Use of College Facilities Procedures
These procedures establish a consistent, transparent process for planning and managing activities that use college facilities beyond standard academic/administrative use. They define event classifications, scheduling priorities, required approvals, timelines, partner agreements, and fee applications.
1. Key Definitions
Event: Any planned activity requiring support from college operations or service units beyond day‑to‑day academic or administrative use.
Event Support Indicators: An activity is considered an event if any of the following are required:
- Information Technology support (e.g., streaming, recording, dedicated live support).
- Facilities/ABM support or enhanced facility use, including installation/dismantling of gym flooring protection; setups/breakdowns outside normal hours; large/specialized setups; extensive custodial needs; special configurations in lobbies/pre‑function/multipurpose/outdoor areas; Harris Conference Center; Performing Arts facilities.
- Security Support: dedicated/assigned armed sworn officer(s) or unarmed non-sworn officers; or coordination with external public safety (law enforcement, EMS, fire, etc.).
- Parking Coordination, including but not limited to reservation or restriction of parking spaces, buses/shuttles/oversized vehicles, and traffic flow management.
- Conference & Event Services (CES) planning, coordination, scheduling, or on‑site support.
- High-profile or sensitive external participants whose presence exceeds routine departmental support capacity (e.g., VIPs, dignitaries, officials, C‑suite/industry leaders, celebrities, other high‑visibility figures), or those likely to increase public interest/crowd size/complexity.
- Applies when presence exceeds routine departmental capacity, creates elevated security/logistical/reputational considerations, or warrants institutional oversight.
- Public‑facing or managed attendance: public promotion/advertising; ticketing; registration/RSVP management (incl. College‑wide, Presidential, and Foundation events).
- Risk/Legal/Admin review: risk assessment; certificates of insurance (COI); external contracts/agreements.
CES: Conference & Event Services.
Cost Recovery: A fee structure applied to Co-Sponsored (Partnership) Events to recover auxiliary costs (e.g., ABM overtime, dedicated security, specialized AV, CES support -after-hours or weekends, vendor fees). Cost recovery is designed to recoup costs and not generate profit.
External Rental Fees: Facility rental and service fees charged to non‑college organizations under formal Facility Use Agreements.
2. Event Classifications
A. Internal Events
Internal Events are designed primarily for students, faculty, or staff, are funded by college budgets, and are initiated by college departments or recognized student groups. These events do not involve external organizations in planning or sponsorship. External attendance alone does not reclassify an event unless Event Support Triggers apply.
Internal Events are not subject to cost recovery; however, they may incur charges for external vendor fees (e.g., food/beverage, tent rental).
B. Specialty Events
Specialty Events are large‑scale, high‑visibility programs supporting institutional priorities. These include, but are not limited to, graduation ceremonies, college-wide recruiting events, Presidential events, and Foundation‑sponsored activities.
Specialty Events are not subject to cost recovery; however, they may incur charges for external vendor fees (e.g., food/beverage, tent rental).
C. Co-Sponsored (Partnership) Events
Co‑Sponsored or Partnership Events are jointly planned and delivered in collaboration with an external organization. They typically include external guests, may involve external funding sources such as sponsorships or registration fees, and require shared use of college resources.
These events must demonstrate alignment with the College mission, and a fully executed MOU or MOA is required before any public communication, marketing, space confirmation, or allocation of resources.
Cost recovery applies to Co‑Sponsored (Partnership) Events.
D. External Events
External Events are activities hosted entirely by a non‑College organization. They primarily serve an external audience and require a formal Facility Use Agreement.
These events do not fall under cost recovery. Instead, they are subject to all applicable fees, including but not limited to rental fees, ticketing, food and beverage services, audiovisual support, service charges, applicable taxes, security, and custodial staffing. They are also subject to required deposits, insurance requirements, and all other facility‑use terms outlined in the Facility Use Agreement.
3. Roles and Responsibilities
The following roles support events as defined in these procedures. Certain responsibilities apply only when the event classification and the activity's operational requirements permit.
- Sponsoring Department (Internal/Partner): Define scope, secure approvals, execute MOU, submit internal event request(s), manage budgets, coordinate programming and agenda, work in conjunction with CAEE on marketing and communications, handle registration, and serve as a point of contact.
- Conference & Event Services (CES): Advise classification, manage scheduling/holds, coordinate operational partners, develop timelines for planning and logistics, administer event‑related contractual obligations as outlined in the MOU/MOA/Facility Use Agreement, and oversee event execution support.
- Facilities/ABM: Provide physical room layouts, furniture moves, custodial support, parking coordination (Central Campus), specialty protections (e.g., gym floor), and post-event cleanup
- ITS/AV: Provide live support as scoped (streaming, recording, troubleshooting).
- Safety & Security: Assess and deploy staffing; coordinate with external agencies when required; effect parking coordination (Suburban Campuses); and implement enhanced security and access control measures when required (i.e., metal wanding, visual bag searches, and walk-through screening devices).
- Risk Management & Legal/Contracts: Review risk criteria, COIs, contracts, indemnification, and hold harmless language.
- Communications/Advancement (CAEE): Oversees all event‑related branding and promotional materials, including reviewing institutional messaging, approving the use of institutional brand elements, and ensuring compliance for swag, merchandise, and other promotional items used for events.
- Cabinet: Approve Specialty Events and all fee adjustments; sign MOUs/MOAs for co-sponsor (partnership) events per authority.
- Finance: Maintain rate schedules; process billing and payments; and monitor cost recovery compliance and reconciliation.
4. Lead Time Requirements for Events
- Internal, Specialty, or Co-Sponsored/Partnership:
o ≥ 100 invitees/attendees: Must be submitted at least 8 weeks in advance. Includes request submission, CES consultation, partner engagement (Facilities/ABM, ITS, Safety & Security), risk review, and logistics timeline.
o < 100 invitees/attendees: Must be submitted at least 6 weeks in advance. Includes space requests, CES consultation as needed, partner coordination, and approvals.
o Recommendation: Submit earlier for peak periods, complex setups, or high‑profile attendees. - External: Lead time for External Events is determined by CES based on scope, complexity, and resource availability.
5. Procedures by Classification
A. Internal Events
- Submit event request in Ad Astra.
- CES may review, advise on appropriate location/venue, and confirm classification when Event Support Indicators apply. Plan accordingly with support departments if applicable Event Support Indicators apply.
- Approvals: Per department/Student Affairs/Academic Affairs processes.
- MOU/MOA is not required; however, a banquet event order (BEO) may be provided to confirm event details.
- Funding: Institution/departmental budgets; not subject to cost recovery; however, they may incur charges for external vendor fees (e.g., food/beverage, tent rental).
- Branding: Standard college branding.
B. Specialty Events
- Initiation: By the President’s Office, Foundation, or CAEE. Submit event request in Ad Astra.
- CES leads planning/scheduling in coordination with the sponsoring unit.
- Approvals: Cabinet approval is required unless otherwise delegated.
- Operational Plan: CES convenes Facilities/ABM, ITS, Safety & Security, Risk, CAEE.
- MOU/MOA is not required; however, a banquet event order (BEO) will be provided to confirm event details.
- Funding: Institution/departmental budgets; not subject to cost recovery; however, they may incur charges for external vendor fees (e.g., food/beverage, tent rental).
- Branding: Managed by CAEE.
C. Co-Sponsored (Partnership) Events
- Initiation: Internal sponsor and external organization; mission‑aligned. Submit event request in Ad Astra.
- Pre‑Screen: CES confirms classification, advises on appropriate location/venue, and fee basis (cost recovery applies).
- Agreement:
- MOU is required for complimentary or shared space arrangements and for any in‑kind support. The MOU must identify the sponsoring department, the external organization, and Conference & Event Services (CES) when the coordination of multiple operational services is needed. An MOU may be executed solely between the sponsoring department and the external organization unless CES services are required.
- MOA is used when fees, revenue, or third‑party financial components exist. MOA will include the sponsoring department, external organization, and CES.
- No informal commitments (verbal, email, or tentative confirmations) are permitted.
- No public announcements/marketing/holds until the MOU/MOA is fully executed.
- Signatures (at minimum):
- Sponsoring department lead;
- Authorized external representative;
- Cabinet member with oversight of sponsor;
- CES representative for agreements involving operational support.
- Fee Adjustments: Any discount/waiver requires documented tangible institutional benefit and advance Cabinet approval.
- Non‑Qualifying Uses (examples):
- Personal use by employees/students;
- Private/social events unrelated to college business;
- Events with no demonstrated College benefit;
- Events benefitting external entities without special approval.
- Insurance/Risk: COI may be required; Risk/Legal review as triggered.
- Records: Executed MOU/MOA stored in the College’s designated repository; accessible to CES and other relevant operational stakeholders.
- Branding: Communications, Advancement, & External Engagement (CAEE) approval is required.
- Billing: Cost recovery per established internal rate schedules; invoiced to or internally transferred from the sponsoring unit per agreement.
D. External Events
Request: Submit via the CES event request form.
- Holds: Tentative holds remain pending until a signed Facility Use Agreement, COI, and required non‑refundable deposits are received.
- Payment: Full payment prior to the event unless otherwise approved in writing by an authorized CES representative.
- Cancellations: Fees assessed per agreement and committed resources; force majeure reviewed case‑by‑case.
- Branding: External users may not use the College name/logo beyond location reference without written approval from the VP for Communications, Advancement & External Engagement (or designee).
- Staffing: External users must provide adequate supervision/staffing; College staffing determinations are made solely by the College.
- Facility‑Specific Requirements:
- Harris Conference Center: Use of contracted catering services, AV, and coordination services is required.
- Performing Arts: Required technical staff; billable rehearsal/load‑in/load‑out/technical time; programming must be appropriate for an educational setting.
7. Time and Scheduling Restrictions
Events will not be scheduled:
- On Sundays, excluding Performing Arts venue rentals;
- Before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday;
- From Friday afternoon through Sunday during the summer schedule, excluding Performance Facilites and Harris Conference Center (Friday/Saturday);
- When the College is officially closed
Exceptions require advance Cabinet approval. The College may restrict availability further based on academic calendars, maintenance, or operational needs. Requests submitted outside of these parameters may not be considered without Cabinet approval.
8. Risk, Legal, and Public Safety
- Risk Review: May be required when any Event Support Indicator involves high‑profile speakers, elevated crowd size, public visibility, specialized setups, or external contracts.
- COI: Required for External rentals; may be required for Co‑Sponsored/Partner events depending on risk profile.
- Safety & Security Planning: Safety & Security determines personnel staffing (i.e., armed sworn officers, non-sworn unarmed officers, executive protection, and emergency management liaisons) and coordinates for external agency support when required. Safety & Security also implements enhanced security and access control measures when required based on risk, threat assessment, location, and participating dignitaries (i.e., metal wanding, visual bag searches, and walk-through screening devices).
- NOTE: Risk review determinations are made by the appropriate operational units and are not subject to override by sponsoring departments.
9. Records and Documentation
- Document Repository: Fully executed MOUs/MOAs/Facility Use Agreements stored in the designated system of record for access by Scheduling/Academic Operations, CES, and relevant stakeholders.
- Transparency: Documentation must reflect operational feasibility, space availability, and applicable fee structures with authorized signatures.
10. Appendix
All links require a Central Piedmont login.
- Appendix A: Event Services
Changes
Changes approved by Cabinet, July 13, 2026