Space Scheduling and Fundraising

Human Resources

Safety/Security

Research Compliance

Compliance

Privacy/Information Security

Business Operations

Intellectual Property

Faculty

General Accounting | SBIR/STTR Program Participation | Supplemental Compensation Plan | Facilities Management/Planning | Purchasing | Public Affairs | Facility Identification | Serving Alcoholic Beverages | Travel and Reimbursement | State Vehicles | Reproducing Copyrighted Materials | Bank Card Processing | Student Training Agreement | Volunteer | Cash Handling | Fraud | Assigning Research Lab Space | Space Scheduling and Fundraising | Academic Personnel Records | Cellular Phone | Off-campus Graphic Design and Related Printing | Off-campus Photography | Tax Exempt Financing and Tracking of Both Qualified Use and Non-Qualified Use of Research Space | Secondary Logos | Social Media | Sensitive Equipment Tracking | International Visitors | Accounts Receivable Management | Internal Audit | Regulations on the Use of University Facilities and Grounds

Policy No.: 6072
Effective Date: 11/19/07
Revised Date: 08/24/19
Reviewed Date: 08/24/19

Space Scheduling and Fundraising Policy

Scope

This policy provides guidance for use of meeting rooms, classrooms, and other reservable spaces on the UNMC campus used by faculty, staff, students, organizations, persons, or vendors. Specific to UNMC’s mission of education, research, public service and training, this policy provides a mechanism to schedule spaces for use.

Policy

It is the policy of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) that spaces in its facilities offer a positive, safe environment for all. The scheduling of all reservable space at UNMC’s Omaha campus shall be coordinated through the Central Scheduling Office, including the scheduling of courses, events, and meetings. To ensure spaces are safe and reflect the image of UNMC, space scheduling for all sales, exhibitors, vendors, classes, symposia, or fundraising events require prior approval. UNMC reserves the right to discontinue any event or activity which interferes with the delivery of health care, education, public service, research, or violates any of its policies, and reserves the right to remove any display or persons associated from its property that are not following its policies or procedures for use of space.

Scheduling

The UNMC campus has a variety of spaces available for classes, meetings and other events. Many locations are equipped with permanent multimedia and distance learning equipment that may be required for presentations. Room size also ranges from small meeting room to large auditoriums suitable for big events.

Central Scheduling coordinates the scheduling functions of these various auditoriums, classrooms, conference rooms, atria and plazas to ensure requests for use are processed in accordance with policy. This is a complex task with multiple factors involving priority of use, number of participants, use of multimedia and distance learning equipment, as well as other variables. To ensure accurate and timely delivery of this service, the scheduling process requires teamwork and cooperation between those requesting rooms along with the scheduling staff.

Your event must meet the criteria outlined by this policy. Some of the listed space may have additional criteria and the primary contact will provide criteria when the space is requested.

Criteria for Scheduling UNMC Spaces:

Any persons or groups who wish to use any atrium or green space must receive approval prior to any written or advertised notice of the event. You may inquire about space availability; however, the reservation will not be completed or confirmed without approval. A written request for the use of an area should be provided to Central Scheduling at least thirty (30) days prior to the event. Central Scheduling will determine whether the proposed event does or does not meet the criteria listed herein.

1. The activity must be related to the mission or directly benefit UNMC, Nebraska Medicine, their employees, students or affiliated organizations. Only key constituent groups and university functions may be allowed except that off-campus groups may rent the Truhlsen Campus Events Center or the Center for Healthy Living gymnasium.
   • UNMC Policy No. 8015, Health Care Vendor Interactions, provides guidance for interactions and access to UNMC by healthcare vendors.
   • UNMC Policy No. 6086, Regulations on the Use of University Facilities and Grounds, provides guidance for access to the facilities and grounds consistent with BoR policy 6.4.10.
2. Off-campus groups, organizations, or persons must have a UNMC or Nebraska Medicine employee or department who serves as primary contact and sponsor.
3. For practical reasons and safety, activities or displays will not exceed the space allocated in each location.
4. All sales or activities for profit, except UNMC-sponsored vendor fairs, must have received approval by the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance or their designee prior to scheduling space.
5. UNMC Procurement and Materials Management must approve or sponsor all vendor exhibits or product shows.
6. All activities, displays and people associated with them will maintain a professional environment that does not negatively impact the image of UNMC or Nebraska Medicine. Displays and activities that are deemed inappropriate by the Events Coordinator in the Nebraska Medicine Development Office, by the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance or by their designee(s) may be removed.
7. Food activities, such as bake sales, must comply with the guidelines established by the Nebraska Department of Health. No alcoholic beverages may be served in any UNMC classrooms or labs. Alcoholic beverages may not be served in any UNMC space without the prior approval of the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance (or his/her designee) in accordance with UNMC Policy No. 6012, Serving Alcoholic Beverages. The following requirements apply:

• If permission is granted to serve alcoholic beverages, the event must not occur while classes are in session. The event must occur on evenings or weekends
• Must use an approved catering service that can accommodate specific needs for the event and provide the name of the caterer on the application. (The use of internal catering services is encouraged).
• Any heating devices and/or cooking equipment must be approved by UNMC Environmental Health and Safety.
• All decorations, including candles and decorative lighting, must comply with UNMC Safety Policy, Use of Decorative Materials and Furnishings. UNMC departments or employees housed in hospital areas should also refer to Hospital Policy EC 07 Decorative Materials.

Classroom and Laboratory Scheduling

Classroom and laboratory facilities shall be used primarily for the core academic functions of teaching, research, and related scholarly activities (e.g. Grand Rounds). Special “proximity” consideration will be given when a college or institute requests classes to be scheduled within their building. Central Scheduling will work with each college and institute to ensure that classroom and laboratory space is assigned in a manner that is fair and focused on meeting the University’s instructional needs, with preference being given to distance education courses and then to courses requiring access to specific technology or other equipment. Priority in scheduling classrooms will be determined by Central Scheduling, in consultation with the affected college(s) or institute(s) and based on a set of prioritization rules agreed upon by the colleges and institutes. Each college dean (or designee) or institute director (or designee) will have two (2) weeks to review and approve preliminary room assignments for courses before assignments are finalized for each academic term.

Any use of classroom and laboratory facilities for purposes beyond the core academic functions noted above shall only be scheduled after the completion of room assignments for all courses for the related academic term. Exceptions may be granted by Central Scheduling, in consultation with the affected college(s) or institute(s), for reservations made as part of a conference being hosted at UNMC.

Because of the impact on the total room inventory available to meet the academic needs of UNMC, any curricular change or addition of a new academic program from a college or institute that will necessitate a significant increase in the total number of rooms required or the number of rooms of a specific type required (e.g. rooms equipped to facilitate distance education) for an academic term will require approval by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Meeting Room and Other Reservable Administrative Space Scheduling

Spaces designated for administrative meetings and events may occasionally be used as classroom space. Every reasonable effort will be made by Central Scheduling to accommodate these core academic functions prior to making the space available for scheduling of administrative meetings and events.

Reservation requests for conference rooms located within an area devoted to an academic or administrative unit may require Central Scheduling to secure permission from the unit head or their designee. Priority use of such conference rooms is given to the associated academic or administrative unit.

Meeting room and administrative spaces needed for hosting of a conference can be scheduled up to two (2) years in advance. Spaces being used for recurring meetings/events (e.g. Grand Rounds, Student Senate, Faculty Senate, Chancellor’s Council, Education Council) can be scheduled up to two (2) years in advance. All other uses can be scheduled up to one (1) year in advance

Restricted Access Spaces

Some spaces are designated as restricted because of the highly specialized equipment they contain. As such, these spaces are not available for use for any purpose other than that directly related to the equipment (e.g. Anatomy Lab, Simulation Labs), unless approved by the academic or administrative unit head with responsibility for the space.

Student Study Room Scheduling

In order to provide all students the opportunity to access spaces designated as student study rooms, there shall be a two-hour maximum time limit on reservations and an individual student shall not be permitted to reserve consecutive two-hour blocks.

Access to Associated Resources

Classes, meetings, events, and other activities that require associated resources (e.g. technology, distance learning connectivity, tables, chairs, podiums, catering) must be scheduled sufficiently in advance, with a recommendation of thirty (30) or more business days, or the requester accepts the likelihood of reduced access to the associated resources. Reservations that require setup/teardown of associated resources will be scheduled to allow adequate time for these support activities to occur.

Improper Use of Facilities

1. Gambling Activities on UNMC Premises Prohibited
   • The University of Nebraska Medical Center does not permit charitable gaming as a fundraiser or the use of UNMC space, including office and departmental space, or any UNMC resources including email, copying, phones, staff time, or endorsement for the conduct of profitable or charitable gambling in any form including but not limited to raffles, casino events or any other games of chance.
2. Sales or Fundraising by Employees on UNMC Premises

• The University of Nebraska Medical Center does not permit the use of UNMC space, including office and departmental space, or any UNMC resources for the solicitation, sale or distribution of any product(s) that provides personal financial gain to any individual, except when the gain is incidental and associated with a charitable not for profit, religious, or educational organization. Approved UNMC organizations which derive benefit from sale or distribution of products is permitted with prior written approval of the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance.

• The University of Nebraska Medical Center permits the sale of prepared food (e.g. bake sales) by recognized University organizations under one of the following conditions:

• The food is prepared by the campus food service provider and is maintained at the proper temperature as stated by the campus food service provider. Ingredients must be listed.
• Food is prepared under the supervision of the campus food service provider, is maintained at the proper temperature as stated by the campus food service provider. Ingredients must be listed.
• Food items are commercially packaged and ingredients are listed on the package.

There shall be no exceptions to this policy.

Maximizing Use of Space

It is imperative that UNMC space be used in a manner that maximizes the university’s ability to realize its teaching, research, and public service missions. As such, space utilization may be monitored by Central Scheduling in an effort to identify spaces reserved but not used. Room reservations should be canceled immediately when a requester becomes aware that a specific space will not be needed. A pattern of unused reservations may result in a restriction of reservation privileges for the responsible party.

Additional Information

• Contact Room Scheduling
• Contact Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance and Controller
• UNMC Policy No. 8015, Health Care Vendor Interactions
• Room Scheduling Process
• Fundraising Request Form
• Rental Form for UNMC Center for Healthy Living

This page maintained by mh.