Event Management

Scope

This policy applies to events that are planned to be staged on Indiana University property (collectively, “facility” or “facilities”) by units, groups, individuals, or entities, whether internal or external to the university, which require extensive logistical, safety, and security planning related to crowd and traffic management, ticketing and cash management, staging and carnival attractions, fires, fireworks, outdoor restroom facilities, and food and alcohol service.

Back to top

Policy Statement

The mission of Indiana University is the advancement of education and research and, in support of that mission, university grounds and facilities are the frequent site of events that promote cultural and civic engagement for the university community and secondarily for the community at large. The university is committed to the free and civil exchange of ideas and the principles of academic freedom.

Back to top

Reason for Policy

This policy is intended to facilitate the varied and large-scale events conducted on Indiana University’s campuses consistent with law and university policies addressing public health, safety and welfare, to promote the efficient and orderly use of university property, and to foster and sustain the conditions necessary for the safe, free, and lawful expression of ideas in the context of a diverse academic community.

Back to top

Procedures

1. Event Planning Steps:
   1. An individual authorized to act on behalf of an individual(s) or organization(s) that wishes to host an event (“event sponsor”) must submit an event request that provides information about the event needed for planning the particular event, including but not limited to the criteria identified in Paragraph B.
   2. The request should generally be made no less than 45 days prior to the proposed date of the event.
   3. If the event sponsor is internal to the university and is a faculty member, a staff member, an academic unit, or an administrative unit (an internal sponsor), or is an external sponsor, the request should be submitted to the venue scheduler.
   4. If the event sponsor is internal to the university and is a University Student Organization (USO) or Self-Governing Student Organization (SGSO), the request should be submitted to the campus student affairs office at the campus at which the event is to be held.
   5. If the event includes an invitation to a political candidate or candidates to speak at an event on university property, including classroom visits and debates, the event sponsor must contact the Office of the Vice President for University Relations to ensure that the event is conducted in a manner consistent with Indiana University’s status as both a public institution and as a 501(c)(3) organization. See GR-01, Contact with State Officials, Federal Officials, and Political Campaigns, and Other Political Activities.
   6. If a request for the proposed event requires extensive logistical, safety and security planning, the venue scheduler will forward the request to University Events Management (UEM) for evaluation and coordination of needs and services identified in Paragraph B.2.d.; otherwise, campus student affairs/venue scheduler and the event sponsor may finalize arrangements for the event.
   7. If food will be served at an event but no other criteria identified in Paragraph B. apply, the event sponsor must receive approval for the food service through Environmental Health & Safety in accordance with PS-EHS-05, Food Protection and ensure that food service at the event complies with that policy.
2. Events Requiring Extensive Logistical, Safety and Security Planning 
   1. An event requires extensive logistical, safety, and security planning if one or more of the following conditions are intended or may reasonably be anticipated to apply:
      1. 1. Anticipated attendance is 250 indoor attendees or 500 total attendees (indoor and outdoor or outdoor only);
         2. A dignitary, newsworthy individual, or celebrity is attending or appearing (See GR-01, Contact with State Officials, Federal Officials, and Political Campaigns, and Other Political Activities if the dignitary is a governmental official or candidate for office);
         3. Authorized university officials determine that the event requires logistical planning for campus safety and security (including safe ingress/egress for the speaker) or significantly affects campus services (including kiosk guards, service roads, or parking);
         4. Authorized university officials determine that the event presents a high likelihood of substantial disruption of the university’s academic, administrative, or auxiliary functions, or a scheduled athletics or cultural event  (See UA-14, The First Amendment at Indiana University);
         5. The event will be ticketed, irrespective of whether there is a charge for the tickets;
         6. Credit cards will be used or cash will be collected for admissions, concessions, and the like;
         7. Alcohol will be served;
         8. An outdoor stage will be used or the event would otherwise require an Amusement & Entertainment permit from the State of Indiana if the event were held on non-university property;
         9. Outdoor amplified sound is requested;
         10. Electricity will be utilized at the event, whether provided by the university or through the use of a sponsor-provided generator.
         11. If food will be served,  the event sponsor must receive approval for the food service through EHS in accordance with PS-EHS-05, Food Protection and ensure that food service at the event complies with that policy.

      Event sponsors are encouraged to consult with the appropriate campus contact at the earliest possible time if they have any question whether their event requires extensive logistical, safety, and security planning.

   2. UEM will coordinate with the event sponsor, campus student affairs (if the event sponsor is a student organization) and other appropriate university officials as needed for the successful planning and execution of the proposed event.
      1. UEM/campus student affairs will promptly assess appropriate available spaces and assign location, date, and time in consultation with the event sponsor.
      2. Before UEM will approve the date and location of the event, the event sponsor must obtain all relevant approvals notification and approval requirements as established in other policies administered by UEM, IUPD, the venue scheduler/facility manager, or the campus at which the event is to be held (e.g., https://protect.iu.edu/emergency-planning/event-planning/index.html).
         1. UEM will make best efforts to approve the date and location of an event within 6 weeks of the event sponsor’s request.
         2. In order to expedite UEM’s action on a request, all approvals should be obtained at least 30 days prior to the event.
         3. The date and location of the event cannot be publicized prior to the issuance of these approvals.
      3. The university’s name and marks may not be used in a manner that represents or suggests university sponsorship of the event. See FIN-LT-01,Licensing and Trademark Policy.
      4. UEM or the assigned venue/facility manager may schedule an event coordination meeting with the event sponsor approximately four weeks prior to the event. The following are representative logistical, safety, security, and venue management operations that may be required to conduct a well-executed event in a manner that is safe and secure and in compliance with all applicable laws and university policies. These descriptions are not meant to be and shall not interpreted to be all-inclusive:
         1. Police services: IUPD officers on normal shift: venue area patrols or brief dedication of one officer Non-shift IUPD officers (2-hour minimum): dedicated before, during, and after the event.
         2. Customary venue, security, and crowd management services: services  such as box office or ticketing services, catering or hospitality, ushers and ticket takers, dignitary protection or other services (as appropriately requested by the event host or determined by the university), venue rental, production equipment rental and staffing, and custodial services.
         3. Controlled-access venue services: wristbands, tickets or a similar university-approved measure required to manage the number of individuals entering the venue. Tickets and wristbands must be provided by a vendor approved by Indiana University.
         4. Additional safety measures, services or equipment: barriers or other temporary fencing, enhanced ticketing requirements for controlled-access venues; additional internal and external security resources including approved security firms and law enforcement agencies with overlapping jurisdiction or by invoking extended mutual aid agreements. Regardless of the funding source, all additional security will be engaged by the university; the event sponsor shall not directly contract for security.
      5. As a general matter, the event sponsor is responsible for the cost of safety and security measures within the venue for the protection of performers, speakers, and the planned audience; and for the minimum safety and security measures outside of the venue, which are charged to all major events for the protection of performers, speakers, and the planned audience, including traffic management associated with the event’s planned guests. The university is responsible for the cost of safety and security measures and traffic management associated with observers or protesters.
      6. All event sponsors and participants are required to comply with local, state, and federal law, university policies, and any venue-specific policies. Violations may result in removal from the venue, and could additionally be referred to the relevant university disciplinary process, the Indiana state judicial system, or both.
      7. The university reserves the right, based on a reasonable assessment that proceeding with the event has created an imminent threat of physical harm, to refuse to schedule the event, or to cancel a scheduled event if cancellation appears to be the only effective way to protect public safety.
      8. The university reserves the right to halt and cancel an event already underway upon a determination that safety of participants and others are at risk. Such a determination shall be made on a case-by-case basis considering the particular circumstances presented.
3. Special Considerations for First Amendment Events
   1. Some of the events that will be managed in pursuant to this policy implicate the rights of speech and assembly accorded by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Indiana University has set forth its commitment to the First Amendment as follows:
      

      In accordance with its responsibilities under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, Indiana University affords and is committed to protecting the rights of students, faculty, staff, and invited guests and visitors to free speech and expressive activity, such as assembling and speaking in public areas of campus, as well as writing, publishing, and inviting speakers on any subject.

      IU reserves the right to regulate the time, place, and manner of free speech and expressive activities to protect public health, safety, and welfare, and to prevent disruption of its educational, research, outreach and business functions, and normal or scheduled uses of University property by the campus community.  Priority for the use of University property will be given to academic and administrative departments of Indiana University.

      Physical violence, specific threats of physical violence, intimidation, and the destruction of property are strictly prohibited, and the university may exclude from its property and facilities any person who violates this prohibition

      (See UA-14, The First Amendment at Indiana University)

   2. Any determination by authorized university officials a proposed event must be managed pursuant to Paragraph B.3. or 4. shall be based on the officials’ assessment of information other than the content or viewpoints anticipated to be expressed during the event, but may be based on the reasonable consideration of the experience of other universities or public venues.
   3. The university will exercise its discretion to refuse to schedule or to cancel an event pursuant to Paragraph B.2.g. only in extraordinary circumstances and without regard to the viewpoint of a speaker or protestors.

Back to top

Definitions

Authorized University Officials: depending on the parameters of the event, authorized university officials may include the police department at the campus at which the event will be held (“IUPD”), University Events Management, campus-specific Student Affairs professionals, Environmental Health & Safety, Public Safety & Institutional Assurance.

External Sponsor: individuals and other entities not affiliated with Indiana University.

Indiana University Community Members: Any employee of the university, including administrators, academic appointees, staff, temporary, and student employees; all students and student organizations; all university units; any individual using Indiana University resources or facilities or receiving funds administered by Indiana University; and volunteers and other representatives when speaking or acting on behalf of Indiana University.

Indiana University Property:  Buildings, grounds, and land that are owned by Indiana University or controlled by Indiana University, via leases or other contractual arrangements.

Internal Sponsor: the university’s academic departments, administrative units, centers, museums and other cultural institutions, and institutes of Indiana University, including individual faculty or staff members, and IU registered student organizations and self-governing student organizations.

Substantial Disruption: Behavior by an individual or group that that prevents the university from conducting its educational, research, outreach and business functions, and normal or scheduled uses of university property by the campus community or that prevents a speaker, performer or event from proceeding, or that prevents others from hearing, seeing, or engaging with an invited speaker, performer, or event (also known as the “heckler’s veto”).

Back to top

Sanctions

Failure to comply with this policy and its procedures may result in denial of approval or cancellation of a proposed event or of an event already underway.

Any violations of this policy by IU Community Members (faculty, staff, academic staff, students, or volunteers) will be addressed in accordance with applicable university policies and procedures, which may include disciplinary actions up to and including termination or expulsion from the university.

Violations of this policy by anyone who is not an IU Community Member will result in removal from Indiana University property. Legal prohibitions regarding physical presence on campus/trespassing may also be pursued.

Suspected violations of law will be referred to law enforcement and may result in criminal penalties.

Back to top

History

Back to top