Event and Space Usage Policy

Review the College policy on event and space usage. Policy Interim Update: 7/13/26; some new edits 9/8/26; to be reviewed fall semester 2026.

I. POLICY STATEMENT

Occidental College’s facilities exist to serve the College’s mission. Occidental allows the responsible use of its facilities by internal and external groups and individuals for purposes that conform to and support the College’s mission. This policy establishes guidelines for scheduling events using campus facilities, including how reservable spaces are allocated. The goal of this policy is to minimize scheduling conflicts and overlaps, provide information about the College’s event approval processes, and identify resources available to event planners. All events (as defined below) on campus must conform to this policy.

II. APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to all internal and external parties who wish to use campus facilities for events or activities. The guidelines provided herein govern the allocation and use of spaces during the academic year as well as the summer term, ensuring a consistent and fair process throughout the entire year.

III. DEFINITIONS

A. Event Definition

An event is a planned, intentional gathering that occupies a shared space on campus and impacts others’ use of the same or surrounding spaces.
Spontaneous or unplanned events may also occur on campus and are permissible, so long as they meet the College’s time, place, and manner requirements and do not interfere with other College-sponsored or scheduled events and activities. See the Speech, Dissent & Demonstration policy for further distinction between organized and spontaneous demonstrations and the application of this policy to such events.

B. Calendar Definitions

Academic Year - The period defined by the dates specified in the Academic Calendar.
Summer Term - The period between the end of the spring semester (Commencement) and the start of the fall semester (New Student Move-In) , as defined by the Academic Calendar.

C. Event Category Definitions

Credit-Bearing Activities (Category 1) – activities directly related to the instructional mission of the College that take place in designated classrooms and laboratories such as: classes offered for credit to enrolled students and class-related laboratories.
1. Course-Associated Activities (Category 1A) – programmatic activities directly related to credit-bearing classes. Required attendance of one or more classes must be documented.
Senior Staff Activities (Category 2) – annual, College-wide activities authorized by the Office of the President or a College Vice President including, but not limited to, Orientation, Convocation, Homecoming & Family Weekend, Commencement, Alumni Reunion Weekend, Board of Trustees meetings, and major events hosted by the Offices of Admission and Institutional Advancement. These also include any events or programs the Office of the President or a College Vice President determines will serve the College’s mission or will benefit the College, including use of facilities as a Voting Center, programs of interest to the community, and some revenue-generating activities.
Athletic Department Activities (Category 3) - includes all Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) sanctioned events and NCAA Division III intercollegiate competitions and team practices in designated athletics facilities.
Non-Credit Instructional Activities (Category 4) - events sponsored by faculty members or departments that are not directly related to credit-bearing classes, but are related to the College’s instructional mission. These events are approved by an Academic Affairs representative on the Campus Events Advisory Committee, and include events such as seminars, conferences, lectures, film screenings, senior comprehensive projects, and presentations by visiting scholars.
Internal Activities (Category 5) - meetings, workshops, events and programs hosted by an administrative department of the College. These activities generally occur during regular business hours, and are typically held in conference rooms, lecture halls, or larger meeting and common spaces on campus.
Recognized Student Group Activities (Category 6) - events related to Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE)-recognized student clubs and organizations. These include meetings, workshops, conferences, festivals, concerts, film screenings, and dances.
Hosted Activities (Category 7) – events that primarily involve off-campus individuals or groups and have direct programmatic relationships with College departments that have agreed to sponsor the events and be present during them.
External and Revenue Generating Activities (Category 8) – on-campus events that (1) are for groups and individuals that exist primarily outside of the College; (2) do not have a direct programmatic relationship with the College or its departments; or (3) do not fall within one of the other event categories.

IV. POLICY

A. Overview and Priority of Scheduling
All Occidental facilities are owned by the College, a private non-profit California corporation, and their use is administered centrally. The College President delegates the authority to schedule the use of College facilities to the Office of the Registrar and the Master Calendar Coordinator.

Occidental College strives to reduce competition among events and not schedule too many events during the same time period. Two resources, both on the Event Planning Resources, exist to assist event planners with scheduling events and determining the quantity and location of events on campus at a given time.
1. 25Live is a reservation request tool that shows existing and tentative reservations per campus location.
2. The Cross-Divisional Event Review Committee and calendar is a resource for scheduling consideration for campus as a whole.
Event Workflow Form
The activity coordinator/organizer(s) is responsible for submitting an Event Workflow Form as early as possible, and no later than 15 business days before the event.
Academic Year
During the Academic Year, facilities are scheduled in the following order of priority:
1. Credit-Bearing Activities (Category 1)
2. Senior Staff Activities (Category 2)
3. Athletic Department Activities (Category 3)
4. Non-Credit Instructional Activities (Category 4)
5. Internal Activities (Category 5)
6. Recognized Student Group Activities (Category 6)
7. Hosted Activities (Category 7)
8. External and Revenue Generating Activities (Category 8)
9. Except for the scheduling of classes, only the Master Calendar Coordinator can provide institutionally-binding confirmation of facility space reservations.
Summer Term
During the Summer Term, facilities are scheduled subject to availability and may prioritize different activities, such as Category 8 activities, Category 4 activities, and maintenance projects.

B. Insurance Requirements

Any activity may require insurance and/or permitting depending on risk factors including, but not limited to: crowd size, guest speakers and entertainment, vendors, fire safety, alcohol service, and the presence of live animals.
Completion of the Event Workflow Form helps the College identify any potential risk factors and determine whether insurance or special permits are required.
All insurance policies obtained for activities must name Occidental College as an additional insured and meet all current requirements of the Office of Risk Management as outlined in the Insurance and Risk Reduction Guidelines. The activity coordinator/organizer(s) must provide a copy of any required insurance policy to the Office of Risk Management no later than ten (10) business days before the activity is scheduled to occur.

C. Requesting Space, Scheduling, and Review of Events
Anyone wishing to schedule an event should review the Event Planning Resources web page.

Requests to schedule events may be made as follows:
1. All Category 2-7 activities must be scheduled utilizing the Master Calendar registration and approval process, described in more detail below.
2. All faculty and staff may request space through 25Live and may contact mastercalendar@oxy.edu for training. Department Services Coordinators may manage recurring reservations within the spaces under their immediate departmental oversight. Recurring meetings and events do not require renewed approval unless new or materially different circumstances arise, such as large audiences, extensive catering, alcohol service, heightened security needs, or significant parking impacts. Approval of a recurring reservation does not establish a permanent or exclusive right to a space. Recurring reservations may be modified or reassigned when necessary to accommodate higher-priority institutional needs.
3. Certain campus spaces and venues (e.g., Dumke Faculty Commons, Keck Theater, Thorne Hall, Cushman Boardroom, and other specialized facilities) require additional approval from the designated space approver responsible for the space. Master Calendar will conduct the initial review of the proposed space use and, when appropriate, coordinate with the designated space approver to confirm availability and secure final approval of the reservation.
4. Space reservations for general events or programming are limited to 7 consecutive calendar days, or 10 days for art installations. Requests for exceptions require Campus Events Advisory Committee (CEAC) review.
5. Space/event reservations made without prior approval are subject to cancellation by the College at any time.
CEAC and Event Review
1. Campus Events Advisory Committee
  All events (with some exceptions noted below) must be reviewed by the Campus Events Advisory Committee (CEAC). Event review by CEAC is the most expedient way to receive College approval and ensure that an activity is compliant with College policies. During the Academic Year, CEAC meets weekly. During the Summer Term, CEAC meets as needed. To schedule an appointment with CEAC, email ceac@oxy.edu. To allow CEAC to properly assist in planning an event, plan to meet with CEAC 4-6 weeks in advance of major events (e.g., events expected to involve more than 50 attendees, outside vendors, alcohol service, security staffing, or significant logistical support), and a minimum of 3 weeks in advance of smaller events.
2. CEAC Exceptions
  1. Category 1 Activities
    1. All Category 1 activities are scheduled by the Office of the Registrar and do not go through CEAC, but Category 1A activities do require CEAC review.
  2. Category 3 Activities
    1. All Category 3 events, including Varsity practices and onsite SCIAC competitions, are scheduled by the Athletics Department and do not go through CEAC.
    2. Athletic facility use is prioritized in the following order: Varsity teams, Physical Activity Courses, Intramurals Program, and ASOC Club Sports. External rental of Athletics Facilities will be prioritized on a case-by-case basis.
  3. Category 5 Activities
    1. Regular internal meetings without additional support (e.g., weekly departmental meetings) do not go through CEAC.
    2. Non-reservable spaces (e.g., a break room or table in a common area) do not go through CEAC.
  4. Category 6 Activities
    1. Student events must be registered through the Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE) office. A representative from SLICE will request space through the Master Calendar.
Additional Steps for Category 7 and 8 Activities
1. Category 7 Activities
  Individual College employees (including faculty members whose event is not Category 1 or 4), recognized student clubs and organizations, and alumni groups who wish to schedule a campus event either need to receive sponsorship from a College-affiliated Sponsor (a department, or other unit who/that is responsible for the event) or submit their requests as Category 8 Activities. The individual College employee/event lead will assume responsibility for the planning, execution, and financial planning associated with the activity. Sponsorship does not necessarily mean that the College is subsidizing the venue cost or any other event-related costs (e.g., catering expenses, outside vendors, security staffing, or significant logistical support).
  1. To host an event with College-affiliated Sponsorship, the event lead needs to::
    1. Obtain event approval in writing (email sufficient) from the appropriate senior staff member or their delegate.
    2. Provide staff to plan and implement the proposed event with internal resource providers, as well as for on-site oversight for the duration of the event.
    3. Submit the Event Workflow Form to initiate timely communication among campus resource departments and individuals who will be affected by or required to support the event.
    4. Provide an IDC account number for any fiscal responsibility and/or unpaid fees related to the event (e.g. cleaning, furniture moving).
    5. Comply with relevant College events scheduling and space use policies and procedures.
2. Category 8 Activities
  1. All Category 8 activities must be coordinated, reserved, and contracted with one of the following offices:
    1. Conferences, Meetings, and Filming: conference@oxy.edu
    2. Athletic Facilities: athletics@oxy.edu during the academic year; conference@oxy.edu during the summer.
    3. Catering and Private Social Events (weddings, etc.): conference@oxy.edu for initial outreach; catering@oxy.edu once the relationship is established.
  2. External event clients must follow all relevant College policies and procedures, sign a College contract, provide event insurance coverage as determined by the Office of Risk Management, and pay fees as determined by the contracting office.

D. Location-Specific Guidelines for some locations can be found on the Event Planning Resources page on the oxy.edu website.

E. Use Requirements and Limitations for College Facilities

Definition
College facilities are defined as buildings, outdoor spaces, athletic facilities, classrooms, conference rooms, grounds, and other property owned, leased, or controlled by Occidental College.
Compliance with Laws and Policies
Use of Occidental College facilities by any individual, group, or organization, whether internal or external, must comply with all applicable College policies, local ordinances, and state and federal laws.
Institutional Alignment of Events
Occidental must prohibit any use of its facilities that would:
1. Constitute an Occidental College endorsement of a political candidate or a religious, partisan, or political position;
2. Pose threats to the safety and security of campus; or
3. Reflect misalignment with the mission and cornerstones of the College.
Commercial and Fundraising Activities
Facilities may not be used for commercial, personal, or fundraising activities unrelated to College purposes unless expressly authorized through a written agreement and subject to applicable fees, insurance, and contractual requirements.
Prohibited Conduct
Facility use must not involve discrimination, harassment, or any conduct inconsistent with the College’s policies.
Disruption and Noise Restrictions
All events must respect the safety and security of the campus community and avoid disruption to academic instruction, College operations, or other scheduled activities. Restrictions apply to amplified sound, signage, and any other activity that may interfere with the normal functioning of the College.
Prohibited Items and Substances
Possession or use of illegal drugs, firearms, weapons, explosives, or hazardous materials is strictly prohibited on College property.

F. Right to Relocate, Reschedule, or Cancel

The College will make every reasonable effort to honor approved space reservations. However, it reserves the right to relocate, reschedule, or cancel any event—before or during the event itself—at its sole discretion and with or without prior notice.This may occur due to scheduling conflicts, space or equipment needs, sound or privacy concerns, large group impact, limited staffing, or other operational constraints. Events may also be changed or canceled if they:
1. Violate College policies or instructions from College officials, including Campus Safety;
2. Present safety risks or legal liability;
3. Fail to meet payment deadlines; or
4. Are impacted by emergencies or circumstances beyond the College’s control (e.g., natural disasters, terrorism, or service disruptions).
On-campus revenue-generating activities, such as professional filming, are important to the College and may take scheduling precedence. In these cases, existing reservations may be relocated, and the College will offer alternate available space when possible. Filming in academic classrooms and common areas will be coordinated with relevant stakeholders (Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and department service coordinators for the area), and filming is not permitted in faculty offices without the faculty member’s express permission.
The Master Calendar Coordinator will notify affected parties as early as possible and will attempt to find alternate dates or locations. However, by scheduling an event, you accept that it may be changed or canceled with little or no notice. The College is not liable for any costs, losses, or damages resulting from such changes.