Convocation Center

Auditoriums

Classrooms & Computer Labs

Misc. Spaces

Ballrooms

Auditoriums

Classrooms & Computer Labs

Misc. Spaces

Purpose

• The primary purpose of campus event venues is the facilitation of University of North Georgia (UNG) academic and academically related activities. When space is not being utilized for these purposes, it will be made available to other users, both internal and external, according to the scheduling priority tiers listed below, with the Office of Event & Venue Operations exercising discretion regarding the appropriate use of space.

Scheduling

• Requests for space for UNG departmental and Registered Student Organization (RSO) events may be made by submitting a request via Series 25 or UNG Connect, respectively.
• Requests for the use of campus event venues by external organizations must be submitted to the Office of Operations by completing the External Event Request Form. 
• Availability of spaces for external groups will be determined by the UNG Office of Event & Venue Operations in accordance with UNG Policy Number 10386745. The Office of Event & Venue Operations reserves the right to make adjustments to reservations, up to redirecting events and meetings to new spaces or cancellation, when circumstances warrant; cancellations will not be made without prior notification.
• Campus event venues are intended for one-time events or for brief series of meetings. External users may request a maximum of two separate events at any one time, and a maximum of five consecutive days in any one month unless otherwise authorized by the Office of Event & Venue Operations. Event spaces are not intended and will not be approved for long-term training or semester-long meetings for external organizations without prior approval from the Office of Event & Venue Operations.
• All events must include a minimum of one-and-a-half hours prior to and after the event for setup and teardown purposes. This ensures a minimum three-hour gap between events to facilitate room turnover activities. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis and at the sole discretion of the Office of Event & Venue Operations.
• Event venues are available according to the normal operating hours of the buildings in which they are housed. Hours of operation vary from building-to-building and usage outside of these days/hours will require prior approval by the Event & Venue Operations Office.
• After-hours access by external organizations requires the scheduling of at least one UNG Public Safety Officer.

Prioritization & Space Utilization

• All reservation requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the proposed meeting or event constitutes an “appropriate use of space.” Functions requesting designated event space or multipurpose rooms which require additional resources and labor (setup and teardown of furniture, cleaning outside of typical and customary expectations, A/V equipment and support in excess of general classroom support, etc.) will be required to meet attendance minimums for the space (50% capacity or better). Spaces dedicated primarily toward food service functions, such as the Dinning Banquet Room on the Dahlonega campus, may have this requirement waived in conjunction with food service provided by Aramark, and at the discretion of Aramark management.
• Reservation requests for use of UNG facilities will be accepted based on the following priorities, consistent with UNG Policy Number 10386745:
  1. Academic activities involving course credit. These activities are directly related to the instructional mission of the University, such as classes offered for credit to enrolled students, class-related laboratories, and programmatic activities directly related to credit-bearing classes, and take place in designated classrooms and laboratories. Every effort should be made to utilize classrooms that fit the number of students participating in the course. Examples include classes scheduled in traditional classrooms or auditoriums.
  2. University-sponsored eventsas directed by the President. These include, but are not limited to, annual campus-wide events, and major events typically planned by the Office of Strategic Communications & Marketing, the Office of Admissions, or the Office of Advancement on behalf of the President. Examples include Orientation, Convocation, Commencement, and Homecoming.
  3. Academic activities other than course-related activities. These activities must be sponsored by academic departments, the Center for Global Engagement or the Office of Research and Engagement, not necessarily related to offering credit to enrolled students, but are related to the instructional mission of the University, including but not limited to seminars, conferences, lectures, and presentations by visiting scholars. The Provost approves activities encompassed by this Examples include Honors programs, hosting academic competitions, hosting guest lecturers, and educational programs offered by the Department of Professional & Continuing Education.
  4. Programs sponsored by the Dean of Students.
  5. Administrative department meetings and programs. These activities are meetings, workshops, events, and programs called by a formal administrative department of the University. These activities generally are meetings during regular business hours held in conference rooms and offices usually located in administrative facilities. These events, however, can sometimes take place in larger public spaces on campus. Examples include administrative unit meetings, retreats, and guest speakers sponsored by administrative units.
  6. Registered Student Organization-Sponsored Events. These activities are meetings, programs, and events which are sponsored by a Registered Student Organization of the University and are not-for-profit events. Use of Facilities will be granted to RSOs in accordance to the recognition status in the Student Organization Policy.
  7. Other University-Sponsored Events. A recognized University group, organization or department may sponsor an event. The sponsor is the primary planner and contact for the event and accepts full responsibility for all stages of planning and executing the event. The sponsoring organization must have a strong presence at the event and, when necessary, have a valid University account number or have approved access to a valid University account number and take fiscal responsibility for event costs. These events may involve individuals or organizations that are not affiliated with the University, but whose activities are related to the University by special sponsorship from the administration, students, faculty, or staff participation. The designation of "sponsor" requires that the program have a strong affiliation with the University. Examples include Alumni Reunions, Parent Association meetings, etc.
  8. Hosted Uses. University Community Members may host events not sponsored by the University. The designation of "host" requires that the program have an affiliation with a University Community These include programs which are important to the University because they are (a) culturally beneficial, (b) community-oriented, or (c) support a non-profit organization. Examples include hosting civic or local chamber of commerce meetings.
  9. Nonaffiliated Uses. Outside groups that are not affiliated with the University and do not qualify for University sponsorship or hosting, may use space for events. The proposed event should be consistent with the education and research mission of the University. Examples include for-profit events coordinated by the Department of Professional & Continuing Education.
• Furniture in multipurpose spaces (Cottrell, HOAG, Dining Banquet Hall, Pennington Suite, etc.) will be reserved and placed according to requests made to the space scheduler (internal events) or the Office of Event & Venue Operations (external events). External event organizers are required to attend a pre-event planning meeting with a member of the Office of Event & Venue Operations to confirm details of event, technical needs, and room layout no later than two (2) weeks prior to the event date.
• Furniture in fixed-seating spaces (i.e. auditoriums) is not to be moved or removed from the space under any circumstances.
• The Convocation Center is prioritized at all times for official UNG athletic functions and events hosted by the Office of the President. Uses outside of these are considered on a case-by-case basis when the facility is available.
• Tape of any kind, post-it notes, self-adhesive flip chart paper, tacks, pushpins, and any other types of adhesives are not allowed. Likewise, the use of candles, glitter, confetti, hay, etc. are also not permissible. The user is responsible for leaving spaces in good order and is financially responsible for any damage to or loss of UNG property.
• The user is responsible for ensuring that the scheduled meeting or activity does not disturb academic classes or other building occupants, nor interfere with work-related activities of staff.
• Food and beverages are not permitted in auditorium spaces. Refreshments may be provided in adjacent lobby or pre-function areas where applicable and must be consumed in common areas of their respective buildings (outside of the auditorium). All food and beverages must be supplied by Aramark Catering, UNG’s exclusive food service provider.
  • Note: Users must discard trash in the appropriate receptacles before entering/re-entering these spaces.

Audio/Visual Equipment & Support

• Arrangements may be made for use of audio/visual equipment by requesting services through either Series 25 for UNG departmental and RSO groups, or via the External Event Request Form for external users.
• Requests for audio/visual equipment and associated support must be made no less than two (2) weeks prior to the event date to ensure adequate time for resource planning.

Food & Beverage Service

• Food and beverage services totaling $500.00 or more must be arranged through Aramark, UNG’s exclusive campus food service provider unless an exception has been requested from and granted by Aramark.
  • Food and beverage services totaling less than $500.00 are exempt from the above requirement as long as food items are either prepackaged or provided by a licensed food service vendor (a copy of the provider’s current health score and food service license may be required at the request of the Office of Event & Venue Operations).
• Inquiries may be submitted at the UNG Catering website or by email at catering@ung.edu.
• Potlucks of any kind, regardless of the estimated value or location on campus, are prohibited.

Payments for Events

• Deposits, if required, are non-refundable and due thirty (30) days prior to the first event date/occurrence. Deposit payments should be made directly to the Office of Event & Venue Operations.
• Payment for any remaining facility and resource fees should be made directly to the Office of Event & Venue Operations at least five (5) business days in advance of the first event date/occurrence.
• Organizations with outstanding debts will not be permitted to hold future events until outstanding balances are paid in full.

Security

• UNG reserves the right to require security for an event based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:

• • Number of anticipated attendees.
  • Proposed time of day (i.e., late night/after hours).
  • Alcohol service (REQUIRED for such events expecting attendance of 50 or more).
  • Nature of content being presented at proposed event.
  • Attendance at proposed event by controversial figures/speakers/artists.
• The number of officers required for each event is at the sole discretion of the UNG Public Safety.

• When required, officers will be scheduled for a minimum four (4) hour time period and the sponsoring organization will be billed accordingly. Only officially assigned UNG Public Safety officers may be utilized for campus event security.

• UNG Public Safety officers on duty will enforce state and federal law and UNG regulations. Should any incidents occur requiring a Public Safety response, the sponsoring organization may be subject to additional fees should control of said incident require additional Public Safety presence. Should circumstances related to the event (excessive loitering after the event, lengthy cleaning time, etc.) require the officers to work overtime, there will be additional fees billed to the sponsoring organization. UNG Public Safety will secure the building following the event and will not leave until the building and the area are cleared of patrons and the area is secure. If any damages are discovered at the end of the event, UNG Public Safety will submit a report to the appropriate facility representative and the sponsoring organization will be billed accordingly.

• The maximum attendance for each event is determined by the capacity of the scheduled room. After the room capacity has been met, no additional guests will be admitted to the event even if other patrons have left the venue. No loitering is permitted in the lobbies, pre-function areas, outside the building, or in parking areas. It is the responsibility of the sponsoring organization to inform patrons of this policy during the event and utilize Public Safety officers to enforce these policies, as necessary.

Insurance Requirements

• External groups and/or individuals leasing UNG property will be required to provide proof of and maintain a general liability insurance policy naming UNG as an additional insured and with coverage limits of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and a $2,000,000 aggregate.

Cancellation and Inclement Weather

• Cancellations must be requested in writing and submitted by the individual that made the initial reservation or by a member of the organization’s leadership if an RSO. Cancellation requests should be made to the Office of Event & Venue Operations. Failure to officially request cancellation of the event may result in the organization incurring fees for assigned spaces and other resources. If the event is canceled by the sponsoring organization, the space arrangements may not be assumed by another organization. If the event is canceled and another organization has time to complete the appropriate event approval process, the new organization must initiate the approval process as a new event.
• In the event that the University is closed due to inclement weather, the event will be canceled and no fees will be incurred for arranged support services. Should inclement weather be a possibility, organizations are encouraged to listen to local media for official announcements or contact the UNG Office of Venue & Event Operations for guidance.

Other

• No advertising may be distributed for an event until a final event confirmation and/or an executed contract has been issued to the sponsoring organization. For RSOs, all advertising should include the following statement: “This event is not a public event. Attendance is limited to University of North Georgia students and their invited guests.”
  • Advertisements must be in compliance with the UNG Campus Posting Policy. Failure to comply with this regulation could result in the cancellation of the event.
• For all RSO events, the student organization’s faculty/staff advisor (or approved designee) must be present during the entirety of the event. The advisor’s responsibilities include conferring with the student organization leaders, the Office of Event & Venue Operations, and UNG Public Safety regarding event and security expectations; assisting with attendance requirements; and assisting in handling any problems related to the event.
• If violations of state or federal law or University policy occur at the event, including but not limited to, the presence of alcoholic beverages, smoking, or other disruptive behavior, the event may be subject to immediate cancellation by the RSO advisor, UNG Public Safety, and/or Office of Event & Venue Operations officials. This judgment call can be made at any time during the event in question by the aforementioned entities; however, UNG Public Safety has final authority regarding the safety of the patrons and the security of University property and may cancel the event immediately at their sole discretion.
• UNG is not responsible for theft of or damage to personal items occurring in connection with the use of its meeting and event spaces.
• Permission to use campus event spaces does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the expression of any individual or organization by UNG, its students, faculty, or staff.