Getting Started
Whether you are planning a simple meeting or a multi-day event, the best place to start is to be sure you've considered and answered some basic questions before you make your first phone call to begin organizing the event: What is your goal in sponsoring the event? Who is your audience? When is the ideal time to hold your event? What resources do you have at your disposal?
As you begin this process, please keep in mind that you are responsible for all aspects of your event. While the University offers many services, it is your responsibility to contract with these services and make the necessary arrangements.
Plan ahead. Plan ahead, plan ahead! You should start planning NO LATER than four weeks in advance. Final plans with Catering and Event Support, as well Event Registration (for student events), must be completed 2 weeks in advance.
Take advantage of the help the university has to offer. Staff in Student Activities, Event Support, Conference Services and Catering have planned numerous events and are here to help you. Seek out their advice and ideas.
Understand Your Goal(s)
Good event planning begins with knowing what you are trying to accomplish. Clearly define your goal in mind - it will be invaluable as you go through the planning process. What kind of experience do you want your guests to have? What environment/ambience are you going for? Knowing your goal can also help you avoid unintended growth and expansion of the event.
Consider Your Audience
Understanding your goal will help to inform who you want to invite and why. This will help you get the right venue, design your promotion, etc. You should have a clear admissions policy and include that information on any promotional materials. Student groups must obtain permission to advertise off-campus in advance from the Student Activities Office through registering their event.
It is important to be realistic about your anticipated attendance: more people may increase revenues but they also increase costs. An event with 50 people sitting in a room that holds 200 can lead to the feeling that your event is not successful or can disappointed invited speakers; it may be better to run the risk that a few people won't get in.
You should also be careful to consider what services may be necessary to enable everyone to participate. Please consult the Disability-Related Considerations section of this website.
If you anticipate minors coming, you may need to address issues such as parental permission.