Successful campus events require attention to detail and advance planning. In order to aid you in the event planning process and make sure your event runs as smoothly as possible, we have created the following resource guides:

• Event Planning Checklist (updated 12/2021)
• Protocol for Hosting Campus Speakers

In addition to these guides, all event planners should review the Freedom of Expression Policy and be aware of all other campus and departmental policies that may apply to their events.

Student Events Summit

Student Events Summit exists to create better communication and support for student planners during the programming proposal process. The events summit serves three purposes:

1. Address over-saturation of competing student events during peak dates and times.
2. Ensuring student planners are equipped with the right resources to include logistical details, equipment rental, staffing and security, AV equipment and technical support, catering and confirmation of legal contracts/riders with vendors, speakers, and performers.
3. The event Summit Committee serves as the approving body for student-planned events, offering formal approval once all of the logistical details are settled, before planners can seek CCSGA funding support.

Options for Student Events Summit Attendance:

1. Students are welcome to come to Student Events Summit early in the planning process for all events, in order to gain advice and guidance from the group. To schedule an appointment to discuss an upcoming event, please submit your event on the Presence Portal. If you have questions or concerns, please email Crystal Hurtado (churtado@coloradocollege.edu).
   • Taste of the World, the NASU Powwow, Dance Workshop, and Llamapalooza are all good examples of this. Student planners of these events begin attending SES meetings months prior to the event in order to ask the group what dates OR spaces may work best for such large events that have complex needs and special requirements as well as make sure these events are working within campus protocols and policies.
2. Most often students are invited by email to come to Student Events Summit after submitting a room reservation request; while the room request process only requires 10 day advance notice, the sooner room requests are submitted the more support Student Event Summit and CCSGA are able to provide.

Composition:

Student Events Summit is a weekly meeting with key campus partners that provide and execute services at student events. These partners include: 

• Facilities Events Setup: Kris Higginbotham
• AV Setup: Louis Knox
• Campus Safety: Cathy Buckley or designee
• Campus Activities & Student Life: Andrew Beck and Erica Perry-Tuitel.
• If outdoor events are proposed, Grounds: John Nichols
• If alcohol or catered events are proposed - Catering
• If the venues are requested: Justine Square for the Robson Arena, Shaylan Quinn for Cornerstone.
• If city permits or policies are in play: Colorado Springs Police Department Campus Representative
• If sanitaiton is needed: Jay Jeanneret or designee, Sodexo 

Structure:

• Student Events Summits are held each Wednesday from 12:30-2 pm in the Worner Student Event Space
• Event planners will either be contacted by Crystal Hurtado to schedule an appointment or should proactively email Crystal to set up an appointment.
• The organization program coordinator/representative is to remain in waiting area until their event is called on the agenda; while waiting the event rep should complete the pre-Summit Event Planning Checklist.
• Student Org coordinator/representative(s) briefly describes their event (who, what, when, where, why, & how) and has an opportunity to ask questions or make additional requests for support.
• Approval consideration is based on the level of preparation and progress made by the student org planners and their members to include:
  • Funding: Has adequate funding been secured?
  • Safety & Risk Management: Is the safety plan realistic and appropriate? This can involve a combination of professional staff from the College and StaffPro security guards, and the plan must be approved by Campus Safety. Depending the nature of the event, participants may be required to sign waivers and event planners are expected to be partners in mitigating risk at their event.
  • AV: Is AV able to provide the required audiovisual equipment and staff?
  • Event Equipment: Is Facilities able to provide the required tables, chairs, staging, etc? If not, is the event planner able to provide extra funding to rent items from an outside vendor? Does Facilities have the time and resources to set up during work hours? If not, is the event planner able to provide extra funding for overtime charges?
  • Impact to Campus Space: Does the venue manager feel comfortable about the potential impact to the space? Will the space be able to be adequately cleaned before the next event in that venue?
  • Level of Commitment of Student Organization/Planners: Are they able to keep up with the demands of event planning at this time or have they fallen behind in their task list?
• In the instance of non-approval, we usually offer the opportunity for the student to change the date or location of their proposed event.
• Approved events are marked as confirmed in the CC Events Management system so that events can be adequately tracked and service orders can be generated.

Reserving a Room

It is the student organization's responsibility to reserve a space at least 10 days before anticipated event - this means that the student makes the request and receives a confirmation that the space is available. Student planners are not to enter any contract or agreement until a space for the event is secured and they have participated in and be granted approval by STUDENT EVENT SUMMIT.

When you reserve a venue, you can also add service orders (support/ equipment from given departments: AV, Events, etc.). For a step-by-step guide on how to reserve a room and input service orders, click here. 

Please note that students do not have the authority to sign contracts - persons authorized to sign contracts are college officials: Campus Activities Director, and/or Faculty/Staff Advisor (after confirmation that an event is approved via Events Summit). If CCSGA funding is used in full or in part to satisfy a contract - a copy of the contract must be provided for budget reconciliation.