Event Guidance

The policies and procedures in this document provide a framework to aid Pratt Institute departments, offices, and groups in planning and scheduling events including but not limited to lectures, film screenings, symposiums, conferences, meetings, and performances. By outlining an ordered and clear approach to planning, hosting, and holding events, we hope to better improve event planning as a whole across the Pratt campus. Campus academic departments, administrative offices, and student groups wishing to produce a Pratt event are expected to adhere to these policies.

In this document the “Event Producer ” or “EP” will be defined as those users hosting or executing the event in question. The Event Producer acknowledges responsibility for the actions of all participants, artists, guests and staff and is governed under the umbrella of Pratt Institute as a whole. The EP is responsible for recognizing and following these Guidelines and Policies. The EP must be present or have an authorized representative present at the approved event at all times.

Pratt events must be sponsored by a Pratt academic department, center, campus organization, or administrative office that has budgetary resources to cover all expenses. Students and student groups are not permitted to host/produce events without receiving specific sponsorship from an officially recognized campus organization/student group or academic department.

All events must be booked a minimum of three (3) weeks in advance using Pratt’s event scheduling system Coursedog. The departments servicing events including but not limited to Venue Contacts, Campus Safety, and Facilities, strive to provide high quality support for all events. Timely event requests are required but cannot guarantee commitment of the requested date(s). In the instance that requested dates are not available, Coursedog event schedulers will attempt to find an alternate date that meets the requestor’s needs and goals.

Note: If you are a student considering an outdoor event, please contact the Office of Student Involvement. This office will be able to facilitate your first steps in the process and refer you to the proper channels.

The “Event Producer (EP)” must be a recognized Pratt Institute school, academic department, administrative office, or student group (e.g. sponsored by Student Involvement or an academic department). Student groups wishing to book events must secure the proper approval that meets the requirements above. 

The Event Producer is the primary planner of the event and accepts full responsibility for all stages of planning and execution of the event including but not limited to all budgetary costs and fees, insurance and liability paperwork and approvals, security planning and approvals, and scheduling deadlines. Should damage to the event space, contiguous facilities, their furnishings, or equipment occur in connection with the event, the Sponsor may be responsible for compensating the Institute for any necessary repairs, cleaning or replacement of lost equipment. 

In addition, the Event Producer must serve as or designate a point of contact who will be responsible for all communications regarding the event. The EP must have a strong presence at the event and provide a valid Institute budget code, thereby taking fiscal responsibility for all event costs. EP may not transfer a reservation to another organization, nor may space reserved for an approved event be used for another purpose.

For Co-Produced Events, both groups and organizations must qualify as described above. Co-sponsorship of an event with those not affiliated with the Institute will be considered under the External Events policy. Coordination with the Office of Finance and Administration as well as a certificate of insurance providing coverage for the event which names Pratt Institute as additionally insured are required.

External Groups seeking to hold events at Pratt may be sponsored by qualified Institute entities. External Group events are subject to the approval of the Office of Finance and Administration and require a significant Institute interest in hosting the event and a strong nexus with the educational and research mission of the Institute or its standing as a member of the community, as determined by the Institute. In addition, the External Group must agree to comply with all of the Institute’s standard terms and conditions. Please note that this Events Policy document does not pertain to outside groups that rent facilities at Pratt. 

To be eligible for rental of Pratt facilities there must be a fully executed written contract outlining the terms and conditions for the event, including a certificate of insurance meeting the Institute’s requirements, and subject to the approval of Legal Counsel and the Vice President of Finance and Administration. External Groups may not be sponsored by a campus department for the purpose of avoiding or reducing fees, campus policies, or otherwise circumventing sponsorship definition. 

Because of its nonprofit status, Pratt Institute is prohibited from reserving its facilities for partisan political campaign activities and political or religious organizations that are not formally associated with Pratt Institute or an office of Student Affairs registered student club. Those planning, sponsoring or hosting an event that may constitute a partisan political campaign activity or a political or religious group that is not affiliated with Pratt student club, must contact the Office of Finance and Administration to seek approval.

Costs

Although there is no venue rental cost for the Pratt Event Producer, some additional costs may apply including:

• Additional audio-visual, staffing and equipment vendor costs as determined by each venue. Pratt will require a separate contract with each vendor hired, including caterers, AV providers, etc. 
• Overtime rates for Facilities staff needed for custodial maintenance, as determined by the Office of Facilities Management.
• Overtime rates for Pratt Campus Safety Officers to be scheduled before, during, and after the event as determined by the Office of Campus Safety. There is a four-hour minimum at the rate of $39.00 per hour. 

Other Responsibilities

The Event Producer is responsible for any damage caused by their speakers, performers, stage hands, technicians, guests, employees, and/or agents. All repair or replacement costs incurred shall be promptly reimbursed to the Institute.

Equipment must be operated in a safe manner, Should any question arise concerning the acceptable use of equipment, the Venue event contact will be the arbiter.

Pratt Institute retains the right to bar admittance or order removal of any person or persons reasonably believed to be unduly disruptive or posing a potential danger to persons or property. This decision is at the discretion of Campus Safety and/or other Institute personnel.  All requests from Campus Safety pertaining to safety or the run of an event must be complied with by the Event Producer. 

It is the responsibility of the EP to ensure that all these Policies, Procedures and Rules are received, understood, observed, and signed by the appropriate parties.

Liability

All events must be planned and executed in a safe manner. Please refer to the risk management guidelines for any additional requirements. The sponsor is also responsible for communicating current health/safety policies to all attendees. 

Pratt assumes no responsibility for and will in no way be liable or obligated to the EP or any third party for any loss, damage, claim, action, cost, or expense arising out of or resulting from damage, inconvenience of, or cancellation of an event due to weather, natural or man made disasters, campus closings, police or fire department activity, or problems arising from the infrastructure of the venue, including but not limited to: intermittent heating and air-conditioning, ongoing conditions of temperature extremes and water intrusion. 

Pratt is not responsible for and will in no way be liable for any personal property, rented or vendor equipment, props or promotional material that is damaged, lost or stolen while in a Pratt event venue.

Coursedog Events Scheduling System

Venues at Pratt can be reserved by Pratt Academic and Administrative departments, recognized student organizations, and faculty using our Coursedog Events scheduling system (OneKey required).  

Spaces may not be reserved in Coursedog without significant information as to the nature of the event. The Event Producer must have a meaningful, if temporary, event title, date and time specifics, technical needs, the intended audience, and the number of expected attendees. Applications which do not meet this minimal standard may be denied at the discretion of Coursedog Events event schedulers. 

Campus Event Services are currently unable to provide AV support for simultaneous events. Therefore, please be certain when you fill out your Coursedog request that, under Resources, “A/V services” is “SELECTABLE” as a Resource. If it is, then be sure to select it. If it is not, then you must go back and find another time for your event. Academic classes and general meetings are not covered by Event Services and should be scheduled in a hybrid meeting space. Additional AV equipment for hybrid meetings are available upon request. Please contact the Pratt Technology Desk for further support by visiting https://one.pratt.edu/s/contactsupport. 

Therefore, before logging on to make your reservation, please make sure that you have the following information so you may enter it into the Coursedog Events form:

• Objective/goal, type and title of the event.
• Group hosting the event.
• A brief description of the event.
• Email and phone for the staff/faculty responsible for organizing the event.
• Email and phone for the staff/faculty who will be on site.
• Which room/space you would like to reserve.
• A second-choice location in case the first is unavailable.
• The date(s) and time(s) of your event/meeting.
• How much setup and cleanup time you will need.
• Will the event be open to the public or Pratt only?
• How will you be advertising?
• Approximately how many people will be attending.
• For on-campus groups, your budget number.
• Will alcohol be served?
• Will catering be needed?
• Will you require projection, wifi, recording, streaming?
• Event staging format: Speaker(s) at lectern, conversation (seated), panel (at table), other.

The following outlines the steps in securing an event booking and confirmation:

1. REQUEST – Submit a complete reservation request in Coursedog Events, Pratt’s online room reservation system. Incomplete requests cannot be processed and may be denied at the discretion of room schedulers. There will be no “courtesy” holding of spaces without a complete Coursedog Events submission.
2. REVIEW – The room’s scheduler will review the request and respond within 3-5 business days.
3. CONFIRMATION – Upon approval the event schedulers will issue a confirmation for the requested event space and services in providing technical support, and an estimated cost of overtime staffing and/or rentals fees that may apply to the requested event. Requests made via Coursedog Events are not considered officially scheduled until you have received a confirmation email.
4. PRE-PRODUCTION MEETING – the venue contact may call a meeting to discuss and clarify the nature of the event, logistics, technical needs, staffing needs, etc. The meeting will be attended by the venue contact, the EP, and representatives from Campus Safety, Facilities, and Risk Management.
5. ADDITIONAL MEETINGS – Depending upon the event complexity, profile level etc. another production meeting may be necessary as things progress. (All conferences and events with an audience expectancy of 300+ will require a production meeting with the sponsoring department, venue contact, Security, Facilities and representatives from any external parties.)
6. PRATT WEB CALENDAR –  We encourage you to submit your event to be listed on the Pratt.edu event calendar (www.pratt.edu/events). All event listings may be submitted using the Events Calendar Request Form. More information is available in the “Pratt Communications and Marketing” section below in this policy. 

Cancellations

Prompt notification of event cancellation is required. Please contact the Coursedog Events scheduler or all relevant campus partners to make changes or to cancel your reservation as soon as possible.

Events must be canceled no later than 48 hours prior to the event or the Event Producer will be charged a fee and will be responsible for the full fee for event staffing, outside contractors, and/or rentals. 

If you fail to cancel with advance notice (or at all), full reservation charges will apply, and the group may lose reservation privileges. 

If Pratt Institute should be closed for an emergency or inclement weather, all events are canceled for the day.

Please note that the Institute reserves the right to deny or cancel any event at its discretion.

The Event Producer will need to coordinate with key campus partners to fully adhere to the policies and guidelines detailed throughout this document. These key campus partners include but are not limited to Venue Contacts, Campus Safety, Facilities Management, and Risk Management.

Venue Contacts

Pratt venue contacts are specific to each space and full listings are available here.

Campus Safety

Depending on event size, additional Campus Safety officers will be assigned to the event at an additional cost to the event sponsor. You should keep this information in mind during the budget planning for your event. Typically, Campus Safety uses a formula of one officer per 75 attendees at most event spaces on campus, but Campus Safety reserves the right to increase the number of officers based on event specifics that will be discussed during a pre-production meeting.

Campus Safety officers assigned to cover events will be paid on an overtime basis and as per contract, will be guaranteed a four-hour minimum regardless of the duration of the event. Upon request, security will provide an estimate of security costs to the event sponsor within three business days of the pre-production meeting.

The Institute regulates limits on the number of persons who can be in a space during each event to ensure their safety. Ticketing is restricted to the capacity limit to ensure compliance. The sponsoring organization is responsible for ensuring that these limits are observed.

Facilities

Depending on the event size and type, additional cleaning personnel will be assigned for bathroom coverage and cleaning during the event and post event cleaning. This would be an additional charge to the event organizer/sponsor and will be charged on OT rate. The Facilities employees are Union workers so the minimum charge will be equivalent to 4 hours OT as per their contract. 

If an event is a large-scale event (such as Pratt Shows) that requires additional 30 yard open top containers, the charge for the container or replacement of such should be covered by the organizer/sponsor. 

Additional charges may occur if the event requires furniture, equipment or any items moving/relocating on a larger scale. 

Facilities will provide estimates for all service needed prior to the event after determining the needs at a pre-production meeting. 

Risk Management Event Guideline

The institute recognizes supporting on and off-campus activities enhance the academic and co-curricular learning environment. All activities, whether  Institute-sponsored or not, often require a risk assessment to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to minimize accidental injury or loss.  Event risk management is the process of advising campus departments, student groups, community stakeholders, and external organizations of the potential and perceived risks involved with the activity.  

The role of Risk Management is to assist event coordinators, such as faculty, staff, and student groups with assessing risk and liability exposures associated with the event activities. This allows us to make specific recommendations that can mitigate and minimize liability exposures while maintaining the integrity of institute programs and functions. Our office is best able to assist event coordinators when provided with written details of the proposed activity or event as far in advance as possible with 30 days advance notice being the optimal notification. Please keep in mind that we are working with multiple departments simultaneously and that the volume of requests that we receive may make it difficult to respond right away to last-minute requests. For risk management specific questions please email riskmgr@pratt.edu. 

This guideline and accompanying checklist are provided to assist event coordinators with planning and hosting approved events. Please keep in mind ALL events MUST have a Pratt Institute sponsor and approval prior to engaging with Risk Management.  Approval for academic events shows, and exhibits should be provided by the Department Chair, School Dean, or by the Office of the Provost.  For other non-academic events, shows, or exhibits approval should be obtained from the Assistant Vice President or Director of Student Life (for student activities) or the respective Institute Vice President or the Office of the Provost.  These events include but are not limited to On Campus events, Off Campus events, and External Group events which are institutionally sponsored. 

It is important to note that institute-sponsored off-campus activities are an extension of the institute’s academic programs and as such are subject to all applicable institute policies and procedures as well as federal and state law. Off-campus events may require additional vetting due to contractual obligations as well as a potential increase of risk exposure.

Because each event is unique the evaluation, insurance, and contractual requirements will vary depending on the nature, size, and location of proposed events. The office of Risk Management works closely with the office of Legal Affairs to ensure that event-specific documents are drafted and executed. Some of these documents may include the following:

• Vendor Service Agreement
• Performance Agreement
• Equipment Rental Agreements
• Food Vendor Contract and License
• Alcohol Permit 
• Certificate(s) of insurance (COI)
• General Release or Assumption of Risk Forms
• Film Production Location Agreement 
• Venue Rental Agreements for Off-Campus events

Pre-Production Event Checklist: 

• Institute sponsorship and approval 
• Any needed contract(s) have been submitted to contractadmin@pratt.edufor review (30 days in advance is preferred) 
• Engagement with Risk Management  regarding any needed agreement(s) (i.e. Vendor Service, Performance, Equipment Rental, Location) and COI (30 days in advance is preferred) 
• On-Campus event spaces have been reserved in 25Live and the event is on the Master Events Calendar 
• Dining Service Provider and Alcohol Permit
• Eventbrite, Engage, or other methods for registering attendees 
• Campus Safety for on-campus safety & security 
• Facilities Management for on-site support and logistics

Catering/Food Service

All catering for events on campus must be provided by Pratt’s dining service partner Chartwells or by a Pratt-approved vendor.

Food and drink may only be allowed in designated spaces. Groups requesting to bring in food or drink will be required to adhere to the following parameters:

• Food and drink may be permitted in designated event spaces with prior written approval from your venue contact.  
• Cleaning arrangements must be discussed with facilities staff in advance of the event. 
• A representative from the department must remain present until catering staff arrives and removes all items following an event.
• All catering table delivery and pickup must be arranged by the Event Sponsor.
• All trash removal will have to be arranged by the sponsoring department. For some venues this means trash may need to be removed from the building by a representative of your department.
• In no circumstance can food/beverage/trash be left in an event space after an event. Failure to clean up immediately following the event may mean forfeiture of future booking privileges.

Serving Alcohol

Campus safety needs to be alerted in advance, students partaking in alcohol must be over 21 years of age, and it is the responsibility of the event sponsor and/or alcohol exemption form holder to ensure that all IDs are checked by the caterer hired to serve at the event. Please see Pratt’s alcohol policy here.  

Photography and Recording

Photography is permitted in Pratt spaces at the discretion of the event sponsor. Audio and video recording is possible in agreement and collaboration with the Event Sponsor and Venue Contact. The approved group must cover all recording costs for the event. Recording of events for archival purposes shall only occur with prior written consent of all performers and artists and must comply with all state and federal copyright laws. A copy of such consent must be obtained before recording can take place. The approved group is held fully responsible for copyright violations. 

Broadcasting, Webcasting, Live Streaming

Live streaming is available in select Pratt spaces please confirm with your Venue Contact. Please note that if the corresponding recording is being archived, written consent is still required from all participants.

Design Services, Calendar Listings, Promotions, and Social Media

Pratt’s Communications and Marketing division (PCOMM) is available to assist with communication design and planning, and a broad range of promotions for Institute events. 

Design Materials:

If you would like to work with Pratt’s Creative Services team on print, digital, and environmental design materials for your event, start by contacting either the assigned Project Manager to your unit or to the Director of Creative Services. At least four weeks lead time is necessary to produce a range of design assets. The Creative Services team can also help with other design production, such as your use of the design generator and visual identity guidelines. Contact creativeservices@pratt.edu or a member of the team listed on the Pratt website.

Digital Promotion:

Website and Events Calendar: 

We encourage our campus colleagues to submit events of all kinds to be listed on the Pratt.edu event calendar (www.pratt.edu/events), whether the event is open to the general public, or restricted to an internal audience or a specific group. Submit your event with the Events Calendar Request Form. A member of the Digital Communications team will respond within 24 hours. 

Event Promotion:

All events that are submitted to the Pratt.edu events calendar are considered for inclusion in the You’re Invited e-newsletter, which is distributed monthly during the academic year to students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and trustees (36K+ distribution). Key events that are open to the public are also reviewed for news coverage and potential press outreach. To flag your event for press consideration, please contact press@pratt.edu. 

Social Media: 

Events may be featured on the Institute’s social media accounts if they align with institutional priorities and are open to a public audience. Social Media requests may be directed to socialmedia@pratt.edu. A member of the Digital Communications team will respond within 24 hours.

Photography and Video:

Requests for photography and videography for pre-event, event-day, or post-event promotional purposes should also be made to Creative Services by contacting the Photo and Video Production Manager with at least four weeks lead time. Contact creativeservices@pratt.edu or a member of the team listed on the Pratt website. 

For those interested in a hybrid event format to accommodate both in-person and online attendees/viewers, more information will be available soon. In the meantime, please contact Dan Lawson at dlawson@pratt.edu

Pratt is committed to providing equal and effective access for all event attendees with disabilities, and event presenters are encouraged to plan events with accessibility needs in mind. More information about events and accessibility can be found here. For other questions about accessibility, please contact the Learning Access Center at lac@pratt.edu. 

Guests on Pratt’s campus – whether attending a public event or academic conference – should abide by the same standards we ask our community to follow. Pratt Institute’s mission is to educate students to become creative, responsible professionals who will contribute fully to society. The Institute upholds values and standards that support that mission and holds high expectations regarding the conduct of students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Above all, we respect one another and behave in ways that advance the free association of people and ideas. We cherish the diversity represented by our people and their disparate values and ideas. At the same time, we expect each student, faculty, or staff member to value and uphold the community standards essential to the pursuit of academic excellence and social responsibility.

Pratt Institute takes the view that any action by one person that causes harm to another person will not be tolerated. Bullying, harassment, or any behavior that causes disruption to a community member’s ability to learn conflicts with the values of Pratt Institute and violates the community member’s right to feel protected, nurtured, and valued.

On-campus Events and Gatherings Guidance

Please note that these guidelines are subject to change and that those outlined below are as of October 28, 2022

Locations on campus where occupancy was previously reduced by 20% have been readjusted back to the pre-pandemic FDNY occupancy limits. You can see the list of event locations by logging into Course Dog.

You can safely conduct events indoors and outdoors as masking is no longer required in these settings. For indoor gatherings, all participants should still be encouraged to consider masking when in large groups and be considerate and respectful of those who choose to mask. Event producers should also ensure masks are made available for attendees. 

Pratt-sponsored events are open to all Pratt and non-Pratt community members, based on the event producer’s discretion.  All on-campus events producers must pre-register attendees via Engage, Eventbrite, or some other manner of documentation. The registered list of attendees must be sent to Campus Safety at campus-safety@pratt.edu 24 hours before the event. 

If food or drinks are planned to be served, pre-packaged/plated food and drinks are still preferred. Servers may be used to assist, but self-service by attendees is not permitted. All catering must be arranged through either our on-campus dining services provider, AVI, or another pre-approved caterer. To determine if a caterer is pre-approved, email riskmgr@pratt.edu. 

Please remember, Campus Safety is required to be at all indoor and outdoor campus events where alcohol is served. The use of multiple event spaces or the largest available space where attendees can distance themselves while eating or drinking is still encouraged. Please contact Facilities Management at facility.managers@pratt.edu regarding cleaning, trash bins, trash removal, electrical needs, and usage of outdoor spaces not included in Course Dog.

PRATT INSTITUTE OFFICE OF STUDENT INVOLVEMENT POSTING POLICY

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In an effort to promote communication Institute-wide and preserve the appearance of the campus, the Office of Student Involvement has established the Campus Posting Policy. Note: This policy applies to all the bulletin boards on the Pratt Institute campus. The only bulletin boards that are exempt are those controlled by the academic departments and the Office of Residential Life and Housing. Any club or organization wishing to post in the residence halls must contact the Office of Residential Life and Housing to make arrangements.

1. All posters must have the Student Involvement approved- stamp. The stamp must be easy to read on the poster and the date must be clear. Posters must be brought to the Office of Student Involvement to be stamped by a member of the Student Involvement staff. Hanging posters is the responsibility of the person/group sponsoring the poster. Each poster requires an original stamp. Posters without stamps will be immediately removed.
2. The date on the stamp is the date on which the posters must be taken down. Individuals and offices that hang posters are responsible for taking down posters after they have passed the stamped date. For an event/activity that has a specific date, the date stamped on the poster will be the date after the event/activity is scheduled to take place. For a poster without a specific date, the date stamped will be one (1) month after the date on which the poster is brought in for approval.
3. Posters cannot exceed two feet by three feet (2’x3’) in size.
4. Only two posters per event or posting will be permitted on each bulletin board.
5. Posters are only permitted on bulletin boards. Posters are not permitted on walls, windows, doors, etc.
6. Posters will not be approved if they contain incorrect information or if they are inconsistent with Pratt’s standards and policies. In addition, posters must provide duplicate information in English when another language is used.
7. Posters advertising events where alcohol will be served are not permitted.
8. The club events, Student Involvement, academic, exhibits, and other bulletin boards assigned to clubs and organizations are specifically meant for their use. Only posters that the club or organization and the Office of Student Involvement approve will be permitted on these boards.
9. People wishing to advertise housing must list their information with Office of Residential Life. Student Involvement will not stamp fliers for housing.
10. Quarter-sheets must be approved by the Office of Student Involvement before being distributed.
11. Chalking is not allowed on walkways and walls. Any group found to be in violation of this policy will be asked to remove the chalk and may have their posting privileges revoked.
12. Any items taped to a surface must be removed after the event takes place. Any group found to be in violation of this policy will be asked to remove the tape and may have their posting privileges revoked.