What is a Major Event? 

A major event is any on-campus event hosted by a non-departmental entity, such as an RSO, that meets at least one of the following criteria. Please note that Events scheduled, organized, and supervised by campus academic and administrative departments are not subject to this policy

Major Event Criteria:

• 300 or more people are expected to attend.
• Authorized campus officials determine the event is likely to significantly affect campus safety and security (based on assessment from the UCPD) or significantly affect campus services other than those provided by the administrative unit making the event facility available (including kiosk guards, service roads, or parking);
• Authorized campus officials determine the event has a substantial likelihood of interfering with campus functions or activities other than the functions and activities of the administrative unit making the event facility available;
• The event is a dance as defined by this policy (as distinguished from a performance during which the performers are dancing) or a concert featuring amplified sound, at which a majority of the audience is not seated;
• Alcohol is intended to be served, unless the event is a memorial service reception attended by fewer than 300 people or is an event at the Lawrence Hall of Science, the Botanical Garden, Blake House, or Anthony Hall; or
• Outdoor amplified sound is requested.

Important Major Event Policy Deadlines:

• 6 weeks prior to the event date: submit the ENSA form, RSO Major Event Registration form, and request a campus venue.*
• 5 weeks prior to the event date: meet with the Director of Major Events.
• 2 weeks prior to the event date: apply for event insurance through Campus Connexions
• 1 week prior to the event date: provide a Certificate of Insurance for your RSO*

*These are hard deadlines. If major event hosts are unable to meet these deadlines, their event reservations shall be modified to not have major event status and/or may be subject to cancellation.

Planning a Major Event on campus:

• Start planning your event as soon as possible. Starting at least 8 weeks prior to your desired event date is typically the minimum. You may need to start working on your event before the semester begins to ensure you comply with the deadlines outlined in the major event policy.

• Begin planning your event by contacting OASIS and emailing your organizational advisor with all the information you have about your proposed event. Your OASIS advisor will help you:
  • Review the required event forms: RSO Major Event Registration Form and the UCPD Event Notification and Security Assessment Form (ENSA).
  • Review event details and strategize to identify the optimal venue options to best meet your event criteria
  • Support the development of purpose, scope, and goals of the event
  • Develop an event planning timeline
  • Identifying the audience and impact of the event
  • Connect you to funding opportunities on or off campus

What if my proposed Major Event is less than 6 weeks away?

You may potentially hold the event on campus, but only if you agree to make some adjustments to the event.

• You may reschedule the event to allow at least 6 calendar weeks for the required security assessment and planning in accordance with the major event policy timeline.

• If you cannot reschedule your event, remove the element of the event that prompts the major event. For example:
  • If your event is less than 6 weeks away and you intend to serve alcohol, removing alcohol from the event removes the major event status.
  • If your event features outdoor amplified sound, removing the outdoor amplified sound element means the event is no longer subject to the major event policy.

• If rescheduling or removing elements of the event are not viable, a student organization may seek a campus department or other university entity to take over and sponsor of the event. Please note that in a sponsorship arrangement the event is no longer a student event, but rather a campus event that a campus department must agree to take on all financial liability, provide department staffing for, and has the authority and obligation to end the event if dangerous circumstances arise.
  • Transferring event responsibility to a department or unit must involve direct communication from the department to the venue stating the department is taking on and accepting responsibility for the event. This communication should also include the student leader, but communication must originate from a department point person.

MEP FAQs

UCPD Events Site

List of Campus Venues (scroll to Appendix C)