Indoor Event Policy - University of Houston
Skip to main content

Indoor Event Policy

Revised Summer 2016

The RSO Indoor Event Policy pertains to those on‐campus events sponsored by a registered student
organization at the University of Houston meeting two of the three following criteria:

  • Includes admissions, cash donations at the door, or advanced ticket sales
  • Attracts persons who are not currently enrolled UH students
  • Is a social event: to include, but not limited to mixers, dances, parties, performances, concerts, etc.

This policy was originally developed by the UH Task Force on Student Organizations Social Functions in
1992‐93, amended in February 1996, amended in Spring 2011, and revised in summer of 2016.

Article 1: Responsibility of Hosting Organization

The hosting organization will take active responsibility for the event, and is to be visible, proactive and accessible. The expectation is that the full membership of the hosting organization is knowledgeable of and responsible for their duties during the Social Event.

  1. Host organizations must appoint organizational representatives to monitor the event.
  2. Any host organization sponsoring an event as described above is accepting responsibility for the actions of their guests. Responsibility includes fiscal obligation in the event there was damage caused to property and the perpetrator cannot be identified and/or does not make restitution.
  3. Host organizations may be subject to appropriate disciplinary referrals if policy violations or disruptions occur.

Article 2: Venue Capacities

The host organization planning the event must comply with all of the rules and maximum occupancies for their reserved venue. If maximum occupancy for a mixer for a particular venue has not been established, the occupancy for the event will be determined by the UH Fire Marshal in conjunction with the UHPD Special Event Coordinator and the facility manager for the facility under consideration.

The following list includes most major venues at UH and capacities of these venues for events that fall within the parameters of this policy. (NOTE: these are the maximums for the venues listed. The number of attendees for each event will be determined in the planning meeting referred to in Article 3 and will be based on a number of factors such as history of event and event layout.)

Room/Venue Maximum number of attendes in space*
Houston Room proper 338
Houston Room and Perimeter Rooms 667
Ballroom 210 (East & West) 361
Ballroom 210 (East or West) 178
Multipurpose Room 237 190
Kiva Room 160 (with all furniture)

Article 3: Registering and Planning a Social Event

Hosting organizations must build in a minimum of fifteen (15) business days of event planning time for routing of paperwork and reservation of venues and services through other required offices/areas, beginning with the Event Registration within the Center for Student Involvement.

Events that fall within the parameters of this policy will not be permitted during the following all‐campus events: UH graduation dates (commencements and convocations), Frontier Fiesta, Move‐In Weekend (Thursday through Sunday before each fall semester) and home football games.

Timeline Requirements:

  1. Fifteen (15) business days prior to the event, the host organization must complete the appropriate reservation request and submit the Get Involved event registration. They will then be prompted to meet with the Activities Coordinator for Registered Student Organizations for the Center for Student Involvement (CSI)
  2. Ten (10) business days prior to the event, one of the three registered officers of the host organization, and any other pertinent members, must meet on‐site with UHPD Special Events coordinator, the CSI Activities Coordinator, the organization’s advisor (if applicable), a member of the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life staff (for events by social Greek‐letter organizations), and the manager or representative of the reserved venue. The Event Stakeholder meeting will be arranged by the CSI staff.
  3. Topics covered in the meeting will include (but are not be limited to):
    1. Staffing by UH personnel
      1. Events hosted by fraternities or sororities must be staffed by a team member from the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life (this includes Graduate Assistants).
      2. Events hosted by non‐fraternity or sorority registered student organizations must be staffed by a team member from the Center for Student Involvement (this includes Graduate Assistants).
      3. Events hosted by a fee‐funded organization must be staffed by their assigned advisor.
      4. The Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs‐Student Life may waive or modify staffing requirements under special circumstances.
    2. Determining suitable security
    3. Role of the host organization in the event management
    4. Safe and appropriate use of props
    5. Establishing the facility set up
    6. Logistics for the event from set up to clean up
    7. Admission and readmission plan
    8. Approximate costs for the event including security, facilities, and any other services
    9. Maximum occupancy for the venue (see list in Article 2)

Article 4: Requirements for Admission to the Event

If only University of Houston students will be attending, then a University of Houston ID is required of all students. If individuals outside of the University of Houston are invited, then a valid government issued ID is required. Guests, outside of UH, must be at least 18 years of age or accompanied by a parent and/or guardian. The host student organization, and the staff member noted in Article 3c, will be responsible for managing access. The Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs‐Student Life may waive or modify this requirement under special circumstances.

Article 5: Advertising of an RSO Social Event

In any advertising of an RSO Social Event, the hosting organization shall use methods designed to:

  1. Invite a group of a size consistent with the established venue capacity for a Social Event. Maximum capacity for the venue must be on the advertisement.
  2. Advertising must state that attendees have to present a valid UH ID, or If individuals outside of the University of Houston are invited, then a valid government issued ID is required, and that outside of UH, must be at least 18 years of age or accompanied by a parent and/or guardian.
  3. Specify that no alcohol will be allowed or served (when applicable).
  4. Under no circumstances shall the event be advertised (includes print, digital and social media) until the CSI Activities Coordinator has finalized the Get Involved Event Registration process for the event.
  5. Failure to adhere to any of the above may result in event cancelation.

Article 6: Event Security and Safety

The role of UHPD at RSO Indoor Events is to ensure that a safe environment is provided for event participants. During the event, UHPD has the authority to require the hosting organization and UH personnel to implement additional safety precautions up to and including ending the event.

  1. In order to ensure a safe environment, hosting organizations are required to do the following:
    1. Hosting organization shall post signs at the event entrance with language that indicates that UH reserves the right to deny admittance to or remove anyone from the event. Signs provided by the Center for Student Involvement.
    2. Hosting organization must post signs provided by the Center for Student Involvement that address safety needs as determined during the planning meeting with UHPD and UH personnel. Signage may address issues such as loitering, no smoking, no standing or sitting on stairs, etc.
    3. The UHPD Special Events Coordinator and the hosting organization shall establish venue specific “loiter‐free” zones in the vicinity of the event and for appropriate time periods during and after the event.
  2. The UHPD on‐site supervisor, in consultation with the host organization and the other UH Personnel in attendance, may deny entry, or remove individual(s) who:
    1. Are obviously intoxicated or belligerent
    2. Are being materially disruptive, to include but not limited to, yelling, screaming, destruction of property, etc.
    3. Fail to cooperate with the police or host organization.
  3. Event capacity will be the responsibility of the hosting student organization. The student organization has the right to refuse admission. Maximum attendance (see Article 2) will be managed by a wrist‐banding procedure. The hosting organization will be required to request wristbands from the appropriate department (Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life for social Greek‐letter student organizations and the Center for Student Involvement for all student organizations) that will indicate the maximum number of attendees permitted in their reserved event location (see Article 2). The hosting organization cannot request more wristbands than the number of anticipated attendees on the Get Involved Event Registration Form. Each attendee will receive a wristband upon admittance to the event, which will allow wrist‐banded students the opportunity to leave and return to the location as they please throughout the event. Once all wristbands are distributed, no additional students will be allowed to enter the event.

Article 7: Registered Student Organization Accountability

Failure to comply with the Registered Student Organization Indoor Event Policy may result in event cancellation. Agreements made during the Event Stakeholder meeting (Article 3b and 3c) must be met or the event is subject to cancellation. If any unforeseen safety or security concerns arise during the event, the event is subject to cancellation.

Article 8

The Social Event Policy shall be reviewed as needed or at least once every three years by the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs‐Student Life.


*Determined on 5/26/2011 by the University of Houston Fire Marshalls using Life Safety Code, 2009 edition, NFPA 101 and reaffirmed by the University of Houston Fire Marshalls using Life Safety Code, 2009 edition on 5/1/2016