Quick Guide for Event Planning
Request a Date and Space for the Event
All student organization events, including tabling in the Atrium and events that take place outside of the Law School, should be posted to the Law School Events Calendar. Your event must be on the Law School Events Calendar in order to be posted in the SBA Announcements.
To post your event to the calendar, complete the form to Submit an Event Request online. To request a classroom in the Law School, indicate the room you would like to use in the same form used to Submit an Event Request. When the event and/or room request have been approved, you will receive an email confirmation.
Events and room reservations must be requested in advance. Please refer to Section II.5 of the Building Use Policy to determine when your event must be submitted based on the event details.
Registered Student Organizations that wish to host their event elsewhere on campus should refer to the UW Student Organization Resource & Policy Guide for information about campus space reservations. You should still submit your event to the Law School Events Calendar.
Advertising the Event
The two most common ways to advertise your event is via the SBA Announcements and by posting flyers in the Law School. The SBA will include a link to submit events in their weekly newsletter. To post flyers in the Law School, please follow the Sign Posting and Temporary Display Policy.
Tech Support
If you need tech support, including microphones, for your event, please email help@law.wisc.edu with your request in advance. If classroom tech is not working properly during the event, please call the Law School Help Desk at 608-262-5242.
Parking
The Law School may be able to provide a limited amount of guest parking for high profile speakers and guests. If you would like to request parking for your guests, please contact the Assistant Director of Student Life.
When guest parking is not available, guests should find parking via the UW Transportation Services website or the City of Madison parking website.
Food
There are several ways to source food and beverages for events that take place on campus:
- Hire a caterer to prepare, deliver, set up, and serve the food. UW Housing and the Wisconsin Union have the first right of refusal for catering on University property, including the Law Building. You may hire an off-campus caterer only if both university caterers decline the event.
- Order food to be delivered by a restaurant. The restaurant can prepare and deliver the food, but the students must accept delivery, set up the food, and serve it.
- Purchase prepared food from a grocery store or restaurant and bring it to the event, where students set up and serve it.
- If your event is fully funded by the organization and its members, and the event is closed (i.e. only open to the student organization members), then you may bring food that was prepared at home. Refer to the Student Organization Resource & Policy Guide for more information.
Note: Individuals cannot prepare food for a University funded event. Food must be pre-packaged (e.g. chips, whole fruit, candy) or prepared by a commercial entity.
Hosting Events with Alcohol
If there will be alcohol at your event, please review and adhere to the policies outlined in Hosting Events with Alcohol.
Political Activity
If your event can be considered political activity or public advocacy, please review and adhere to the policies outlined in Political Activity, Public Advocacy, & Expressive Activity. Please note that candidates for public office are limited on the number and type of visits they can make to campus. Contact the Assistant Director of Student Life if you wish to host a candidate for any reason, even if unrelated to their campaign.
Cleaning Up
Students are expected to leave spaces as they were found. This includes putting furniture back in its place, removing excess trash, and cleaning up any food mess left behind. Even if your organization is not providing food at an event, attendees are probably bringing their lunches with them. It is your responsibility to remind attendees to clean up after themselves.