Student Organization Resource & Policy Guide

Reserving Space

Once your organization is registered with the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement (formerly 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 comply with 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 for political purposes are only open to students, faculty and staff as outlined in

If an event will have attendees under the age of 18 years, RSOs should consult with the Office of Youth Protection at least 45 days in advance to determine if the event falls within policies related to youth participation.

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.

Inviting the General Public:

Generally, RSOs may only reserve university facilities for events intended primarily for students, faculty, and staff. If you are promoting your on-campus event, promotional material, advertising, and other publicity must indicate that “attendance is limited to students, faculty, and staff” and note clearly and prominently the name of the RSO hosting the event.

The general public may be invited only if authorized in writing by the chancellor or their designee, the event is sponsored by a university college, department, office, or school, or the event is at the invitation of the chancellor, vice chancellor, dean, or director.

  • To establish that an event has been sponsored, an RSO shall submit a letter to the appropriate space contracting department no later than two weeks prior to the event on college, department, office, or school letterhead signed by the sponsoring chair, dean, or director that states that the college, department, office, or school will assume responsibility for all administrative, financial, and insurance responsibilities associated with the proposed use of space. The head of the sponsoring unit or their designee must also be present for the duration of a sponsored event and will be responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy.
  • To establish that an RSO is hosting an event at the invitation of an authorized inviter, an RSO shall submit a letter to the appropriate space contracting department on chancellor’s office, provost’s office, vice chancellor’s office, college, or center letterhead signed by the authorized inviter no later than two weeks prior to the event. An RSO hosting an event at the invitation of an authorized inviter shall be responsible for all administrative, financial, and insurance responsibilities associated with the event and shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy.

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. SOLI is available to help RSOs in their efforts to develop informed voters and encourage civic engagement. For more information, please also refer to the Political Activity page of this Guide and the Facility Use Policies and Guidelines. RSOs may also contact Wisconsin Union Event Services (events@union.wisc.edu) for more assistance.

Registered Student Organizations can reserve space in Memorial Union, Union South, and Red Gym 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. More information for Registered Student Organizations can be found on the Union’s RSO Reservation Page.

RSOs receive the following free booking opportunities:

  • 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.

How to Reserve:

Series and single reservations can be submitted through our online portal. All reservations must be made at least 3 business days in advance.

You can contact Campus Event Services with any questions by:

  1. Via email to events@union.wisc.edu
  2. By calling (608) 262-2511
  3. In Person at the Campus Event Services Office located in the Memorial Union on the 2nd floor (Room 2224) or in Union South on the 3rd floor (Room 335M). Our CESO locations are open during the academic year Monday-Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

Room Assignments

  • Rooms are typically assigned one week before an event
  • Check the “Today in the Union” (TITU) boards at Union entrances or online to locate the specific room assigned
  • Rooms are assigned by estimated attendance and needs
  • Requests for specific spaces will be honored whenever possible, but cannot be guaranteed without the payment of a deposit
  • Building use demands may require your meeting to be scheduled in a classroom

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 Fridays and Saturday nights, as well as select Thursdays and Sundays.

  • 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:
  • Requirements:
    • One entry per RSO per lottery
    • Be a RSO at the time of the lottery
    • One large room reservation per RSO per semester maximum
    • While most of our large spaces are booked at the RSO Lottery, requests after the lottery are accepted at least 4 weeks prior to your event via banquet request form here. These will be assigned based off of availability.

Space Reservation Fees

  • Most spaces are free to RSOs when using the standard for free booking opportunities. A fee is added if RSOs are charging an admission fee. RSOs have the opportunity to pay a deposit if they are interested in booking beyond their free booking opportunities or outside of the standard timelines.
    • RSOs are charged for the use of certain equipment or special services. Most pricing can be found here.
  • 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 does offer exceptions for Registered Student Organization-sponsored events for groups of up to 500 people as part of their efforts to support authenticity in cultural food events. Please see Wisconsin Union Procedure DS1-4e for details, and be in contact with Wisconsin Union’s Campus Events Services Office (CESO) at least 3 months in advance.
  • 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 3 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 (events@union.wisc.edu) or visit the Catering Website
  • To cancel catering services, the notice must be received at least 5 working days prior via email.

AV Equipment

  • Basic audio/visual equipment, such as projector, screen, sound amplification, extension cords, and more, is free for RSOs using Union spaces. Please be sure to request AV services on your reservation
  • When using the Sett, the Rathskeller, the Marquee, or certain event services, there will be an attached fee for AV equipment
  • For a complete list of AV costs, including which facets are complimentary, please visit the Audiovisual Technology Page.

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.

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:

Series and single reservations can be submitted through our online portal. All reservations must be made at least 3 business days in advance.

You can contact Campus Event Services with any questions by:

  1. Via email to events@union.wisc.edu
  2. By calling (608) 262-2511
  3. In Person at the Campus Event Services Office located in the Memorial Union on the 2nd floor (Room 2224) or in Union South on the 3rd floor (Room 335M). Our CESO locations are open during the academic year Monday-Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

Room Assignments

  • Rooms are assigned by the Curricular Services team based off availability. Timeline for assignments will depend on the time of year.
  • Check the “Today in the Union” (TITU) boards at Union entrances or online to locate the specific room assigned
  • Assigned by estimated attendance and needs
  • Requests for specific spaces will be honored whenever possible; however, cannot be guaranteed.

Room Reservation Fees

Most spaces are free to RSOs when using the standard for free booking opportunities. A fee is added if RSOs are charging an admission fee.

Policies:

Refreshments

  • No food is allowed in campus classrooms

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.

Checking Out AV Keys

A physical key for the AV podium is not needed.

Email av@fpm.wisc.edu or call 608-890-4900 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm) for more information.

Classroom AV system help is available during normal business hours.

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. If within 3 days prior to event:
    • Via email at soli@union.wisc.edu
    • By calling (608) 263-036
    • In person at the SAC Reception Desk on 3rd floor

Fall reservations are accepted beginning August 1.

Spring reservations are accepted beginning December 1.

Summer reservations are accepted beginning April 1.

Policies:

Review UW Policy-2021 for more information.

Event Space Reservations and Collaboration with University Housing

Registered Student Organizations are welcome to reserve space for their activities and events in non-residential University Housing locations. Fees may apply for room rental, AV equipment, and catering.  Please consult the University Housing website for more information.

Registered Student Organizations are not eligible to reserve space in the residential spaces. Co-sponsorship of programs in Housing is decentralized. RSOs will need to work with 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.

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 two weeks 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.

Rec Well Reservations and Rentals Website

How To Reserve:

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 Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement (formerly CfLI).
  • 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.

Policies:

Please see Rec Well website for more information.

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

See Rec Well’s Reservation page for rates.

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 Wisconsin Union 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. Please also refer to UW-6000 Section II for more policy information about using outdoor space on campus.

Library Mall, East Campus Mall, Bascom Hill, Alumni Park

  • Library Mall is the grassy area between Memorial Library and the State Historical Society Building, including the fountain.
  • East Campus Mall is the area between West Johnson and University Ave adjacent to University Square.
  • Bascom Hill is only reserved for signage displays.  Only the lower section of the hill may be reserved.
  • 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 7 business days, but may require a longer approval period depending on the nature of the event.
    • If you would like reserve outdoor space for a Run/Walk, Please fill out this form and check out the Run/Walk Guidelines Page.
    • This must be done at least a month prior to your event.
    • Review UW-6047 if your event takes place in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve.

Policies:

Library Mall

  • Use of Library Mall does not require a reservation unless the proposed event will involve chairs, displays, sound amplification, tables, or temporary structures.
  • Although reservation may not be required, events for which reservations have been made take priority over use of Library Mall without a reservation.
  • Reservations are limited to two consecutive days.

East Campus Mall

  • Reservable space is bounded by University Avenue to the north and West Johnson Street to the south and must preserve thoroughfare access for pedestrians and access to retail businesses
  • Reservations are only required if the event will involve chairs, displays, sound amplification, tables, or temporary structures.
  • RSOs are limited to three separate reservations for fundraising purposes during an academic year.
  • Reservations are limited to two consecutive days.

Bascom Hill (Lower Third Only)

  • The only reservable portion of the hill is the lower green space. Use is limited to display of items (e.g., banners, signs, balloons, other displays), and use must not support candidates in municipal, county, state, or national elections. All use of Bascom Hill is subject to UW-6013 Expressive Activity.
  • Reservations of the space are limited to a single day between sunrise and 7:00 p.m. and have a limit of three reservations per academic year.

Alumni Park

  • Events must be sponsored by the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.
  • 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.
  • See Alumni Park Policy for more information.

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 Street and the Capitol Square where amplification is allowed at designated times and where electrical outlets are available: State Street Mall, Peace (Elizabeth Link) Park, The Forum, Rotary Plaza, and Concrete Park/Frances Plaza. Check the Downtown Performance Space website for information on how to apply on-line for Performance/Amplification permits and for information about sound amplification permit areas and available times.

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.