Two event approval committees have been formed to regulate safety among faculty, staff and student events due to COVID-19, one for the University and another for Student Life.

“I am heading the committee for university events approval,” Toni Young, alumni relations and university events coordinator, said. “Nick Tatum heads the committee for most of the student life events.” 

Young said that when scheduling and approving events, the aspects that are considered first are space reservations, space capacity and event approval.

“One thing is space reservations,” Young said. “We have implemented a new software that takes care of managing all spaces on campus,” Young said. “Every time a space is reserved it is in that system that way there is no double-booking. It also has to do with capacity. We have a capacity for every room and space on campus due to the COVID-19 restrictions, so our system helps manage that as well.”

Dr. Nick Tatum, director of student productions, said that all events or meetings must go to this system and provide needed information in order for the event to be approved.

“You go to the form and describe what the event is, where it will take place and how you plan to abide by COVID-19 safety restrictions,” Tatum said. “It gets shot to our committee and based off the information we will approve it or ask that some changes be made due to safety concerns.”

Due to COVID-19, Young said that the biggest priority for the committees is making sure that those in attendance are going to be safe.

Because of this, events are required to obey all of the COVID-19 restrictions such as wearing masks, social distancing and using prepackaged food.

Young and Tatum said that approval for events applies to off-campus as well.

“Any group that wants an event off-campus has to go through the COVID-19 safety approval process as well,” Tatum said. “The same guidelines apply, but an additional one we would ask from them are plans for travel to the event space. It would defeat the purpose if people wore masks and social distanced at the event but all rode in the same vehicle and didn’t practice COVID-19 safety on the way there.”

Although they will remain in place until an end to COVID-19 is seen, these committees are not permanent.

To schedule an event or meeting or approval, go to acu.edu/eventrequestform.