Policies

Policies

Outdoor Space Reservations

Request for Outdoor Reservations Process

Welcome to College Houses & Academic Services’ outdoor space reservation page.
 
Reservation spaces will be available starting on September 7, 2024.
 
During the academic year, College Houses & Academic Services (CHAS) manages reservable outdoor spaces in Hamilton Village (the green spaces surrounded by Walnut, Spruce, 39th and 40th streets). As these spaces are in proximity to College Houses, the priority is to maintain open spaces for student use for the purpose of community building. As such, outdoor space reservations are limited to ensure student use of these spaces. There are few exceptions, such as yearly Penn Traditional Events, that use all the outdoor spaces. CHAS also limits which outdoor space is available and assigns approved requests as such.  
 
Note: During the summer period from late May to early August, Hospitality Services oversees operation and reservation of these spaces.

Process

  1. The request form must be submitted no less than FOUR weeks prior to the proposed event. A submission request does not mean it has been approved or confirmed. The requester/organization must wait until they receive notification of the outcome of the request prior to confirming vendors and other departments' resources.
  2. The submitted form will be reviewed by CHAS and other campus offices as applicable.  
  3. The requester/organization will receive a response within 7 business days of the outcome of the request. There is no option for appeal or review. CHAS will assign approved requests to an appropriate outdoor space.
  4. The space reservations are given based on priority to the groups below in order:
  • College Houses
  • Residential and Hospitality Services/FRES
  • Penn Traditions and Institutional Priorities
  • Student-Serving departments
  • Recognized Student Organizations
  • Departments & Penn Affiliated Events (Department, School, and Center meetings and events)
  • Organizations with Penn affiliations

Guidelines

Completing this form does not constitute the approval or confirmation by CHAS of use of requested outdoor space(s). The requestor/organization will be subject to the following terms and conditions:

  1. CHAS reserves the right to limit the number of outdoor space reservations that occur throughout the academic year and deny requests based on its impact on the residential community.
  2. A budget code is required for a reservation. Incidentals will be charged against this budget code if there are any, such as extensive housekeeping or damages.
  3. Organizations must comply with all applicable University policies, procedures, rules, and regulations including, but not limited to, the University policies regarding Use of Alcohol and Drugs, Non-Discrimination, Campus-Wide Open Space Policy & Procedure, Use of Facilities, Open Expression Guidelines, Code of Student Conduct, and the Temporary Standards and Procedures for Campus Events and Demonstrations.
  4. If during the event it is discovered that any University policies are being violated, the event will be required to conclude.
  5. Only one event is reserved per day. Multiple-day event requests are not allowed.
  6. Events are only for 2 hours, except for Penn Traditions and Institutional/CHAS Priorities. Set-up and clean-up are allocated an additional 30 minutes on each end.
  7. Alcohol is not permitted.
  8. No recruitment, solicitation, or sales is allowed. The relevant policies can be found here.
  9. The requester/organization must ensure the safety of all participants at the requested event. They should consult with Penn Police to review a safety plan for the event.
  10. Requests will not be accepted during certain critical time periods (e.g.e Move-In period, New Student Orientation). Usually, this includes the first and last two weeks of each semester (exceptions are made for University’s official functions). 
  11. Only one request per requester/organization will be approved within a two-week period.
  12. Amplified sound of any type can only be played during approved times: Saturday through Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Additionally, amplified sound will not be allowed in Hamilton Village locations on Friday evenings and/or Jewish religious holidays in order to avoid disrupting services at Steinhardt Hall. Exceptions are made for University official functions.
  13. Student Organizations must have a registration form on file with the Office of Student Affairs.
  14. The requester/organization is financially responsible for coordinating security, food, and housekeeping.
  15. The requester/organization is not allowed to request a space on behalf of another organization/individual.
  16. If the event is altered, the requester/organization has a responsibility to inform CHAS within 48 hours prior to the scheduled event.
  17. If approved, CHAS will inform the requester/organization which outdoor space has been reserved for the event.

CHAS Outdoor Space Reservation Application

This form is a request for an outdoor space reservation and not a confirmation or approval. CHAS will inform the requester/organization within 7 business days the outcome of the request and confirm the location.  

Contact information on the day of the event or in case of emergency
:
:
should be within 2 hours of start time

We will contact the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (OFSL) to obtain the budget code for this event. Please note that your reservation will not be processed until they have provided us with the budget code for this reservation.

(RSO, Dept., School, or Center)
Description of event
(Please include equipment, layout preferences, etc.)
Please specify AV technology in use including live streaming or zoom, and refer to guideline #12 above for the use of audio amplification.
How do you plan to have a safe and inclusive event?