Events Calendar
Click here to view the Messiah University events calendar.
Introduction to In-House Event Planner
The Conference Services Office serves Messiah University by scheduling all non-academic programs and activities, along with coordinating support services to those meetings, programs and activities. The following information is designed to assist members of the Messiah Community in event planning and scheduling. Listed on this page are the guidelines for procedures, deadlines, policies and special considerations.
Planning an event
Room Request
The use of the campus facilities is available to student groups, university departments and university-sponsored groups. All use of space must be cleared prior to use. Request for use of space is made through the following methods in order of preference:
- Use the EMS WebApp to self select rooms you would like approval to use.
- Email RoomRes@messiah.edu with the following info: Facility requested, dates requested, time needed to and from, number attending, your name, phone number, mailbox number, e-mail address, name of event or meeting, set up requirements. If your need is time sensitive, please call the Conference Services Office instead.
- Call the Conference Services Office @ x6009 with your room request.
Every effort is made to confirm your room request as soon as possible. We do, however, ask that you allow 2 working days to process your request form, which allows us to notify all areas involved of their responsibilities. Additional time is required for the following:
- Events involving Dining Services
- Extended building hours: 1 week prior to the event
- Events involving set-up of tables/chairs or sound and lighting equipment: 2 weeks prior to the event
- Major events: Concerts, Conferences, etc., 1 month prior to the event
- Outdoor and other large events: 2 weeks prior to the event
Event Description
Approximately 6-10 days prior to your event, you will receive an Event Description via e-mail. Please read the Event Description Form carefully. All details on it pertain to your event. The university staff will prepare the space, per the instructions on the Event Description Form. We recommend that you keep your copy of the Event Description Form on file until the event is complete.
Support Services
The following support services are coordinated through the Conference Services office:
- Campus and Building Services
- Audiovisual/sound
- Facility Services
- Department of Safety
Please note that we do not provide laptops, musical instruments, or ITS support.
All arrangements for food and beverage services are to be made with the Dining Services Department.
Special Considerations
Room Availability
Special permission is required for some academic rooms/buildings before activities can be scheduled. The Conference Services office will assist you or direct you in how to receive this permission when your room request is submitted.
Residence Hall lounges are scheduled through the Resident Director of the particular building.
Athletic facilities including fields must be reserved for extracurricular activities or events through Conference and Event Services.
The computer labs are scheduled through Conference and Event Services.
The Lottie Nelson Dining Room and Falcon are scheduled by Dining Services.
Martin Commons and the Private Dining Room are scheduled by Conference and Event Services.
The McBeth Alumni Center is reserved through Box Office.
The Climenhaga Homestead is reserved through Box Office.
The Larsen Student Union is reserved through Conference and Event Services.
The Murray Library Athenaeum is reserved through Conference and Event Services.
The High Center, Hostetter Chapel, Oakes Museum, and Winding Hill are reserved through Conference and Event Services.
Protocols and Procedures for Lobby Spaces in Academic and Administrative Buildings
Approved by President’s Cabinet January 4, 2012
- Goals of these recommended protocols:
- To ensure a consistent positive, welcoming first impression for campus guests and improve visitors’ experience
Note: the University seeks to balance the need for an important first impression with the need to demonstrate the life, activity and engagement of our campus.
- To maximize focus for the content in the institutional and School branding marquee cases in academic and administrative lobby spaces
- To provide clearer, safer guidelines for the use of public lobby space on campus—for both the employees who use those spaces and for those who are responsible for maintaining them
- Protocols
It is important to note that these recommendations focus solely on the ground-floor, main entrance lobbies of administrative and academic buildings.
Protocol # 1
That the University keep the main entrance lobbies clear of collection boxes and containers while designating community collection areas that are more heavily traveled and accessible to employees and students for this purpose. (Departments and organizations will still need to receive prior permission from Conference Services using the event calendar form as is current procedure.)
Community collection container areas may be designated for one or more of the following areas:
- Eisenhower Campus Center Commons
- Lobby outside of Lottie Nelson Dining Room
- Larsen Student Union in areas designated by Student Program staff
- Designated areas in student residences as determined by the Resident Director
- Employee lounges
Protocol #2
That the University keeps its main entrance lobbies clear of free-standing signage displayed on easels. In recent years, individual campus programs often place their own easels and signage directly up against the University’s marquee cases, which detract from the featured institutional content. This style of signage also frequently ends up unsafely blocking main throughways, being stolen, or being knocked over.
Exceptions:
- Event sponsors will be able to display a marquee on an easel or table display, if code allows, on site on the day of their event for directional or welcoming purposes. Conference Services will still lend easels out for this purpose. However, it is the event sponsor’s responsibility to remove the marquee immediately following the event and return the easel to Conference Services.
- The Box Office may continue its practice of using a marquee and easel directly outside its location to promote events of its choice.
- Additional exceptions as given by the Vice President for Operations
Protocol #3:
Any campus department, program or organization that would like to feature an exhibit or display in a main entrance lobby that is not part of an approved event would need to request approval from the Vice President for Operations who will process the request with the Site Marketing Team and the dean(s) whose programs reside in that space. Examples include: new display cases, information tables, hanging signage or art, free-standing artwork, etc.
Note:
- This would not impact agreements and protocols that are already in place with the School of the Arts regarding artwork or displays the Climenhaga Fine Arts Center lobby.
- Deans will continue to make the decisions regarding content featured in the designated marquee cases for their Schools
- Responsibility for these protocols
The Vice President for Operations will define the parameters of each main lobby and will be responsible for periodic assessments of these areas. Campus Events staff are authorized to work with the deans to address issues that arise. Any member of the campus community may direct questions to the Vice President for Operations.
Since each building is unique in its design and usage, the ground-floor, main entrance lobby space for some key campus buildings is defined below:
- Boyer Hall: Main entrance lobby space stops at the alcove area that displays items from the Boyer Center to the stairwell. A majority of the main lobby space is between the deans’ suite and the Boyer Center.
- Climenhaga Fine Arts Center: This main entrance lobby space is defined as the space in front of the triangle area and includes the area in front of Miller Auditorium. This lobby space is unique in that it is a cueing space for events in Miller and Poorman. Also the wall space in this location is used for rotating art work. Tables for ticket sales and or refreshments can be set up in front of Miller Auditorium for the day of the event.
- Eisenhower Campus Center: First floor entrance from the front doors, left to the Receptionist/Box Office to the right at Brubaker’s entrance. Tables can be set up through established approval channels for registrations or refreshments within code requirements.
- Frey Hall: The main entrance lobby space includes the area from the yellow wall to the entrance of Frey 110. The wall space is currently used for the Genesis Car and there is furniture for small gatherings in this space. Tables for refreshments can be set up through established approval channels for events within code requirements.
- Kline/Jordan: The main entrance lobby space includes the area between the two sets of doors (front of building and rear of building). The elephant skeleton display is part of this lobby area. Tables for refreshments can be set up through established approval channels for events within code requirements.
- Sollenberger Sports Center: The main entrance areas include the side entrance from the SCC parking lot that leads directly into the “Hall of Champions” (the entrance with the window decals, formerly the “star entrance”); the lobby outside of the Multi-purpose Room and the “Hall of Champions” itself.
- Hostetter Chapel: Main entrance lobby space includes the Narthex (the lobby area directly outside of the sanctuary) and the building entrance and lobby area directly outside of the Campus Ministries Offices and HC113.
- Murray Library: Main entrance lobby is the area through the main double exterior doors to the automatic doors to the entrance of the library interior.
Building coordinators are instructed to keep these areas clear and presentable. Trash and recycling containers will be moved to areas off of the main lobby space.
Any questions regarding these protocols may be directed toward the Vice President for Operations.
Helpful Hints
Schedule early: This will help you get the space best suited for your event and give you time to plan it thoroughly.
Academic classes have first priority on all spaces. Although you may have scheduled your room in advance, you may be bumped from a location because of a regularly scheduled academic class or class final.
Fill out forms carefully: Incomplete information will only delay processing your request.
Have a second choice: When making a request, be prepared to have a second choice for both location and date.
Cancellations/changes: Please remember to contact the office of Conference and Event Services with changes or cancellations. Others may be able to use the room.
Ask questions! When in doubt, Ask! For more information on activities or room scheduling, please contact the Conference and Event Services Office at x6009.