Planning an event for the School of Architecture community? This is your one-stop-shop for all things events, including instructions for securing space, staff, and resources, as well as recommendations for vendors, promotion, and beyond. 

Please note that this is a living document that will be updated regularly. Please get in touch with the Dean's Office if you notice any errors or emissions. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EVENT SCHEDULING AND PLANNING TIMELINES

Events Request Survey

The first step in planning for ANY School of Architecture event should be the completion of the Events Request Survey. This short survey helps SOA staff coordinate schedules, timing, space reservations, and necessary event support. 

Lead Time

For most events, significant staff support is needed at all stages of an event, from the Business Office processing vendor payments to IT set-up, and beyond. In order to secure support from the Business Office, Dean's Suite, IT team, and Communications, event planners should complete this Events Request Survey at the earliest stage in the planning process, as soon as a date has been proposed or solidified.

• A minimum of two weeks' notice is required for all small events with minimal IT needs and no facilities or staff support. 
• At least one month of lead time is required for events that need facilities prep, space allocation, IT support, food, and/or other on-site staff assistance. 

Master Calendar

As you're considering dates for your event, please consult the Master Calendar.  The Master Calendar is managed by the Dean's Office and can be a great reference for planning. Please note that the Master Calendar is different than the more public-facing calendar on the School of Architecture website, but does include events and information relevant to School of Architecture students, faculty, and staff. This includes dates for the Lectures & Exhibitions Series, CAAD and Career Services events, Development events, and committee meetings, as well as holidays and other events in Austin that might affect scheduling. 

By submitting your event through the Events Request Survey, UTSOA staff will also add your event to the Master Calendar. You can also click here for additional guidance on requesting an update to the Master Calendar. 

Room Reservations

Room reservation requests are separate from Master Calendar requests. For some activities, such as an internal meeting or a small group gathering, you will only need to submit a room reservation request, and won't need to complete the Events Request Survey. The Events Request Survey is primarily intended for larger events or those involving an open audience. 

Below is a list of spaces that are available for reservation. Each room's calendar is hyperlinked. To make a room reservation request email arch-room-reservations@utlists.utexas.edu. If the request is urgent, please visit the Dean's Office Reception Desk or call 512-471-1922.

ON-SITE RESOURCES AND FACILITIES SUPPORT

In-House Items Available at UTSOA

The School of Architecture has an inventory of items that are available for SOA-related events. Some of these items include but are not limited to:  

• Tablecloths and linens (black and various colors)
• Easels
• Vases
• Kitchen utensils
• Foldable tables and cocktail tables. 

Facilities Support

For more extensive event support and set-up, a Facilities Services Work Order will be required. Event Support & Moving Services provides event-related support and equipment for university events of all sizes. The following are the services and inventory available for special events on a first-come, first-served basis: 

• Cleaning
• Carpentry
• Electrical
• Set-up and take-down of event inventory
• Refuse collection

Facilities Services' event inventory includes banners, chairs, coat racks, easels, lecterns/podiums, silk plants, privacy screens, staging/risers, tables, table cloths/skirts, and waste containers. Here is a photo gallery of Facilites Services event inventory.

To request services or inventory, please complete an online Event Planning Request form. Requests should be submitted as early as possible in the event planning process because services are available on a first-come basis, and event inventory quantities are limited.

Please Note: Once you submit the work order, don't be alarmed if it is not approved right away. Facilities approves orders based on the date of the event, not on how early you submitted your work order. However, you must submit a request a minimum of 2 weeks ahead of the event date to avoid late fees and penalties. If you need to email them for an update, email facilities@austin.utexas.edu or fs-events@austin.utexas.edu 

University Guidance for On-Campus Food & Beverages

Food

Planning on having food at your event? Along with a Facilities Work order, you must also submit a Food Distribution Form to Environmental Health & Safety 7 days prior to the event. 

Note: If your event is intended only for the members of your group/organization, then a Food Distribution Form is not required. A form is required anytime an event is planned where Time/Temperature Controlled Foods are going to be distributed to the public. Some examples of TCS foods are cooked meats, hamburgers/hotdogs, breakfast tacos, fajitas, sliced melon, sliced tomato, and leafy greens. Click here for more information.

Alcoholic Beverages

Per Board of Regents' Rule 80102 (Alcoholic Beverages), the use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on property and in buildings owned or controlled by The University of Texas System of UT Austin unless an exception has been requested from the sponsoring unit and approved by the appropriate delegate PRIOR to the event. 

Events involving alcohol, therefore, require advanced approval (request form) and involve additional paperwork and costs (including the cost of alcohol and hiring a TABC-certified bartender). 

• Read UT's Guidelines to Request Exception to Serve Alcohol on Campus
• Submit an Online Form to Request Exception to Serve Alcohol on Campus

Parking

For service vendors that require temporary load in/out parking, you will need to arrange a parking pass by contacting the Dean's Office Front Desk. The university has a limited number of spaces available for this purpose near the SOA buildings. The vendor will need to be provided with driving directions for accessing these spots, and upon arrival, you will need to provide them with the parking pass to display on their dashboard during their load-in/out activities. 

• Please be aware that we cannot provide parking arrangements for event speakers or other attendees. These participants should be advised to use public transit or park in one of the university's parking garages. The garage nearest to the School of Architecture's buildings is the San Antonio Garage. 
• If your budget allows, you can purchase Event Garage QR Code Permits from Parking and Transportation Services for about $12 / vehicle by filling out the Event Parking Request Form.
• If a visitor requests ADA parking accommodations, a permit for one of our nearby ADA spaces may be requested through the university at least two weeks in advance by completing the form at  https://parking.utexas.edu/parking/ada-parking-map

PAPERWORK & PAYMENTS

Participant Payments

When an honorarium is being extended to a speaker, the school’s policy is that honoraria should include the participant fee and travel funds for airfare, ground transportation, lodging, etc., with the participant making all travel arrangements for themselves and then self-reimbursing with the honorarium.

• Please be aware that honoraria, especially when extended to non-U.S. citizens/residents, requires a substantial amount of paperwork both for us and the visitor.
• For non-U.S. citizens, certain visa requirements will apply, and the payment may be subject to a 30% tax. The school’s general practice is to “gross up” the honorarium to make up for this withholding using the formula: desired payment to speaker divided by 0.7 (e.g. $3,500 honorarium grossed up would cost you $5,000). Please keep this in mind when planning your budget. Please also be aware that honoraria cannot be extended to UT faculty members.
• It is also possible to reimburse participants for direct travel costs (airfare, lodging) when an honorarium is not involved.

Once you have determined the type of payment you would like to extend to your visitors and that your budget can support, contact the Business Office to check that your plans are appropriate and to confirm the paperwork required.

Participant Purchase Orders / Contracts

Anyone being paid for providing a good or service to the school, such as a lecture, participation in an event, or a vendor providing services for an event, must be entered into UT’s vendor system in order to be paid. A purchase order or contract outlining the terms of the agreement must also be processed and approved before the service is performed. 

The steps for this process are outlined below. Get the process started by completing the SOA Payment Request Form.

• Step 1: School sends “Payee Information Form” (PIF) to the individual via DocuSign, which they will fill out accordingly, and return with a copy of their driver’s license or passport (if being paid as an individual. If paying the company, ID is not required).
• Step 2:
  • If the payee is a U.S. citizen/permanent resident: SOA Business Office sends purchase order information to UT Accounting for approval based on the agreed-upon honorarium amount. Turnaround time from receipt of PIF: allow 1 week.
  • If the payee is not a U.S. citizen/permanent resident: SOA Business Office sends contract information to UT Business Contracts Office (BCO) for approval based on the agreed-upon honorarium. Upon approval, the contract is sent to the individual for signature and is then countersigned by BCO. Copy is sent to individual for their records. Turnaround time from receipt of PIF: at least 2 weeks; allow more if possible. This is also the stage when the Business Office determines any visa requirements that may apply, and whether the 30% nonresident tax will be assessed.
• Step 3: After service is performed, SOA Business Office sends an invoice to UT Accounting for payment processing, and a check is mailed to the address on the PIF.

Contracts

Some vendors require a contract. Intra-university contracts are usually executed at the unit level (if renting a space at LBJ Auditorium, for example), and outside contracts require UT Business Contracts Office approval via the SOA Business Office. You will need to fill out this form, and send it as a PDF along with your contract to vpcfo.contracts@austin.utexas.edu 

• Do not email the above address when checking for an update on signature. It somehow moves your request to the end of the queue. The best contact to check on contracts is Lauren Cohen, Associate Business Contacts Administrator (512) 471-7400.

Broadcasting/Recording/Talent Release

Historically, the University used a “Talent Release Form” that guests would sign to authorize the recording of their participation in an event. This language is now worked into both POs and Contracts, so a Talent Release form is only needed if a speaker is not receiving payment. If the speaker does not want to be recorded, broadcast, or published, we respect their wishes. This should be discussed at the beginning of your engagement with this person to avoid last-minute surprises.

Material Purchases

Small materials for events can be purchased using the Procurement Card (the school's "credit card"), which can be checked out from the Dean's Suite and/or Business Office.

Important things to Note:

• When you check out the Procard, you will need to provide the account number that should be charged
• Receipts must be provided when the card is returned and no Texas state sales tax can be shown on the receipt
• If Texas state sales tax is shown on a Procard receipt, the user is required to return to the vendor and have it removed.
• If a disallowed item is purchased using the Procard, the user is responsible for paying out of pocket to reimburse the school.

Larger expenses such as equipment require purchase orders. See "Preferred Vendors" for tips below, and contact the SOA business team for more information.

• Please also be aware that the SOA owns a limited number of event items such as cocktail tables, tablecloths, and sign stands; see the "On-Site Resources" section above for details about inventory available and policies for their use.
• Some items, like tables, linens, and chairs, can be rented through a UT Facilities Work Order, also explained above. 

Official Occasions and Entertainment Expenses Policy (OOEF)

An "official occasion" is defined as a reception, luncheon, dinner, or similar event that is sponsored and funded by The University of Texas at Austin. These functions are normally associated with special programs, university guests, and faculty and staff recruitment. Examples include conferences, workshops, seminars, development events, planned retreats, and staff meetings.

OOEFs must be completed after the purchase of any food, beverage, flowers, invitations, or similar expenses: 

Use of the OOEF–Dean is required if: 

• The primary expenditure is alcohol (that is, greater than the total food expense)
• The average cost per person exceeds $100
• The cost of flowers or other perishable items exceeds $200, or
• The total cost is over $5,000

Use the regular OOEF if none of the above apply.

Important Things to Note:

• Itemized, zero-balance receipts must be electronically attached to the OOEFl a credit card receipt alone is not sufficient unless it also includes itemization
• Texas state sales tax is okay to pay at restaurants ONLY; nowhere else
• Catering payments can be processed with an invoice and OOEF (submitted via one of the OOEF links above); NO Texas state sales tax on the invoice
• Max reimbursement for tips is 20% of pre-tax bill amount
• Not all UT accounts allow for official occasions and/or entertainment expenditures. If in doubt, contact the Business Office. 

Preferred Vendors

Flowers:

• Pollen Floral Art / Jennifer Norris - jennifer@pollenfloralart.com

Food: 

• Foodheads / Chip Wendt - eat@foodheads.com - 512-420-8400
• Walton's Fancy & Staple / Lauren - catering@waltonsfancyandstaple.com
• Central Market (N. Lamar Location) - 512-206-1024
• Taco Deli

Wine/Beer/Spirits:

• Austin Wine Merchants / Lucinda Scott Roenigk - info@theaustinwinemerchant.com 

The UT Office of Sustainability and Staff Council had also compiled a UT Catering and Food Vendor Sustainability Database to provide event planners with information on the sustainability attributes of over 70 area food vendors.