University Center to create one-stop event shop

Megan Bell

Planning an on-campus event will soon get easier, thanks to the broadening of the mission of the University Center Event Services staff.

Effective Friday, University Center Event Services will be responsible for scheduling and supporting all campus events including those in classrooms. In one phone call or email, faculty, staff, and students looking to book space at UCCS will be able to get information about room availability, catering, audio/visual support, room set up, and myriad other details.

“This is really a customer service decision,” said Megan Bell, director, University Center. “Our previous divisions between scheduling a space that received General Fund support or operated as an Auxiliary Enterprise was confusing to nearly everyone. By having one, centralized location, our goal is to make the process seamless for the customer, share resources and to ultimately have better campus events.”

Bell emphasized that there are no changes in scheduling rooms for classes. Those duties remain with the Office of Admissions and Records in coordination with academic deans and department chairs. Scheduling space for classes remains the highest priority for UCCS.

But when faculty, staff and students want to schedule a room for an event such as a guest lecture or a catered lunch for an advisory board meeting, a single call to 255-3664 or email to events@uccs.edu will connect to event services staff. They will work to accommodate the request and arrange for various amenities ranging from microphones for speakers to wireless Internet access and room cleanup.

There will be no charge for basic event set up. Large events, or those that require extra time or support, may require charges. For more information, contact Bell, 255-5179 or mbell4@uccs.edu

As an example of confusion, Bell cited a November CU Board of Regents candidate debate. The Student Government Association sponsored the debate and booked a room in Centennial Hall. But because the space was General Fund supported, University Center staff could not provide wireless microphones or other AV support for the event. Eventually, UC staff assisted but the process was unnecessarily confusing to event organizers who were bounced back and forth between departments, she said.

A single event services/scheduling office will also allow better coordination of events. In the past, University Center staff booked events in auxiliary-funded areas such as the University Center or the Lodge without knowing what events were scheduled in general fund supported areas such as the lobby of Dwire Hall. The resulting influx of confused campus visitors competing for parking spaces can now be avoided, Bell said.

To support the broadened responsibilities of the University Center staff, the department hired  an additional audio-visual technician and an additional scheduling coordinator. In addition, Facilities Services will hire two new weekend custodians and the IT department will be staffed on nights and weekends to better accommodate special events.