How to Plan Your Event
Many details and significant planning goes into hosting student organization events. Use the following resources, guidance, and points to consider when planning your next student organization event.
Event Structure
- What is the event title?
Based on what you plan to do for the event, the title needs to be aligned with the activity and easy for someone to immediately know what it entails.
- What date(s) do you plan to have the event?
- Are you more than 10 days out?
- Do you intend for this to be a recurring meeting?
- Do any of the dates conflict with the University calendar
- What is the purpose of the event?
Does this event align with your organization's vision, mission, and values?
- What type of event is this?
- Banquet
- Social
- Regular Business Meeting
- What day is the event? What time?
Depending on the purpose, and audience for this event, the day and time will be important to determine.
- Who is planning the event?
- Officer/VP/Director/etc. person planning event or student org general email address
- Advisor signing off on the event
- Where is the event happening?
Student Union Room Reservations:
- Student Union room request includes:
- Indoor Room Request(Includes Student Union, Bennett Memorial Chapel, and Noble Research Center Atrium)
- Outdoor Event Request
- Wes Watkins Center Room Request
- Tabling Request
- Gameday Tailgate Request
Campus Signage Request Forms:
Visit Meeting & Conference Services website
On-Campus Room Reservations:
- College or regular university room reservations
- Colvin Center
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Education and Human Sciences
- Includes: Willard Hall, Nancy Randolph Davis, and Colvin Center Academic Wing
- College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology
- Spears School of Business
- Edmon Low Library
- Student Union room request includes:
- Do you need event insurance?
Some venues may require event insurance. Event insurance can provide liability insurance for the venue and guests attending your event. Check with the venue to determine their requirements. It can be purchased by contacting an insurance agent or online. Some providers are:
https://www.geico.com/event-insurance/
https://www.theeventhelper.com/
- Is the event accessible to all students?You can use this checklist as a guide to make sure your event is open for all students.
Vendors
- Will you have assistance in planning the event?
- Committees from student org
- OSU departments
- Student volunteers
- Stillwater Community vendors
- Advisor support
- Would you like food at the event?
- Catering Contact: catering@okstate.edu
- Celebrations Catering Menu
- Food on Campus Waiver
- NOTE: Filling out this waiver doesn’t guarantee approval, this is only a request. Please send all food waivers to amason@okstate.edu
- Will you need audio or visual services?
- Computer/laptop
- Television
- Projector/screen
- Speakers
- Presentation
- Microphones
- Special Lighting - there is an upcharge for these
- What are the expenses to host this event?
- Create a budget by outlining expected expenses and then identify how these expenses will be covered.
- Pcard information
- Fundraising opportunities
- Refer to Treasurer's Training for more accounting-related information.
NOTE: If you have an event through Meeting & Conference Services or Catering, you will only be able to remove the taxes by using a Bursar or CVI. Taxes will be applied if a check or credit card is used instead.
Target Audience
- Who is the target audience for this type of event?
Current members, potential members, OSU community, Stillwater community
- Do attendees have to pay to attend?
- Make sure you make all deposits within 24 hours into the Bursars office into your student organization account.
- If there is payment required for the event, there will be a charge for the room rental. Students can contact meetings@okstate.edu for all pricing information.
- How are you recording the number of attendees?
- Swipe card
- QR code from Campus Link page
- Laptop registration form
- Pictures during event
- What is the event capacity?
This number will depend on the event space.
Marketing Your Event
- How will you advertise this event?
- Have you added your event to CampusLink?
- Have you added your event to OSU Calendar?
- OSU Event Calendar
- Event Calendar Entry Instructions:
- Step 1: Go to calendar.okstate.edu
- Step 2: Click "Submit Event" link on the right side of the page
- Step 3: Click the "Okey" link to sign in. After you're signed in, complete all the required* event information.
- Step 4: IMPORTANT: Please assign the appropriate category/categories that align with your event.
- Step 5: Click "Next"at the bottom of the form. Verify the event information on the next screen, and click "Submit."
- How often will you post on social media?
Check out Student Union marketing department's social media tips to learn more.
- What content do you need in order to post on social media?Post content that is aligned with the goal of your event and best represents your organization as a whole.
Preparation Timeline
- 1 month before the event
- Funds raised/cost allocated to pay for event
- Food (if applicable)
- Initial reach out to catering@okstate.edu about catering details for event
- Outreach emails to invite guests to the event
- All advisors have approved of event logistics
- 3 weeks before the event
- Graphic design/marketing request submitted
- Create a list of necessary purchases and create a timeline of when you need to buy them
- Start purchasing supplies that take longer to ship from any third party vendors/suppliers
- 2 weeks before the event (at least)
- Login with your OSU short username
- Below is the information you will need to submit for the Student Union Room Request form
- Alternatively stop by MCS office (Student Union room 179 – 405-744-5232 – meetings@okstate.edu)
- Student Union Room Request Form
- Date
- Time
- Location
- of Attendees
- Setup Type according to Student Union Meeting and Conference Services (Choose one):
- Banquet round table
- Banquet square table
- Cafeteria
- Chevron
- Classroom
- Clear Room
- Conference
- Crescent (round tables)
- Four-Top tables
- Herringbone
- Hollow Square
- Perimeter Square
- Reception round table
- Reception square table
- Theatre
- Tiered classroom
- U-Shape
- Audio Equipment:
- Student Union - Bluetooth Conference Phone
- Student Union - Boom Mic Stand
- Student Union - Lapel Microphone
- Student Union - Lapel Microphone for Piano Use
- Student Union - Microphone Stand
- Student Union - Portable Sound System (indoor)
- Student Union - Wired Microphone
- Student Union - Wireless/Handheld Microphone
- Wes Watkins - Jabra Microphone
- Wes Watkins Portable Sound System
- Computing:
- Lighting Equipment:
- Video Equipment:
- Account Number
- Will food be served at the event?
- Is this event, activity, or program related to the mission of the University?
- Please provide a description of your planned event activities
- Will you be charging for the event?
- Select your payment method.
- 1 week before the event
- Food menu and quantity determined and sent to MCS
- Marketing materials distributed around campus and/or posted on social media
- Communicate with all volunteers for the event to distribute tasks/set event expectations
- Send out a final reminder email to participants you want at the event including:
- Event time, location, and date
- High points of the event
- Any required material participants need to bring to participate
- Point of contact for questions (student org email address)
- Purchase any week of supplies needed
- Confirm with mcs@okstate.edu room set up and all supply needs
- Day of Checklist
❏ The laptop is charged & ready
❏ The camera and/or phone is charged & ready
❏ Organization branded attire to be worn
❏ Made a day of plan
❏ Printed out day of plan or equivalent
❏ Assigned members to roles during the event
❏ Communicated roles to members
❏ Assigned times for members to be there
❏ The catering order has been confirmed
❏ Gathered materials needed for event
❏ Decorations
❏ Things used during the event
❏ Supplies checklist example
❏ Card Swiper
❏ Camera
❏ Marketing materials
❏ Speaker
❏ Miscellaneous event supplies
❏ Signs for events, if applicable
❏ Clean up plan is made
❏ Filled out Post-Event Evaluation
❏ Recognized my committee and other volunteers for their efforts