University Advancement

Creating Your Event

• Define Your Event

  Define Your Event 

  The first step in creating your event on campus is to define the purpose and objective of your event. This will provide direction in determining the best format for your event. In defining your event, it is important to consider: What is the purpose and objective of this event? What is the best way to achieve this objective? What resources are available to facilitate this objective, and do I have them? What is the name of your event?

• Budget and funding

  Budget and funding

  Once you have defined your event, it is important to determine the financial resources available and necessary to achieve your event’s objective. If you have an allotted budget for your event, you will need to be a good steward of those financial resources to stay within budget. If you are proposing a budget for your event, start with reaching out to campus service providers and off-campus vendors for estimates to compile a comprehensive budget (more on this in the Event Logistics & Setup section). In determining your budget, it is important to consider: What is a realistic budget for this event? Where will the funding be coming from? What is the Chart of Accounts (COA) that should be charged for any event orders?

• Event Date and Time

  Event Date and Time

  Next, you will want to secure a date and time for your event. In selecting the date and time, make sure you consider and confirm the availability of all program participants that you would like to attend your event. Please also check the UCR Events Calendar to ensure that there are no other major events targeting the same audience that would conflict with your event.

• Event Timeline/Checklist

  Event Timeline/Checklist

  As you are planning your event, it is very helpful to have a set timeline and checklist to keep you organized and on track with the various components of your event. Once your event is scheduled, work backwards and map out a timeline/checklist for yourself including specific due dates to get each arrangement booked or completed. The further in advance you can begin planning, the better. For smaller meetings and events, best practice is to begin planning at least 3 months in advance. For larger events, best practice is to begin planning at least 6 to 9 months in advance depending on the scale of your event.

• On-Campus Venues

  On-Campus Venues

  UC Riverside has many on-campus venues where events can be hosted with varying availability and capacity. Determine the venue that works best for you and submit a reservation request through the respective reservation system. In the case that your first-choice venue is not available, it is always a good idea to have a backup venue or date in mind.
  Please see the list of major on-campus venues below with resource links and contact information for your convenience:

  
  Venues Managed by Hospitality Services:

  • Alumni and Visitors Center
  • Bannockburn Village
  • Glen Mor (Available only during the summer)
  • Aberdeen-Inverness (Available only during the summer)
  • Lothian (Available only during the summer)
  • Pentland Hills (Available only during the summer)

  TIP: When you host your event at a venue managed by Hospitality Services, you will be assigned an event coordinator who can help you arrange parking, catering, room setup, and AV/media.

  For more information on hosting an event at these venues, please contact Hospitality Services Team.

  
  Venues Managed by HUB Scheduling:
  Please click the link above for an overview on the following venues:

  • Highlander Union Building
  • Student Success Center
  • General Assignment Classrooms
  • Outdoor Locations

  To reserve a space managed by HUB Scheduling, please use the EMS Highlander Scheduling System. For more information on hosting an event at these venues, please contact the HUB Scheduling Team.

  
  Other On-Campus Venues:

  • Student Recreation Center
    To reserve a space at the SRC, please contact SRC Events Team or e-mail srcevents@ucr.edu.
  • The Barn

  Please note, the Barn will have limited event space available during fall quarter. The Stable Lounge is available to book for private events, and The Barn Patio Bar and Indoor Dining Room will be available to book after November 28, 2023. To book an event at The Barn, please use the reservation form here. If you have any questions regarding the Barn event space, please email barn@ucr.edu.

  • University Theatre
    The University Theatre is ideal for lectures or symposia-style events with built-in staging, lighting, and audience seating.
    To book an event at University Theatre, please contact Paul Richardson or Isabel Edwards.
  • UCR ARTS
    For more information on booking an event and pricing packages for the UCR ARTS spaces in downtown Riverside, please contact Senior Public Events Manager Amy Metcalf.
• Event Program and Program Participants

  Event Program & Program Participants

  If your event objective requires a program or agenda to be presented to the attendees, it is important to determine your program speakers/participants in the process of creating your event. As mentioned previously, make sure to schedule the date and time of your event around the availability of your program participants. Develop the event program around the event objective to ensure that you are effectively communicating and presenting the objective to your event attendees. Remember that you want to keep your audience engaged at your event, so it is important to consider: Who is the best person to present this information? What is the best way to present this information? Does the program align with the event objective?
  
  If you would like the Chancellor or Provost to attend or participate in your event, you must first receive approval from your respective organization’s Vice Chancellor or Dean. Once you have secured approval from your Vice Chancellor or Dean, you can then complete and submit the Chancellor/Provost Scheduling Request Form for consideration based on the Chancellor and/or Provost’s availability. All Chancellor/Provost attendance requests must be submitted at least 30 days before your event. Please note, if your request is approved and the Chancellor or Provost is attending your event, you must provide a completed briefing at least 10 business days before your event.

  If your event includes a performance by an artist or a speaker, you will need to work with the Business Contracts department in Procurement to have a performance agreement in place. For more information on when performance agreements are needed and how the process works, please visit the Procurement website’s Performance Agreement Explained page. If you have questions regarding performance agreements, please contact April Blackburn at april.blackburn@ucr.edu.

Event Logistics and Setup

• On-Campus Service Providers

  On-Campus Service Providers

  When coordinating basic event logistics and setup for on-campus events, there are various on-campus service providers that provide event services on a recharge basis.
  For your convenience, please see the list of frequently used on-campus service providers, their event services, and how you can request their services:

  • Facilities Services
    Facilities Services can assist with your event setup needs when it comes to chairs, tables, canopies, space preparation, and cleanup. Event requests must be placed a minimum of 14 days in advance. If you would like assistance in defining your special event requirements, please contact Pam Bloor.
    
    To submit a Facilities Services Event Request, please visit the Facilities Services website.
  • ITS – Multimedia/AV Support
    ITS can assist with the delivery, setup, and operation of audio-visual systems (e.g. PA systems, projectors, screens, etc.) for campus events, as well as recording and streaming services for live events. To submit a Multimedia Request, please submit the Multimedia Request for Services and Support form after logging in through the CAS system.
  • Transportation & Parking Services – Event Parking
    TAPS Event Parking can work with you to make parking arrangements for your event. To further ensure and support community access, central campus funding has been made available to provide complimentary parking to community visitors attending academic, outreach, student, and cultural events that are free and open to the campus and community through the Community Parking Program. To submit an Event Parking Services Request and establish eligibility for the Community Parking Program, please complete and submit the Event Parking Services Request form.
  • Risk Management
    Risk Management provides guidance for and oversight of the following: certificates of insurance for third-party vendors, alcohol permits, contracts/performance agreements for entertainment, and more. For more information on Risk Management and when to include them in your event planning, visit their website or contact the department at risk@ucr.edu with any questions.
  • UC Police Department
    It is often a good idea to include UCPD in the pre-planning of major events on campus. UCPD will dictate the required level of their involvement at a given event depending on several different factors including but not limited to:
    • Visiting dignitaries in attendance
    • UC President and staff in attendance
    • UC Regents in attendance
    • High-profile guest speaker or performer
    • Crowd size
    • Type of event

  
  If you are hosting an event that you feel may have security concerns, please contact UCPD with your event details at ucpdgeneralmail@ucr.edu to consult on UCPD staffing needs.

• Off-Campus Vendors

  Off-Campus Vendors

  Most of your basic event logistics needs should be met by on-campus service providers. If your event requires additional equipment or services outside of the scope of services provided by the on-campus service providers, please check with Procurement and Accounting for approved off-campus vendors.

  Once you have identified the off-campus vendor you would like to request services from, contact the vendor for an official estimate of your event needs. After finalizing your estimate with the vendor, follow the accounting and procurement guidelines to process payment for your order via purchase order or purchase requisition.
  
  Please note that off-campus vendors or independent contractors that will be working on campus are required to provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) that meets the UC minimum insurance requirements. The COI must name the Regents of the University of California as an additional insured and must be submitted 2-3 weeks prior to the event to Risk Management for review. If you have any questions about insurance requirements, please contact Risk Management at risk@ucr.edu.
  
  For your convenience, please see the list of approved and frequently used off-campus vendors and the services they offer below:

  • JZPC Party Rentals Inc.
    Services: Event rental company for equipment and setup of tenting, tables, chairs, linens, décor, stanchions, drape, etc.
    To contact JZPC Party Rentals Inc. for your event needs, please visit their website.
  • Pacific Coast Entertainment (DBA: Bar None Group Inc.)
    Services: Full-service live event production company for large-scale staging, lighting, audio, and video needs (e.g. concerts, large ceremonies, etc.).
    To contact Pacific Coast Entertainment for your event needs, please visit their website.
  • Contemporary Services Corporation (CSC)
    Services: Event security and crowd management for large scale events that require additional security determined by UCPD (g. concerts, large ceremonies, etc.). Please note that most small-scale or internal events on campus will not require additional event security or crowd management.
    To contact CSC for your event needs, please contact DeShawn Loud at dloud@csc-usa.com or info@csc-usa.com.
  • Golden State Communications
    Services: Radio, radio chargers, and earpiece rentals
    To contact Golden State Communications for your event needs, please contact Jessica Carroll at jessica@goldenstateinc.com.

Catering

• Citrus Grove Catering (CGC)

  Citrus Grove Catering (CGC)

  Citrus Grove Catering at UC Riverside is the exclusive caterer for on-campus events. The CGC team can handle all of your catering needs from coffee breaks, breakfast, receptions, formal dinners, and cocktail parties. Citrus Grove Catering offers catering menus including appetizers, entrees, and desserts. It offers several delivery and service options to meet your event needs, including full service for plated meals, large banquets, and receptions requiring catering/bar staff, china, glassware, and tray-passed hors d’oeuvres.

  You can order online or contact Guillermo Montoya at Guillermo.montoya@ucr.edu to discuss your catering needs. For more information on catering menus, please visit the Citrus Grove Catering website.

• Crate by Citrus Grove Catering

  Crate by Citrus Grove Catering

  CRATE by Citrus Grove Catering offers a simpler menu for pick-up or delivery only. You can order online through EMS or contact Guillermo Montoya at guillermo.montoya@ucr.edu. For more information on catering menus and tutorial on how to order CRATE via EMS, please visit the CRATE website.

• Meal Rates for Entertainment

  Meal Rates for Entertainment

  Per-person meal rates for entertainment and business meeting meals are reviewed and determined by UCOP annually. On September 8, 2022, the maximum meal rates for entertainment and business meeting meals were increased in response to increased food prices. The new per-person rates are as follows:
              Breakfast:                      $31
              Lunch:                            $54
              Dinner:                           $94
              Light Refreshments:     $22
  Please note, these amounts include the cost of food and beverages, labor, sales tax, service, and delivery charges related to catering.

• UCOP POLICY 5402

  UCOP POLICY 5402

  Please familiarize yourself with the UC Regents Policy 5402, which generally prohibits contracting Catering services from off campus. “Caterers” are defined as food sources that are setting up, preparing, or serving food or drinks on campus. To use a caterer, you will need to follow Policy 5402 and complete the Contracting Out Justification Form. Please click here to view the Procurement Services guidelines.

Event Promotion and Marketing

• Invitation and Registration 

  Invitation and Registration 

  The most direct way to promote and market your event is through personal invitations. Determine your target audience and develop a comprehensive invitee list, which can include internal stakeholders, UCR senior leadership, faculty and staff, students, alumni and donors, community members, etc. Create your invitation in MailChimp, Canva, or the platform that you have access to and include a link to your event registration form so you can track registration counts. Your registration form should collect basic contact information for your attendees, as well as any information you need pertaining to your event (e.g. meal choice, guest information, etc.).

  TIP: E-invitations are cost-effective and allow for a seamless event registration process with a simple click. Don’t forget to include a section in your registration form for “dietary restrictions” if you are serving food at your event.

• Event Calendar and Campus Newsletters

  Event Calendar and Campus Newsletters

  The UCR Events Calendar integrates easily with your existing website and is optimized for sharing content across campus-wide communications and social media channels. This platform is easy to use and will allow you to publish, manage, and promote your events. For more information and helpful tutorials on the Events Calendar, please visit the ITS website or contact support-ucrevents@ucr.edu.

• Printed Materials and Temporary Signage/Banners

  Printed Materials and Temporary Signage/Banners

  You can also promote your event through printed materials, such as posters and flyers. For downloadable assets and branded Canva templates for postcards, invitations, flyers, posters, and more, please visit the UCR Brand website.
  TIP: HUB display cases can be reserved for your poster to promote your event and flyers can be distributed to campus departments free-of-charge through the J-list distribution service by Mail Services.  

  If you are interested in exploring options for requesting the display of temporary signage and banners on campus for your event, please visit the UCR Brand Website for information about temporary signage policies, processes, and resources.

• RSVP Reminder and Day of Event Reminder Emails

  RSVP Reminder and Day of Event Reminder Emails 

  Once you have sent your e-invitation, it may be helpful to send one or two RSVP reminders to those on your invitee list who have not yet responded to the invitation.

  TIP: If you’d like, you can send an RSVP reminder at the halfway mark between the original invitation sent date and the RSVP deadline date – and a second reminder one week before the RSVP deadline.

  To help minimize attendance melt for your event, we recommend that you send a reminder email to all registered attendees the morning of your event. This email should include important event information, such as event start time, location, parking, etc. to ensure that your guests have the information they need for a seamless experience at the top of their inbox.