• What is the goal of this event? What purpose does it serve to your club?
• Will your organization co-sponsor with another group or department on campus?
• What dates and times will be best to increase attendance?
• What is the target audience?
• How many people will be attending?
• Do we need either a check for a performer/activity or request Campus Police? (Submit event at least 3 weeks in advance)
• Does this event fit into your group’s budget?
• Where will the event be held?
• Does the event stay within your group mission statement? Constitution?
• If the event will be off-campus, how will transportation be provided?

Initial Planning

Fill Out an Event Registration Form
The first step your organization should take is to pick up and fill out an Event Registration Form with the Office of Student Activities. This form can be used as a tool to help the club think about different aspects of planning. The Coordinator for Student Organizations is available to help students complete the form and answer any questions that might come up during any stage of your event planning. Advisors are required to sign the form as well, ensuring that they are kept informed of all plans the club is making. The form should be turned into the Office of Student Activities as early as possible, but no later than 10 business days before the event will take place or 15 business days for Major Events.

Reserve Space, Equipment or Vans
The Event Registration Form asks for the date, time, and location of your event. This information should be decided on by the members of the club. Advisors should book the room(s) needed on campus or vans if the event is off-campus. Faculty/staff members can place the reservation through the Event Management System(EMS) on MyLasell.

If the event requires any kind of media, such as microphones, a laptop or projector, this equipment can be reserved on EMS. Advisors should reserve this equipment at the same time rooms are reserved. Keep in mind, some rooms may already have built in capabilities that would work for your event and would not require addition equipment to be reserved.

EMS can also help with the ordering of Food as well as dealing with any room set-ups needed for a specific event. If you have question on how to utilize EMS please contact either the Office of Student Activities of the Conference Service Coordinator.

Decide on a Budget

All recognized clubs who have received funding from SGA for the semester may use their funds to support the event being planned (more on funding options in the Budgeting and Funding section). A variety of things need to be taken into consideration, The following list are items commonly requiring funds and can e used to help your organization plan out the budget for their event:

• Food or beverage (including paper goods)
• Performers/lecturers (Bringing in a person or group from off-campus requires a contract!
• Decorations
• Marketing or Promotional Items (these can range from t-shirts to flyers)
• Transportation Costs
• Conference Funding

Once the club has come to a decision on the budget, stick with it! If your club goes over budget that will take money away from other important goals the club might be planning.

Choose a Club Member to be the Leader for the Event
Now that the club has some initial ideas of their timeline and goals, it might be a good idea to choose someone who can serve as a leader in the planning of your club's event. This gives the student a chance to gain some leadership experience, while also allowing them to feel invested in the club and the event. The leader for an event does not have to be an officer. This is a great opportunity to give more responsibility to an involved member. It is important to make clear, however, that this person does not assume sole responsibility for the event and its success. For an event to be successful, cooperation and participation is needed from the entire club. The leader for a particular event can serve as a point person for the club as the planning process moves forward. Certain events may require a staff person to be present. Be sure to ask this as the group plans.

 Finalizing Your Plans
Now that the club has decided on dates, chosen the event, filled out the event registration form, and figured out a budget, it's time to move forward.

Contracts and Check Request
If your event has a performer, a contract from the performer must be submitted. Members of a club and advisors should never sign a contract on behalf of Lasell College. All contracts must be signed by the Vice President for Student Affairs. Contracts and check requests take additional time to process, and must be submitted at least four weeks in advance of your event.

The Coordinator for Student Organizations can help you with a check request once the event registration form and contract have been turned in to the Office of Student Activities. This should be done as early as possible before the event, to ensure enough time for the request to go through the Business Office and a check to be cut. A check request can take up to four weeks to process.

Requesting Police
If your event requires police detail, this must be indicated on the Event Registration Form.  The Coordinator for Student Organization or your club advisor can request police by contacting the Lasell College Police Lieutenant.  Per the Campus Police policy, this must be done at least two full weeks before an event takes place.  Depending on the type and size of the event, Campus Police determines how many officers need to be present.

Cash Box Requests
If your event requires a cash box to collect money, a Cash Box Request Form must be filled out on Org Sync at least 10 business days before the event. A good rule is to complete this form at the same time as your Event Registration Form. Clubs can request up to $30 in change for it.  Cash boxes can be picked up between 9:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. the same day as your event, or the business day before your event if it is on a weekend or holiday.  The Cash Box must be returned the next business day after your event, with the $30.  Any money that was fundraised must be counted before the Cash Box is returned and given to the Coordinator for Student Organizations.

Advertising
The event has been planned, now the club should focus on getting others to attend. There are several different media that can be utilized on campus such as flyers, plasma screens, napkin holders, and MyLasell. No advertising should be done by a club until a contract has been signed with a performer, if applicable.

Try to challenge the group to come up with creative ways to advertise. Most groups opt to make a flyer, but in this technologically savvy age, students should consider other ways to get the message out. Social networking sites, such as Facebook, often are a popular way to advertise an event. Blog posts, email, Org Sync, the campus calendar, and MyLasell can all be helpful ways to inform the campus of your club's event. If your club does decide to do a flyer for the event, be sure to adhere to the Campus Posting Policy, which is located in the Appendix of this manual.

Collaboration can be key when advertising an event. Work with other clubs to develop partnerships. This may mean you are able to advertise your events with them. Different departments at the college can be helpful, as well. Professors or other advisors may be willing to make the announcement for you in their classes or meetings. Encourage the club members to use their imagination!

Prepare for the Event
With almost any event, it is inevitable that there will be last minute changes or tasks to be done. Some last minute things to think about might be picking up a cash box, ensuring Plant Operations has the set-up information for the room or space, and making a list of things you might need the day of the event. It can be very easy to get overwhelmed with all the aspects of event planning.  Remember to seek the help of your club members and/or advisor.

It is the big day that your club has been planning for! Here are some things to keep in mind to keep the event running smoothly.

 Volunteers for Set-up and Clean-up

This should be decided in advance. It will be extremely important to have students on hand who can help with any set-up or clean-up for the event. All clubs should leave a space as they found it. This means cleaning up any trash and returning furniture to its proper place.

 Performers

Make sure performers have anything special they may have requested. This can be anything from a bottle of water to a hotel stay. The club may want to delegate one person to be the contact person for a performer, and take care of their needs.

Be Prepared for Anything

Last minute changes or problems seem to always happen, despite the most careful planning. Be flexible and solve issues as they come up. Students will need to be supported if something unexpected happens. As an leader, you need to be prepared for anything! The Office of Student Activities is always available to help walk you through anything that may happen.

Enjoy the Event

It might seem hard to believe, but once an event gets started club members can usually relax and enjoy it. Your club has worked hard to get to this point, so have fun! Make sure to keep in touch with group members to see if they need help.

Once your event is over, it can be easy to forget about it and move on to the next project. Make it a point to meet with club members to evaluate of the event. Additionally, be sure to send the appropriate thank you's to departments, individuals or organizations that have helped you complete the event.

 Record All Expenses

You should have already completed a check request and paid your performer, if applicable. Make sure that your performer or other service providers are paid promptly after the event, if the check is not ready before the event. Be sure that the treasurer of the organization updates the club’s Org Sync checkbook with any money spent on the event.

 Return Cash Box to the Office of Student Activities

If you used a cash box to collect funds at your event, the cash box must be returned the next business day. Money collected will be deposited into your organization’s account and should be recorded using Org Sync.

 Evaluating the Outcome

This can be a formal evaluation or just a conversation.  The Event Evaluation Form was created to discuss the event. Take the time to discuss with your club how they feel the event went, what they would like to change, and if there were any aspects they were not happy with. Let them give each other feedback about their participation. Be sure to mention if there were problems or successes. The things you saw may not be the same things the club members were paying attention to.

 If there were aspects of the event that need to be improved upon, take the opportunity to address them and plan a better strategy for next time. Make sure the conversation stays neutral and is focused on the event. It may be hard for some to hear negative feedback and make them more likely to get defensive. You can help mediate the conversation, and be sure to point out the positives along with the negatives. Be sure to meet with the Coordinator for Student Organizations to discuss the outcome of the event.

 Start Planning Again

Your event has been successfully planned and executed; now your club can begin to think ahead to their next endeavor!

• Will this be primarily a social, educational, or fundraising event?
• What is the goal of this event? What purpose does it serve to your club?
• Will your organization co-sponsor with another group or department on campus?
• What dates and times will be best to increase attendance?
• What is the target audience?
• How many people will be attending?
• Does this event fit into your group’s budget?
• Where will the event be held?
• Does the event stay within your group mission statement? Constitution?
• If the event will be off-campus, how will transportation be provided?

Initial Planning

Fill Out an Event Registration Form
The first step your organization should take is to pick up and fill out an Event Registration Form with the Office of Student Activities. This form can be used as a tool to help the club think about different aspects of planning. The Coordinator for Student Organizations is available to help students complete the form and answer any questions that might come up during any stage of your event planning. Advisors are required to sign the form as well, ensuring that they are kept informed of all plans the club is making. The form should be turned into the Office of Student Activities as early as possible, but no later than 10 days before the event will take place.

Reserve Space, Equipment or Vans
The Event Registration Form asks for the date, time, and location of your event. This information should be decided on by the members of the club. Advisors should book the room(s) needed on campus or vans if the event is off-campus. This can be done through Meeting Room Manager on MyLasell.

If the event requires any kind of media, such as microphones, a laptop or projector, this equipment can be reserved through Footprints. Advisors should also reserve this equipment at the same time rooms are reserved. Keep in mind, some rooms may already have built in capabilities that would work for your event and would not require addition equipment to be reserved.

Decide on a Budget
All recognized clubs who have received funding from SGA for the semester may use their funds to support the event being planned (more on funding options in the Budgeting and Funding section). A variety of things need to be taken into consideration, The following list are items commonly requiring funds and can be used to help your organization plan out the budget for their event:

• Food or beverage (including paper goods)
• Performers/lecturers (Bringing in a person or group from off-campus requires a contract!
• Decorations
• Marketing or Promotional Items (these can range from t-shirts to flyers)
• Transportation Costs
• Conference Funding

Once the club has come to a decision on the budget, stick with it! If your club goes over budget that will take money away from other important goals the club might be planning.

Choose a Club Member to be the Leader for the Event
Now that the club has some initial ideas of their timeline and goals, it might be a good idea to choose someone who can serve as a leader in the planning of your club's event. This gives the student a chance to gain some leadership experience, while also allowing them to feel invested in the club and the event. The leader for an event does not have to be an officer. This is a great opportunity to give more responsibility to an involved member. It is important to make clear, however, that this person does not assume sole responsibility for the event and its success. For an event to be successful, cooperation and participation is needed from the entire club. The leader for a particular event can serve as a point person for the club as the planning process moves forward. Certain events may require a staff person to be present. Be sure to ask this as the group plans.

Finalizing Your Plans
Now that the club has decided on dates, chosen the event, filled out the event registration form, and figured out a budget, it's time to move forward.

Contracts and Check Request
If your event has a performer, a contract from the performer must be submitted. Members of a club and advisors should never sign a contract on behalf of Lasell College. All contracts must be signed by the Vice President for Student Affairs. Contracts and check requests take additional time to process, and must be submitted at least four weeks in advance of your event.

The Coordinator for Student Organizations can help you with a check request once the event registration form and contract have been turned in to the Office of Student Activities. This should be done as early as possible before the event, to ensure enough time for the request to go through the Business Office and a check to be cut. A check request can take up to four weeks to process.

Requesting Police
If your event requires police detail, this must be indicated on the Event Registration Form.  The Coordinator for Student Organization or your club advisor can request police by contacting the Lasell College Police Lieutenant.  Per the Campus Police policy, this must be done three weeks before an event takes place.  Depending on the type and size of the event, Campus Police determines how many officers need to be present.

Cash Box Requests
If your event requires a cash box to collect money, a Cash Box Request Form must be filled out on Org Sync at least 10 business days before the event. A good rule is to complete this form at the same time as your Event Registration Form. Clubs can request up to $30 in change for it.  Cash boxes can be picked up between 9:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. the same day as your event, or the business day before your event if it is on a weekend or holiday.  The Cash Box must be returned the next business day after your event, with the $30.  Any money that was fundraised must be counted before the Cash Box is returned and given to the Coordinator for Student Organizations.

Advertising
The event has been planned, now the club should focus on getting others to attend. There are several different media that can be utilized on campus such as flyers, plasma screens, napkin holders, and MyLasell. No advertising should be done by a club until a contract has been signed with a performer, if applicable.

Try to challenge the group to come up with creative ways to advertise. Most groups opt to make a flyer, but in this technologically savvy age, students should consider other ways to get the message out. Social networking sites, such as Facebook, often are a popular way to advertise an event. Blog posts, email, Org Sync, the campus calendar, and MyLasell can all be helpful ways to inform the campus of your club's event. If your club does decide to do a flyer for the event, be sure to adhere to the Campus Posting Policy, which is located in the Appendix of this manual.

Collaboration can be key when advertising an event. Work with other clubs to develop partnerships. This may mean you are able to advertise your events with them. Different departments at the college can be helpful, as well. Professors or other advisors may be willing to make the announcement for you in their classes or meetings. Encourage the club members to use their imagination!

Prepare for the Event
With almost any event, it is inevitable that there will be last minute changes or tasks to be done. Some last minute things to think about might be picking up a cash box, ensuring Plant Operations has the set-up information for the room or space, and making a list of things you might need the day of the event. It can be very easy to get overwhelmed with all the aspects of event planning.  Remember to seek the help of your club members and/or advisor.

Where can I get an Event Registration Form?

Event Registration Forms are required to be submitted electronically on Org Sync by accessing the Events option on the main club page. The default settings is only club administrators have access to submit an event for an organization.

Rooms on campus can be reserved working with your advisor through the Event Management System on MyLasell. Your advisor can access this program to book space for your event or meeting. If you need suggestions on what space on campus might work best for your event, see suggestions here.

Make sure to think about how you would like the room set up when you make the reservation. If anything will need to be set up, your advisor will need to contact Plant Operations with the details. Make sure set up information is submitted at least one week in advance of any event.

To reserve audio visual equipment such as a projector, microphones, or laptop, your advisor can request these items from the Event Management System, through the help desk, or by calling 617-243-2200.

You can find complete information on how to spend your club funding in the Student Organization Budgets section. Options to spend funding include making credit card purchases, submitting a contract or invoice for a check, and requesting petty cash. If you are having trouble what to spend money on it could be helpful to talk with your club memebers, advisor or the Coordinator for Student Organizations.