Event Policies

This is not an exhaustive list as different departments and buildings may have their own policies, however this should get you started. Links on this page preceded by an asterisk ( * ) will open in a new window or tab as they lead to other departmental websites.

Accessibility

Student organizations should think ahead about designing events that are accessible to all. In situations where that is not possible, SLICE will assist student organizations with obtaining auxiliary aids and services for students with disabilities who wish to participate in programs and activities. Student organizations are encouraged to cover the costs associated with the provision of auxiliary aids and services by building them into the overall fees of an event or by budgeting for projected expenses each year. Student organizations can apply for funding to support any costs associated with the provision of auxiliary aids and services.

If a program or activity for which auxiliary aids and services are requested is canceled, postponed, or rescheduled, the student organization is obligated to pay any costs incurred to fill the request.

Alcohol at Events

All student event planners must know and follow the College's general policy on alcohol and controlled substances as listed in the Student Handbook.

Occidental respects the rights of community members to exercise their legal options regarding alcohol consumption. Each member must make informed decisions regarding personal use of alcohol that reflect a respect for others and the community at large. As part of a larger community, Occidental College is subject to and abides by California State Law and local ordinances regarding the possession, consumption, and distribution of drugs and alcohol.

Alcohol purchasing, storage and service on campus will be managed by Campus Dining. No alcohol can be purchased by students from outside sources. In accordance to Oxy’s liquor license, all campus events that serve alcohol are subject to approval by Campus Dining, and must abide by their guidelines: /campus-dining/catering/alcohol-service-pricing.

Categories of Events

The requirements for individual event types are listed below. Events at which alcohol is present that do not fall into one of these categories are considered to be in violation of this policy.

Type 0. All-Campus, no alcohol

Type I. 21+ Only Student Event where alcohol is served

• Students under 21 are allowed to assist with set-up and clean-up, but are not allowed to be present during the event itself, unless they are serving as Student Event Managers.

Type II. All-Campus Student Event where alcohol is served

• Any event that is designated as "all campus" must be held in an appropriate on-campus venue.
• A designated drinking area must be clearly identified, established, and secured for the consumption of alcoholic beverages, staffed by Campus Safety and Occidental professional staff.

Student Events with Alcohol

For the purposes of this policy, a student event is defined as either: a) an event hosted by a student group; or b) an event in which the majority of guests is anticipated to be students. In addition to Oxy’s alcohol and controlled substances policy and Campus Dining alcohol service policy, student planners who wish to serve alcohol at their events are required to abide by the following:

1. All alcohol related events must be reviewed by the Campus Events Advisory Committee (CEAC).
2. Only beer and wine are permitted.
3. Campus Safety will assign officers to every event at which alcohol is present. These officers will be responsible for legal drinking age verification and overseeing the safety and good order of the event.
4. Attendees may not bring alcohol into the event.
5. There must be one Student Event Manager per 50 anticipated attendees at the event. The sponsoring student group is responsible for providing Student Event Managers. Student Event Manager responsibilities are as follows:
   1. Arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the event. Check in with pro staff and Campus Safety upon arrival and throughout the event.
   2. At least one Student Event Manager must be the event's planner.
   3. Be unimpaired, and remain so, throughout the event.
   4. Monitor the event for signs of alcohol overconsumption and other dangerous behaviors and report such to Campus Safety, Campus Dining, and pro staff.
   5. Be present until the end of the cleanup process of the event.
   6. Be responsible for cleanup after the event.
6. Substantial food and non-alcoholic beverages must be available to all guests throughout the event. 3rd party caterers or vendors may be used for food and non-alcoholic beverages in some locations and such requests must be approved by Campus Dining.
7. The sponsoring student organization advisor must be present at the event as long as alcohol is being served. Advisors who are not employees of the College are subject to approval by SLICE.
8. The advisor is responsible for the distribution of drink tickets for the event.
9. Campus Events Advisory Committee (CEAC) will dictate the use and distribution of drink tickets. The sponsoring student organization is responsible for providing the tickets.
10. Positive identification checks to prevent underage drinking will be made at events at which alcohol is served. Only government issued identification, such as state issued driver's licenses, state or federal agency issued identification cards, or passports, will be accepted as identification for this purpose. Occidental students must also present their Oxy ID.
11. Any College event serving alcohol in which the nature of it encourages unsafe behavior is not permitted. (e.g. drinking games)
12. Any College event serving alcohol is open only to members of the Occidental community and their invited guests. Campus Safety or designated College officials reserve the right to refuse entry to Occidental students and guests to ensure the safety of individuals and the good order of the event.
13. ​No alcohol may be present at athletic events. The bylaws of the NCAA/Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference specifically prohibit the consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages at intercollegiate contests.
14. Alcohol may not be served at events where a signed waiver of liability is required to participate.
15. Alcohol may be present only at events registered as Type I or Type II. Otherwise, alcohol is not permitted in any public space, including public areas of the residence halls, the Johnson Student Center or Academic quads, or public spaces of buildings as per state law.
16. No student body fees may be used to purchase alcoholic beverages. Funds allocated from ASOC may be used to purchase alcohol services, such as bartenders.
17. Alcohol may not be consumed on College club-sponsored, off-campus trips at any time. Alcohol shall not be transported in College vehicles.

The 8 locations available, with prior approval from affected department(s), for events with alcohol are:

1. The Johnson Student Center
2. Swan & Hinchliffe Halls
3. Collins House
4. President’s House, Patio & Lawn
5. Academic Quad
6. Bell Field
7. Mullin Grove
8. Patterson Field

Off-Campus Student Events with Alcohol

Any Occidental College event sponsored at an off-campus venue requires a contract review and signature from SLICE and/or the Dean of Students. A cash bar for attendees 21+ may be approved if the following criteria is met:

1. The venue will provide a professional/licensed bartender and an appropriate method of checking IDs and distributing wristbands for attendees 21+.
   1. Positive identification checks to prevent underage drinking will be made at events at which alcohol is served. Only government issued identification, such as state issued driver's licenses, state or federal agency issued identification cards, or passports, will be accepted as identification for this purpose. Occidental students must also present their Oxy ID.
2. Only beer and wine are permitted.
3. Attendees may not bring alcohol into the event.
4. The sponsoring student organization must identify an advisor or Occidental College professional staff member to be present at the event as long as alcohol is being served. 
5. Substantial food and non-alcoholic beverages must be available to all guests throughout the event.
6. There must be one Student Event Manager per 50 anticipated attendees at the event. The sponsoring student group is responsible for providing Student Event Managers. Student Event Manager responsibilities are as follows:
   1. Arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the event. Check in with advisory/pro staff upon arrival and throughout the event.
   2. At least one Student Event Manager must be the event's planner.
   3. Be unimpaired, and remain so, throughout the event.
   4. Monitor the event for signs of alcohol overconsumption and other dangerous behaviors and report such to the advisor/pro staff.
   5. Be present until the end of the cleanup process of the event.
   6. Be responsible for cleanup after the event.
7. The event organizers will ask that no one drives to the event, arranges for bus transport to and from the campus and venue, and distributes the College’s Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy to attendees.
8. No student body fees may be used to purchase alcoholic beverages. Funds allocated from ASOC may be used to purchase alcohol services, such as bartenders.

Blood/Bone Marrow Drives

Registered student organizations may sponsor blood or bone marrow drives on campus for charitable purposes. There are exacting insurance and indemnification requirements attendant to such events, so additional time is necessary to secure all required elements in place. To ensure blood drives are conducted in an effective and safe manner, the following are required:

1. Reserve space through Master Calendar at least three weeks prior to event
2. Space reserved must be non-carpeted and not in a space where food is served or consumed
3. Insurance from the collection group must be vetted and approved through Risk Management prior to arrival
4. Two blood drives allowed per semester (bone marrow drives excluded)
5. Collection group must provide proper collection containers and accept full responsibility for disposal of waste generated
6. Only not-for-profit collection groups allowed

Children and Youth Programming

Any student group sponsoring programs for local children or youth, whether on- or off-campus, must consult with SLICE early in the planning process. Sponsoring such programs requires prior approval due to the considerable responsibility involved. Please contact SLICE for information on special requirements for these programs. Students should ensure programs and activities are age-appropriate. SLICE must be consulted before youth overnight trips (on- or off-campus) or day-long conferences are planned.

Waivers will be required for both on-campus and off-campus events involving minors. These waivers will need to be signed by the child's legal parent or guardian.

Clubs Who Cater

Occidental College serves to foster and support student-led enterprises. As such, the College supports opportunities for students to broaden their understanding of the food service industry, including food safety, food preparation, and food sourcing along with all aspects of cooking, baking, and food presentation. It is important that student organizations who wish to engage in food service enterprises understand that their operations fall under the the health license issued to Occidental College and are subject to the same rules and regulations. In addition to the food safety requirements all clubs must abide by, clubs who wish to perform catering operations must fulfill certain special requirements.

What is considered catering? For our purposes, catering operations will be those organizations that choose to:

• charge for their food service
• conduct their food service at regular intervals
• offer and accept orders or reservations
• serve potentially hazardous foods (e.g., meat, poultry, fish, uncooked or partially cooked eggs, mayonnaise, custard, or any foods that would require temperature control)

Requirements to perform catering operations:

1. Maintain at least 2 persons on their club roster who have been Serv-Safe certified (manager level)
2. Upon registration/activation of the student organization, meet with the Associate Vice President for Hospitality Services

Occidental reserves the right to restrict food service activities of student organizations as warranted by the Associate Vice President for Hospitality Services.

Contracts

Students shall not enter into verbal or written contracts of any kind. Occidental College contracts are required in most situations. Exceptions must be approved by SLICE. Some contracts are embedded within invoices from vendors, which may negate the need for an Occidental contract. SLICE must approve these invoices/contracts. Students may not sign invoices, except to receive delivery of items for an event or confirm pick-up after an event.

Copyright

All clubs must adhere to copyright law. Activities that bring copyright law into play would include showing a movie, producing a play, playing audio recordings and other music, or reprinting pieces from published works, including photographs. Generally, you must secure permission from the author or publisher before presenting copyrighted material. Please contact SLICE for assistance in determining whether permission is necessary and how to seek it. This is a time-consuming process and may necessitate the need for extra planning time before an event.

Film/Movie Screenings

If an event planner wants to show a movie, there are certain considerations that need to be made. Public showing of films without the appropriate licenses is a violation of copyright law. Contact SLICE early in the planning process if you would like to show a film. SLICE has a relationship with a company that assists with acquiring the necessary licenses for public showing of movies.

What is a Public Performance? (From our contact at Swank Motion Pictures)
Any exhibition of a movie outside the privacy of a home setting is considered a public performance. Charging an admission fee (or not) is irrelevant in determining whether a movie showing is a public performance.

Fire Safety

Each event has unique fire safety needs, and will be assessed as such. Generally, the principles for fire safety include:

• No open flames.
• No moving flames.
• Decorations must be flame retardant.
• No free floating decorations; all decorations should be affixed to a surface.
• Use battery operated candles whenever possible.
• Candles, if approved, must be in fire safe containers.
• Fire extinguishers are required at any event with BBQs or approved candles.
• Fire exits must be kept clear of equipment, chairs, tables, etc. at all times throughout the event.

Most events will require submitting a site plan to Risk Management. SLICE can assist in this process.

Late-Night Events

In addition to any applicable College policy pertaining to campus events, this policy is in effect for student events that are scheduled to go past 10:00 p.m.

1. Sponsoring organization is required to register the event with the Office of Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE) at least 3 weeks in advance, and attend a Campus Events Advisory Committee (CEAC) meeting at least 2 weeks in advance to secure details and logistics.
2. Event is to end no later than 1:00 a.m. Exceptions may be granted for around-the-clock type charity events, such as Relay For Life, Up ‘Til Dawn, etc.
3. Sponsoring organization must provide a list of Sober Monitors, including their shifts, to the Office of Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE) no later than 48 hours prior to the event.
   • One Sober Monitor per 50 estimated attendees is required for the duration of the event, provided by the sponsoring organization. Any current Oxy student is eligible to serve as a Sober Monitor.
   • Sober Monitors assist Campus Safety and any other professional staff in maintaining the safety of the event. Sober Monitors are to work all entrances/exits of the venue to ensure event rules are enforced.
   • They are to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the event. Check in with Campus Safety upon arrival.
   • At least one Sober Monitor must be the event's planner.
   • Sober Monitors must be unimpaired, and remain so, throughout the event.
   • Sober Monitors are responsible for minor clean up after the event (e.g., stack tables/chairs/barricades, unplug portable lights, pick up trash, bag any overflowing trash, etc.).
   • Sober Monitors observe for signs of alcohol overconsumption and other dangerous behaviors and report such to Campus Safety.
4. Adequate water for estimated attendance is required.
5. No outside beverages allowed; bags will be checked; no large bags/backpacks allowed in venue
6. Campus Safety reserves the right to assign officers to the event, if deemed necessary, scheduled and paid for by the sponsoring organization.
7. The sponsoring organization’s advisor is required to be on-call for the duration of the event and their presence may be requested to address any specific incident. CEAC reserves the right to request the advisor, or other designated professional staff member, to be present, depending on type of event or past history of recurring events.
8. Additional staffing (e.g. custodial support) may be required, per CEAC, scheduled and paid for by the sponsoring organization.

Location Specific Policies

There are certain spaces on campus that have special rules and applications before being allowed for use. Please contact the respective departments for the spaces listed below:

Academic Quad - reserving the entire quad requires a CEAC appointment
Branca Patio - Green Bean Managers (greenbean@oxy.edu)
Cooler/Samuelson Pavilion - Master Calendar (mastercalendar@oxy.edu)
Cushman Boardroom/AGC Rotunda - Master Calendar (mastercalendar@oxy.edu)
Green Bean Coffee Lounge - Green Bean Managers (greenbean@oxy.edu)
Gresham Dining Room - Hospitality Services (dining@oxy.edu)
Hameetman Science Center - Master Calendar (mastercalendar@oxy.edu)
Herrick Chapel (Lower and Upper) - Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (orsl@oxy.edu)
Johnson Hall/McKinnon Center - Master Calendar (mastercalendar@oxy.edu)
Thorne Hall - Theater (beatrice@oxy.edu)

Lotteries, Raffles, and Free Drawings

The distribution of prizes or gifts by chance where money is exchanged is prohibited. However, free drawings or "give-aways" may be held if:

• All persons who request a ticket are accommodated.
• No participant is required to donate money to obtain a ticket for the drawing, and this is printed on the tickets.
• It is made clear whether the ticket holder needs to be present to win.
• Organizations must have winners sign for their prizes to acknowledge that they received it, in accordance with the College's Prize Gift Award Policy.
• Members of the sponsoring organization are ineligible to win prizes.

Bingo Games: Occasionally, groups wish to host bingo games for fundraising. According to California law, bingo games may only be operated for charitable purposes. Occidental College represents a charitable organization, so groups may use bingo to fundraise for these events. Additionally, those under 18 years of age shall not be allowed to participate in bingo games. Positive identification checks should be conducted.

Memorials and Vigils

Occidental College recognizes the importance of holding memorials and/or vigils on campus and their role in building campus community. Memorials and vigils provide a quiet and comfortable setting where groups of people can meet, support each other, and spread a message. To ensure memorials and vigils are conducted in a safe manner, the following guidelines are imposed.

1. Register the event through the Office of Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE)
2. A CEAC appointment is required to discuss logistics

If using lighted candles, the following must be abided by:

1. Candle holders must be used for safety and to keep melted wax off of surfaces
2. Reserve a bucket and fire extinguisher from Facilities
3. Have bucket of water and fire extinguisher on site during event
4. Indoor spaces - candles must be secured in glass containers with at least 1 inch higher tip of flame
5. Outdoor spaces - fire department review required - work through Risk Management
6. Outdoor spaces - grass surfaces preferred
7. LED candles preferred

Noise

College policies on noise are based upon local ordinances. While it is important to be mindful of noise at all hours of the day, there are specific guidelines that must be followed. Current guidelines include:

• Amplified sound is not permitted during class hours.
• Amplified sound must be significantly curtailed by 11 PM on weekdays and 1 AM on weekends.
• For indoor events, open only windows and doors that face away from neighbors who are likely to be disturbed.
• For outdoor events that use amplified sound during late evening hours, neighbors must be notified in writing via letter at least 5 business days prior to the event.
• Events may be shut down by LAPD due to neighbor complaints and concerns. Campus Safety monitors noise levels around the campus to reduce this risk.

Temporary Art Installations

Occidental recognizes the need and desire to have spaces on campus where students can express visual aesthetics and the role public art plays in building community. It is also important to effectively manage space that is equitable to all interests of the College. Therefore, the following policy applies to students wishing to display art in open, public spaces on campus for a specified period of time:

1. Students enrolled in any AVHA/MAC course and wish to produce public art must first receive approval from their respective faculty and abide by any protocol set forth by them (e.g., Human Subjects approval if warranted)
2. Students not enrolled in any AVHA/MAC course and wish to produce public art must consult with OxyArts Coordinator prior to registering their project with the Office of Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE).
3. Artist must identify an installation and de-installation plan for the project
4. Once approved by AVHA/OxyArts Coordinator, artist must register their project with the Office of Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE) at least 2 weeks prior to planned installation. This registration will also include an appointment with the Campus Events Advisory Committee (CEAC)
5. Being mindful of safety, security, protection of College property, College space use, and ongoing campus events, CEAC reserves the right to dictate locations, number of spaces allotted for display, use of materials, timeframe, and other relevant considerations of any proposed temporary art installations
6. The artist is responsible for thoroughly de-installing their work to the original condition of the space, or be subject to costs associated with repair

Any public art on campus not abided by the above policy is subject to immediate removal without notice and the College will not be responsible for any loss or damage that may occur as a result.

Tours of Campus

It is important that off-campus groups receive accurate information about the College. If a student event planner wishes to sponsor a tour for an off-campus group, this must be registered through SLICE, which will work with Admissions to provide support. Events of this nature will not be approved in April, as this is during Admissions Open House events; staff and resources are limited.

Travel and Transportation

Student organizations are required to register their trips with the Office of Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE) at least one week prior to departure. If a trip is going overnight or out of the country, two weeks is required. Any student organization trip not registered with SLICE is considered unauthorized by the College.

To register your trip with SLICE, email slice@oxy.edu to schedule a time to discuss the trip details.

Student organizations can use personal vehicles, College vehicles, or hire a chartered transportation service for their trips. Students need to have passengers sign a Passenger Waiver if using personal vehicles. Please refer to Facilities Management for policies pertaining to use of College vehicles. All chartered companies must be approved through Risk Management. Check here for a list of approved companies.