Event Timeline

Booking Dates and Times

Event planning can be both exciting and, at times, stressful. The below event planning timeline can guide you through the important dates to remember to ease the process.

Important Reminders

  • Reservations are available to registered student groups, university departments, and university guests
  • Reservations can be made up to a year in advance
  • Large venues cannot be scheduled less than 30 days in advance
  • Registered student groups can request contact tables and series conference rooms on reservation day, June for fall reservations and December for spring reservations
  • Review the Event Services Policy and SUA House Policy

When you are making a space reservation, it is helpful to have the below information prepared.

  • Preferred date and time of event with back-up date options
  • Desired location
  • Hosting organization or department
  • Primary contact
  • Billing information for university departments and campus life programs (CLPs)

Please note that the below timeline is for reservations in the Coffman Memorial Union (CMU) and the St. Paul Student Center (SPSC). Other spaces on campus may have different timelines and expectations.

In Advance

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Two years before your event

If a registered student group or university department hosts an annual event for at least two years, they may be eligible for the priority reservation system. This allows reservations for the annual events to be scheduled more than a year in advance.

One year before your event

With the exception of priority scheduling, reservations can be made up to a year in advance. Please contact [email protected] or log into Mazevo to submit your reservation request.

Six months (180 days) before your event

Cancellation fees begin to incur 180 calendar days before the event. A cancellation notice must be in writing and sent to the Event Services Office. An event will be deemed canceled on the date of receipt of such notice. The customer agrees to pay a percentage of the total fee based on the date the event is canceled.

To avoid cancellation fees, please cancel any bookings that you know you will not be using before this date.

Preparing the Event

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50-35 days before your event

A planning meeting with your Event Coordinator and our audio-visual technicians will be scheduled. Key elements discussed at the meeting include:

  • Venue furniture setup needs
  • Audio-visual or multimedia services components
  • Day-of-event agenda
  • Any additional permits forms that are needed
  • Catering logistics
  • Decoration plans and guidelines
  • Any questions or concerns

In our experience, coming prepared to this meeting is critical to ensuring your event is a success.

Failure to meet may result in cancellation of the event.

30 days before your event

Requests for use of SUA facilities beyond normal building hours must be submitted at a minimum of thirty (30) days before the requested event date and are subject to additional fees.

Complete the risk assessment form.

14 days before your event

Requests for A/V equipment or personnel. Requests less than two weeks in advance may not be able to be accommodated.

Any major event changes should be communicated with the event coordinator (e.g. reservation time changes, major space layout changes, etc.).

Food permits should be submitted for any food vendor that is not university catering, Sky Lakes.

3 days before your event

Final minor event details must be submitted to the event coordinator, A/V, and Multimedia services staff.

Any substantial changes requested and approved after this deadline will incur a labor fee of $50/hr with a minimum of 2 hours. Any equipment changes requested and approved after this deadline will incur a fee equal to double the rate of each requested item. Substantial changes may include the addition, removal, or moving of:

  • Any amount of Staging
  • More than 5 power cords
  • Adjusting/resetting half or more than an original room set
  • Any delivery of additional equipment/ 2nd delivery (add-ons)
  • Setting up third-party equipment/client’s equipment
  • 5 or more rounds for seating
  • 10 or more 6’ tables for seating
  • 50 or more chairs

Substantial changes less than three days before an event can be challenging as spaces might already be set-up with the original diagram, furniture changes could impact the availability of that furniture in other spaces, and staff have been scheduled based on original needs.

Day of Event

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Access to the space

The venue will be unlocked approximately 15 minutes before the reservation begins. Arriving early to the venue will extend your reservation time and could incur additional fees.

The Event Services team is cleaning and flipping rooms between reservations. The venue might be getting set-up just before your reservation and early access to the space might not be possible.

Event set-up

Events in large venues will have a scheduled tech check-in. Please be ready for this tech check-in by having laptops ready to connect to the projector and event speakers ready to test microphones. 

Signage can be placed throughout the building on the day of the event. Easels are placed throughout CMU and SPSC and are available for your event signage, if desired.

Ensure the space is set-up according to the diagram provided by the event coordinator. Please note that small changes can be made on the day of the event; however, substantial changes could incur additional labor fees.

During the event

If you need any day-of assistance, you can call or text Event Services.

  • Coffman Event Services team at 612-380-7558
  • Coffman A/V team at 612-380-9919
  • St. Paul Student Center Event Services and A/V teams at 612-490-0554

Event conclusion and clean-up

When your event has concluded, please be sure to collect and remove all the items you brought into the space. If the event produced waste, please ensure it’s in the appropriate waste containers (e.g. catering serving dishes, decorations, etc.). Please note, if substantial cleaning is needed following an event, additional cleaning fees could be incurred.

Keep note of the time as your group is expected to be fully out of the space by the time your reservation has ended. Event Services plans staff needs are dependent on your scheduled reservation end time. If your group is not out by the scheduled end time, your reservation fee will be extended, and/or a convenience fee may be charged.

Celebrate the time and energy you put into your event!

After the Event

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Week following the event

The main contact will receive an email with a post-event evaluation. The information provided will be helpful to the Event Services staff.

The main contact for your event will also receive a reminder to book your event venue again for next year. Large venues can be reserved up to a year in advance.

2-4 weeks following the event

Reservation fees are billed approximately 2-4 weeks following the event.

Registered student organizations will receive an invoice from the University.

  • Groups can use pay.umn.edu for credit or debit card payments. The invoice will include the customer and invoice numbers that will be needed to make the payment.

University departments and campus life programs (CLPs) will be billed through the EFS chartstring provided when the reservation was booked.