UW Law School Building Use Policy

Student organizations may use the Law Building for meetings and events subject to the following policy. This policy also addresses when reservations should be made, food and alcohol, printing, and advertising in the building.

I. Use of the Law Building

The Law Building is not available for unrestricted use. The highest priority is use for classes, exams, and other activities sponsored by the University including the Law School. When not being used for these purposes, spaces in the Law Building may only be used for other related activities that do not interfere with or detract from the Law School’s mission of law teaching, research, and public service. This policy does not restrict activities that are sponsored by the University including the Law School.

  1. Scope; Law Library. The scope of this policy includes the Law Building located at 975 Bascom Mall, Madison, WI 53706, including the reservable spaces within the Law Building. The Law School may adopt a separate policy governing use of and reservations for the Law Library. Absent any such policy, the scope of this policy shall include the Law Library.
     
  2. Reservations Required. Reservations are required to use spaces in the Law Building for instructional purposes, as well as for events, meetings, gatherings, tabling, and all other non-instructional uses. The Law School reserves the right to ask individuals or organizations using space without a reservation to leave the premises unless such individuals or organizations are otherwise authorized to use the space without a reservation. See Article II for information about making reservation requests.
     
  3. Private Events. If the Law School or anyone affiliated with the Law School hosts a private event, an event only open to certain or all members of the Law School community, or any other event that is by invitation only at the Law School, the Law School reserves the right to ask individuals or organizations not invited to the event to leave the premises. 
     
  4. Disruption or Disruptive Behavior. The Law School will follow the “Campus Process for Confronting Disruptive Behavior” as outlined in the Protest Guidelines.
     
  5. Penalties. Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in this policy, the UW-Madison Facility Use policiesUWS 21, and related policies may lead to revocation of the privilege to use the Law Building and other University facilities and lands. Other penalties may be considered where appropriate, as authorized under the provisions of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.
      

II. Reservation Requests for Rooms and Tables.

  1. Eligibility to Make Reservation Requests.
      
    1. Requests by individuals affiliated with the Law School. Only individuals affiliated with the Law School may make reservation requests.
        
      1. “Individuals affiliated with the Law School” shall mean anyone who has an active appointment as a faculty or staff person at the Law School and Law School students who are currently enrolled in at least one Law School course.
          
      2. Individuals may make reservation requests on behalf of the Law School organizations with which they are affiliated, such as Law School departments and programs, or registered Law School student organizations.
          
    2. Requests by individuals or organizations not affiliated with the Law School. Individuals and organizations not affiliated with the Law School may not make reservation requests. 

      Individuals affiliated with the Law School may sponsor events at the Law Building put on by individuals and organizations not affiliated with the Law School. Such events are considered to be under the sponsorship of the individual affiliated with the Law School submitting the request.

      The Chancellor or Dean (“Authorized Inviter”) may invite individuals and organizations not affiliated with the Law School to sponsor events at the Law Building. Such events are considered to be at the invitation of an Authorized Inviter.

      In both cases, the sponsoring individual affiliated with the Law School or Authorized Inviter (or their duly authorized representative(s)) shall make the reservation request.

      When an event is under the sponsorship of an individual affiliated with the Law School, the sponsoring individual (or their duly authorized representative(s)) must be present and actively involved during the entire duration of the event or tabling event.

      All events, including events under the sponsorship of an individual affiliated with the Law School and events at the invitation of an Authorized Inviter, must comply with UWS 21.04 and the UW-Madison Facility Use policies. Reservations are not guaranteed.

      1. “Under the sponsorship of” shall mean an event sponsored by individuals affiliated with the Law School. The individuals affiliated with the Law School sponsoring the event will be responsible for all administrative and financial obligations associated with the facility use.

      2. “At the invitation of” shall mean an event that is sponsored by individuals or organizations not affiliated with the Law School at the invitation of the Chancellor or Dean. The individuals or organizations not affiliated with the Law School will be responsible for all administrative and financial obligations associated with the facility use.

    3. Hours that Rooms and Tables May Be Reserved.
        
      1. Rooms may be reserved by individuals affiliated with the Law School for events for only Law School-affiliated individuals (i.e., law faculty, staff, and students) any day from 7:45 AM to 9:00 PM, except on holidays when the Law School is closed.
          
      2. Rooms may be reserved by individuals affiliated with the Law School for events open to individuals not affiliated with the Law School, or that feature an outside speaker during regular business hours, which are Monday through Friday from 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM. Any request under this section that is scheduled after 4:30 PM will be considered an “after-hours event.”
          
        1. Priority for after-hours events will be granted to Law School events hosted by a Law School department that are critical to the educational mission of the school, such as: OCPD-hosted programming, student recruitment events hosted by the Admissions & Financial Aid Office, Alumni events hosted by External Affairs, or academic or scholarly events hosted by the Dean’s Office.
            
        2. After-hour events hosted by individuals affiliated with the Law School and not officially hosted by a Law School department will be approved based on the availability of building/event staffing, IT resources, custodial services, security needs, and other relevant facility or event services.
            
      3. Table Reservations. Tables in the Atrium may be reserved for regular business hours, which are Monday through Friday from 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM. Tables may be reserved only in the Atrium.

        To reserve a table, select the Atrium as the venue on the reservation request. On the morning of the event, choose the desired table in the Atrium and put a placard on the table indicating when the table is reserved that day.
          
      4. Lubar Commons. The Sheldon Lubar Faculty Commons and the Dean’s Conference Room have been designated primarily for UW Law faculty and Dean’s Office events and activities. Reservations for this space must be approved through the Dean’s Office. Any event hosted in this space must be sponsored by the Dean’s Office or have a Law School faculty or staff sponsor who will have to be present during the entire reservation and agree to bear any financial responsibility of the group using the space. Approval for this space after regular business hours will be based on the availability of building/event staffing, IT resources, custodial services, security needs, and other relevant facility or event services.
          
    4. Timing of Reservation Requests.

      Reservation requests cannot be made until the course schedule is finalized, which is usually two weeks after the fall and spring semesters begin. Reservation requests cannot be made during the final exam period until all final exam planning is completed. Reservation requests should be made no earlier than three months before the event and no later than five business days before the event. Recurring event requests will be approved on a week-by-week basis to ensure space is available for priority UW Law eve.

    5. Reservation Requests Priority; Reservations Subject to Change. Events sponsored by a Law School department or program, Law classes, and Law exams shall take priority over all other events. Accordingly, all reservations are subject to change should the needs of the Law School require it.
        
    6. Making Reservation Requests and Checking Room Capacity. Individuals affiliated with the Law School may make reservation requests through calendar request form. Room capacities are listed on the reservation website and must be followed.
        
    7. Canceling Reservation Requests. The individual who reserves a space or table must cancel the request as soon as practicable if the reservation is no longer needed.
        
    8. Right to Revoke/Deny Requests and Privileges. The Law School reserves the right to deny reservation requests, revoke reservations, and/or revoke future reservation privileges when:
        
      1. The Law School determines the request is unrelated to the Law School’s mission of teaching, research, and public service;
          
      2. The Law School concludes that on its face, the reservation request describes conduct prohibited on university lands under UWS 18, or that, during the course of the event, participants engage in conduct prohibited on university lands under UWS 18;
          
      3. The Law School determines that unforeseen circumstances or events, such as inclement weather, closure of the building, flooding, or other hazardous conditions that prevent safe occupancy of the premises, etc.;
          
      4. The Law School determines that another event has priority, consistent with Article II, Paragraph 4;
          
      5. The reservation request was not timely, consistent with Article II, Paragraph 3;
          
      6. An individual reserves a room for individuals or organizations not affiliated with the Law School without following the requirements of Article II, Paragraph 1, Section ii;
          
      7. The description of the request does not reflect the actual use of the space or table; and/or
          
      8. The Law School determines that the request violates policy, e.g., UW-Madison Facility Use policiesUWS 21, or related policies.
          

III. Logistics for Events, Meetings, Tabling, and Other Non-Instructional Uses.

  1. Law School Funding. If the Law School, including the JD Grants Committee, is wholly or partially funding the event or meeting, all University rules and policies apply. Contact events@law.wisc.edu for assistance with event planning, and make sure all expenses are approved with the Law School Accountant in advance.
      
  2. Food and Alcohol. Food is allowed at meetings and events as long as the Temporary Food Service policy is followed to ensure food safety. Alcohol beverage service on University property, including the Law Building, is allowed as long as the Alcohol Beverage Regulations are followed. Student organizations considering hosting an event with alcohol must review and abide by the Alcohol Policies for Registered Student Organizations.

  3. Setup and Tear Down. The individual (or the organization for which the individual made the request) who reserves a space or table is responsible for the setup and tear down of furniture, signs, trash bins, custodial support, and catering. The individual (or the organization for which the individual made the request) who reserves a space or table is responsible for properly cleaning the space or table on the same day of the event and leaving the space or table as originally found.

  4. Technology. To request video or audio recording, TV/DVD, microphones, computer/projector, overflow rooms, or similar services, email help@law.wisc.edu, describing the location, date and time, the service requested, and any other pertinent information at least two weeks prior to the event. For questions, see Technology Services staff on the 2nd floor of the Law Building (Room 2115, 608-262-5242, or help@law.wisc.edu).

  5. Cleaning & Other Fees. The individual (or the organization for which the individual made the request) who reserves a space or table may be charged fees associated with cleaning, furniture rearranging/moving, and/or damage and may be denied future use of Law School spaces and tables for failure to clean spaces and tables or failure to leave them as originally found. Contact the Law School Building Manager for information about hiring UW Maintenance to provide clean up services.
      
  6. Maintenance. Contact the Law School Building Manager for maintenance or heating/cooling issues during the event.
      
  7. Parking. If parking is needed, please contact the Main Office  at 608-262-2240 at least two weeks in advance of the event. Please note that parking is very limited and may not be available. A funding source or string will be needed to secure the parking.
      
  8. Posting. See Student Handbook section 18.2.3 for information about posting temporary signs advertising the event.
      
  9. Printing/Duplication. Visit the Copy Shop on the 2nd floor of the Law building (copyshop@law.wisc.edu, 608-262-0668) for copying of flyers, signs, brochures, name cards, etc.

  10. Publicity. For possible media coverage of a talk or a symposium that is open to the public, or a possible news item on the Law School home page at law.wisc.edu or on social media, email all relevant information to our External Affairs communications team at news@law.wisc.edu.


Keywords:
building policy law building 
Doc ID:
148377
Owned by:
Carlie W. in Law School Student Affairs Office
Created:
2025-02-17
Updated:
2025-02-17
Sites:
Law School Student Affairs Office