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• Banquet and meeting rooms are assigned on the basis of the type of event, the anticipated number of guests, and the availability of rooms. Scheduling & Event Services staff may change room assignments to accommodate larger or smaller attendance.
• A request made does not guarantee a space, even if available at the time of request. Groups should not make any arrangements or do any advertising of the event until a confirmation copy of a reservation is received from the appropriate space owner.
• Major multi-purpose or food service rooms may be scheduled one year in advance. Recurring organizational meetings may be scheduled for the upcoming academic year beginning on April 15 of the preceding Spring Semester.
• Rehearsals for recitals and special events are limited to one session.
• All individuals and groups are expected to follow the itinerary scheduled for their particular events. Other groups may be using the facilities prior to or following your scheduled activity.
• Room rental charges for use of space will be incurred depending upon the nature of the event and identity of sponsoring groups.
• For parking concerns and questions, please contact Parking Services at 298-1921.
• Final room setups are due in Scheduling & Event Services at least five (5) business days prior to the event. All setup and equipment requirements should be included in request as the room will be set by the University Union staff according to these instructions. Failure to meet this deadline could result in cancellation of your event or implementation of a surcharge.
• Space is used and occupied only for the purpose listed on the reservation. Changes to the purpose of the reservation must be approved by Campus Scheduling prior to the date of the event.
• WIU facilities and space may not be used for any illegal or dangerous purposes or for use not compatible with the University mission.
• Reservations are filled based on a first come, first served process; however, the scheduling priorities listed below apply.
• All users, including off-campus users, are expected to adhere to all University policies, regulations and local, state and federal laws. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in the forfeiture of scheduling privileges.
• Any organization leaving the facilities in disorder is responsible for cleaning and/or labor charges to restore the facility to its original condition.
• At NO TIME is it acceptable to hang items on the walls or ceiling of any WIU facility, particularly those which cover up lighting fixtures, exit signs, fire exits or fire extinguishers. The use of tape (including any type of duct tape), glue, staples, tacks or nails on building surfaces including, but not limited to, walls, door frames, doors, windows, window frames, elevators, floors or railings is prohibited. Please see Scheduling & Event Services for a list of the acceptable adhesives.
• WIU is a smoke free campus.
• Off-campus organizations must provide documentation of adequate insurance deemed adequate by WIU Risk Management.
• Each reservable facility at Western Illinois University has priority users.
• Building opening and closing times vary across campus. Any event scheduled outside normal building hours is required to have a special unlock/lock reservation and may require the services of a building supervisor or custodial staff. Additional fees may apply.

First Priority*

First priority is given to University activities necessary to advance the educational mission of the University. Examples include, but are not limited to, academic classes, co-curricular activities and recruitment.

Second Priority*

Second priority events are sponsored by approved or recognized student organizations, faculty, staff, University departments, or centers which have the University community as its primary target market or that directly support a major University initiative.

*Certain buildings may have their own priority users based on funding sources.

Force Majeure

Either party may terminate or suspend its obligations if such obligations are delayed, prevented or rendered impractical as a result of fire, flood, riot, earthquake, casualty, civil commotion, Act of God, or any law, ordinance, rule or regulation which becomes effective after the date of the contract, provided and to the extent such occurrence is beyond the reasonable control of the party whose event is affected. In such an event the affected party shall not be liable to the other for delay or failure to perform its obligations, except there shall be a prorated reduction in any fees payable or otherwise due and/or a refund of any deposits paid.

Cancellation or Changes made by the University

If the University closes to the public because of reasonable concern due to weather emergencies, power outages, water outages, civil unrest, threat to national security or any other occurrence which may threaten the safety of persons on campus, events may be canceled. The University shall not be responsible for any costs to the Sponsor resulting from a cancellation or delay due to such a decision. The University will not charge for its contracted facilities and services that are not used due to cancellation by the University and all deposits will be refunded.

Weddings

If a wedding is canceled 90 or more calendar days from the date of the event the Sponsor forfeits the non-refundable deposit. Sponsors canceling a wedding within the 90 day window forfeit the deposit and must pay for any direct costs already incurred by the University to include, but not limited to, catering, labor, rentals and entertainment.

Student Organizations

Student organizations canceling an event within 24 hours will pay direct costs incurred by the University to include, but not limited to, catering, labor, security and rentals. Student organizations repeatedly canceling events on short notice may lose its scheduling privileges. Campus major events canceled within 5 business days will result in assessment of direct charges such as catering, labor and set up costs incurred by the University.

A registered student organization requesting space for events must have the approval of their faculty/staff advisor. Faculty and staff requesting event space that will result in expenditures, such as administrative fees, labor charges or catering must have the approval of the appropriate fiscal agent. Failure to obtain the appropriate approvals or failure to comply with policies or procedures may result in the cancellation of the event and either temporary or permanent loss of facilities use privileges. Events with obvious risks require approval of Campus Risk Management.

Western Illinois University Catering by Sodexo has the exclusive right to offer food and beverage service within specific University facilities. These facilities include the University Union and Residence Hall facilities.

• Menu arrangements must be made at least two weeks in advance.
• Confirmation of final numbers for food events must be given at least 72 hours in advance. Final charges will be for the guaranteed number or actual attendance, whichever is greater.
• There is no charge for cancellations made at least 72 hours in advance. Cancellations within 72 hours are subject to a service charge.
• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited unless approval has been given in accordance with the "Policy and Regulations for the Sale and Provision of Alcoholic Beverages on Western Illinois University Property." All inquiries should be directed to the Scheduling & Event Services.
• Final billing will reflect a discount on food for events charged to eligible University accounts. For all external accounts, a deposit equal to 25% of the projected food charges for events over $200 must be paid to Scheduling & Event Services when menu choices are finalized or at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the scheduled event. Failure to pay the deposit by the due date will result in the event being canceled. The deposit will be retained by WIU for any event canceled less than two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled date of event. The deposit will be applied to the final charges for the event and an invoice will be sent to you following the event. All bookings will require a University ID number. All meals are subject to sales tax unless prior arrangements have been made.

Sponsors may hire disc jockeys or entertainers to provide music. The house sound systems built within the various venues on campus are not designed for large bands and additional sound system components may be required by Western Technical Services (WESTEC). WESTEC services are an additional cost to the sponsoring organization or department.

Pianos are available in the Grand Ballroom, Heritage Room and Brattain Lounge of the University Union. Sponsors must arrange for a pianist and pay additional costs for piano tuning if requested.

Animals are generally not allowed in the University facilities with the exception of service animals and must be in compliance with ADA provisions. Events or activities that require the use of animals will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In considering exemptions to this provision, the appropriate office (Office of Student Involvement and Leadership for student organizations, Guest Services for others) will assess the size, species and safety to both the animal(s) and participants.

Service Dogs

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act. service dogs are defined as, "Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities," and are allowed to be anywhere the general public has access.

Emotional Support Animals (ESA)

Emotional Support Animals, by their presence, provide support for emotional or psychological symptoms associated with their handlers condition or disorder. ESA's are not legally protected to be in public buildings.

On a number of occasions, different departments and organizations on campus wish to show a film as part of a class or as a program. However, when we show movies on campus, there are a number of laws people are unaware of that we must follow.

Even though in many instances, we are not charging people to see these films, we are still obligated to make sure that we have secured and paid for the proper licenses to show movies on campus. If we do not, we may be putting both ourselves and the University at risk.

To help educate the University community on those laws, we would like to share with you the following frequently asked questions about public performance rights.

What are Public Performance Rights?

Public Performance Rights are the legal rights held by distributors or producers over the showing of a film outside of one's home. The rights-holder can grant others the temporary right to show the film by selling them or granting them a Public Performance License.

When do I need to obtain a Public Performance License?

Any time a film is shown outside a person's personal home, the screening is considered "public". It does not matter if admission is charged or if the entity screening the film is a non-profit organization, school, or library.

If the film is being shown outside the home, it is considered "public".

What about the "Teaching Exemption"?

The Copyright Act allows films to be screened in face-to-face teaching situations, defined by specific criteria. To be eligible for the teaching exemption, the screening is limited to students who are enrolled in a class in which the film is a part of systematic mediated instructional activities, the instructor is present, and the screening is an integral part of the classroom session. Playing films for the department,for honors students, or as a "film series" or lecture series does not qualify for the teaching exemption, but requires a Public Performance License.

I bought a tape or DVD from the distributor for my school or library. Does it include Public Performance Rights?

Most tapes are sold without Public Performance Rights, but some tapes or DVDs are sold with limited Public Performance Rights. They may enable you to play the tape for its lifetime in public screenings on your campus. However, you may not copy the tape or lend the tape to other institutions or organizations, or charge admission for the screenings you hold with that tape. These rules may vary, so check carefully with the distributor when purchasing.

How can I obtain a Public Performance License for my screening?

Performance licenses can be obtained by ordering movies through a reputable film company. The price the company charges will include the performance license. One of the companies that we use frequently is SWANK Motion Pictures, Inc. but there are several other movie distribution companies that can be used. Below is a list of their phone numbers and websites:

Swank Motion Pictures 800-876-5577 http://www.swank.com

Criterion Pictures 800-890-9494 http://www.criterionpicusa.com

New Yorker Films 212-645-4600 http://www.newyorkerfilms.com

If you are interested in ordering a movie, you can contact one of the companies directly by using the above contact information or if you need additional assistance, you can contact the Office of Student Engagement at 309-298-3232.

Isn't it cheaper to just rent a movie from a video store or to stream one from a service (Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, etc)?

Renting or purchasing a movie from a film company is more expensive than renting, buying or streaming a video. On average, the cost to rent or buy a movie from a movie company can be anywhere from $400-$700 depending on the movie, the number of showings, etc. However, when you rent, buy, or stream a video, you are not buying the rights to show it in a public setting. You cannot stream a video in a public format.

All streaming services are currently licensed for personal use only. Which means no public showings allowed without permission from the broadcaster.

All copyrighted material must be either in public domain or have a single use license from a company like Swank or Criterion.

Netflix does allow for some educational screenings of their original documentaries within some strict but reasonable parameters. You can't charge admission or use it as a fundraiser, you need to stream from a subscriber's account, and you cannot advertise/imply a sponsorship or collaboration with Netflix for your event. Info on that can be found here: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/57695

Can I have an event and show a sporting event on television?

Live Television events including Sports can be viewed in public for free, no license required. Recast of live sporting events need a license or letter of consent from broadcaster. The caveat is no money can be exchanged for viewing. Meaning no charging for entering the event.

When choosing a wedding reception venue for your special day, look no further than the University Union. The University Union boasts three unique venues that are available to reserve for wedding receptions. The Grand Ballroom, Heritage Room, and the Lamoine Room are available to accommodate wedding receptions of various sizes. The Grand Ballroom in particular is the largest reception venue in the Macomb area, accommodating up to 500 guests. The perfect venue paired with the assistance of the Scheduling & Event Services staff along with the catering of Western Illinois University Catering by Sodexo will be sure to transform the dreams of your wedding day into a reality.

All wedding receptions are charged a $300 room rental fee regardless of the selected room.

Rooms available for wedding receptions:

• Grand Ballroom - seats up to 500 people
• Heritage Room - seats up to 250 people
• Lamoine Room - seats up to 180 people

All weddings are required to utilize Western Illinois University Catering by Sodexo for all food and beverages.

Western Illinois University Catering by Sodexo Catering Brochure

Wedding reservations are tentative and will be held for no more than 14 days. Reservations are confirmed only after a contract has been signed and the room fee has been received and processed. If a contract is not executed within the 14 days, the space is released and the reservation canceled. Weddings and wedding receptions are always considered outside events and discounts do not apply.

• ONLY masking tape is to be used on painted or paneled walls and is only to be used in the rooms that have been rented.
• NO nails, thumb tacks, staples or other devices are to be used.
• Electrical outlets should not be overloaded.
• ALL display materials and/or decorations must be of non-flammable nature.
• NO furniture arrangement or items displayed on the walls are to be moved.
• No candles or other flammable items are allowed in the building unless they are purchased by Sodexo Campus Services or approved by Scheduling & Event Services.
• Decorations must not be attached to curtains, draperies, or air vents nor are they to be attached to or obstruct fire equipment.
• All free-standing decorations must be stable and anchored securely.
• Materials that may create walking hazards including, but not limited to sand, gravel, and rice are prohibited.
• No glitter, confetti, or similar decorations are to be used.
• All decorations must be painted prior to being brought in the building.
• All decorations must be removed at the conclusion of the contracted time.
• Approval must be secured to extend decorations outside the room which has been reserved.

Western Illinois University

1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455 USA

Phone: (309) 298-1414
info@wiu.edu