Reservations and Publicity

Last updated 08/31/2021

Student Activities facilitates the reservation of outdoor space and general-purpose classrooms for student organizations. We also coordinate the reservation of publicity spaces, such as a-frames and banners, as well as approval of event listings in HornsLink. Before planning an on-campus event, student organizations should review the Student Organization Responsibilities for Campus Events (pdf). Student organization leaders can also visit Education and Training for additional resources.

Reservations

General-Purpose Classroom Reservations

Student Activities is currently accepting summer reservation requests, as well as Fall 2021 Semester (August 25, 2021 – January 16, 2022) reservation requests through Tuesday, August 24, 2021. Requests for general-purpose classrooms must be submitted through HornsLink (review the HornsLink Event Submission Tutorial). Only members listed as officers on the student organization's HornsLink roster can submit reservation requests (refer to Positions and Rosters to view the Position Templates Walkthrough and Changing Position Holders tutorials).

To ensure that all student organizations have the opportunity to reserve general-purpose classrooms for their meetings and events, the number of reservation requests accepted at different times is limited. These limits require student organizations to plan and prioritize events carefully, but maximize the available space on campus for all student organizations.

For Fall 2021 Semester General-Purpose Classroom Reservations

• Between July 27 and August 24, 2021, each student organization can submit up to:
  • Two multi-date or semester-long reservation requests totaling no more than 32 individual dates, and up to
  • Three single-date reservation requests.
• Between August 25, 2021 and January 16, 2022, student organizations can submit any number of general-purpose classroom reservation requests based on room availability.

Additionally, general-purpose classroom requests must follow these guidelines:

• Requests must be submitted at least 21 days in advance of the event.
• If an event consultation is required, Student Activities will notify the submitting officer.
• Reservations may be made for times between 6:30 a.m. and 11:45 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
• Student organizations should create a roster of the meeting or event (when possible) that includes names and contact information and send the roster to UT Health Austin for potential public health use only—rosters created for public health purposes do not need to be kept by student organizations, will be handled by UT Health Austin as public health records, and will be retained only as long as public health needs require

Reserving Outdoor Space on Campus

Student Activities is currently accepting summer outdoor space reservation requests, as well as Fall 2021 Semester (August 25, 2021 – January 16, 2022) outdoor space reservation requests through Tuesday, August 24, 2021. To reserve a space, a listed student organization officer must complete the Outdoor Space request through the Mazevo Reservation System.

How to Request Space

1. Log in with your EID and Password.
2. Select the UT Austin, Outdoor / A-frames / Banners / Jester Tables option.
3. Click Add New Event.
4. Enter information for Who section, press Next.
5. Enter information for When section, press Next.
6. For Where section, select the appropriate building (Outdoor Space) for the type of request then click Find Rooms.
   1. Select the desired rooms/spaces for the proposed event (Note: if the desired space does not show up, it is either not available for the date and time, or does not meet the event capacity) .
   2. Select Skip For All for setup type, and press Next at bottom of screen.
7. Finish entering event information, answering required questions and press Book Room.
8. Then Schedule your required event consultation.

Additionally, outdoor space requests must follow these guidelines:

• Reservation requests for tabling should be submitted at least 10 days in advance and complete a required event consultation at least seven days in advance, unless otherwise directed by Student Activities. Reservations for tabling are not required, but may be helpful in securing a desired location. See the tabling guidelines for more information.
• All non-tabling outdoor space requests must be submitted at least 21 days in advance.
• All non-tabling outdoor space requests require an event consultation at least 14 days in advance, unless otherwise directed by Student Activities.
• Student organizations should create a roster of the meeting or event (when possible) that includes names and contact information and send the roster to UT Health Austin for potential public health use only—rosters created for public health purposes do not need to be kept by student organizations, will be handled by UT Health Austin as public health records, and will be retained only as long as public health needs require.

Event Work Orders

Student organizations may request an event work order for tables, chairs, trash receptacles, stages and other resources they need for an event on campus. To create a work order, an officer is required to meet with a Student Activities staff member at least 14 days prior to the event. To schedule an appointment, contact the Student Organization Center (SOC) at 512-471-3065. Additional information about work order requests is available on the Work Order Request FAQ's page.

Event Planning Consultations

All general-purpose classrooms and outdoor reservation requests must complete a required event consultation with Student Activities at least fourteen (14) days prior to the event date. Thus, the reservation request should be submitted prior to that time. If a consultation is not completed at least fourteen (14) days in advance, the request may be cancelled and/or rescheduled for an alternative date. If your proposed event will have food, guest speakers, more than 10 attendees, need a work order, rental equipment or other types of structures, we recommend completing a consultation at least twenty-one (21) days in advance.

During event consultations, Student Activities staff members draw upon their knowledge of the Institutional Rules, university policies and best practices in event planning. Event consultations can lead to referrals to other departments on campus. Possible referrals include, but are not limited to:

• University of Texas Police Department for event security.
• Parking and Transportation Services for parking permits.
• Environmental Health and Safety for food distribution and live animal permits.
• Fire Prevention Services for approval for use of open flames and tents.
• Office of Emergency Preparedness.

Tabling

The purpose of tabling is to display literature and distribute information in order to recruit new members or raise awareness about an event, activity or topic that is important to the organization. Note: Reservations and tabling will not be permitted in spaces reserved for UT Summer Orientation. Please see our Reservations and Tabling During Summer Orientation post in HornsLink for more information.

General Guidelines for Tabling on Campus

• Only UT students, faculty and staff are permitted to table. Non-UT community members are not permitted to table or occupy a student organization table.
• Any outdoor location can be appropriate for tables, provided that the tables do not disrupt other University functions, impede on existing reservations, or interfere with pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic. Note: Tabling on Main Mall or the Westside of any portion of Speedway is not permitted at any time.
• Tabling inside a building is not permitted unless permission is granted from the building manager in advance.
• Student organizations can supply their own tables or use University Tables (if available).
• An outdoor reservation is not required to table but is recommended should desired space be a popular outdoor area (i.e. West Mall Rally Space). All outdoor reservations require an event consultation.
• Avoid person to person distribution of materials including flyers and other items when possible. If distribution is necessary, wearing masks and gloves is encouraged but not required.
• Consider using QR Codes to help community members learn more about your organization.
• The distribution of food, using of amplified sound, selling items, setting up equipment and/or constructing temporary exhibits are not permitted without an outdoor reservation and additional approval. Contact Student Activities if you have questions.

Guidelines for Using University Tables on Campus

• For summer 2021, University Tables are not available for general check out from the FAC or Gregory Gym by Student Organizations.

Jester Concourse Tables (Currently Unavailable)

Jester Concourse Tables reservations are unavailable for summer 2021. Student organization are not permitted to supply their own tables for this area.

Publicity

Promoting on HornsLink

HornsLink has several tools and features that student organizations can use to help promote its events and activities including the events submission and news functions.

Event Submissions

Whether you are hosting an online meeting or an in-person event on campus, you can submit your student organizations event to be listed on the HornsLink events board. Visit the Creating a New Event for Your Organization to learn how to add your event.

All event submissions and updates must be submitted at least 3-5 business days in advance of the proposed event. Event submissions are reviewed during normal business hours from 8 a.m. CST to 5 p.m. CST Monday through Friday to ensure that events and listings are in adherence withInstitutional Rules and policies.

For in-person events, the campus location must be listed and approved by the appropriate reservation office before the event submission will be accepted. It is recommended that the description be detailed and include information regarding safety guidelines for attendees.

For virtual events, be sure to add the appropriate platform link and information so potential participants have all the information. Student Activities may require you to complete an event consultation before approval is granted.

If you have questions regarding using HornsLink, please RSVP to attend one of our Discover HornsLink workshops or visit our virtual office hours.

Publish a News Story

Rather you want to highlight organization accomplishments, an outstanding member or promote an application to join your organization, you can use the News Tool to share any of these important updates.

Literature

Student organizations have the ability to distribute literature on campus. Literature can be used to advertise the organization, share information or promote an idea. Student organizations may sell, distribute, or display literature on campus in accordance with the following guidelines:

• The literature does not promote a for-profit business, organization, agency, or national association.
• The literature is not distributed by hawking, shouting, or accosting individuals.
• Literature that is dropped on the ground in the area where it was distributed must be picked up by the student organization.

Literature is defined as any printed material that is produced in multiple copies for distribution to potential readers.

A-Frame Reservations

An a-frame is a temporary structure built and used by student organizations to advertise events and other information about their organization. A-frames are generally made of 2X4's and pieces of plywood. A student organization must submit an a-frame (RSO) reservation request through the Mazevo Reservation System and have that request confirmed by Student Activities before placing an a-frame on campus. The a-frame locations can be found on the West Mall Map (pdf).

How to Request Space:

1. Log in with your EID and Password.
2. Select the UT Austin, Outdoor / A-frames / Banners / Jester Tables option.
3. Click Add New Event.
4. Enter information for Who section, press Next.
5. Enter information for When section, press Next.
6. For Where section, select the appropriate building, a-frame (RSO), for the type of request then click Find Rooms.
   1. Select the desired room/a-frame space press Next at bottom of screen.
7. Finish entering event information, answering required questions and press Book Room.
8. Student Activities will follow up with you regarding your request.

Rules for A-Frame Space Reservations:

• Reservations cannot be longer than 2 weeks in length.
• An organization cannot submit consecutive reservations for the same space totaling more than 2 weeks.
• A-frames may only be displayed in the designated areas of the West Mall as listed on Mazévo (West Mall areas 2, 3, and 4) and must not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or cause damage or defacement of property.
• A-frames may not be larger than 5'x5'.
• A-frames cannot to be used to promote off-campus businesses or entities and the name of the student organization must be permanently written on the a-frame.
• A-frames must be removed on or prior to the date of expiration. If an a-frame is not removed in time, it will be removed by Student Activities, and the organization will be frozen.

For the fall semesters, a-frame reservation requests may be submitted beginning at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday in May. For the spring and summer semester, requests may be submitted beginning at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday in November.

If you have questions about reserving an a-frame space, please call Student Activities at 512-471-3065.

Banner Reservations

Student Activities reserves the West Mall and Jester banner spaces for student organizations on a Monday to Sunday basis. To apply for banner space, an officer must complete the banner (RSO) space request through the Mazevo Reservation System.

How to Request Space:

1. Log in with your EID and Password.
2. Select the UT Austin, Outdoor / A-frames / Banners / Jester Tables option.
3. Click Add New Event.
4. Enter information for Who section, press Next.
5. Enter information for When section, press Next.
6. For Where section, select the appropriate building, banner's (RSO), for the type of request then click Find Rooms.
   1. Select the desired room/a-frame space press Next at bottom of screen.
7. Finish entering event information, answering any required questions and press Book Room.
8. Student Activities will follow up with you regarding your request.

West Mall Banner Policies

There are three West Mall banner spaces which can only be reserved in seven (7) day increments Monday-Sunday. Requests outside that time frame, including consecutive requests, will not be approved.

Banners cannot be more than 20' wide x 3' tall and must be made of heavy material to withstand the elements. Paper banners will not be accepted. Banners must have 8 three-inch slits in the banner for wind holes to prevent tearing, include grommets for rope and display the official name of the student organization or department.

Banners must include the appropriate length of rope, and the rope must be attached to the banner. The length of rope needed depends upon the banner size but the total width of the banner with rope must add up to at least 60 feet.

Student organizations are not allowed to hang their own banner in the West Mall. Banners must be dropped off at the Student Organization Center (2609 University Avenue, Suite 2.112) the Thursday before the reservation begins.

Jester Concourse Banner Policies

There are three Jester Concourse banner spaces which can only be reserved in seven (7) day increments Monday-Sunday. Requests outside that time frame, including consecutive requests, will not be approved. Banner locations include:

• Jester Banner A - West space (near Wendy's).
• Jester Banner B - West space (near Sanger Learning Center).
• Jester Banner C - East space (near John l. Warren Center for African American students).

Banners must have 4 feet of rope attached to both the upper left and right corners of the banner, and display the official name of the student organization or department.

Student organizations and departments must hang and remove their own Jester banner. Any banner that is not removed at the end of a reservation or hung without an approved reservation may be removed. Student Activities is not responsible for damaged, lost or stolen banners.

If you have questions about reserving a Jester or West Mall banner space, please call Student Activities at 512-471-3065.

Flyers

Flyers may be distributed as literature or posted with prior approval inside of buildings. Indoor location policies and restrictions occur building by building. Contact the specific building manager prior to posting flyers in any interior area.