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Event Planning Guide

(Revised January 2006)

• Develop a budget, obtain funding
• Reserve the Room
• Room details
• Book your speakers and take care of their travel/lodging
• Diverse Viewpoints
• Set up and Rentals
• Signage
• Promoting Your Event

Develop a budget, obtain funding

The SBA Web site has a Budgeting and Spending Guide that provides information on what is needed to obtain a purchase order, reimbursement, speaker honorarium, etc. Anyone planning a conference should consult this resource. Julia Dunlop also can assist with budget and event planning, especially if you are using private money.

Please also see the Budgeting and Spending Guide for Student Organizations

Costs to consider

• Reimbursement of speaker travel

• Speaker honorarium

• Speaker lodging

• Police coverage and associated costs

• Custodial or Facilities staffing and associated costs

• IT staffing: Please note that the IT staff work from 8:30 to 4:30, Monday through Friday. If you require IT assistance, please contact Ann Crawford well in advance to secure staffing.

• Food: Talk to a caterer to develop a menu and a budget.

  Be sure to inquire about whether linen, flatware, dishes and service charges/tax are included in the per person cost that you are quoted.

  Dishes and flatware are preferable and should be used when outside guests are invited. In instances where budget constraints would not allow for dishes and flatware, paper and plastic can be used. When selecting such products, please choose items that will support the food properly. Typically the bargain packages that have 100 or more paper plates are of inferior quality. Party shops in the area (eg. Iparty at Bishop's Corner in West Hartford 860.233.4585, Party Shop Warehouse on 285 Newfield Avenue in Hartford 860.953.4118) carry various selections that would be appropriate. Events open to Law Students Only may use paper and plastic of the organization's choosing.

  Truffles runs our cafeteria and they have a Catering Division. Please offer them the right of first refusal for events. You can

  The University requires that all caterers doing business on campus obtain insurance naming the University as additional insured. If you use another caterer, be sure that they provide the necessary insurance as described on the Purchasing Web site

• Alcohol: Please review the policy for student sponsored events at which alcohol is to be served.

Be sure to complete planning for such events well in advance due to the insurance requirements. Consult Laurie Werling for assistance.

The Student Bar Association funds most student organizations. There are a few student organizations (Connecticut Insurance Law Journal and the Connecticut Law Review) that have endowments that are held by The University of Connecticut Law School Foundation, Inc. (LSF). These organizations should check with Julia Dunlop to determine if the funds can be used to offset costs of a conference or symposium.

Visit the event management site for an on-line budget worksheet.

Reserve the room

The first step is to visit the Communications Center and reserve the room(s). Millie Regalis will assist you with this task. In order to avoid conflicts, check to be sure you are not scheduling an event on the same day as another event. Keep in mind set-up times for your event. For example, if you plan to have a conference in the Reading Room at 9:00 a.m., be sure to reserve the room for the day before so you can complete all set-up needs on the day prior to the event.

The William R. Davis Courtroom was designed specifically to function as the location for conferences, symposia and related events. This room is used as the primary location for such events unless extenuating circumstances warrant a different location. These special circumstances will need approval by Associate Dean Laurie Werling. In response to requests by student groups in 2005, the Law School purchased a sound system and technology equipment for this location which alleviates the need to rent equipment.

The Reading Room and Janet M. Blumberg Hall have been designed for receptions, luncheons and dinners.

The second step is to complete the Room Reservation Form. This form alerts the various departments (Dean's Office, Police, Facilities, etc.) of needs related to the event. The Communications Center will forward your completed Reservation Form to Chase Hall, Room 104, for further processing.

The third step is to input the information for your event on the University calendar. Input the information for your event. The calendar editor will receive your information and will confirm the details of the event with the Room Reservation Form. Events then are posted to the calendar within 72 hours.

Room Details

Keep in mind the time you (and your vendors) will need to set up for your event. Our Web site contains useful information regarding the technology available in each room.

The main venues we use include:

• Janet M. Blumberg Hall
  Hosmer Hall, Second floor

  This room location should be referred to as "Janet M. Blumberg Hall" in all printed materials.

  Seats:
  100-auditorium style
  70-classroom style
  48 at eight tables of six for luncheon is a comfortable setting
  (If round tables are rented, additional seating is possible)
  

  The room does not have air conditioning.

  If you plan to have food, there is an adjoining room that a caterer can use for set up and you can set out the food in the lobby outside the room or in the back of the room.

  The room has a screen.

  There is a podium with a working microphone available. The outlet for power to the podium is located on the wall to the side of the chalkboard.

  There is also a portable "electronic podium" that is available. Contact the IT department for assistance.

• William R. Davis Courtroom
  Starr Hall

  This room should be referred to as the "William R. Davis Courtroom" in all printed materials.

  Seats:
  99 theatre-style seats with tablet arm that can be raised for note taking
  20 additional chairs can be added when you push the counsel tables against the bench

  The room has a screen and very good acoustics.

  If you plan to offer food, there is a caterer prep area on the second floor and you can set out the food in the lobby outside the courtroom or in the Reading Room.

  The bench can accommodate six panelists comfortably and is equipped with microphones. Also, plastic nameplate holders that fit over the bench are available for conferences (contact Michelle Helmin). There is a laptop connection as well as a DVD connection. Contact the IT department for assistance.

• Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder Trial Courtroom
  Starr Hall, First Floor

  This room should be referred to as the "Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder Trial Courtroom" in all printed materials.

  Seats:
  45-auditorium style
  20 additional chairs can be added when you push the counsel tables against the bench

  The room has a screen.

  The room has very good acoustics.

  If you plan to offer food, there is a caterer prep area on the second floor and you can set out the food in the lobby outside the courtroom or in the Reading Room.

  There are no microphones in the courtroom. Plastic nameplate holders that fit over the bench are available for conferences (contact Michelle Helmin).

• Reading Room
  Starr Hall

  This room should be referred to as the "Reading Room, Starr Hall" in all printed materials.

  Seats:
  350-auditorium style
  200 at rounds for meals fit comfortably

  This room is huge but the acoustics are poor for a symposium. This room is most often used as a reception area/eating area for conference participants.

  There is also a portable "electronic podium" that is available in the event that there is a speaker during the meal or reception. Contact the IT department for assistance.

  The staging, drape and ramp at the West end of the Reading Room MUST remain in this location. If there are special circumstances that require either movement or removal of these items, please discuss with Laurie Werling.

Book your speakers and take care of their travel/lodging

You may consult with Donna Gionfriddo to make arrangements to pay hotels for lodging. Also, you should ask her what types of receipts she will need from the speakers in order to reimburse them for their travel expenses.

Diverse Viewpoints

Whenever you plan an event that includes one or more panel presentations relating to a topic, consider whether you can enhance the educational value of the event by inviting panelists who will provide diverse viewpoints or who will consider the issue from diverse perspectives.

Set up and Rentals

If you will be setting up your own event (tables, seating, etc.), be sure to check with Donna Kasey or Laurie Werling well in advance of your event. Chairs and tables in Janet M. Blumberg Hall normally are stored behind the blackboard. Chairs and tables for use in the Reading Room normally are stored in Starr 200, in the caterer prep area, in the two hallway closets on the second floor, or locked in Room 10 in the basement.

If you will need a projector set up for a Power Point presentation, reserve the projector and laptop as per the instructions:

• Laptop
• Projector

Be sure to make reservations well in advance of your event.

There is a small podium speaker in Janet M. Blumberg Hall and the Reading Room. These units have output for only the single podium microphone, not multiple microphones for a panel.

Special permission is required in order to hold a conference, symposia or similar event in the Reading Room (see room reservation directions above). The acoustics are not good, so you will need to plan on renting a sound system. D&K Sound (860.529.8353) has been here for numerous events and is familiar with the campus. Note: the SBA has a complicated sound system that you might borrow if you have someone knowledgeable about the equipment. If you borrow the equipment (many pieces and very heavy) be sure to protect the surfaces where you place the items with blankets so that the equipment does not mark the woodwork. A person from the SBA who is knowledgeable about the equipment must remain on-site for the duration of the event.

If you have a panel, you will need to rent table skirting or contact Michelle Helmin in the Communications Office for tablecloths and runners with the Law School logo on them. Tablecloths and runners borrowed need to be returned cleaned and pressed.

The School has a standing purchase order with Whalen's on Hurlbutt Street in West Hartford (860.953.0875). Contact Donna Gionfriddo for information. Michelle Helmin also has other items with the Law School logo on them, including banners and backdrops.

Signage

The Law School has exterior signs that push into the ground. Groups can make up their own signs and slide it into the plastic sleeve. Templates for signs are available at the Communications Center in Hosmer Hall.

If you are holding an event in Starr Hall, there are interior signs with magnetic lettering that can be used to direct people throughout the building. Alternatively, paper signs can be taped to the sign base. No signs or other items should be taped to wood or glass surfaces.

Donna Kasey can assist you with obtaining the signs. Be sure to make plans to obtain the signs in advance of the day of your event. It is your responsibility to return the signs to Donna Kasey at the end of the event. If we do not receive the signs back, your department or organization will be charged the replacement costs.

Promoting Your Event

Michelle Helmin manages communication efforts for the School. She must be consulted to plan for the promotion of your event including:

• Printed materials including invitations, programs and posters
• Posting of information to the homepage of the Web site
• Media relations
• Arranging for a photographer

Printed Materials

The University of Connecticut School of Law has a particular style and protocol for printing and mailing formal invitations, posters and programs. Specific logo specifications must be met. Logos currently on the Web site are not suitable for printed materials. E-mail invitations to the Law School community may be adequate for some events. Groups are reminded that a limited number of e-mail messages should be sent to the Law School community regarding events taking place on our campus.

For printed invitations, you will need to obtain approval of the design from Michelle Helmin. Then, if you are using law school operating ("state") funds you will need to obtain a written quotation from your printer and submit that quote to the Business Office with the appropriate account number that will pay for the job. The Business Office will complete the paperwork necessary to obtain a purchase order with the vendor. Please inform the Business Office when you receive the completed order so that they can pay the invoice.

Consult with Michelle Helmin for the correct names of all rooms and buildings.

When Law School graduates are speaking on panels for symposia, please be sure to include graduate years when referencing these individuals in printed materials. Additionally, Julia Dunlop and Kristin Magendantz should be notified when alumni will be participating in any events.

Email promotion

Please be sure to communicate with the smallest, appropriate group possible when using email.

Homepage Promotion

The sponsoring organization should submit information to Michelle Helmin regarding the details of the event. Information should be sent via e-mail.

Media Relations

All requests for media coverage for Law School events must be coordinated through the Communications Office. This includes any correspondence with the media/public relations professionals at the Storrs campus.

Photography

Photographers routinely are hired to capture photos of some events for the Law School Graduate Report. If your organization has a particular need for a photographer, please contact Michelle Helmin at least two weeks in advance to make arrangements.

Special Note on Taping of Events

In instances where an event will be taped and distributed outside of the Law School community, please contact Michelle Helmin regarding requirements for identification and packaging of the videotapes or DVDs.

Law School Event Etiquette

There must be staffing at the check-in table during peak times for receiving guests. (i.e. morning registration, during breaks before panels). Individuals conducting check-in should not eat, drink, or answer their personal cell phone at the check-in table when greeting guests.

During non-peak hours, a professionally prepared sign should indicate to guests directions for proceeding to the event. Post-it notes or other hand-written instructions are not acceptable.