Event Planning and Event Management

When to initiate event registration processes.

The recommended timeline for initiating the event process is 6-8 weeks prior to the date of your event.
When planning for an event we must make sure you are in line with the following protocol:

• All necessary funding has been secured.
• Any necessary contracts and financial forms (A-19s and W-9s) have been processed and signed to secure payment for any external vendors, performers, or speakers.
• All necessary forms and approvals are in for having food at an event (both on and off campus).
• All room reservations, equipment and setup parameters are made and associated costs are paid for.
• You've allowed enough time for adequate publicity both internal to your club and if using CWU's Publicity Center.

Process for Event Approval

1. Only the designated schedulers, as determined in your organization's page in Presence, may schedule on behalf of your organization.
2. Submit your request to the Event Registration form on Presence. The event form must be submitted and approved before your event populates into the system and can be shared publicly.
   Event Registration Form
3. SURC Scheduling will review your request and will reach out to you if there are any costs, questions or concerns about the location. SURC Scheduling will input your request into 25live to reserve the space.
4. Your event will also be reviewed by Student Leadership, Involvement, & Community Engagement (SLICE) and if needed, you will be requested to meet with a SLICE staff member regarding your event. This meeting will be initiated if your event requires any sort of contract, event liability insurance, or food. During which we will walk you through initiating each necessary process to help you create a successful event.
5. The Scheduling Center will send a PDF confirmation to you and to SLICE, at which time SLICE will approve your event submission in Presence. Receiving both emails means your space is reserved and your event is approved. Your space is ONLY considered fully booked when you receive both an email from the Scheduling Staff AND the Presence email notification that your event is approved.

*If you submit an event that requires a contract, food, or special facility process and you are outside of the 6-8 week window you may be asked to postpone your event or these services for your event may not be available.

Expectations for using campus spaces

• The space that you are requesting is expected to be restored to the state in which you have entered it.
• Trash must be cleaned up.
• Any rearrangement of the furniture or equipment back to their original positions. Due to liability and damage concerns, only SURC staff can move furniture within the SURC rooms.
• Any damages to space or equipment should be immediately reported. Charges associated with damages will occur.

On Campus Resources Available for Event Support

Each resource below can assist with putting on a successful event or assist with taking your event to the next level. Please note that services may come at a cost.

Wildcat Tickets

• Wildcat Tickets offer three convenient ways to purchase tickets: online, in person and over the phone.
• If you plan on selling tickets for your event as a Club it must be processed through Wildcat Tickets.
• Be sure to select the Wildcat Tickets option in the Event Form.

KCWU 88.1 The Burg

KCWU offers a variety of different set ups to fit your event needs, big or small.

• The KCWU promotions team comes prepared with an extensive music library, an assortment of speakers, DJ lighting, and more.
• Additionally, KCWU may be able to assist in promoting your upcoming event through radio broadcast.
• Be sure to select the 88.1 The Burg option in the event form.

Publicity Center

The Publicity Center offers services at a cost to student clubs including comprehensive design, marketing/ media and consulting services to promote student-focused events, programs, and organizations. More services include:

• Posters and booklets.
• Social media packages.
• Stickers and other promotional items.
• Overall event marketing support.
• Be sure to select the Publicity option in the event form.

If your club is interested in applying for funding for Publicity center services, please complete the Funding Request form. If you would like to meet with the Publicity center staff to discuss a possible project, please reach out to publicity@cwu.edu.

Student Union Event Support Services & Equipment Rental

Student Union and Event Support Services can offer consultations as to what equipment you will need, and provide their services if your desired venue is inside the SURC.

• Inside the SURC they offer an equipment rental service that includes sound equipment, pipe and drape, lighting, screens, and more.
• Outside the SURC some of their professional-grade equipment is available for rent.
• Be sure to select Event Support Services in the Event Form.

If your club is interested in applying for funding for SURC equipment or services, please complete the Funding Request form. If you would like to meet with the SURC staff to discuss a possible event, please reach out to studentunion@cwu.edu.

Event Food Policy

Please reach out to SLICE ahead of your event for advising on having food or catering at your event. The minimum time needed to process food requests is 6-8 weeks prior to the desired event.

• Approval from CWU Dining Services is required for any event where more than $150 of food will be served. CWU Dining is the primary food provider on campus and holds the first right of refusal anytime food is served on campus.
• Home-baked or home-cooked food items are prohibited from being served at club and organization events.
• Food served at club and organization events must be from a commercially manufactured facility, such as a grocery store or restaurant.

Food Safety

• When serving food, safety and sanitation is the most important aspect.
• SLICE strongly recommends displaying full ingredient lists with possible allergens when serving food. It is important to be proactive and cautious to prevent possible allergic reactions.
• Please see the FDA's list of Common Food Allergies(link is external).
• Consider applying for a Washington State Food Handler's card(link is external) ($10 and good for 2 years).
• If serving hot or cold food for an extended period, temperature regulation will be required in your setup.

On Campus Catering

• On Campus catering is food provided by CWU's dining and catering services.
• We will work with you to submit a catering order.
• Be sure to preview the catering menu so you have an idea of the items you may want and the associated cost. CWU Catering Website(link is external)
• Contact dining & catering dining@cwu.edu.

Catering from an off-campus vendor

• CWU Dining has the first right of refusal anytime food is served on campus. Off Campus catering refers to bringing a non-CWU vendor to campus to cook, prep, and/or serve their own food. When intending to bring an off-campus caterer to campus, the following must be considered:
  1. Ample time before the intended event date (at least 6-8 weeks prior to the event).
  2. Approval from CWU Dining to bring an outside food vendor.
  3. Verification of liability Insurance, business licenses, food handling & safety certification.
  4. Verification of safe means of food transport and serving apparatus.
  5. Creation and signature of contract prior to event and service date.
• We will work with you to process all information, be sure to select 'Off Campus Caterer' in the Event registration form.

Publicity Center

• The CWU Publicity Center is a student-facing resource that helps clubs and organizations on their brand identity and promotion of their events. There is typically a cost associated with Publicity center services, and funding is available to clubs and organizations who seek out those services.
• Contact the Publicity Center at Publicity@cwu.edu or visit their office in SURC 272.

Social Media

• If your club has social media, create posts related to the event to be shared.
• Social media analysis has shown that posts with photos have a farther reach than posts with event flyers. Do not post photos of any individuals who have not given consent to be photographed or posted online.
• You can ask other organization and campus department social media accounts to share your posts.

Posting Flyers on Campus

• Only post physical flyers in approved, designated spaces for flyers on campus.
• The Info desk will post up to 3 copies of your event Flyer within the SURC.
• You can receive a stamp of approval to post flyers elsewhere on campus at the Info Desk in the SURC.
• You may only post flyers in academic buildings and residence halls with approval from the building facility manager.
• A stamp of approval from the Info Desk in the SURC is needed before posting flyers in academic buildings or residence halls.

Talk with your club about the event you want to host

• Decide who will take lead on coordination and logistics and who will be responsible for delegating tasks.

You should be prepared to answer all the following questions with your club:

• What is the event? What goal are we trying to accomplish by hosting this event?
• Who will take the lead on organizing logistics for the event? Is this person a designated scheduler for your organization?
• Who is the event for? Who will attend?
• What will attendees be doing during the event?
• What kind of space is appropriate for this event? What kind of set-up will we need?
• What is a good time and day to hold the event?
• How will we measure the success of this event? How will we know it went well?
• Do we need funding to support this event? Do we have the funds in our club account to support this event? Do we plan to request funding to support this event? Did we allow enough time to ensure that this event can be financially supported?
• How can we make this event successful without funding?
• How will we advertise our event?

Other Helpful Tips

• You can and should maintain regular communication with Scheduling Staff about the details of your event, even after everything is booked. They are here to help you have a successful event.
• Some campus spaces require additional departmental approval. Please allow extra time in the planning process for this. The above process must be followed for clubs and organizations regardless of the desired location of the event.
• Campus spaces are first come, first served. You can view availability of campus spaces on 25Live or reach out to Scheduling Staff to help you choose a space.
• Schedule and plan all meetings as far in advance as possible to ensure success.
• Please make sure your organization’s page on Presence is up to date, this is how students will know when your meetings are if they are interested in joining. Contact SLICE if you need support updating your organization’s page.
• Tracking attendance helps organizations have a record of the success of their events. Utilize the analytics feature in Presence when attendance is tracked to log the success of your events.
• Tracking attendance builds a written record of the success and efforts of student organizations. This data provides evidence that clubs and organizations are an important aspect of the student experience, which will hopefully lead to continued support for clubs and organizations from the University.

Consult with campus resources

• Set up a meeting with the SURC Scheduling Team, the Publicity Center, SURC Accounting, or SLICE for advisement with your event.

Taking attendance at events is extremely important for RSOs to be able to measure the success of their efforts.

• After both approval from Scheduling & SLICE is received, your event will appear on the Events page in Presence and the CWU Club Events Calendar.
• Any student that is attending your event and has not completed the Clubs & Organizations Assumption of Risk & Liability Waiver should complete the waiver before participating in the event.
• For each event registered, you will be given a 4-digit code (both numbers & letters A-Z) that you can use to track attendance in the Checkpoint app.
• The Checkpoint app is available for free in the app store.
• You can check students in via the Checkpoint app 1 hour before and 1 hour after the scheduled event time. (I.e., if your event is scheduled 2pm-4pm, you can start checking in students at 1pm, and continue checking them in until 5pm.)

Taking Attendance at Meetings & Events

• Open the Checkpoint app > Click “Pin login” > Enter the 4-digit code associated with your event > In this screen you can enter CWU ID #s.
• Once they are entered, they will show up on a list by name, and their attendance will automatically be tracked and logged in Presence.
• Tracking attendance helps your club to see the analytics and demographics of event attendees.

How do I access the 4-digit code?

• Log into the admin dashboard > Events > Your event will be listed, and the “Pin” will be on the right-hand side.
• Additionally, click on the event name and the PIN will appear in the center of the page. (Tip: Upon registering an event, send the event’s Pin to your fellow officers/anyone else that is helping with the event – this way you can look back on it without having to open Presence)

Adding Attendees to an Event Retroactively

• Using the checkpoint app to take attendance eliminates the need to add attendees to event after it is over.
• If you are adding attendees to an event after it is over, you will only be able to input student ID#s to track attendance.
• If you cannot use the Checkpoint app, simply take attendance by asking students to list their Student ID#s on a sign-in sheet at the event.
• You can manually add attendees after an event ends by logging into the admin dashboard > Events > click on your event (make sure you filter the dates, so it shows events that have already occurred) > Attendees > click the dropdown arrow next to the button that says “Email attendees” > add attendees > enter each Student ID# that attended the event. (Tip: Keep a physical sign-in sheet of student ID #s in addition to using the Checkpoint app to ensure attendance can be logged in case of technology issues.)
• Student ID#s are considered protected student information under FERPA laws. Please be sure to keep these sign-in sheets only within the event organizers.
• Please destroy any physical sign-in sheets after they are uploaded to Presence. Do not share pictures of sign-in sheets with students ID#s.

Event Types

• Regular meetings: Clubs and organizations should a) schedule their regular meetings at the beginning of each quarter and b) register each meeting as an event on the Event Registration form on Presence.
• Tabling: To schedule a table in the SURC for your organization, simply complete the Event Registration form, and select “SURC Tabling” under Event Type. Please indicate in the first description box what the purpose of the tabling is: recruiting new members, fundraising, promoting an event, etc. Please provide as much detail as possible so SLICE can support your efforts.
• Special events: Any event that is not tabling or a regular meeting is considered a special event. Events hosted on campus by Clubs and Organizations, regardless of location, must be registered on the Event Registration form on Presence and scheduled via the Scheduling center. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with Scheduling center staff as part of the planning process of their event to discuss the details and the organization’s needs. You can view availability of campus spaces on 25Live.

How to fill out the Event Registration form:

• Login to cwu.presence.io
• Visit cwu.presence.io/forms > Click “Event Registration”
• “Event or Meeting Name”: Please include your organization’s name in the meeting name. (“Fishing Club Meetings”, “Game Night with Fishing Club”).
• “Event Type”: For any events that are not regularly scheduled meetings, please select “Special Event”. To table in the SURC, select SURC Tabling. Only registered Sport Clubs should select Sport Club Practice.
• “Hosting Group”: Select your organization.
• “Category of Organization”: select the appropriate category. (Only registered ESC organizations should be registering under ESC events, and so on).
• Additional questions: Funding, Headcount #, primary audience – select the appropriate answers to these questions. If you are unsure of an approximate headcount, please provide your attendance goal.
• “Co-Host”: If you are collaborating with another organization on the event, add them as a co-host. Only one organization will be able to serve as the scheduled primary host.
• "Describe the event”: Describe the event, what students will students be doing at this event, etc. If you are tabling, please describe the purpose of your tabling efforts (recruitment, fundraising, promoting an event, etc.). If it is a regular meeting, a simple description such as “conduct regular meeting” is fine. This will not be seen publicly and will only be reviewed by CWU Staff.
• “Event or meeting description”: Provide a brief description (1-3 sentences) of the event that will be seen by students on the Events page.
• “Start date/time:” Indicate the date and time of your event – You will need to provide a time range (i.e., 2:00pm-4:00pm). If this is a recurring meeting or event, you will need to re-complete this form for each meeting or event.
• Location: Please select your intended location, and then indicate your 1st and 2nd choice rooms. You can view availability of campus spaces on 25Live. If your intended locations are unavailable, Scheduling staff will reach out with alternative spaces. (Tip: Set-up email notifications from your CWU to your phone to be alerted right away if a room is unavailable).
• Uploading an image is required to complete the form. It is recommended to use the flyer for the event or a photo of the organization’s logo. (If you do not have an image to upload, click “search”, and search for a word or phrase related to your meeting or
• event, and select one of the photos provided.) You can upload up to 2 additional images related to the event that will be displayed on the event page.

Event specifications:

• Please specify if you will have food at your event, as you will be prompted with certain questions. If your club plans on serving $150 or more worth of food, approval from CWU Dining Services is required. Catering from off-campus vendors requires additional approval from Dining services in addition to the contracts process.
• External vendors (DJs, guest speakers/clinicians, etc.) require a CWU contract which takes 4-6 weeks to process. Please contact SLICE as part of the planning process of this event if you are planning to pay to bring in an off-campus group, even if with the funds in your organization’s account.
• If your event needs equipment, you will be contacted by Scheduling the SURC staff to discuss your equipment needs. There is typically a cost associated with renting equipment.
• Contact information: Indicate the name and email address of the primary organizer of the event, as well as any applicable RSVP links. Both will be listed on the event’s page, including a direct link to email the address indicated.
• Tags: You have the option of adding relevant tags to the event (i.e., virtual event, religious/faith-based event, cultural/diverse, etc.) This helps students sort through events based on interest in the associated tag.
• Event Check-in Options: Typically, you will not need to select any of these options.
• “Hidden from Non-members”: Selecting this means no one will see the event on the Events page except for people on the roster of your organization.
• “Members Only Check-in” means that only members on the roster of the hosting group can be checked in via the Checkpoint app.
• “Allow Non-Student Check-In” Selecting this means that the Checkpoint app will allow non-students to be added to the attendee list, it will ask for their first & last name and email.
• Event notes: Here is your chance to give any additional information about the event.
• After you have filled out all required fields, scroll to the top of the form and click “Submit for Approval”. Please wait for the page to fully load and for the success message to appear before exiting out of your browser. *Your response was only received when the Success Message appears*.
• Monitor your CWU email. Scheduling staff and/or SLICE staff may reach out if additional information is needed.
• Scheduling will send a PDF confirmation of your space reservation to your CWU email. After this confirmation is sent, SLICE Staff will approve the event registration submission in Presence. At this time, you will receive an email notification that your event was approved, and your 4-digit code will be generated. After you receive BOTH the PDF
• confirmation from Scheduling AND the email notification of approval from Presence, your space is reserved. 24. * Your space is ONLY considered fully booked when you receive both an email from the Scheduling Office AND the Presence email notification that your event is approved. *
• This process ensures that your space/venue is reserved and that the event may proceed- BUT there may be additional steps to confirm and reserve other aspects of your event, such as account signatures or an additional meeting to discuss details of the event. Please continue to monitor your CWU email to ensure that all aspects of the event are finalized prior to the event date.
• Have a successful event!