Willamette University Event Classification Policy

Purpose:
To inform the community as to circumstances under which a proposed use of space is designated as Willamette University internal community use, or as external community use.

An event that is booked under an internal department/organization name, but that is actually for an external company, group, or individual, is referred to as a “fronted event.” Fronted events provide an unfair advantage to an otherwise controlled process and creates an inability to manage the established method for space request prioritization and fee assessment. Fronted events can also circumvent the University’s policies regarding external advertising, risk management, and promotion.

Policy:

1. External use events may be coordinated with the Department of Scheduling, Events and Conferences Office by either an event organizer/host of a designated third party, or by an event organizer/host of an approved university department, business unit, or registered student organization.
2. Any event that invites the public onto Willamette property must be pre-approved by the Department of Scheduling, Events and Conferences.
3. Specific information about Willamette’s role in an event, use, or reservation of space (s) will be clearly articulated by requestor in the space use reservation.
4. Specific information about a non-Willamette University, partner, participant, provider or relationship to the event, will be clearly articulated in the space use reservation.
5. Fronting activities are prohibited by the University.

1. The Department of Scheduling, Events and Conferences may request an Event Classification Form to help determine whether an event is internal or external community use.
2. The Classification Form may be submitted online through the Scheduling website.  For potential fee waiver, forms must be received no fewer than three weeks prior to the proposed event date.
3. Inquiries on determination status may be directed to the Department of Scheduling, Events and Conferences.
4. Determinations, including contracting, insurance, and payment requirements will be sent by the Department of Scheduling, Events and Conferences to the event organizer/host listed on the form.
5. Questions or appeals to determinations may be directed to the Director of the Department of Scheduling, Events and Conferences.
6. Internal reservation requests (including table reservations) will be considered “fronted” for an external source if:
7. • The space is being requested, or has been confirmed, for an internal user but the payment is submitted or received from an external source. This includes local businesses, national branch of the requesting campus organization, any corporation, private individual, etc.
   • The internal request is placed solely for an external user to gain internal rates.
   • The event does not reflect the service, or programmatic goal of the requesting organization/department. The event (including items on display, literature provided, directional signage, advertising, etc.) does not reflect that Willamette University is the designated event sponsor.

Definitions:
“Fronting, Fronted Events”: Permitting or aiding an external use under the guise that the activity is internal use for the purpose of avoiding contracting, risk management, or scheduling review, and/or payment.
“Event Organizer/Host”: the requesting person responsible for the proposed event who is required to oversee the scheduling and inter-departmental coordination of all aspects of the event and to be present at all times during the event.
 
Standardized Policy Information

Status: Active
Effective Date: February 1, 2015
Last Revision Date: February 23, 2015
Last Review Date: February 23, 2016
Next Anticipated Review: February 1, 2017