reserved, so work with Campus Event Services to find a room to meet your needs.

RSOs are limited to:

  • one, one hour meeting per week in a Union space
  • unlimited campus classroom space
  • eight hours of additional programming time per semester

Please contact the Campus Events Services Office (CESO), information in the next section, for questions related to the limitations. Pertinent policy can be found here: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-2046.

HOW TO RESERVE:

There are multiple ways to reserve space in the Unions.  All reservations MUST be made by noon the business day before the meeting (noon Friday if the meeting occurs on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday)

  1. Online at http://union.ems.wisc.edu/
    1. Series reservations must be submitted online due to additional time needed to process the request
  2. Via email to events@union.wisc.edu
  3. By calling (608) 262-2511
  4. In Person at the Campus Event Services Office (2 locations)
    1. Located in the Memorial Union on the 2nd floor (Room 2224) or in Union South on the 3rd floor (Room 335M).
    2. Our Memorial Union CESO location is open during the academic year Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. Our Union South CESO location is open during the academic year Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm.

LARGE SPACE LOTTERY

Due to a limited number of large spaces on campus, each semester the Campus Event Services Office holds a Large Space Lottery.  Large Rooms include Varsity Hall, Great Hall, and Tripp Commons. The lottery includes reservations for some Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

  • Space allocations for the following year are determined via lottery in the fall and spring
  • You must attend the Large Space Lottery the semester before your event.
  • For more information on these lotteries, visit the Campus Event Services Office website
  • To participate:
    • Read the RSO Large Social Event information
    • Have one RSO member attend the lottery drawing
    • Register between 4:00PM and 4:50PM
  • Requirements:
    • One entry per RSO per lottery
    • Be a RSO at the time of the lottery
    • One large room reservation per RSO per month maximum

ROOM ASSIGNMENTS

  • Assigned by estimated attendance and needs
  • Requests for specific spaces will be honored whenever possible
    • If your RSO has a standard weekly meeting, submit your request online because of additional time needed to process this
    • Rooms are typically assigned one week before an event
    • Check the “Today in the Union” (TITU) boards at Union entrances or online at http://www.union.wisc.edu/TITU/ to locate the specific room assigned
  • Building use demands may require your meeting to be scheduled in a classroom

SPACE RESERVATION FEES

  • Rooms are free if:
    • The event is free
    • The ticket price covers only the cost of a catered meal
    • Open to the university community
  • Rooms have a fee if:
    • There is an admission charge
    • There is a “donation requested”
    • This fee is determined by several factors
  • Call Campus Event Services Office for details
    • Extra time is needed to complete the paperwork for admission events
    • For fundraising activities in university facilities refer to the fundraising information and activities section of the Resource and Policy Guide
  • Rental charges for equipment and special services when using the Sett, Rathskeller or Marquee
    • Payment is due at the time of reservation

POLICIES:

REFRESHMENTS

  • RSOs may NOT bring in their own food to events in Memorial Union or Union South.  They must order the food from the Union.
  • Wisconsin Union Catering and Wisconsin Union Deli Division offer beverage and/or food service for group events
    • 20% discount for RSOs on pick-up menus
    • 10% discount for RSOs on full-service Catering menus
    • To receive the above discounts you must pay with: RSO Funds, Division of Student Life RSO-Program funds, or Other RSO program grant funds
  • Food request must be submitted 2 weeks prior to your event
  • No outside food or beverage is allowed in meeting spaces
    • Charges may be assessed to groups violating this policy
    • Pizza is allowed in the facility if it is for a closed RSO meeting
  • For more details contact Campus Event Services at 608-262-2511 or visit the Catering Website
  • To cancel catering services, the notice must be received at least 5 working days prior via email.

INVITING THE GENERAL PUBLIC

  • RSOs may only use university facilities for events intended primarily for UW System Students, faculty, and staff
  • If you are promoting your event off campus or electronically, promotional material, advertising, and other publicity must:
    • Indicate that “attendance is limited to UW System students, faculty, and staff”
    • Note clearly and prominently the name of the RSO as the sponsor of the event
  • The General Public may be invited only if a university department (in conjunction with the RSO) is the primary sponsor.  A sponsorship letter, signed by an approved signatory from the sponsoring university department, must be received and approved by the Campus Event Services Office.

POLITICAL EVENTS

  • RSOs may use university facilities for political purposes provided they follow the university’s specific policies and codes for political programs and advertising
  • CfLI is available to help RSOs in their efforts to develop informed voters and encourage civic engagement
  • Refer to Political Campaigning Policy on the Policies page of this Guide
  • Also refer to Facility Use Policies and Guidelines
  • Contact Event Services at (608) 262-2511 for more assistance

AV EQUIPMENT

  • Basic audio/visual equipment, such as projector, screen, sound amplification, extension cords, and more, is free for RSOs using Union spaces
  • When using the Sett, the Rathskeller, the Marquee, or certain event services, there will be an attached fee for AV equipment
  • If using a space where there is no built-in AV, use of equipment is subject to availability
  • For a complete list of AV costs, including which facets are complimentary, please visit Union AV Equipment

UNION THEATER RENTAL

  • New requests for Shannon Hall or the Play Circle need to be submitted at least 6 weeks before the requested date of the event.
  • Event requests that are dependent on campus based grants or ASM funding must be submitted at least 9 weeks in advance of the requested date of the event.
  • When submitting requests, please complete the Theater Space Request Form and include as much detail about your event as possible. The more involved the event, the more staffing is required.  Even if the theater is available on the date and time requested, we may not be able to properly and safely support your event.
  • For weekday, daytime events
    • Hiring IATSE crew is likely necessary and will incur higher labor costs;
    • Contracting an outside vendor to provide live streaming services may be necessary, which may increase costs.

CLASSROOM SPACE RESERVATIONS

Registered Student Organizations can reserve space in academic buildings for organization events and meetings.  There are many rooms of various sizes available to be reserved, so work with Campus Event Services to find a room to meet your needs.

HOW TO RESERVE:

There are multiple ways to reserve space in academic buildings.  All reservations MUST be made by noon the business day before the meeting (noon Friday if the meeting occurs on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday)

  1. Online at http://union.ems.wisc.edu/
    • Series reservations must be submitted online due to additional time needed to process the request
  2. Via email at events@union.wisc.edu
  3. By calling (608) 262-2511
  4. In-person at the Campus Event Services Office (2 locations):
    • Memorial Union
      2nd floor, Room 2224
      800 Langdon St.
      Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
    • Union South
      3rd floor Union Administration Suite, Room 335M
      1308 W. Dayton St.
      Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm

ROOM ASSIGNMENTS

  • Assigned by estimated attendance and needs
  • Requests for specific spaces will be honored whenever possible; however, cannot be guaranteed.
    • If your RSO has a standard weekly meeting, submit your request online because of additional time needed to process this
  • Rooms are typically assigned one week prior to the event date.  If a reservation is made within one week, rooms are confirmed again the day prior to the event.

ROOM RESERVATION FEES

  • Rooms are free if:
    • The event is free
    • The ticket price covers only the cost of a catered meal
    • Open to the university community
  • Rooms have a fee if:
    • There is an admission charge
    • There is a “donation requested”
    • This fee is determined by several factors
      • Call Campus Event Services Office for details
    • Extra time is needed to complete the paperwork for admission events
    • For fundraising activities in university facilities refer to the fundraising information and activities section of the Resource and Policy Guide

POLICIES

REFRESHMENTS

  • No food is allowed in campus classrooms

INVITING THE GENERAL PUBLIC

  • RSOs may only use university facilities for events intended primarily for UW System Students, faculty, and staff
  • If you are promoting your event off campus or electronically, promotional material, advertising, and other publicity must:
    • Indicate that “attendance is limited to UW System students, faculty, and staff”
    • Note clearly and prominently the name of the RSO as the sponsor of the event
  • The General Public may be invited only if a university department (in conjunction with the RSO) is the primary sponsor

POLITICAL EVENTS

  • RSOs may use university facilities for political purposes provided they follow the university’s specific policies and codes for political programs and advertising
  • CfLI is available to help RSOs in their efforts to develop informed voters and encourage civic engagement
  • Refer to Student Organizations and Campaigning Activities for more information
  • Also refer to Facility Use Policies and Guidelines
  • Contact Event Services at (608) 262-2511 for more assistance

AV EQUIPMENT GUIDELINES

AV EQUIPMENT TRAINING

Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) may use the AV equipment available in select classrooms at no cost after completion of the required training available online.

RESERVING A CLASSROOM WITH AV

To reserve a classroom with AV, contact Campus Event Services (CESO). Please indicate at the time of your reservation that you need a room with AV, and the type of AV needed, as this will affect your room assignment. The Campus Event Services Office has a list of the rooms available to RSOs for reserving, and can assist you on which room will work best for your event.

AV TRAINING

Click here to access the AV Equipment training

CHECKING OUT AV KEYS

Once your group is registered and has viewed the training, come to CfLI, 3rd floor Red Gym, by 5:30pm on the day before or the day of the event to pick up keys to the AV cabinets and to be given any access codes. You’ll be asked to sign an agreement form, assuring that you viewed the training and that keys will be returned by 5:30pm of the next workday after your event (if the event is on a Saturday or Sunday, it must be returned on the following Monday). If keys are not returned in the manner required, the student organization representative will be held personally liable and subject to monetary penalties and the RSO’s status as a registered student organization, and all of its rights and privileges, may be revoked.

STUDENT ACTIVITY CENTER (SAC) RESERVATIONS

Registered Student Organizations are eligible to reserve rooms in the SAC free of charge. The SAC has 7 fixed conference rooms with AV and one multi-purpose room with mirrors and a sprung wood floor.

HOW TO RESERVE:

  1. Online at http://union.ems.wisc.edu/
  2. Via email at sac@asm.wisc.edu
  3. By calling (608) 890-2966
  4. In person at the SAC Reception Desk on 3rd floor

Fall reservations are accepted beginning August 1.

Spring or summer reservations are accepted beginning December 1.

Please review the full SAC Reservation Policy for more information.

HOUSING RESERVATIONS

Event Space Reservations and Collaboration with University Housing

Registered Student Organizations are welcome to reserve space for their activities and events in the following University Housing locations: Gordon Dining & Event Center, Frank Holt Center, Carson Gulley Center, and the Lake Mendota Room in Dejope Hall.  Fees may apply for room rental, AV equipment, and catering.  Please consult the University Housing website for more information at https://www.housing.wisc.edu/about/plan-events/.

Registered Student Organizations are not eligible to reserve space in the residence halls. Co-sponsorship of programs in Housing is decentralized. RSOs will need to work with students and staff of a particular residence hall, learning community, or the Center for Cultural Enrichment (CCE) to co-sponsor a program. RSOs are encouraged to consider if certain halls, learning communities, or the CCE are a particular fit to the mission of their organization (i.e.: particular academic emphasis, international or cultural mission, focus on first-year students or other student populations, etc.) and to work specifically with those programs. Events held in University Housing space must be open to all Housing residents of the designated hall or program, and the main audience for the event must be University Housing residents. Please allow at least 4-6 weeks for the collaborative planning process. Staff information is listed under each residence hall name on the Housing website at http://www.housing.wisc.edu/residencehalls-halls.htm.

Information/Literature Distribution Table Reservations

Information tables may be requested to distribute information in four locations: Four Lakes Market (in Dejope Hall), Rheta’s Market (in Chadbourne Hall), Frank Holt Center, and the Gordon Dining & Event Center. Reservations for information tables should be made at least one week in advance by submitting a request at https://housing.ems.wisc.edu/. Information table reservations are only available during the Academic Year Monday-Friday when classes are in session.

POLICIES

INVITING THE GENERAL PUBLIC

  • RSOs may only use university facilities for events intended primarily for UW System Students, faculty, and staff
  • If you are promoting your event off campus or electronically, promotional material, advertising, and other publicity must:
    • Indicate that “attendance is limited to UW System students, faculty, and staff”
    • Note clearly and prominently the name of the RSO as the sponsor of the event
  • The General Public may be invited only if a university department in conjunction with the RSO is the primary sponsor

POLITICAL EVENTS

  • RSOs may use university facilities for political purposes provided they follow the university’s specific policies and codes for political programs and advertising
  • CfLI is available to help RSOs in their efforts to develop informed voters and encourage civic engagement
  • Refer to Student Organizations and Campaigning Activities for more information
  • Refer to the Residence Life Manual on Political Campaigning for policies set by the Division of University Housing and Residence Hall Advisory Board

OUTDOOR SPACES ON CAMPUS

Registered Student Organizations can reserve outdoor space on campus for organization events.  There are many spaces of various sizes and designed for different purposes available to be reserved, so work with Campus Event Services to find a space to meet your needs.  The various spaces are listed below based on what department you will need to work with to reserve them.

LIBRARY MALL, EAST CAMPUS MALL, BASCOM HILL, ALUMNI PARK

  1. Library Mall is the grassy area between Memorial Library and the State Historical Society Building, including the fountain.
  2. East Campus Mall is the area between West Johnson and University Ave adjacent to University Square.
  3. Bascom Hill is only reserved for signage displays.  Only the lower section of the hill may be reserved.
  4. Alumni Park is the area between the Red Gym and Memorial Union.

HOW TO RESERVE:

  • Complete an online Campus Outdoor Space Request Form (login to the system and under reservation requests select the Outdoor Request option)
  • This form will then be sent to members of the campus community to approve or deny the request.  This takes at least 5 business days

POLICIES

LIBRARY MALL

  • Will ordinarily not be reserved for events requiring sound amplification
  • May not be reserved for selling, peddling or soliciting activity unless sponsored by  a university department
  • Reservations for displays or other continuous events will be limited to two consecutive days.  See Use of Library Mall Guidelines for more information

EAST CAMPUS MALL

  • Uses must preserve thoroughfare access for pedestrians and access to retail businesses
  • The Amphitheater area may only be reserved by University groups
  • Will ordinarily not be reserved for events requiring sound amplification
  • May not be reserved for selling, peddling, or soliciting activity unless sponsored by  a university department
  • Reservations for displays or other continuous events will be limited to two consecutive days.  See Use of East Campus Mall Guidelines for more information

BASCOM HILL—LOWER THIRD AREA ONLY

ALUMNI PARK

  • Reservations will be taken beginning in early 2018
  • Event must be sponsored by a UW department or WFAA
  • Can be reserved for events that align with the park mission: educating about alumni; fostering alumni connections (with the university, other alumni, students, and community); and teaching, learning and programming related to the park and its content
  • Full Policy (G-24)

RECWELL RESERVATIONS

RecWell Reservations and Rentals Website: https://recwell.wisc.edu/reservations/

Rental Policies: https://recwell.wisc.edu/policies/

RecWell Rental Process

Step 1: Submit the online Event Request Form. Please allow three business days for us to respond to your request. Organizations must be free of unresolved issues related to prior use of facilities.

  • RSOs or university departments: Submit the request form at least two weeks prior to the date of the event. All RSOs must be in good standing with the Center for Leadership and Involvement.
  • Non-university affiliated organizations: Submit the request form at least four weeks prior to the date of the event.

Step 2: You may be contacted by the Events office to discuss details and logistics.

Step 3: Our team will compile the information and create a confirmation contract. The confirmation will be emailed to you to review, sign, and return. The event is officially scheduled when the following conditions are met:

  • The cost estimate is accepted by the requesting party
  • Confirmation contract is signed and returned no later than one week prior to event
  • If applicable, groups will also need to provide a certificate of insurance and/or sign a vending agreement

Step 4: After the event has occurred, our team will send an invoice. The account must be settled within 30 days. Specific instructions will be provided at that time.

Priority Use System:

  • Indoor Facilities
    • University Recreation & Wellbeing requests
    • Academic Classes*
    • Registered Student Organization (RSO) requests
    • Campus Department/Program requests
    • Non-University requests (Schools, Community Organizations, etc.)
  • Outdoor Fields
    • University Recreation & Wellbeing requests
    • Academic Classes*
    • Registered Student Organization (RSO) requests
    • Campus Department/Program requests
    • Non-University requests (Schools, Community Organizations, etc.)

*Academic Class Times in Rec Well Managed Facilities are:

Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.  Priority will be given to Rec Well users during the 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and the 4:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. time periods each weekday.

Indoor Rentals:

The gyms may only be rented on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to accommodate informal recreational use and Rec Well programming throughout the week.

The studios can be used for a variety of events. However, equipment including mats, fitness, audio and visual is not available for use unless a Rec Well Group Fitness instructor is present.

Cancellation Policy:

Event cancellations must be submitted one full week prior to the event. To cancel your event, email events@recwell.wisc.edu with your name, the reserving group’s name, the date of the event and the reason why you wish to cancel. Within three business days you will receive an email acknowledging your cancellation for no cost. Advance payments will be refunded in this case.

Groups attempting to cancel less than one week in advance will be responsible for any staffing charges that would have accrued and may be subject to partial or full payment for their event. Cancellations occurring less than one week prior to the event will result in a forfeiture of any advance payments that have been made.

Rental Rates:

Facility Rates

https://recwell.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1075/2019/09/FY20-Facility-Rates-Rebrand.pdf

Equipment Rates

https://recwell.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1075/2019/11/FY20-Equipment-Rates-Rebrand1.pdf

Employee Rates

https://recwell.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1075/2019/09/FY20-Employee-Rates-Rebrand.pdf

OUTDOOR SPACE (CITY)

Registered Student Organizations can reserve space on City Sidewalks and State Street Mall for organization events and meetings. Look below for policies and instructions on how to reserve these spaces.

CITY SIDEWALKS

HOW TO RESERVE:

To reserve city sidewalks, including sidewalks on Langdon Street and University Avenue, check the City of Madison Special Events website or call the Madison Parks Division 608-266-6033, for information about use of these and other sidewalk areas.

STATE STREET MALL

The State Street Mall extends the entire length of State Street from the Capitol Square all the way down to Park Street. There are five performance areas on State St. and the Capitol Square where amplification is allowed at designated times and where electrical outlets are available. Check the Downtown Performance Space web site for information on how to apply on-line for Performance/Amplification permits.

AMPLIFICATION PERMIT AREAS AND AVAILABLE TIMES

State St. Mall, 700-800 State St. Performance area is where State St. Mall, East Campus Mall and Library Mall intersect.

  • Available daily – 12:30-1:30pm OR 5:00-7:00pm

Peace (Elizabeth Link) Park – 452 State Street

  • Mon. – Wed. 12-1pm OR 5-7pm
  • Thu. – Sun. 12-1pm, 1:30-2:30pm, 3:00-4:00pm, 4:30-5:30pm OR 6-7pm

The Forum – top of State St., next to Veteran’s Museum

  • Sun. – Fri. – 12:00-1:00pm OR 5:00-7:00pm
  • Sat. – 9:30-11am, 11:30-1pm OR 5:00-7:00pm

Rotary Plaza – 100 N Hamilton St. – next to Children’s Museum

  • Sun. – Fri. – 12:00-1:00pm OR 5:00-7:00pm
  • Sat. – 9:30-11am, 11:30-1pm OR 5:00-7:00pm

Concrete Park / Frances Plaza – 500 N. Frances St., where N. Frances meets State St.

  • Available daily – 12:00-1:00pm OR 5:00-7:00pm

Permitted events have priority at these locations. Permits are not required at these spaces if there is no amplification associated with the activity, no set-up (for example tables, tents or chairs) and you do not need to reserve the space exclusively for your activity. By ordinance MGO 24.04(3) Amplification Permits are strictly limited to these locations and times. Amplification Permits are $15.00 plus a $0.25/hour electrical fee.

HOW TO RESERVE:

To reserve these spaces outside the time periods indicated above, a Street Use Permit is required. Street Use Permit Applications must be received at least 30 days prior to the date requested. There is a non-refundable application fee of $100.00 for this permit, with additional fees depending on equipment and services provided.