Event planning tips and checklist

The following document outlines issues for Computer Science users to address before any events are planned in the Siebel Center. These may include RSO events, research group conferences, or Departmental vendor events. Engineering IT seeks to support our users as best we can, and advance communication is critical to success. This checklist will assist in your planning.

Define the room to be used

• Reservations
  • If a classroom is to be used, reserve it through FMS
    • Classroom space fills up quickly, particularly in the months of October and April
  • Reserve Siebel conference rooms through support staff.
  • Reserve an EWS lab by filling out an EWS lab reservation request form
• Questions to address
  • Will food be served?
  • Has food in the room been approved?
  • Is the vendor requesting additional equipment or bringing additional computers?
    • Engineering IT should be consulted at least 2-3 weeks in advance to work out any details. Sometimes we can provide additional equipment, but not always. It's better to ask.
    • If the vendor plans to ship equipment to the Siebel Center, notify shipping and receiving.

Advertising

• Submit announcements as far in advance as you can. Same day announcements to the newsgroup or via email will not reach the intended audience until after the event.
• Add the event to the CS calendar. If the event contains multiple sessions enter them in the calendar individually.
  • For example, don't enter 3 days of activities related to Widget Days as a single calendar entry, and then put the specific activities in as added text. Enter each event that is public. If you don't break out the events, students cannot see them on the website without extra effort. The details of the activities will be buried.
  • View an example of a vendor days entry. In the linked example a student can't see the sub-events without clicking on the calendar entry. Many event advertising systems within the department use the automated calendar feed, and we highly recommend breaking events out as their own calendar entries.
  • Submit an event to the CS Department Calendar by going to the calendar page
• Newsgroup announcement
• Taping flyers/posters/etc. to walls, columns, wood, glass doors to advertise events, is prohibited
• Poster printing: we recommend printing posters at 3-7 days before your event. The plotter often has a queue and the printing does take a while. Make time for printing errors.

Facilities

• Make sure the rooms are reserved and food requests are made as needed.
  • Use of the lower levels and atrium public spaces must go through the admin office.
• Talk to Jason Hatton about any special needs for additional garbage containers (1-2 weeks before the event)
• If additional cleaning of the Siebel Center is required (over a weekend or in advance of the event), you must contact Jason Hatton 3-4 weeks in advance so he can get F&S scheduled.
• Contact Jason Hatton if furniture needs to be rearranged in public or room spaces. The answer may be "no" though.
• Elock requests should be submitted more than 72 hours in advance of the event at go.illinois.edu/elock.
• Weekend events should be communicated to Engineering IT 2 weeks in advance to address elock and HVAC handling. Some rooms in the building go warmer/colder on the weekends.
• Are additional tables and chairs needed? Talk to Jason Hatton 2 weeks in advance.
  • He will need to know the numbers, locations, and times
• Is the event catered?
  • caterers will need elock access (request at least 1 week in advance)
  • Receiving needs to be consulted 2 weeks in advance if the caterers will be using the loading dock. The dock is not automatically available to caterers due to the nature of inventory processing. This needs to be communicated in advance
  • caterers need to clean up after themselves
• There have been times when company's request to have a "special" vehicle (State Farm has a special "disaster relief motorhome") parked on the walkway between Siebel and NCSA, this requires special permission from campus and takes several days to receive.
• In addition to reservations for the rooms, consider the following:
  • Classrooms are general assignment rooms and are not available for large blocks of time during the semester.
  • Conference rooms are limited to CS users and food is limited.
  • Siebel labs are used by students and may not be available at all times. Talk to EWS. For example, 0224 is a student lab but we have used it for RSO and corporate partner use. It needs to be coordinated in advance though. Systems in Siebel labs will need guest accounts for non-CS users. Please request 2 weeks in advance.

Multimedia and Computing

• Recording
  • Some events may be recorded, but not all content needs to be recorded for later viewing. Consider the audience.
    • If recording is requested, the speaker must agree in advance and sign a release form.
    • Engineering IT should be consulted at least 2 weeks in advance.
• Requests for additional equipment
  • Engineering IT has a limited amount of multimedia equipment for use. We have an extra LCD projector. We do not have portable screens. Not all requests can be handled by Engineering IT, but we'll do our best. Communicate the needs with us. Engineering IT is willing to talk directly with the vendor to work out special requests.
• Guest accounts
  • Requests for wireless guest accounts can be made through the admin office or the Guest Accounts Page
• Requests for PCs
  • Engineering IT does not generally have additional computers available for loan. You may ask, but please make the request 3-4 weeks in advance. Some of the PCs we do have available can only be used for specific purposes, so consult us.

Timeline (ideal timeline for advanced planning)

4+ weeks before the event

• define the room(s) to be used
  • obtain permissions
  • reserve the space
• add the event to the CS calendars
• talk to Engineering IT about any special requests for networking, media, or equipment

3 weeks prior to the event

• Contact Jason Hatton if additional cleaning is needed (a charge will be incurred for extra F&S time)
• Contact Jason Hatton if tables or chairs are needed
• Contact Jason Hatton on if furniture needs to be rearranged in public or room spaces.
• Talk to Adam Yau if access to the loading dock is required
• advertise your event

2 weeks prior

• make elock requests
• arrange for additional garbage containers (Jason Hatton)

Week of the event

• print posters
• confirm any special elock, media, or facility needs

Contact FAQ

• Jason Hatton
  • extra cleaning as needed
  • additional tables and chairs
• Engineering IT
  • AV needs and equipment
• Adam Yau Receiving
  
  • alert if caterers need to use the loading dock
  • if a vendor needs to ship equipment to Siebel
• Elock
  • guest cards for caterers or guests
  • air handling for rooms such as 1404 on the weekend
• Administrative office
  • use of the atrium or the lower level or 2nd floor commons areas
  • if there is a need/desire to serve food
  • room reservations
  • approval of any events from outside vendors or units