Programming

Planning Your Event

Assess campus and organizational needs and interests

Through group discussions, informal or even formal surveys, and other means, find out what your target audience (e.g., the campus, your members) wants, and how your organization can provide it. Basing your programs on facts about people’s interests, rather than intuition, hunches, traditions, or purely personal preferences, will greatly increase your chances for successful programming.

Choose a program

This is obvious enough, but in choosing a program, focus on its goals and how the program relates to your group’s larger goals and purposes (if it doesn’t relate much, why do it?)

Plan and Budget for Your Event

First, identify resources available for the event, including: funding within your organization; possible co-sponsors (on and off-campus); people who can help find speakers, entertainment, and supplies; and most likely locations for the event. Then, finalize the structure of the planning committee, and delegate responsibilities with clear communication and follow-up. Make sure you obtain approvals from the ABC.

You might want to consider co-sponsoring the event with another student group or with a University office. Co-sponsorship can help you raise more funds, mobilize more volunteers, and reach a wider audience. Be sure to put all agreements--most importantly, financial ones--in writing in advance, and submit a copy to Student Development & Activities Financial Services. If possible, transfer funds to your account from other accounts in advance, and obtain checks from outside organizations in advance, as well (Barnard groups’ funding should be obtained by check in advance).

If you are considering serving alcoholic beverages at your event, be sure to adhere to all provisions of the University alcohol policy, and obtain a temporary beer and wine license application through Alfred Lerner Hall - planning for events with alcohol should occur about a month in advance.

Schedule Time(s) and Location(s)

Be sure to check the academic calendar, and avoid holidays and scheduling conflicts with other groups or University programs. Book space through Alfred Lerner Hall for Lerner hall spaces, classrooms, and residence hall lounges, outside, or in other facilities. Arrange set-up, technical, and security services as far in advance as possible. You may need to finalize specifics later, but do so at least two weeks in advance.

Find and Book Speakers or Entertainment

Check with your advisor and other resources for possible entertainment or speakers, compare prices, decide on a performer, work with your advisor to contact the performer, and submit the completed contract to accounting for payment at least ten business days before the event. Meet all the terms of the contract and its rider.

Publicize the event

Use the desktop publishing center (located in the 5^th floor Club Office Space) to create flyers, and print them on campus or with vendors with which we have accounts. Delegate postering responsibilities and plan for enough time for a good advertising campaign. List your event in campus publications. Try to keep environmental considerations in mind in your publicity plans. Columbia strongly encourages using recycled and recyclable paper, and student governing boards may have specific policies requiring the use of recycled and recyclable paper.

Buy supplies, decorations, and food

Avoid handling large amounts of cash by using:

1. vendors with which we have accounts
2. purchase orders with organizations that will accept them
3. University check - submitting an invoice to Accounting two to three weeks before the purchase can help you avoid the need to use large amounts of cash.

Conduct a final review of the program

Make sure everything is set during the week preceding the event, review members’ assignments for the day of the event, assign any work still to be done, and walk through the program step-by-step to try to anticipate any potential problems. Meet with the staff of Student Development & Activities and the facility you decide to use to go over final details. Confirm with services and performers their arrival times and related information.

Run the event

Running the event should be the easiest step if you have planned well. On the day of the event, pick up checks to pay performers or services before Student Development & Activities Financial Services office closes. Arrange for someone to meet the performers and anyone providing a service for your event. Arrive early, and oversee the event from set-up through cleanup.

Evaluate and Follow Up on the Program

Here’s something that’s not done enough. Evaluations can help your planning of future events, and thank-you notes are essential for those who deserve them. Finally, be sure to account fully for all of your expenditures and income.

Event Planning Flow Chart