Guidelines and Procedures

To permit the appropriate scheduling of facilities, and the observance of requirements for financial responsibility, all requests for use of any type of University space or grounds — other than that required for scheduled academic, intramural and intercollegiate activities — must be presented to Student Unions.

A request must be completed either on UBLinked for student clubs and organizations and at spacerequest.buffalo.edu/evntwebapp/ for departments.

All requests will be reviewed by the Reservations Coordinator. The request for space is accepted or rejected on the basis of space availability, necessary services, review of the event for propriety, and timely and properly executed documents and authorization.

In a case where clear determination of acceptance is not possible, the request will be referred to the Director of Student Unions, who will make a determination regarding the appropriateness of the request.

The University’s use of all facilities shall have preemptive priority. Academic use of space shall have preemptive priority over non-academic use. The exercise of preemptive priority where commitments have been made can only be authorized by the Office of the President.

All events must have a University sponsorship, and the sponsoring group must accept financial responsibility for damage to University property and/or inordinate cleaning.

If fees are charged for an event, all financial accounting must be processed through an approved University accounting agency. The University will require 50 percent of any net revenue to be returned to the University. That portion of the net revenue returned to the University will be held in a university holding account for the balance of the academic year in which the revenue was received. If the organization creating the revenue experiences a loss in any subsequent events during the same academic year, the loss will be offset by any accumulated revenues held in the holding account established for the organization. At the end of the academic year, any amount remaining in the holding account will be treated as University revenue.

A. Faculty and Staff Requests

An academic or administrative unit must obtain appropriate sponsorship through a department chair, director, dean or vice president.

B. Student Club and Organization Requests

A student club or organization must obtain sponsorship (authorized by the signature of an appropriate officer on this form) from a recognized student organization (Undergraduate Student Association, Graduate Student Association, Medical School Polity, American Student Dental Association, Student Bar Association, Graduate Management Association and School of Pharmacy Student Association) or such other student groups as certified by the Office of the Vice President for Student Life as those representative bodies.

C. Special Events

Events which either

a.) project an attendance of more than 100, or

b.) demonstrate by their scope and nature, possible risk to the health, safety or welfare of the participants or to the campus population, will be referred to Student Unions to apply for permit status.

In recognizing its community service role, the University will consider requests from individuals and groups who have specialized needs. University facilities and grounds (State property) cannot be used for profit or personal gain; however, not-for-profit activities may be permitted if the criteria below are satisfied:

A. The purpose of the activity is consistent with the general objectives of the University.

B. The group or individual must obtain sponsorship of the proposed activity through a University at Buffalo academic department, administrative office or recognized student group (as indicated above).

C. Groups or individuals not sponsored by an academic unit, administrative office or recognized student group as set forth in previous section must execute an approved contract.

D. All information and promotion bearing the name of the University must be reviewed by the Office of Trademarks and Licensing prior to release.

E. The user may be required to pay to the University all costs incurred by the University as a result of the event (e.g., University Police and University Services personnel, material, etc.) including damages, if any, and must be willing to sign a contract to this effect. The contract will include appropriate requirements for the event.

Please see the Event Policy for more information.

Organizations are charged for use of Student Unions space, equipment and services according to the fee schedule. The Reservation Coordinator is responsible for billing the appropriate organization following use of Student Unions facilities.

If a bill remains unpaid after the initial billing period, follow-up statements are sent to the organization every 30 days thereafter. Accounts 90 days past due will lead to a suspension of the organization’s reservation privileges.

Please see the Advertising Policy for more information.

The Student Unions staff will monitor noise levels and have the right to request organizations to lower noise levels. Failure to do so may result in loss of current and future reservations.

Only one portable sound system may be used between the Student Unions Social Hall and Special Events area. The in-house system may be used in the Social Hall if a portable system is being used in the Special Events space. The request for sound will be taken on a first come, first-served basis.

Bands are approved by Student Unions on a per event basis. Drums are not permitted in any open area in the Student Unions. Non-Percussive bands are approved by Student Unions on a per event basis.  The outdoor stage is the only outdoor space allotted for bands at the Student Unions. Student Unions will take the following into consideration while reviewing reservation requests:

• Time of day of event
• Location of event
• Other events in the building

Pianos in closed reservation rooms may be used in conjunction with confirmed events. The UB community may enjoy use of the piano in the Social Hall unless the sign indicates a noise conflict within the building.

For the safety of the users of the building, bicycles, rollerblades, scooters, skateboards, electronic self-balancing boards and other wheeled recreational vehicles may not be ridden in the Student Unions. Bicycles are not permitted in the buildings.  For your convenience, bike racks are located outside the main entrance of the Student Union.

The Student Unions assume no responsibility for lost or stolen articles. Lost and found articles can be turned in at the Welcome Center on the first floor of the Student Unions.

• UB Cards will be turned into the UB Card Office, who will attempt to contact the individual.
• Items of value will be turned over to University Police at the time of collection. Located in Bissell Hall, University Police maintains the University’s central lost and found department.

If you lose something on campus, check one of these lost and found locations.

• Student Union Welcome Center
• UB Card Office, 1 Capen (for all UB Cards)
• University Police, Bissell Hall
• Libraries lost and found

Student Unions is excited to announce our brand new Club Room Lounges.   UB will be utilizing the Club Suite model from last year with some enhancements for this coming Semester.  We will now have three Club Suite rooms to choose from this year.  Room 362 is a more traditional Board Room style room that clubs can use to conduct business.  Our other two rooms, Room 308 and Room 377, will offer a more relaxed, lounge style room for clubs to meet.  These exciting new spaces will help clubs conduct their normal club business in a safe and fun atmosphere. 

These Club Suites are spaces exclusively for clubs.  They offer flexibility but will still adhere to all the current health guidelines.  All three rooms will have cleaning supplies on site and will be cleaned thoroughly overnight.  In addition there will also be Club Storage rooms on the 3^rd floor of the Student Union.  These rooms can be used to store club materials and will be easily accessible.