Student Event Policy

This policy covers student-sponsored events. All student led/student sponsored events must be registered with the Office of Student Involvement. All requests, with the exception of Woodframe parties, must be through a WSA recognized student group.

Senior woodframe parties is a separate registration process through the Office of Residential Life. You can find more information on their website.

Specifically excluded from this policy are meetings and rehearsals, organized by student groups and limited to Wesleyan students.  Students may make reservations for meetings and rehearsals in WesNest at least three business days in advance.

To determine if an event is high or low risk, any combination of the following factors may be used:

High Risk:

• An estimated 150 people in attendance for a residential or non-residential space.
• The event will be open to any persons who are not Wesleyan students.
• The event is co-sponsored / co-hosted with an off campus organization.
• An artist(s) / speaker with a large following and/or is considered controversial is performing.
• Attendees may arrive to the event under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs.
• There is an expectation for attendees to be lively participants of the event, no formal agenda or program planned.

Low Risk:

• Less than 150 people estimated for attendance in a residential or non-residential space.
• The venue has fixed seating.
• Closed organizational meetings, events are limited to only Wesleyan students.
• The intention of the event is for educational, rather than social, purposes. 

Events Levels: 

All events fall under one of the three templates outlined below. 

Level 1: 

Level 1 events are defined as small-scale, low risk, campus events where less than 150 Wesleyan students will be present and no outside guests are permitted. The student group hosting the event must submit and register the event through WesNest no less than 14 business days in advance Examples of small-scale events are lectures, movies, or coffee houses. 

Level 2: 

Level 2 events are defined as medium-scale, higher risk, campus events at which 150 people or less will be in attendance. These events may or may not have guests and security may be required. Examples of level 2 events are after parties or a dance showcase/performance. The student group hosting the event must submit and register the event through WesNest no less than 14 business days in advance. 

Level 3: 

Level 3 events are defined as large-scale, very high risk, campus wide events where 150 or more attendees are expected to be in attendance. Depending on the event, guests may, or may not, be permitted. These events typically require security presence. Examples of level 3 events are parties in collaboration with an outside organization or a concert with an artist who has a large following. The student group hosting the event, must register and submit the event through WesNest and meet with a professional staff member in the Office of Student Involvement to discuss logistics no less than 30 days prior to the event date. Certain events will require the use of wristbands, which the Office of Student Involvement can supply. If the event is open to other colleges, the Office of Student Involvement will need to approve prior to advertising the event on other campuses. 

Events happen in the following spaces: 

Program Houses: Student groups interested in having events in Program Houses should work with a Program House resident for their event. The Program House resident will meet with the House Manager for further details and will take on the role and responsibilities of Event Host. Residents of Program Houses have been added as Event Coordinators within their respective residential spaces and should be the ones submitting an event request and listing the student club or organization as the co-host to start the process. Any event requests submitted by non-house members will be declined.

Classrooms (ex. Fisk, PAC, Exley)

Usdan (includes Huss Courtyard and Lawn)

Fayerweather (Beckham Hall and practice rooms)

Russell House

Allbritton

Foss Hill

Memorial Chapel

Zelnick Pavilion

CFA's Ring Family Performing Arts Theater

General Guidelines: 

This policy is in effect throughout the year. 

Student events must be sponsored by a WSA recognized Student Organization. Event hosts must be present throughout the event and maintain the safety of the space and attendees. Wesleyan Public Safety has the discretion to return any event to its permitted capacity or end events when they are out of compliance or after receiving two complaints about noise or unsafe behavior.  The group is responsible for cleaning up after the event.  Failure to adhere to the guidelines in the policy may result in judicial referrals or fines. 

Guest Policy 

In addition to the Guest Policy posted in the Student Handbook, guests must arrive to events with their Wesleyan host and carry with them picture identification.  Event hosts will collect the guest’s ID along with the Wesleyan host’s Wes ID and will hold these while they are attending the event.  

Quiet Hours: 

The right of residents to study and sleep takes precedence over the right to make noise that disturbs others. When “Quiet Hours” are in effect, all noise should be kept at a minimal level and not be heard outside the room, unit, or building. All students are expected to respect the rights of others.

Quiet Hours are uniform throughout campus:
Sunday– Thursday:          11 p.m. – 8 a.m.
Friday– Saturday:            1 a.m. – 10 a.m.

At all other times, students are expected to observe “Courtesy Hours” and be mindful to ensure that noise levels do not interfere with or negatively impact other students or the surrounding community. Courtesy hours are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If another person asks you to control the noise level, regardless of the time of day, you are expected to comply with the request.

During reading period and final exam periods “Quiet Hours” are in effect 24-hours. Beginning at 11:59 P.M. on the last day of classes through the last day of finals, twenty-four hour “Quiet Hours” are in effect in all residences. The last day to hold an event is the last day of classes each semester, the event must end by 11:59pm. Events will not be approved during break periods.

Sound Guidelines for Outdoor Events: 

Amplified sound before 5pm is not allowed Monday-Friday, or prior to 11am on Saturday & Sunday.

Any amplified sound that is approved Sunday-Thursday in the center of campus may be approved until 10pm, on the periphery of campus it may be approved until 9pm barring any noise complaints which could result in an earlier end time.

Any amplified sound that is approved Friday and Saturday anywhere on campus may not continue later than 11pm in the center of campus and 10pm on the periphery of campus barring any noise complaints. 

Orientation:

Due to the numerous events provided to encourage a shared experience during New Student Orientation, events may not take place until the second week of class.

Registering an event: 

All events must be registered through WesNest. Please refer to the event levels for deadlines for submission.  Events that involve any external artist or a paid vendor (ex. band or inflatable) must follow the specific WSA contract guidelines.

No Alcohol or Drugs at Events:

All student clubs and organizations' events are alcohol-free. No alcohol or drugs are to be present in any student group hosted event.

Advertising Guidelines: 

Any form of off campus advertising is prohibited without the approval of the Office of Student Involvement. This includes radio, internet, television, public social media pages, and newspaper advertisements. All advertising should clearly indicate the name of the host organization(s), date of the event, starting and ending times, location, name of the event, maximum capacity of the event location, and entrance fee/ID requirements. Alcohol may not, in any context, be the central focus of any event and should not be advertised as such.

Updated January 2024.