Event Policies

Events at Northeastern are subject to University policies stated in the Professional Standards and Business Conduct manual published by the Office of Internal Audit, available at http://www.northeastern.edu/neuhome/adminlinks/prostand.pdf, the University Administrative Manual published by the senior vice president of administration and finance is available at http://www.neu.edu/adminm and Of Counsel newsletters, published from time to time by the Office of University Counsel.

Event policies noted here represent a summary of important information from these sources and other offices with oversight responsibilities related to events. This summary is intended as a guide to University policies that concern events. Policies may be revised or updated.

General policies
If you are uncertain about the propriety of planning or hosting an event, please contact the Office of University Events. With guidance from University Counsel, the Office of the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance, the Business Office, and the Office of Risk Management, we can help you to determine the right course of action in developing and planning your event or hosting an off-campus group.

The policy and procedural summaries noted here apply to events planned, hosted by, or cosponsored by University administration, faculty, and staff, and do not reflect policies concerning student events. For information concerning student event policies, please contact the Office of Student Activities.

• Employees are responsible on behalf of the University, to use resources—including University facilities, services, equipment, and personnel—prudently, ethically, and for the purposes for which they are intended.
• The use of University equipment, supplies, or facilities for a non-University purpose or for a revenue-generating activity that benefits an individual employee directly or indirectly is strictly prohibited without the written approval of the Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance or the President.
• The use of University facilities for personal, unlawful, or improper purposes is strictly prohibited.

Equal Opportunity Policy
The University Equal Opportunity Policy applies to meetings, events, and use of all facilities. Northeastern University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities. In addition, Northeastern University will not condone any form of sexual harassment.

Handling funds
All monetary transactions must be handled through the Finance Department/Cashier’s Office and all banking arrangements must originate in the Treasurer/Controller’s Office.

No department may open a bank account on behalf of the University, including, but not limited to checking/savings accounts, merchant credit card accounts, Internet banking, and transaction processing accounts.

No department or employee outside the Cashier’s Office is authorized to accept cash on behalf of the University.

Print identity
The University seal, logo, or letterhead may only be used for University-related purposes. Such identifiers must not be used by outside organizations even if the University has a relationship with the other entity. Northeastern University identifiers symbolized by its logo and seal are registered trademarks. Graphic standards published by the University’s Office of Creative Services provide guidelines for the approved usage of these identifiers. For more information, visit www.northeastern.edu/marcom.

Use of facilities for University events
All bookable space at the University is available for use by faculty and staff subject to the rental and use conditions for each venue. Date availability, conditions, use restrictions, and associated fees vary from facility to facility. A list of facilities, facility contacts, how to reserve space, and contacts for facility use guidelines are detailed in this policies section and in the “Reservations: Contact List” section of this guide.

There is no rental charge to University departments to use meeting space or event venues on campus when used for University business. Rental fees do apply for all University departments at Northeastern’s Batterymarch Conference Center in Boston, at the Warren Conference Center in Ashland, and at the Henderson House in Weston.

Use of facilities by external groups
If you wish to host an off-campus group, or have been contacted by an outside group that would like to use our meeting or event facilities, please contact the Office of University Events to request guidelines and approval.

Any individual, agency, entity, group, or organization from outside the University that wishes to use space on campus must reserve the space through the Office of University Events, enter into a contract with the University for the space, and pay a rental fee consistent with the schedule of rental rates approved annually by the University’s Board of Trustees. The contract must be submitted for review and signature by an authorized official before the event takes place.

An off-campus group must have an on-campus sponsor or host. An on-campus sponsor may have an active role, specific responsibilities, and financial accountability concerning the event. Please refer to the section “Internal vs. External Events” in this guide for more information.

An on-campus sponsor may be required to provide a University budget number as a default account from which to recoup payments due to the University for facility rentals or other event service charges, if the outside client fails to pay.

Policies regarding external groups include the following:

• Political fundraisers are not permitted on University property.
• An external individual or group may not use a University employee, department, student, or student organization as a cover to access use of University space.
• An off-campus group must have a formal, written contract with the University.
• An off-campus group is required to provide the University with evidence of insurance coverage at the time it enters into the contract with the University. The University will determine the appropriate amount of insurance that is necessary.
• An off-campus group is required to pay the University a facility use fee (rent) and to pay for other event-associated costs.

Facility rent and other charges for external groups
External groups are charged facility use fees (rent) according to a schedule set annually by the Board of Trustees. Please refer to the section “Internal vs. External Events” in this guide for current facility rental rates.

On occasion, rental fees may be adjusted. Fees may only be adjusted or waived by the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance. Please refer to the sections “Internal vs. External Groups” and “Legal and Insurance Issues” for more detailed information concerning facility rent and requests for waivers. Contact the Office of University Events before you submit a rental adjustment request to the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance.

In addition to rent, outside groups are required to pay Northeastern and compensate for any associated service fees and/or direct costs incurred by the University as a result of an event. Examples of service fees and direct costs may include: hourly rate for building services to set up, refresh, and break down room set-ups; hourly rate for a dedicated building manager or an event manager assigned to an event, particularly in Curry Student Center, Blackman Theater, and the Fenway Center; hourly rates for front- and back-of-house staff and technical staff in Blackman Theatre and the Fenway Center; rates for audio-visual equipment use and technical support; security, as deemed necessary by the Public Safety Office; parking fees; catering charges; photography fees; overtime fees for the aforementioned services; and special overtime cleaning fees.

Please consult with the Office of University Events for other service fees and direct costs associated with events.

Contracts with external groups for use of event space
Outside groups must have a formal, written facility-use agreement with the University. Please contact the Office of University Events or the Office of University Counsel to discuss the contractual requirements for an outside group.

A License Agreement specifies the terms and conditions of use of University facilities, including dates, times, rooms, and restrictions. The agreement also includes important insurance and liability requirements and an estimate of other event-related costs that an outside group will be required to pay.

Contracts with off-campus venues and suppliers
If you are holding a University event off campus, you’ll need to have a written contract with a hotel or meeting facility, and with a caterer and other event vendors or suppliers. Do not sign event or event-related contracts. All contracts must be reviewed and approved by the University Counsel and signed by the Treasurer of the University before the event takes place.

Event contracts include but are not limited to license agreements for use of University facilities by outside groups, contracts with hotels and caterers, and contracts with any off-campus event venue or supplier such as musicians, entertainers, audio-visual production companies, and transportation companies.

Insurance and liability
The Northeastern University Office of Risk Management has specific insurance requirements for events, event venues, vendors, suppliers, and contractors.

All events sponsored by Northeastern University, on or off campus, must be properly insured. Northeastern’s Risk Management Office sets the specific insurance coverage needed. Start by calling the Office of University Events, and we’ll help you to coordinate insurance and liability issues with the Office of Risk Management.

If a University department plans to hold an event on or off campus that involves external vendors, the University may require insurance coverage from the outside vendor. In other cases, an outside vendor may seek insurance coverage by Northeastern University.

When you are planning an event or any other business at an offsite location, Northeastern University policy requires insurance coverage for Northeastern University by the outside entity. Your department must make this request of the venue and obtain proof of coverage from the venue before you submit a contract to University Counsel. Failure to obtain this insurance will result in delays in contract processing.

Generally, the Office of Risk Management requires that an outside group carry the following coverage:

• Comprehensive general liability insurance in the amounts of $2,000,000 per occurrence/$4,000,000 aggregate.
• Evidence of workers’ compensation insurance.

The Office of Risk Management may also require other coverage.

Booking space
Reservation policies and procedures vary from venue to venue. The department heads in each venue can help you understand how to book and best use their space. If you need help identifying the right space on campus for your event, call University Events. Please see “Reservations” for a list of venues and who to contact to reserve space.

Serving alcohol
Alcohol is permitted at University events and in connection with business meals, provided it is served legally and is incidental to the activity. Alcohol at University events may only be served by Chartwells TIP-certified bartenders. The Office of Risk Management must be notified in advance by the host department.

Specific conditions apply concerning locations on campus where alcohol may be served. Alcohol may only be served on campus in locations that are deemed to have controllable access. No one under 21 years of age may attend an event at which alcohol is served. If any guests under 21 are in attendance, alcohol is prohibited from being served.

Generally, alcohol may not be served at an event in the Curry Student Center unless approved by the Student Center Director of Operations and the Director of Food Service. In the student center, event guest identification is required to confirm that guests at the event are over 21, and event access controls are needed so that alcoholic beverages are not carried beyond the confines of the event location. Identification plans and access control plans must be in place and approved in advance.

The University may, at its discretion, require that a paid public safety detail be hired by the department at the department’s expense to control access into and out of an event at which alcohol is served.

Additional access controls that may be required include ticketed admission, and presentation of a government-issued photo ID to event staff and bar servers, if requested.

Caterers
Chartwells is the preferred University caterer. Chartwells catering menus and pricing are available on line at www.dineoncampus.com/Northeastern or by contacting Chartwells Catering Office on campus at 617.373.2479.

If you wish to use a caterer other than Chartwells, the caterer must be approved in advance by the Director of Food Service. The caterer must provide University Counsel and the Office of Risk Management with satisfactory evidence of insurance and other approved documentation. Contact the Office of University Events if you considering using an off-campus caterer.

OFF-CAMPUS CATERERS ARE REQUIRED TO MEET THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

• There must be a written agreement between the caterer and the University. This agreement must be approved by University Counsel and the Director of Food Service at least four weeks prior to the event.
• Caterers must provide the University with satisfactory evidence of required insurance, licenses, and permits.
• Caterers must provide an insurance certificate evidencing general liability insurance coverage, naming Northeastern as an additional insured, with limits of $2,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate. Exceptions to these limits may be made on a case-by-case basis by the Director of Risk Management.
• Certificates of insurance should be delivered to the Office of Risk Management, 122 St. Stephen Street, and to the Business Office, 480 Renaissance Park, no later than 10 business days before the event.
• Contact the Director of Food Service for information on licenses and permits required of caterers other than Chartwells.
• Caterers must clean up and remove all trash and equipment within two hours of the time that an event ends, unless special arrangements are made in advance with the facility manager in which the event is being held.
• In some cases, the department hosting an event may be responsible for paying a cleaning fee after an event that is catered by an off-campus caterer.

Parking
Visitors to the University are expected to park in the Renaissance Park Garage or the Gainsborough Garage. The fee is based on an hourly rate structure. Parking rates are available at www.neu.edu/parking. Click on the “fees” link for hourly rates. If you are hosting an event of 20 attendees or more who may need parking, please contact the Parking Office, ext. 2777. Parking passes can be purchased by University personnel at a discounted rate and given to event attendees.

Public safety
If you are planning an event on campus, contact the Public Safety Division, ext. 5290, early in the planning process to review your event plans and to learn about public safety event policies. Public safety-recommended security staffing levels are a minimum requirement to hold events on campus. However, you may organize more staffing or may independently provide more security as long as those arrangements are coordinated in advance with Public Safety.

If there is a police, fire, medical, or other emergency at your event, call the Public Safety emergency number, ext. 3333. Public Safety has an ambulance, and all Northeastern University Police Department (NUPD) officers are trained Emergency Medical Technicians.

It is also important to notify NUPD about your event so that officers on duty at locations across campus can assist guests in answering questions about event locations.

The Public Safety Division provides a comprehensive program of police, security, crime prevention, fire safety, emergency medical, parking, and related public safety services to help ensure that the University community, including guests at events, enjoy a safe and pleasant environment.

Public Safety is located at 716 Columbus Avenue. The main number is ext. 2121. The emergency number is ext. 3333. The TTY number is ext. 3934.

Calls are answered 24 hours a day, every day. Marked emergency telephones are located throughout campus and can be used to report emergencies at events. The Public Safety Division maintains direct telephone contact with the Boston Police and Fire Departments, assuring prompt assistance and support from those agencies when needed.

Notifying key departments
LIST OF DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU MAY NEED TO NOTIFY WHEN YOU ARE PLANNING OR HOSTING AN EVENT:

• Office of University Events. See list of contacts in the first tabbed section of this book.
• Division of Public Safety, ext. 5290.
• Office of Risk Management, ext. 8668.
• Office of University Counsel, ext. 2157
• Director of Food Service, Business Office, ext. 4792, if you are working with an off-campus caterer
• It is always important to advise the Northeastern University switchboard of the event details, including the name of your event, date, time, location, and who to contact for information.