Event Space Usage

St. Cloud State University campus facilities are primarily intended for educational use. Most are available at all times for formal class instruction as well as university sponsored educational activities that contribute to the intellectual and cultural growth of the students. However, in recognizing the university's role in the cultural and economic advancement of Minnesota, professional resources and physical facilities may be utilized on a space-available basis to the community.

The purpose of Academic Facility Rental Guidelines are to avoid conflicts of dates, information, and facilities for events outside the academic schedule. Academic Facility Rental Guidelines are administered by the Conferences and Scheduling Office (CSO) housed in Atwood Memorial Center, room 110, phone 308-2075.

Academic Classes in Atwood

It is against the funding policies of Minnesota State for Atwood to have regularly scheduled classes in the building except for those classes that require Atwood Memorial Center's unique facilities (e.g., bowling).

General Guidelines

Facilities are grouped in three categories for the purpose of determining who will schedule their usage and coordinate any contracts or billings involved. Facilities should be reserved at least two weeks prior to an event.

The scheduling departments listed below maintain sole responsibility for the actual room schedule during the listed times. The coordinating department is responsible for arranging contracts and billings. The coordinating department will also follow through on the setup details for off campus groups.

1. Facilities scheduled by and coordinated through CSO are:
   1. Atwood Memorial Center
   2. Ritsche Auditorium and lobby
   3. Mall areas
2. Facilities scheduled by Academic Affairs but coordinated through CSO are:
   1. Academic classrooms
3. Facilities that are scheduled by and ccoordinated through individual departments are:
   1. Athletic and recreation facilities
   2. Welcome Center
   3. Garvey
   4. Halenbeck Hall
   5. Husky Stadium/Dome
   6. Miller Center
   7. National Hockey Center
   8. Outdoor Athletic Space
   9. Performing Arts Center (Theater space reserved by Theater and Film Studies Department and music spaces reserved through the Music Department)

1. University departments and student organizations may schedule as far ahead as the scheduling system allows within the confines of the approved academic calendar time period. Priority within the university will follow the established priority procedures as defined in the faculty handbook.
2. Non-university groups may reserve space up to one year in advance with the following exceptions:
   1. While priority over other non-academic groups can be established up to one year in advance, reservations for facilities also used for classes (other than Ritsche Auditorium) cannot be confirmed until the semester's class reservations have been established by Academic Affairs.*
   2. Ritsche Auditorium can be reserved for the following academic year (September-May) only after May 1 in order to allow the academic departments to set their calendars first.* Academic Affairs sets the priority between academic programs and will have first priority for classes in Ritsche Auditorium from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and until 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Music Department has the priority for afternoon and evening. (Priority over other non-academic groups can still be established one year in advance by placing a tentative reservation.)

*Note: After the class schedule is complete, academic classes no longer have priority over other uses for that semester and professors desiring additional space need to consult the appropriate scheduling office as listed in the general guidelines on page 1 of this policy. Information about scheduling contacts is available from CSO.

Charges and Liabilities

1. University departments and student organizations will not be charged rental fees for any departmental activity which they solely sponsor.
2. Cosponsored events.
   While the addition of a non-university cosponsor enhances the number of events we can host, cosponsorship must not be used to shield non-university groups from rental fees. The act of cosponsorship is defined as the active participation and support of an event. The committee views this relationship in a serious manner and will not tolerate merely lending one's name to an event and calling that cosponsorship. To further support this policy, the following two procedures will be necessary for cosponsorship:
   1. Approval by the college dean or vice president (or faculty advisor and the director of Center for Student Organizations and Leadership Development) on the cosponsorship form.
   2. The cosponsoring organization will designate a campus contact to work with the scheduling office and be present at the cosponsored event. Cosponsored events will not be charged a facility rental fee. Special fees may be assessed for extra setup or unusual cleanups.
3. Non-university groups.
   Groups/organizations not directly related to the university must pay rental fees according to the following Fee Schedule. The Fee Schedule and policies listed in this document can be altered or waived only by the Academic Facility Rental Committee or the University President. The exception will be commercial rates which can be negotiated by the CSO director. Non-university groups will be charged for rehearsal at the regular rate schedule.

Rental charges for space do not include charges for technical help which is requested or required.

1. Assignment.
   Technicians will be assigned based on the type of organization they are and the complexity of their technical requirements. University organizations with simple needs are handled by student technicians. If they have complex needs, they will be asked whether they would prefer a Information Technology Services professional technician or student technicians for sound setups. Commercial and nonprofit booking with simple requirements will be given the same choice, but commercial bookings with complex technical needs beyond students abilities or equipment available will be required to either use ITS technicians or hire out an independent sound company. All of our lighting equipment is handled by student technicians.
2. Charges.
   1. Student organizations will be charged for all technician time.
   2. Events that a university department cosponsors with a non-university group will be charged for technician times.

Minnesota State Colleges & Universities (Minnesota State) policy is to make meeting space available to other state agencies without cost, except for those charges which might accrue as a direct result of some special meeting requirement.

Date Revised: May, 2018

The following policies pertain to all areas within Atwood Memorial Center and the mall areas on the east, west and south sides of the building.

In keeping with the goals and objectives of St. Cloud State University, the purpose and function of Atwood Memorial Center shall be to provide a comprehensive program of social, recreational and cultural activities as well as physical facilities for students, faculty, alumni and various non-university groups and individuals. The following policies shall serve as guidelines regarding all use of the facility Atwood Memorial Center.

1. The use of the facilities and space of Atwood Memorial Center shall be available to:
2. Registered student organizations
3. University community
   1. Faculty and staff organizations
   2. College programs, divisions or areas
   3. Alumni Association
   4. Continuing Education
   5. Institutional events
4. Groups outside the university community
   1. Community organizations
   2. Community governmental organizations and associations
   3. Regional, state or national organizations
   4. Non-profit groups
   5. Related state and federal government agencies
   6. Scheduling regulations
5. Priority: As a general rule, scheduling for space and facilities will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals are encouraged to make reservations no later than two working days in advance. Effort will be made to meet last minute requests when possible.
6. Reservations for the use of facilities and space in Atwood Memorial Center shall be made in the Conference and Scheduling Office.
   1. Right of staff to cancel/make changes: The administrative staff of Atwood Memorial Center reserves the right to cancel a reservation if it conflicts in any way with the general policy of the university or Atwood Memorial Center. Atwood Memorial Center also reserves the right to make room changes. Atwood administration will attempt to notify the group in advance, but may make a change without discussing the change with the group.
   2. Roop set-ups: Arrangements for changes in room setups or placement of equipment shall be given to the Conferences and Scheduling Office no later than two working days prior to the scheduled event.
   3. Scheduling multiple rooms: When a meeting room request is submitted for an event that requires the booking of multiple meeting rooms, the Scheduling Office reserves the right to hold one large (capacity of 75+) smart meeting room for other requests. This alternate room shall be one of the following: Alumni, Glacier, Cascade, Gallery, Voyageurs North or Voyageurs South. This policy does not apply to student organizations. Two weeks before the event, the room can be reserved by the group if it is still available.
   4. A maximum of three (3) weekly reservations can be made per campus department or student organization.  
7. Access to reservable space: Atwood Memorial Center staff shall have complete access to the reserved activity area at all times. The staff may terminate a scheduled activity if any incidents occur that might jeopardize the general well-being of the building or its patrons.
8. Failure to comply: Groups using Atwood Memorial Center facilities shall agree to comply with all regulations governing the union and the university campus. Any individual or organization or department violating the policies for use of Atwood Memorial Center may be denied the right to schedule facilities for future activities. This would include failure to reconcile within 60 days outstanding charges to Atwood Memorial Center or Dining Services.

Charges are $13/hour ($15/hour for last minute requests) for student organizations and $15/hour ($17/hour for last minute requests). Off-campus is $20/hour ($22/hour for last minute requests). All tech charges carry a two-hour minimum charge. Tech assistance is to be scheduled at least a minimum of 1/2 hour prior to the start of the event.

Cancellations must be received a minimum of seven calendar days prior to the scheduled event or the two-hour minimum tech fee will be charged.

Arrangements for room set ups must be made in advance. Groups that alter and change the room setups without prior approval will receive a warning after the first infraction and a $25 penalty for each time thereafter.

Groups failing to cancel a reservation at least two days in advance or fail to use reserved facilities will receive a warning after the first infraction and a $25 penalty for each occurrence thereafter. Frequent last-minute cancellations or non-use of reserved facilities will affect a group's ability to make future reservations and may result in a fee. If you do not show up for your event within 30 minutes of the scheduled start time, it will be considered a no-show.

Atwood facilities must be left in generally the same condition that they were found prior to the event. Groups and/or individuals using facilities of Atwood Memorial Center will be held financially responsible for damages and excessive messes occurring during their use of reserved space and, in certain cases, for damages in the building that are a direct result of their activity or event. Financial liability will be limited to the cost of labor and materials to repair or replace damaged areas/equipment and to clean up messy areas as determined by the Atwood director or his/her designee.

To meet health and safety standards, shoes and shirts are required to be worn at all times by patrons using Atwood facilities. An exception to this requirement is allowed for organized activities conducted in reserved space. Activities such as dance, yoga, etc. are allowed at the participant's own risk.

Film copyright corporations consider campus buildings public venues. Any group or organization that would like to show a video or film in Atwood must purchase the public viewing rights (copyright). The contact for the facility reservation must be prepared to provide evidence of the copyright permission when requested by the Atwood staff.  More information...

Copyright Infringement Policies and Sanction Notice

Downloading or distributing copyrighted material, including through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, without the permission of the copyright owner is against the law. Illegal downloading or distribution of copyrighted materials can result in you being prosecuted in criminal court and/or sued for damages in civil court. Criminal penalties for first-time offenders can be as high as five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. If sued in civil court, you may be responsible for monetary damages, attorneys' fees and civil penalties up to $150,000 per work distributed. Use of St. Cloud State University resources for unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials is forbidden.

St. Cloud State University prohibits illegal copyright infringement through its acceptable use policies as well as student conduct code. Disciplinary action, including loss of use of the university information technology systems up to and including expulsion from the university, could result from violations of this policy.

To see a list of legal P2P alternatives, please visit http://www.educause.edu/legalcontent
For more information on this topic, please go to ITS Secure Computing.

Groups covering their meeting room windows must notify either the Conference and Scheduling Office staff or building manager in advance.

• Time requested for decorating a room must be scheduled in the usual manner. Requests for more than two hours of decorating time cannot be honored if another request for the room is received.
• Decorations may not be nailed or tacked to walls, floors, or any other part of the building without the express permission of the Atwood administration. Gaff tape and masking tape are the only acceptable adhesives for decorating purposes in Atwood.
• Decorations must not create a fire hazard.
• All decorations must be removed immediately after the event. Based on availability, permission may be granted for delayed removal/clean-up of decorations.
• No latex in public hallways and staircases

1. Fees will be charged for the use of the rooms according to the current schedule, determined by the Atwood Memorial Center director with advice from the Atwood Center Council.
2. Registered student organizations will not be charged rental for events that they sponsor. When cosponsoring an event, they need to complete an Event Co-Sponsorship Request Form. Cosponsorship of events that are consistent with the organization's mission will not be charged rental. Cosponsorship of events that are fund raisers for the organization will not be charged rental if the group will receive compensation equal to or higher than what the non-student group would have been charged otherwise. Atwood will not tolerate use of an organization's name as a cosponsor to avoid payment of rental. Organization representatives are expected to organize and work at events they cosponsor.
3. University groups will not be charged rental for departmental meetings. Fees will be waived for the following programs held for the campus community:
   1. Cooperative meetings between SCSU and outside organizations—meetings directly related to university business including, but not limited to, Minnesota State meetings, campus/community advisory committees, and joint ventures of SCSU departments and business or civic organizations.
   2. Minnesota State events will be charged the nonprofit rate less 10 percent unless either of the following applies:
      1. Reservation is made for the Minnesota State Chancellor's Office.
      2. Reservation is for the Minnesota State service unit at SCSU.
      3. An SCSU department is initiating and sponsoring an event that is open to other Minnesota State campuses.
   3. Job and internship fairs—programs designed to secure internships or post-graduation employment for SCSU students.
   4. Recruitment programs—university-sponsored events whose primary purpose is attracting potential students to the campus or programs that can be reasonably construed as having such an effect.
   5. Armed forces recruiting.
   6. Campus groups not listed above will be charged 90 percent of the nonprofit rental for events that are: 
      1. Cosponsored with a non-campus group.
      2. Programs offered to the public or off-campus client groups.
         Events and programs for which fees are charged to the participants or that receive funding from additional sources can expect to pay for space consistent with the current fee schedule. Consideration will be given to those programs for which these monies are used strictly to offset costs. In these instances, a reduction or waiving of fees may be authorized by the Conferences and Scheduling Office director. Rental for events that are not clearly defined by this policy will be determined by the Conferences and Scheduling Office director based on a list of exceptions that are approved by the Atwood Memorial Center Council
4. Groups outside the university community will be charged rental for space used in the building even though some members of a group may be on the faculty or staff.
5. Groups outside the university community will receive a 10 percent rental discount for space used in the building if the group is cosponsored by any academic or administrative department. The act of cosponsorship is defined as the active participation and support of the event. The following two procedures will be necessary for cosponsorship: (1) The department chair must approve the cosponsorship, and (2) the cosponsoring department must designate a campus contact to work with the scheduling office and be present at the entire event. If this policy is violated, 100 percent rental will be charged.
6. If major changes in Ballroom or Voyageurs setups are requested, labor charges will be made to the sponsoring group.
7. Rental charges for space do not include charges for student managers (hired during hours the building is not normally in use) and technical help that is required. All organizations listed in Section I will be charged for technical assistance as requested or required.

St. Cloud State student organizations and university departments that co-sponsor a reservation with an off-campus organization must:

• Be at the reservation contact prior to, during, and following the event;
• Make the reservations;
• Have a student member, St. Cloud State University organization advisor, or university staff contact representing the group present at the reservation;
• Be financially responsible for all bills and invoices.

The reservation must be linked to the mission and or purpose of the student organization or university department.  Advertising and promotional materials must clearly provide the name of the organization(s) or university department.  Student organizations and university departments shall not use their privileges for access to St. Cloud State University campus, space, and services inappropriately to “front” for a non-university group or commercial vendor in order to avoid or receive reduced expenses and/or provide access to campus for those entities.  Student organizations and university departments are not to reserve space for events which they are not directly involved in and present at. 

Groups not following this procedure will receive a warning after the first infraction and upon a second infraction will not be able to reserve space in Atwood Center for the remainder of the academic year and will be charged for the reservation space at the public rate.

The furniture located in the lounge areas of Atwood Memorial Center can only be removed or moved for an event when approved by the Director of Scheduling and Conferences.

Normal Operational Building Hours Policy

The normal operational building hours for Atwood Memorial Center are determined annually with consideration for the needs and interests of the university community, and the needs of the areas and operations located in Atwood balanced within the budget allocated to support the operation of the building. In that the budget for Atwood Memorial is fully funded from student fees and revenue funds, the normal operational building hours are impacted by, and must fall within the budget allocation for each year. Those wishing to use Atwood outside of normal operational building hours shall need to submit a request and may be assessed a user fee to subsidize the cost of keeping the building open for the duration of the request. 

Procedures for Establishing Normal Operational Building Hours

The normal operational building hours are coordinated by Atwood administration in conjunction with the areas and operations within Atwood, and are reviewed and approved each spring for the subsequent academic year by Atwood Advisory Council. Differing normal operational building hours are established for the academic year, summer session, and break periods.

Procedures for Exceptions for Use of Atwood Outside of Normal Operational Building Hours

• Use Beyond Hours – Groups requesting to schedule an activity in Atwood Memorial Center that goes later than, and/or begins prior to the established normal operational building hours shall be assessed a user fee to cover the current applicable cost of operation and providing staff coverage beyond the normal operational hours. The request shall be reviewed by Atwood administration for staff availability, risk, type of event, the potential need for public safety, whether or not there shall also be a room rental charge assessed, and alternative scheduling possibilities before approval. For late night and higher risk events, a Special Event Risk Assessment form shall need to be submitted.
• Use During Closed Periods - Groups requesting to schedule an activity in Atwood Memorial Center on days when the building is completely closed (some holidays, semester breaks, and summer weekends) shall be assessed a user fee to cover the current applicable cost of operation and providing staff coverage beyond the normal operational building hours. The fee shall be negotiated with the Conferences and Scheduling Office director or his/her designee and the request shall be reviewed for staff availability, risk, type of event, the potential need for public safety, alternative scheduling possibilities, whether or not there shall also be a room rental charge assessed, and the amount of space and time requested before approval. For late night and higher risk events, a Special Event Risk Assessment form shall need to be submitted. 

Rehearsal Policy for SCSU student Organization and Departments

Each organization/department will be allowed two rehearsal reservations per event/program that can be confirmed in advance. Additional rehearsal space can be reserved within 7 calendar days in advance of the scheduled date of the rehearsal. This restriction does not apply to reservations in spaces designed primarily as rehearsal space i.e. Studio.

All walk-up rehearsal requests may be approved by the Conference and Scheduling Receptionist or Building Manager on duty, subject to availability. All walk up requests require a valid ID. The student will need to leave the space in the same condition/set up in which it was found.

Students requesting rehearsal space for purposes not associated with of a student organization program/event may not reserve space in advance designed primarily for rehearsals. However, walk up requests may be made. These requests are subject to potentially being bumped by a student organization/department requesting the space and the space may not be used for personal gain.

Room Requests for Study Groups

Students may not reserve meeting/conference rooms in advance for individual or small group study. However, students may request same-day study space from the Conference and Scheduling Receptionist or Building Manager on duty. Approval is subject to availability. A valid student ID will be required.

The goal of this policy is to guide the approval of appropriately-supported, enjoyable, and safe events that are financially feasible.

Policy

Special events are those that are open to the general student population, general public, or a combination of such; are requested to be scheduled later than Atwood’s normal operating hours; and/or may pose a higher level of risk due to the requested time duration and/or type of event.  These event requests require special consideration and are subject to approval via a Special Event Risk Assessment Form. 

Special events shall be considered for approval based on the following criteria:

• Type of event
• Attendees of the event (number of SCSU students, faculty and staff vs. non-SCSU students)
• Number of attendees (larger numbers pose a higher risk level)
• Age of attendees
• Day of week, time, and duration of event (can event occur within standard hours?)
• Potential for high-risk behaviors (alcohol use, etc.) to occur prior to or during the event
• Staffing levels required to support the event
• Location of the event
• Any record or history of safety and security issues related to past like-events, or the topic being addressed (at SCSU, other campuses, or in other public venues)

If at any given time, the details submitted in the initial Special Event Risk Assessment Form change, or new risks are introduced, the event request shall be reconsidered, and approval and requirements may be altered or the approval may be rescinded.   Sponsoring organizations shall be responsible for covering additional facility use and/or safety and security costs associated with the event if approved. 

Procedures for Processing a Special Event Risk Assessment Form and Determining Support Levels Practices Required

• The completed Special Event Risk Assessment Form must be submitted no less than 30 days prior to the requested event date.    The completed form shall first be reviewed for approval by Atwood Conference and Scheduling staff, Atwood Executive Director, and then forwarded for review by SCSU Public Safety before the event can be confirmed.
• Planning for Safety and Security Personnel Support
  •  If the approved event shall require the hiring of SCSU Public Safety staff and/or St. Cloud Police, the number and staffing level shall be dependent on the potential risk assessed via the Special Event Risk Assessment form as determined by Public Safety.
  • Event safety and security support must be arranged or contracted by the requesting organizations with Public Safety at least 30 days prior to scheduled date of the late night or higher risk event. The reservation request for late night and/or higher risk events cannot be confirmed until security arrangements have been finalized.  If the determined levels of safety and security cannot be confirmed, Atwood reserves the right to cancel the event.
  • Additional costs for event safety and security support shall be the responsibility of the organization sponsoring the event. Charges shall be based on the current applicable personnel wages from SCSU Public Safety and/or the St. Cloud Police Department, and any other extenuating expenses in support of safety or security (i.e. – canine unit, rented metal detector, etc.)
• Planning for Controlled and/or Monitored Entry and Exit
  • If approved event shall require controlled entry and exit as determined via the Special Event Risk Assessment form, support may include one or more additional steps.
  • All exterior doors of Atwood may need to be secured at midnight (or normal operational building closing time, whichever is earlier) allowing only departure, but no additional entry unless otherwise arranged in advance.   
  • Attendees may need to show form of ID if SCSU students only or age-specific attendees only shall be allowed entry.
  • Wrist banding (at the expense of the sponsoring organization) may be required to identify permitted attendees.
  • Safe cash handling practices and additional monitoring may need to be secured if an entry fee is required from attendees.
  • Attendee bag and/or outwear checking may need to be implemented if there is concerns of illegal carry-ins or weapons.
• Planning for Facility-related Needs
  • Sponsoring organizations of late night and/or higher risk events beyond normal operational building hours shall be assessed a user fee to cover the cost of remaining open and providing appropriate levels of Atwood staff coverage beyond the normal  hours (per 1.B  in this policy).   
  • The sponsoring organization shall be responsible for any damages to the premises as a result of the event as detailed under General Policies VII - Section D.
• Planning for Behavior and Conduct –related Needs
  • High risk or dangerous behaviors including, but not limited to, the consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs, or violence of any kind shall not be tolerated, and the continuation of the event shall be at the discretion of security personnel on duty, in consultation with the Atwood management and sponsoring organization leadership on duty at the time of the event.
  • Attendees shall be subject to all university conduct guidelines, and applicable local, state, and federal ordinances and laws.