Effective Oct. 1, 2023, Hospitality & Event Services (HES) will begin operating under a new model, limiting customized room set-ups to designated spaces, and adjusting night, weekend, and hybrid event support. Please refer to the new operations model for more details and to Today@UMass Lowell for our timeline and communications plan in the interim.

Our policies and guidelines cover events occurring in all university spaces such as classrooms, auditoriums, meeting rooms, lobbies, hallways, athletic fields (non-Athletic events), green spaces and parking garages and lots.

View the policy and practice definitions.

Policies

Guidelines

Allowable-Events Allowable Events

In general, campus events (except at the Inn and Conference Center (ICC)), should align with our University mission. Events sponsored by external groups will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Personal or private events are allowed with approval from the Chancellor’s Office. UMass Lowell (UML) facilities may not be used in violation of federal or state laws.

Fees Fees and Event Service Charges

Event sponsors will be required to pay for event services and rates are subject to change. Please contact us at 978-934-3888 for current pricing.

The following event services and may be subject to charge:

  • Room set ups and break downs
  • Resource transport around campus
  • Carpentry, electrical or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) work
  • Housekeeping required after event
  • AV equipment, set up, and operation
  • Shuttle service or guest parking (if not available on campus)
  • Police details required for event
  • Use of disposable equipment or supplies from Facilities or Hospitality and Event Services (HES)
  • Event furniture owned by the University
  • Administrative support

Event-Sponsors Event Sponsors / Requestors

Requests for reservations may be submitted by student clubs and organizations, academic and administrative departments, and external entities. Individuals may make reservations only as a representative of one of these groups.

All student clubs and organizations must process their requests through Student Activities. Sponsors must designate an individual who will serve as the primary event contact for HES. If the University is a sponsor or co-sponsor, a University contact should be named. This contact will be the sponsor’s single point of contact with the University for planning, and a sponsor representative must be in attendance at the event.

Catering Catering

By contract, the campus food service provider has the right of first refusal to cater all campus events. Exceptions will only be allowed by the HES in consultation with our campus food service provider, Aramark. If an exception is allowed, the event sponsor will be responsible for providing all supplies necessary for the provision of food, including linens, and will be responsible for the cost of post event clean-up.

Single-Point Single-Point-of-Contact Reservation Procedures

All non-academic, event scheduling of University facilities is to be managed by the HES in collaboration with the Office of Student Activities, Athletics, Media Services and the Facilities departments. HES will process all reservations for designated event spaces as noted above. Classrooms are to be scheduled in coordination with the University Registrar’s office.

All Space/Event requests will be submitted to HES. Event Sponsors will submit a Reservation Request by email to: events@uml.edu or by calling: 978-934-3888. HES will confirm availability of the space and forward each request to the appropriate campus partner (i.e., Facilities, Police, Media, IT). As appropriate, those departments will return an estimate of cost or hours required for items such as transportation of equipment, set up/tear down, clean up, police services, etc. HES will contact the sponsoring entity for approval of appropriate charges as found in the pricing guide within this document. Once approved, HES will provide a written quote of cost and services, and process payments.

HES will initiate a Memorandum of Agreement with all external event sponsors once an oral agreement has been reached.

For the purposes of this policy, a special event is a planned, non-class gathering of 10 or more people, and/or one that is held in a designated event area.

Submitting Submitting a Request

A reservation request form in 25Live should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the date of an event, and four to six weeks prior for events serving alcohol. Requests coming in later have a higher risk not being approved, so it is advised to submit with as much advanced notice as possible.

Major programs, such as concerts or conferences, must submit a reservation request form at least one-month in advance of the event date. Submitting this form is not a guarantee that a particular space is available. All necessary signatures and approvals are expected upon submission.

University facilities are generally available for use between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and Midnight during the week and until 1 a.m. on weekend nights. The University reserves the right to restrict or deny room reservation requests on special days such as holidays. Requestors will receive a determination regarding their request within five business days.

Cancellations by Sponsor

If it is necessary to cancel an event that has had space reserved, the sponsor should contact us immediately at 978-934-3888 or email: events@uml.edu, so that another group can use that space. If a cancellation occurs less than 48 hours prior to the event, the event sponsor may still be responsible for charges.

nature Force of Nature / Cancellation by University

Please refer to Appendix A for the University’s cancellation policy in the event the University or desired facility is closed at the time of an event due to forces of nature.

Recurring Recurring Events

Recurring events, those occurring more than once a month over multiple months, will be scheduled no more than six weeks in advance to keep event spaces available to the broadest range of University use.

Insurance Insurance

Affiliated and External entities sponsoring events must provide proof of insurance as outlined in the Memorandum of Agreement as approved by the University’s administration and finance office.

Damage Facility Damage

Any damage to UMass Lowell facilities must immediately be reported to HES, Facilities or University Police. Cost to repair all damages other than normal wear and tear will be the responsibility of the event sponsors. If the facility is not returned in the same condition as received, cost of clean-up will be the sole responsibility of the event sponsor. Billing for these costs will be processed through HES.

Nothing will be affixed to any facility (i.e., inside and outside walls, stage curtains, etc.) without approval by HES. It is highly recommended that a pre and post event walkthrough is conducted with the HES to determine space conditions.

No university logo appearing on a sign, podium, or other University structure shall be covered, or removed without approval from HES.

No University logo shall appear in event publicity for an externally sponsored event without permission from the UML University Relations. Logo use shall be governed by the university style guide.

Disclaimer Reservation Disclaimer

These facilities are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations shall be made through HES. The department of HES reserves the right to assign or move events to the best available space if the requested space is unavailable. Reservations may be cancelled or moved per order of the Chancellor’s Office.

Overnight-GuestsOvernight Guests

Hospitality and Event Services manages relationships with area hotels to ensure that university partners can provide overnight accommodations for guests to campus. UMass Lowell employees can email events@uml.edu to request access to Hospitality and Event Services' affiliated rate on a case-by-case basis.

Categorizing Your Event

Hospitality and Event Services (HES) categorizes events using the following set of criteria. These criteria help us evaluate what steps event planners need to follow to host their events on campus in compliance with all departmental, university, state, and federal guidelines. Click on an Event Type to see the specific checklist for each category.

Event TypeDefinitionRequestorEvent Audience
Day Booking – Internal ReservationThe standard day reservation for the UMass Lowell (UML) community.UML Faculty, Staff, and StudentsUML Faculty, Staff and Students.
Day Booking - Internal Reservation – High-RiskA day reservation for the UML community that includes an activity that would be considered “high-risk” such as but not limited to: day events with minors, kayak rentals, one on one music lessons, etc.UML Faculty, Staff, and StudentsUML Faculty, Staff and Students.
Day Booking - Core MissionA contracted reservation for the UML community. Space charges and utility fees do not apply to core mission events.UML Faculty, Staff, and StudentsMore than 50% UML Faculty, Staff and Students, or events with targeted enrollment.
Day Booking - External/Affiliated ClientA contracted reservation for an external or affiliated client.UML Faculty, Staff, and StudentsLess than 50% UML Faculty, Staff and Students, or events with targeted enrollment.
Day Booking - Admissions EventA standard day reservation for perspective students and families.UML Faculty, Staff, and StudentsTargeted enrollment audiences.
Day Booking - Athletics EventA standard day reservation for Athletics space use. Charges and Fees may apply for external / affiliated clients.UML AthleticsTargeted Athletics audiences.
Day Booking - Internal Athletic CampsA contracted reservation for an external or affiliated client.UML AthleticsTargeted Athletics audiences.
Day Booking - Campus Recreation EventA standard day reservation for Campus Recreation Center (CRC) usage.UML Faculty, Staff, and StudentsUML Faculty, Staff, and Students.
Overnight Booking - Core MissionAn overnight contracted reservation for the UML community. Utility fees do not apply to core mission events. Summer months only.UML Faculty, Staff, and StudentsMore than 50% UML Faculty, Staff and Students, or events with targeted enrollment.
Overnight Booking - External/Affiliated ClientAn overnight contracted reservation for an external or affiliated client. Summer months only.UML Faculty, Staff, and StudentsLess than 50% UML Faculty, Staff and Students, or events with targeted enrollment.