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Requesting a Room
If your organization or department has decided to have a meeting or other event, your next step is
going to be to request a space for the activity.
Requests for spaces at the Law Center must be submitted in writing. The timely submission of a
written request helps to insure that events run smoothly and professionally. Because there are
frequently several large events going on at the same time, and staffing resources are limited,
advanced planning and the sharing of information are crucial elements to a successful program.
Different types of events have different types of needs, and over the years different request forms
have evolved. Using the appropriate form, available from the Office of Student Life,
McDonough 171, or online at www.law.georgetown.edu/stuaff/services.html#RoomReservations,
is an integral part of the Room Reservation Procedures:
Room Reservation Request
The most commonly used form, the Room Reservation Request, is used to book Standard
Meeting Spaces (classrooms, lecture halls and conference rooms in McDonough and Hotung)
for routine meetings that are attended only by members of the Law Center community students, staff and faculty. (This form may be used for events with one or two low-profile guest
speakers if the event is closed to the general public. The guest speakers will need to be escorted
in by a member of the Law Center community, and they must sign in at the Public Safety desk.)
These sorts of routine meetings would require no additional audio visual arrangements, minimal
facilities management services and minimal custodial services.
Additionally, external catering is not to be a component of these routine meetings. This form
may be used if the event is a brown bag lunch, if pizza is served, or if there is internal catering
with minimal set up and no alcoholic beverages. The organization or department requesting the
space assumes responsibility for the clean-up of any soft drinks or food that might be brought in
by and for the meeting’s participants.
This form should not be used for Rescheduled or Make-Up Classes.
This form should be submitted at least one week prior to the event, and the requester should
allow three days for confirmation.
Special Events Request
The Special Events Request Form, which is salmon colored, is ALWAYS used to reserve the
Gewirz 12th Floor Lounge and the Gewirz TV Lounge, the Hart Auditorium in McDonough Hall,
atriums, lobbies and other public access areas, the Library Quad, Tower Green and other exterior
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areas, the Library’s 5th Floor Atrium, the Faculty Lounge in McDonough, the Faculty Dining
Room in Hotung or the Supreme Court Institute’s Moot Courtroom.1
The form is also used to reserve Standard Meeting Spaces if any of the following apply:
•
the event is attended by several outside guests, members of the general public, and/or
VIPs and high-profile individuals
•
audio visual services are required
•
substantial furniture rearrangement or extensive custodial services are required
•
external catering services are used or extensive internal catering services are used
•
alcoholic beverages are a component of the event
Standard Meeting Spaces that will be used for Special Events may only be booked by funded
departments or student organizations. Non-funded organizations’ Special Events must be cosponsored by a funded department or organization, and a member of the funded department or
organization must be an active participant in the event. External organizations must submit
requests through the office of Special Events at (202) 662-9505.
The Offices of Facilities Management or Audio Visual require additional paperwork that will
need to be completed to insure that the event is successful; this paperwork, available from the
respective offices, should be submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the event. It is the
responsibility of the requesting organization to submit this paperwork in a timely manner.
Student Organization representatives need to meet with the Coordinator of Student
Organizations, Amy Garrison, before their Special Event requests can be fully processed and
confirmed.
A member of the Journal Administration staff must sign off on a Special Events Request form
submitted on behalf of a journal.
The Special Events Request form must be submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the event.
The request may take up to two weeks to process, so it is advisable to submit this request at least
three weeks in advance of the event. Spaces cannot be placed on “hold” prior to the
submission of the Special Events Request form.
Though most internal organizations are not charged for the use of space for functions that are
directly related to the Law Center, it is possible that the organization will incur fees for Audio
Visual services and staffing, Facilities Management staffing, and Public Safety staffing. Please
check with the authorized representatives of these departments for more information.
Table Request
The Table Request form is used to reserve tables in the Chapel Area; these tables are located in
the large walkway between the St. Thomas More Chapel and the Cafeteria.
1
The Fifth Floor Atrium of the Library, the Faculty Lounge in McDonough, the Faculty Dining Room in Hotung,
and the Supreme Court Institute Moot Courtroom are not available to student organizations; these spaces are
assigned to Law Center departments only under rare circumstances.
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These tables are for internal use, Law Center related sales and the sale of law-related material.
Pending approval, these tables may be rented by bar review companies or other external
organizations in conjunction with programming they may offer at the Law Center. The tables are
not available to individuals.
Table availability is limited, and advanced planning is highly recommended.
On Wednesday of each week, tables are reserved for the exclusive use of internal organizations.
This form should be submitted at least one week prior to the event, and the requester should
allow three days for confirmation.
Rescheduled Class Notification
The Rescheduled Class Notification form is always used to schedule a “Make-Up” class, and it
may also be used to schedule a class extension.
This form should be submitted at least one week prior to the event, and the requester should
allow three days for confirmation.
Copies of this form are faxed to the Office of the Registrar and the Audio Visual Department, but
the requester should contact these departments directly if additional services are required.
Confirmations
All room requests should be considered tentative until a written confirmation is received. Please
do not publicize an event until after you have received your room assignment.
Provided the form has been filled out completely and legibly, and the booking period is open, a
confirmation of the room assignment will be emailed to your Georgetown account within three
business days.
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Room Usage Policies
General Policies
All members of the Georgetown University Law Center community - students, staff and faculty may request space at the Law Center for functions that are directly related to the Law Center,
provided such usage is consistent with the academic mission and standards of Georgetown
University.
In keeping with the academic mission of the Law Center, first priority is given to faculty for
classroom use.
On occasion, Law Center facilities may be leased to external organizations, but internal events
are generally given priority over external events.
Exceptions to the Room Reservation Policies must be approved by the Office of the Dean.
Standard Meeting Spaces: Classrooms, Lecture Halls and Seminar Rooms
Use of Standard Meeting Spaces – Classrooms, Lecture Halls and Seminar Rooms – must be
consistent with the academic mission and standards of the Georgetown University Law Center.
Requests for Standard Meeting Spaces are processed after each semester’s class schedule is in
place. Generally, the fall semester is in place by mid-August, the spring semester is in place by
mid-December and the summer semester is in place by mid-May. Requests may be submitted
about four weeks prior to the beginning of each semester.
Academic events take priority over all other activities. Because changes are sometimes made to
the class schedule, and because professors will sometimes schedule make-up classes, it may at
times be necessary to relocate or even cancel a room assigned to a non-academic event. This
happens rarely, but when it does the requestor is notified as quickly as possibly and informed of
available options.
During Orientation and “Week One,” unofficial or unrelated meetings and events can only be
scheduled after Orientation and “Week One” events have been scheduled. No additional events
may be scheduled during Commencement weekend.
During exams, Standard Meeting Spaces are reserved through the Office of the Registrar.
(Special Events spaces are booked through the Office of Student Life during exams, but usage is
heavily restricted.)
During “Week One,” all spaces are booked through the Office of J.D. Academic Services.
Events scheduled in a Standard Meeting Space must end a minimum of ten minutes prior to any
scheduled class. Events are often scheduled back-to-back; assigned spaces must be vacated at
the stated time.
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Chapel Area Tables
Table usage must be consistent with the academic mission and standards of the Georgetown
University Law Center.
A maximum of two tables may be reserved by a single organization at any given time; no more
than five tables may be in use at one time.2
Entrances to the Chapel cannot be obstructed.
Only internal organizations and departments may use tables on Wednesdays.
Tables are for internal use, Law Center related sales and sales of law related material. Tables are
not available for individual use or to raise funds for political candidates.
Special Event Spaces
Special Event Space usage must be consistent with the academic mission and standards of the
Georgetown University Law Center.
The Gewirz 12th Floor and the Gewirz TV Lounge, the Hart Auditorium in McDonough Hall,
atriums, lobbies and other public access areas, the Library Quad, Tower Green and other exterior
areas are Special Event Spaces.3
Requests for Special Event Spaces may be submitted up to a year in advance; however they
cannot be processed until after Master Calendar Events are in place, which is generally in late
March prior to the academic year. Master Calendar Events include, but are not limited to, Law
Reunion Weekend, Board of Visitors meetings, endowed lectures, CLE courses, Gilbert &
Sullivan Theater Productions, and the EJF Auction.
To allow adequate time for set-up and clean-up, Special Events are scheduled with one hour of
“padding” on each end. There must be a minimum of two hours between Special Events taking
place within the same room. More extensive events will require additional “padding” time.
Because of staffing and equipment issues, three Special Events may not take place in the same
Special Event area on the same day.
Special Event Spaces may be booked by Law Center departments and student organizations for
activities. Unfunded student organizations may be charged for services needed to support their
event. External organizations must submit requests for use of Special Events Spaces and
2
Exceptions are made for the annual EJF Silent Auction and for Health Fair.
3
The Fifth Floor Atrium of the Library, the Faculty Lounge in McDonough, the Faculty Dining Room in Hotung,
and the Supreme Court Institute Moot Courtroom are also Special Events Spaces, but usage of these rooms is
restricted and not available to student organizations; these spaces are only assigned under rare circumstances.
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Standard Meeting Spaces through the Office of Special Events at (202) 662-9505. If an event is
co-sponsored with an outside organization, the internal sponsor must make all the arrangements.
.
Unattended Display Policies
Occasionally, faculty or departments may request space to display an item. (For student requests,
see Student Art Policy, below) These unattended displays may use a variety of media. However,
displays may not be inconsistent with the educational mission of the Law Center. Displays must
have an internal, Law Center sponsor. Displays may not be obscene or in anyway disrupt classes
or regular Law Center business.
Displays are subject to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions and the Display
Committee reserves the right to determine which space is most appropriate for the display. Items
may be displayed for up to six weeks.
Before an unattended display may be approved, the sponsor must have written permission to
display from the owner. The sponsor is responsible for any needed security and any additional
cost, determined by the Department of Public Safety, may be passed on to the sponsor. Display
requests should be submitted, in writing, to the Office of Students Life at least two weeks prior
to the requested date. In some cases, the Display Committee may need to meet regarding the
request. This could add time to the approval process.
Student Art Policy
Criteria:

Art submitted for display must be original

Art may not disrupt classes or regular business operations
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Art must not be obscene
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Art must have an internal, Law Center sponsor
Display:

The display of art may be limited by the available space, size and manner of display
required

The sponsor must provide written description of the planned manner of
display/installation

The display location will be determined by the art committee

The sponsor must secure written permission to display the art from the owner

All sponsors are responsible for security and any associated costs, as determined by the
art committee
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Art may be displayed for a maximum of one semester

The art committee may require that signage identifying the art and sponsor be included
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The display may not include any form of solicitation
Approval:

The approval process can take up to three weeks, depending upon the availability of
student members of the committee. For best consideration, please submit a complete
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description of the art and address the issues outlined above. Proposals should be
submitted to the Office of Student Life.
Specific Policies for the Gewirz 12th Floor
Gewirz is a residential facility, and the safety and comfort of the students living there is the main
consideration when events are booked in this space. In general:
•
Event capacity if limited to a maximum of 150 people.
•
Dances are not permitted (dance demonstrations or performances are sometimes
permitted).
•
Kegs are not permitted.
•
Smoking is not permitted.
•
Furniture may not be removed or rearranged unless done by Facilities.
•
Events may not take place after 11:00 p.m.
•
The fire hallways and exits must remain clear of people and furniture at all times.
•
The space is not available during final exams or during reading days
•
Throughout a Special Event, consideration and respect must be given to the space and to
its residents.
•
During the summer, priority for this space is given to conferences booking residential
rooms within Gewirz
•
The Law Center Alcohol Policy must be followed at any event where alcohol is served.
This dictates that only beer and wine may be served by trained servers at on-campus
events. Alcohol should never be consumed by minors.
Specific Policies for Hart Auditorium
•
•
•
•
•
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Event capacity if limited to a maximum of 350 people.
Food and drink is not permitted in the Auditorium itself. If food and drink is served in
the lobby, organization members must be staffed at auditorium doors to ensure that all
food and drink is disposed of before entering the auditorium.
Smoking is not permitted.
Stage displays and backdrops may not interfere with the pull down audio screen.
All A/V arrangements must be pre-approved and coordinated by the Audio Visual
Department.
Items should not be moved from the back stage area, unless prior permission is granted.
Specific Policies for Exterior Areas: Tower Green and the Library Quad
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•
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For safety and security reasons, events may not take place after dark
All outdoor events must be arranged according to the Special Events policies
All outdoor events must have an approved indoor rain site
Events must end by sundown.
Music and amplified sound may only be played outdoors on Wednesdays between
3:30pm – 5:30pm, or, in some circumstances, when no classes are being held.
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•
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Displays must follow (Unattended Display Policy, above)
If security is needed, the sponsoring group must pay additional expenses
Use of this space is subject to coordination with other events taking place in the
surrounding buildings
Specific Policies for the Flegal Moot Courtroom (G108)
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Because of the equipment in this room, only faculty, funded student organizations,
funded moot court / mock trial teams, and university departments may book this space;
the seven-digit GX or RT charge number may be required with the request form
Food and drinks are not permitted in this space
You must present your Go Card to receive access at the Gewirz Front Desk; please arrive
10 minutes early to allow time to open the room.
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Policies for External Organizations
With the exception of BarBri, PMBR, Lexis Nexis, Westlaw, and the District of Columbia Bar,
external requests for use of space at the Georgetown University Law Center must be referred to
the Office of Special Events.1 Departments and faculty members who wish to book Special
Events and Special Event spaces on behalf of external organizations should also be referred to
the Office of Special Events.
External Organizations may rent Georgetown University Law Center (Law Center) facilities,
subject to availability, if:
a. the event does not conflict with a similar campus activity
b. the event is appropriate to the size of the facility
c. the event is appropriate to Law Center’s educational mission
d. the event is not in conflict with Law Center standards
External Organizations requesting use of Law Center facilities must submit a copy of their
agenda or a schedule of events.
External Organizations approved to use Law Center facilities, must also provide written evidence
of COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE at least 48 hours prior to
occupancy. The minimum limits of this insurance coverage must be in the amounts of
$1,000,000 each person, $1,000,000 each occurrence and $100,000 property damage. The
insurance policy is required to name as the insured both the individual or organization, as well as
“the President and Directors of Georgetown University and its Agents and Employees as their
interest may appear.” In addition, the University reserves the right to require limits above these
minimums when in the sole opinion of the University such higher limits are justified.
Cancellations of events due to circumstances beyond the control of Law Center (such as weather,
etc.) or because of the violation of Law Center policy are not the responsibility of Law Center.
Cancellations must be communicated in writing to the Office of Student Life 48 hours prior to
the scheduled event. External Organizations will be charged rental fees for events canceled with
less than 48 hours notice.
All advertising must be approved by the Office of Student Life prior to publication or posting.
Adherence to all Law Center policies regarding placement of publicity materials is required.
Student message boxes are for internal communication only and may not be used for the
placement of advertisement for an External Organization’s use of facilities. No advertisements
or directional information may be taped to windows, doorways or painted surfaces.
The security of any equipment or supplies brought into any area by an External Organization is
not the responsibility of Law Center. No equipment or supplies shall be left in any rented space
overnight.
1
If other bar review companies or organizations with services for law students are interested in booking space, they
must be approved first by Dean of Students Mitch Bailin and by CFO Linda Davidson.
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External Organization’s use of facilities is limited to the times and dates indicated on the reverse
of this form. Early or late occupancy is not permitted.
A damage deposit may be required at the discretion of the Law Center. Prior to their event,
External Organizations should inspect the facility and equipment provided (lectern, chairs,
tables, etc.) for damage and report any problems to the Office of Student Life. This will prevent
charges for pre-existing damage.
Clean-up is the obligation of the External Organization. Lobby and nearby areas must also be
cleaned of loose trash. A charge equal to the labor costs may be assessed if the obligation is not
met. If a particular event warrants extra facilities staff, it is at the discretion of the Director of
Housekeeping to add additional facilities personnel as required. The External Organization must
incur any additional expense for this service.
No food or beverages are to be served or brought into the Moot Courtroom. No decorations or
articles may be taped to the walls. Permanent fixtures in the rooms (draperies, blinds, lights,
etc.) may not be removed or rearranged.
If a particular event warrants extra security staff, it is at the discretion of the Director of the
Department of Public Safety to add additional security personnel as required. The External
Organization shall incur any additional expense for this service.
AudioVisual services and staffing are not included with rental fees and must be arranged
separately by calling Audio Visual Services, at (202) 662-9026. Law Center audio visual
services and staffing are not available on Sundays.
Room set-up is not included with rental fees and must be arranged separately by calling the
Facilities Management at (202) 662-9372. Law Center custodial services are not available on
Sundays.
Parking is not included with rental fees and must be arranged separately by calling the Director
of Facilities Management, at (202) 662-9330. Law Center parking services are not available on
weekends or holidays.
It is understood that an External Organization’s activity may need to be moved into another
location to accommodate a change to the Law Center class schedule or to allow for some other
Law Center event. If this should happen, the External Organization will be notified as quickly as
possible and every effort will be made to reassign the External Organization’s activity to a
comparable space.
External Organizations must have an internal host, sponsor or contact.
Internal Sponsorship of an External Organization’s Event
On rare occasions, an External Organization’s event may be sponsored by a Law Center
department, student organization or faculty member, and rental fees may be reduced or waived.
Student Organizations wishing to sponsor an External Organization must contact the Office of
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Student Life. The Student Organization members must work directly with Student Life in the
implementation of such events. The External Organization may not directly contact Student
Life. If they wish to work directly with the University, the External Organization may contact
the Office of Special Events, where they will be subject to the appropriate rental fees.
These sorts of events are considered on a case-by-case basis, and final approval of such events is
at the discretion of the Dean’s Office. All requests for fee reductions or waivers must be
submitted in writing. While rental fees may be reduced or waived, it is still possible the External
Organization will incur costs for Audio Visual Services, Facilities Management, Security or
Parking.
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