There are several special considerations to make when planning a Run/Walk event on campus. To begin, please complete the UW-Madison Run/Walk Request Form to reserve UW Campus space for a Run/Walk. The rest of this page outlines other important information to keep in mind throughout the planning process.
Contacting Campus Departments
As the organizer, you are responsible for contacting the following campus departments. This is done after you have completed the above form and submitted them into Campus Events Services (CESO).
- Risk Management: Waivers/Liability Insurance
- If your event is open to the public, you must contact Risk Management (Debbie Beich at 262-8926) for waiver and/or liability insurance information. This must be done before you print any materials for your event.
- UW Police and Security
- This is for any potential road closures.
- Environmental Health (262-1809)
- If the food is being distributed at no charge and is prepackaged/ready to eat, then no permit or calling Environmental Health is required. Examples of these types of foods include candy bars, bags of chips, canned and bottled beverage, whole fruits (oranges/apples/bananas), and individually wrapped pastries. If non-prepackaged, or on-site prepared foods (such as grilled hamburgers, brats, or pancakes) are being prepared and given away, a permit is needed. If food is being sold, even if it is only pre-packaged and ready to eat, a Temporary Food Stand permit is required. If the food is being donated, please see CESO for a “Sponsorship Addendum to Registered Student Organizations Facility Use Agreement”. This form contains information on food donations.
- Physical Plant (263-3333)
- In order to rent from the Physical Plant, a departmental requisition is needed. If you don’t have a requisition, you could rent the tables from any of the various local rental companies such as A to Z or Madison Party Rental.
Additional Guidelines
The following are additional guidelines that must be followed for all Run/Walks on the UW Campus:
- Groups will be held financially responsible for any damage done to the path or surrounding plants as a result of their event. Groups must respect the narrowness of paths and not trample the plant life on the edges.
- No permanent paint for marking route, use regular chalk or liquid chalk.
- No aid stations, water tables or stops can be located in the woods.
- Groups must clean up all trash immediately after the run/walk is completed.
- If an RSO wishes to open the run//walk to the public, the RSO must comply with at least one of the following conditions:
- The on campus event/activity is sponsored by an RSO and is in support of a specific non-profit charity, as defined above, provided that (1) the event will not include sales of any products; (2) all or a portion of the fee/donation will go to the non-profit charity; (3) the exact amount of the individual fee/donation that will go to the non-profit charity is specified in all promotions; (4) if the RSO wants to hold the event the following year, they need to demonstrate that the funds from the previous year were received by the given non-profit entity.
- The event is co-sponsored by a University Department, in which case the funds must be deposited in the appropriate university account.
- The Chancellor or his/her designee authorizes an exception. In most cases for RSO/departmental reservations, the Campus Event Services Office will authorize such an exception to revenue producing policies.