So you’re planning an event on the Indiana University Bloomington campus—but you’re a student, not an event planner. You’ve come to the right place.
Student Involvement and Leadership (SIL) Space Reservations help over 2,000 events happen on the IU campus each semester. Let our office support your planning so that you can have a safe and successful event at IU.
Registered student organizations at Indiana University Bloomington may request both indoor and outdoor campus spaces and get help planning an event that meets campus requirements through SIL Space Reservations.
If you are submitting a request on behalf of a student organization, the group must be registered on beINvolved, and you must be on that organization's beINvolved group roster.
If you are submitting a request on behalf of an IU department or center, you must be a full- or part-time employee on that department or center's staff.
Student Involvement and Leadership (SIL)’s Space Reservation staff will assist you in event planning and help you meet the following campus requirements.
By reserving any indoor or outdoor space for an event, the student reserving the space and the affiliated organization both accept responsibility for any problems that may arise regarding the event. The student and the affiliated organization agree to cooperate with Indiana University and/or officials acting in their capacity.
IU encourages civil dialogue, expression, and sharing of opinions and beliefs that do not pose a threat of physical harm to any student, faculty, staff, or visitor.
These guidelines are designed to protect individual and public safety, facilitate robust opportunities for expressive activity, and ensure that individual rights to free speech are not in conflict with the rights of students, faculty, and staff to pursue their education, perform their jobs, and participate in the university’s cultural and athletic events.
To ensure that demonstrators and counterdemonstrators do not interfere with the operations of Indiana University or the rights of others, individuals and groups engaged in expressive activity shall not:
Students found violating IU policies related to expressive activities, or any policies outlined in the IU Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, may be held accountable through the student conduct process. Students arrested also may face criminal and legal actions.
Expressive activities may be undertaken in most outdoor areas of campus. Dunn Meadow, outside Sample Gates, and all perimeter sidewalks maintained by the City of Bloomington are available for expressive activity.
IU Bloomington has designed and reserved the Arboretum and Dunn’s Woods for reflection and quiet respite from the sounds of the rest of campus. Demonstrations, handing out flyers, tabling, and other forms of solicitation and expressive activity are not allowed in these areas.
Students may protest or demonstrate an event as long as they are not disruptive to that event. In the event that a demonstrator or counterdemonstrator who is a university student, faculty member, or staff member is observed by a university official to be engaging in disruptive behavior in violation of these guidelines, that person will identify themselves upon request of the university official.
Demonstrators and counterdemonstrators not affiliated with IU who are observed by a university official to be engaging in disruptive behavior in violation of these guidelines will be directed to leave the campus immediately or be subject to citation or arrest for trespassing.
Members of a Demonstration Response Safety Team comprising IU officials from appropriate units will staff protests or demonstrations to answer questions and help ensure safety.
Deadlines for requesting campus space are based on the type of event. Please note that if an event requires any of the following, it must be planned 30 business days (6 weeks) in advance:
Small events (1–199 people attending) require 10 business days (2 weeks) in advance.
Examples of small events include, but are not limited to: student organization meetings, small gatherings, invitation-only events, tabling, flyering, and membership solicitation events with a planned attendance from 1 to 199 people.
Medium events (200 to 499 people attending) require two deadlines:
The Event Checklist is a customized list of requirements based on the details of the event which help SIL ensure a student organization event is safe and successful. Event Checklist requirements may include, but are not limited to: a robust event description, security plans, campus food approvals, amplified sound plans, health and safety plans, and any other requirements to ensure a safe and successful event.
Examples of medium events include (but are not limited to): dances, rallies, festivals, sporting events, and small concerts with a planned attendance of 200 to 499 people.
Large events (500+ people attending) require the following five steps and deadlines, all of which must be completed in their entirety to reserve campus space:
Event Checklist requirements include, but are not limited to: a robust event description, security plans, insurance requirements, staging and lighting requirements, plans to keep events drug- and alcohol-free, and other requirements to ensure a safe and successful event.
Examples of large events include, but are not limited to: dances, rallies, festivals, sporting events, concerts, 5k runs/walks, and any event taking place during Homecoming and/or Little 500 with a planned attendance from 500+ people.
All student organization events having food for public consumption are subject to approval by the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS). Along with the Campus Event Registration Form, the student organization must submit the Temporary Food Service Application Form online at least five business days (or one week) before the event.
No food is allowed in classroom spaces.
Read the full Food Protection Policy.
Events serving alcohol must adhere to the alcohol policy as specified by Insurance, Loss Control, and Claims. Read the full policy on Service of Alcohol.
Select Self-Governed Student Organizations and select student organization events based on size and scope of the event, and all non-IU, outside organizations must provide proof of general liability insurance to the Office of Insurance, Loss Control, and Claims in order to provide services or products for a campus event. Email your proof of insurance to inlocc@iu.edu.
This policy places certain restrictions on commercial solicitation within buildings and facilities as well as on the grounds of Indiana University campuses or under the operating authority of the University to ensure that university employees and students have the opportunity to perform their duties free from intrusions.
Requests to reserve campus space can only be made by a member of the sponsoring student organization, will be limited to certain campus locations, and will be reviewed by the Campus Space Committee. The student organization primary contact and advisor must submit a letter requesting the outside organization in order to reserve campus space.
The Campus Space Committee will review and approve or deny the request. The following limitations are placed on the types of vendors or entities your organization may partner with for a campus event:
This policy does not apply to official, university-supported solicitations that are intended to address the university's broader mission to serve the community.
Students who are acting on behalf of their student organization AND as an employee of a for-profit company may not reserve campus space for their employer. A student organization unaffiliated with the vendor should act as sponsor.
While the outside vendor is set up on campus, a member of the sponsoring organization must be present with the outside vendor for the duration of the event in order to facilitate adherence to university policies. If a student organization sponsor is not present with the outside vendor, the outside vendor will be asked to leave campus space/property. The student organization may also be subject to sanctioning through the Office of Student Conduct
Individual members may not receive compensation directly from for-profit companies if acting as a representative of a student organization. Profits from partnerships must be distributed to the organization itself.
All events on campus sponsored by student organizations that have large attendance, pose security risks, or are open to the public are required to have security measures in place.
All decisions regarding security requirements or security waivers for events will be at the discretion of the Indiana University Police Department in consultation with Student Involvement and Leadership (SIL) and the Campus Space Committee.
By reserving any indoor or outdoor space for an event, the student reserving the space and the affiliated organization both accept responsibility for any problems that may arise regarding the event. The student and the affiliated organization agree to cooperate with the Indiana University and/or officials acting in their capacity.
IUPD and approved security presence does not relinquish the student organization's responsibility for private intervention in the event of any problems, except when crime is imminent, is being committed, or has taken place, or when confrontation could lead to physical harm.
IU encourages students, faculty, and staff members to exercise their constitutional right to vote and to actively participate and express their opinions regarding local, state, and national political candidates, issues, and referendums.
However, as a public institution, IU receives tax-exempt status under sections 115 and 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. In order to maintain this status, the university (including USOs) shall not participate or intervene in any political campaign and must prevent its resources from being used in any way that could appear to support a political candidate.
A student organization may extend invitations to candidates to speak at events. A Self Governed Student Organization is not obligated to invite all legally qualified candidates if the student organization is using its own funds and resources. However, no campaign fundraising may occur, and the student organization must include a brief statement when introducing the candidate. This statement must indicate that IU does not endorse or oppose any candidate or organization in connection with this or any other political campaign or election.
The nature of the event will determine the facility rental charge that the student organization will be assessed. If it is a campus-community event and is not open to the general public, then the normal fees (if any) will be applied. However, if the event is open to the general public, facility rental and usage fees must be charged.
Examples of university resources that should never be used to support a political campaign or candidate include, but are not limited to:
If you are having an outdoor event that involves staging, lighting, or sound equipment to support bands, DJs, musical artists, spoken word artists, or an emcee, you must hire Stagehand Local Union 618 to set up, manage, and tear down equipment. Contact Mark Sarris at msarris@indiana.edu to make arrangements for your event.
In order to prevent disruption to businesses, offices, and classes, amplified sound can be included in approved events during permitted times:
Welcome Week at Indiana University is a part of an invaluable orientation process and early transition period for new students. As such, the university wants to provide an optimal matriculation experience during that first week before classes begin.
Therefore, student organizations are prohibited from hosting events, tabling, chalking or distributing flyers or other materials for the express purpose of membership recruitment and/or social activities involving first year students during Welcome Week through the end of the IU Guides Program without prior approval from the Campus Space Committee.
After the second day of school it is formally considered the conclusion of the Welcome Week and IU Guides programs. At that time student organizations may begin to have recruitment and social events.
Please note, there are often official volunteer opportunities for student groups to participate in Welcome Week and IU Guide Programs.
Please contact First Year Experience for more information on ways groups can formally participate.
