Event Scheduling Policy

Until further notice, Washburn Law is unable
to take room reservation requests from OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS.
We are sorry for any inconvenience.

The law school attempts to accommodate as many law school events as possible while also avoiding scheduling conflicts and ensuring an audience for speakers, especially those who are from outside the law school.

1. Scheduling of classes and class events always takes first priority. Other than that, events are scheduled on a first come/first served basis.
2. The Scheduling Coordinator will deny requests if:
   1. The requested room is already reserved;
   2. The event involves an outside speaker and there are already two events with outside speakers scheduled at that time;
   3. The event is expected to draw the same audience as an event already scheduled at the same time;
   4. The event is requested for a time during Reading Days or Final Exams; or
   5. The event is otherwise inappropriate at that place or time.
3. Library study rooms may be reserved by students or study groups under the rules and process outlined at https://www.washburnlaw.edu/library/services/studyrooms.html.
4. Students may not otherwise reserve non-library rooms for purpose of study or study groups, or for other reasons not considered an organization event.
   1. Students and study groups are free to use unreserved rooms in the building at their convenience on a first-come/first-served basis.
   2. Professionalism Group Leaders and Academic Fellows may reserve rooms as necessary under their duties to the Professionalism Program and the Academic Support Program.
5. Flexibility for Unanticipated Opportunities or Topics:
   1. From time to time, there will be unexpected opportunities on short notice for notable speakers to visit Washburn Law, or for an urgent topic to be addressed. When this occurs, the person seeking the scheduling may contact the scheduler of the conflicting event, explaining the unanticipated opportunity and inquiring whether the previously scheduled event might be rescheduled. If the original scheduler agrees to reschedule, that original scheduler should contact the Scheduling Coordinator via donna.vilander@washburn.edu and request that the time and space be given to the later scheduler. It is reasonable for the original scheduler to require as part of the agreement that the later scheduler make the original scheduler whole for any costs associated with rescheduling the first event.
   2. If the original scheduler denies the request, the matter is at an end unless the speaker or the topic is deemed to be of such magnitude or urgency that the Dean or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs contacts the original scheduler and the Scheduling Coordinator and either postpones the originally scheduled event or allows an exception to the policy so that the Scheduling Coordinator may schedule both events.
6. How to Schedule Events
   1. Schedule events as soon as possible. Some times and spaces may be reserved as much as a year in advance (at the law school, on campus, and in the community).
   2. If the event is expected to involve outside speakers or a large audience, notify Shawn Leisinger, Donna Vilander, and Tammy King of your intentions, to prevent speaker/topic/event overlap. Their email addresses are: shawn.leisinger@washburn.edu; donna.vilander@washburn.edu; tammy.king1@washburn.edu. Also consider exploring the possibility of jointly sponsoring the event with a Center of Excellence or with the PDO to decrease cost and increase attendance.
      • DURING COVID: Speakers and other members of the audience must follow any current Covid policy at https://washburnlaw.edu/covidregulations.
   3. Check the calendar at https://washburnlaw.resourcescheduler.net/rsevents/eventcal.asp
      Verify that the time and space you want has not already been reserved.
   4. Assuming the time and space you want is available, review other events scheduled at that time and see if there is a conflict. In particular, determine if your event might draw the same audience as an event that is already scheduled.
   5. If the time and space still looks good to you, request the space by filling out the form at https://washburnlaw.edu/scheduleevent.
      You will receive an e-mail confirmation of the space, or a message explaining why the space cannot be reserved. It is important to make reservations through the form on this link, for several reasons:
      • Staff members are assigned to fill in as back-up to the Scheduling Coordinator for this procedure, so your request will be processed quickly even when the primary scheduling coordinator is gone. Requests made via e-mail or phone will not be handled until the primary coordinator returns;
      • It allows the Scheduling Coordinator to process requests in a fair, careful, and logical manner;
      • The Scheduling Coordinator will use the information on the form to notify faculty and staff of the event in their newsletter, if appropriate; and
      • It protects you from later claims on the space by giving proof of when the request was made and when it was granted. Be aware, however, that making a reservation for something like "student organization meeting" is NOT a proper reservation for something that turns into a big event with a speaker. You must give as detailed a description of the event as possible, along with the best estimate possible of the number attending the event in order to be protected from being "bumped" by a later properly detailed reservation.
   6. After the Scheduling Coordinator has notified you that space has been reserved, double-check the calendar for accuracy.
   7. Once you have a time and place reserved and have checked the calendar, you can contact any speaker(s). It is important not to lock in speakers for a time and place before the time and space is reserved. If the speaker is not able to attend on the date you have reserved, ask the speaker for several dates that would work for the speaker and say you will get back with the speaker as soon as you have reserved a time and space for one of those dates.
   8. If your event is to be held outside the law school building (elsewhere on campus or in the community), you should still use the scheduling form. Put the location of the event in the "Special Requests" box. The Scheduling Coordinator will include the event in the faculty and staff newsletter so that they can avoid scheduling conflicting events.
7. How to Cancel Reservations
   It is very important to cancel reservations for rooms when you learn they will not be needed (class cancelled, meeting moved, etc.). Cancel reservations by sending an e-mail to donna.vilander@washburn.edu.
8. Other information
   1. Student Organizations Planning on Showing a Film: Unless the "fair use" exception applies, organizations wishing to show a film are legally required to get a "PPR" (Public Performance Rights) license. A good overview of when "fair use" applies so that a PPR license is not required is https://guides.uflib.ufl.edu/copyright/video. A good rule of thumb is that if the film is being shown for entertainment purposes, a PPR license is required.
      • Some films, primarily documentaries, have PPR licenses built into the purchase price of the film. Barb Ginzburg (barbara.ginzburg@washburn.edu) in the law library can direct students to the limited number of movies currently owned that contain such PPR licenses.
      • Two efficient methods for organizations to lease a film with PPR licensing is through https://www.criterionpicusa.com/our-markets/college-campus-films or https://www.mplc.org
      • Please see Washburn University copyright policy at https://www.washburn.edu/statements-disclosures/copyright/index.html. Specific questions may be sent to the university copyright committee at copyright@washburn.edu.
   2. Student organizations should offer a Zoom link for presentations where a speaker is of interest to students participating in Third Year Anywhere™.
   3. If your organization would like to invite a speaker who is an elected official or a candidate for public office, you must receive approval first from Dean Leisinger.
   4. Reserving same place and time for multiple weeks: If you need to reserve the same place and time for multiple weeks, just put that information in the "Special Requests" box and Ms. Vilander will make the multiple reservations if the space is available. Be sure to put the exact end date (for example, don't just say "until the end of the semester").
   5. Reservations only taken for one semester: Multiple reservations will not be made for more than one semester at a time, and many single events may not be guaranteed a reservation outside the current semester. You should still put outside events on the calendar as early as possible, however, so that others can plan around it if possible (for example, putting "Barristers Ball" at the Country Club in the "Special Requests" box on the calendar).
   6. The Faculty Reading Room, the Robing Room, and the Kansas Room are typically not available for student-sponsored events or meetings. Rooms 321 and 327 are not available for student-sponsored events or meetings from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.
   7. The Commons (pit) needs to be reserved for big events (for example, blood drive). Tabling over the noon hour does not generally require reservations; an organization can use an available table. Be advised, though, that the three "prime" tables facing the stairs by Room 106 can be reserved through the scheduling form (see Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3 options in drop-down menu).
   8. Contact Director Grau and Dean Lowry at least a week in advance if you are having a big event where tables need to be set up or moved. Their email addresses are: shelby.grau@washburn.edu; jalen.lowry@washburn.edu.
   9. Events over the noon hour are generally scheduled for 12:15-1:15 p.m. Be sure to let speakers and the audience know the beginning and the anticipated end time.
   10. Events should be advertised through the WSBA Newsletter, with submissions by 6:00 p.m. on Fridays appearing in that weekend's edition. Submit to wsbanewsletter@washburnlaw.edu. Events may also be advertised by posters affixed to your organization bulletin board and to the metal doors of the law school by magnets. If you need color posters made, send them to Karli Davis, Director of Marketing, at karli.davis@washburn.edu and she can make you up to four color copies of the poster.
   11. Be sure to offer speakers food and water, and send a thank you after.
   12. Speakers should complete and sign a photo release form: https://washburnlaw.edu/students/forms/_docs/photorelease.pdf and return to marketing@washburnlaw.edu.
   13. If your event involves food, let custodians know in advance so that appropriate trash containers can be provided. Make sure your event ends in time for you to clean tables and remove all food and trash from the classroom.
   14. With few exceptions, all food for events must be ordered through Chartwells (see https://washburnlaw.edu/students/organizations/funding/index.html).
   15. In the event of a spill please immediately contact one of the custodians (they can often be found in the room right next to the room 100 north door) or alert Donna McMurry in the Dean's Office or Director Grau in room 331A.

Updated March 3, 2023.

Short URL for this page:
https://washburnlaw.edu/eventscheduling