UPPS 07.03.02 - Scheduling of University Housing Facilities for Camps, Conferences, and Workshops

POLICY STATEMENTS

1. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance for decisions that affect the student housing program and support Texas State University’s mission.

2. The Department of Housing and Residential Life (DHRL) is responsible for scheduling the use of residential facilities during the summer months for university-related activities (i.e., camps, workshops, and conferences).

3. During the fall and spring semesters, DHRL provides housing for enrolled students at Texas State. The priority is to serve the incoming freshmen class; as such, all housing during the academic year is reserved first for the incoming freshman class, with some limited spaces made available for returning residents and transfer students.

DEFINITIONS

1. Summer – for the purpose of planning, defined as beginning June 1 and ending July 31 each year. Due to post-academic year cleaning and pre-academic year preparations, requests for space utilization outside of June 1 to July 31 window cannot be accommodated.

   An exemption from this timeframe may be granted for Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) grant programs in order to comply with federal guidelines for required contact hours; in those cases, time may be extended to the final day of Summer II session classes. All other groups must plan events to take place within the June to July timeframe.

2. Event – a short-term camp, conference, workshop, etc., generally lasting up to eight weeks, as delineated in Section 02.01. DHRL may only provide housing for individuals or groups who are conducting university-related business or activities on the campus.

3. Campus Sponsor – an individual or recognized campus department that undertakes responsibility for an event during the summer. All campus sponsors must have written approval from the chair or director of their department. University staff or faculty are required to co-sign reservation and contract forms on behalf of their department. That signature will obligate the department financially for any unpaid housing charges.

4. Event Planner – the main contact for the camp or conference. All decisions needing clarification will be forwarded to this individual. All paperwork will be sent to them, including contracts and invoices. They are responsible for providing the room roster, getting the contract signed, coordinating with the residence director (RD) assigned to the group, and providing payment.

5. Support Space – space for group gatherings in some residence halls (i.e., classroom and seminar rooms, small group study rooms, large meeting rooms).

PROCEDURES FOR USE OF INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ROOMS WITHIN UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALLS OR APARTMENTS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS

1. Administrative Oversight

   1. During the academic year (August to May), assignments made to individual student rooms within university-owned residence halls and apartments by fully admitted students who are enrolled at Texas State shall be made through the Housing Administrative Services (HAS) office. Students enrolled in summer sessions may also reside in university housing if they are either a continuing resident from the previous spring semester or an incoming new student who has a housing contract for the upcoming fall semester.

   2. During the summer months (June and July), a limited number of housing facilities are made available to accommodate overnight stays for groups who are participating in university-sponsored programs and activities. Requests for space shall be made through the DHRL coordinator for Summer Camps and Conferences.

2. During the summer session, the use of individual student rooms may fall into one of five categories, listed in priority order:

   1. individuals enrolled in Summer I or Summer II classes at Texas State;

   2. individuals participating in New Student Orientation (NSO) programs;

   3. individuals participating in grant-sponsored programs, directly related to the mission of Texas State;

   4. individuals participating in workshops, camps, or conferences that are sponsored by a university department or program; these types of events must serve the university mission; and

   5. individuals who are conducting academic research and who have a university sponsor.

   As the university does not operate as a hotel, requests for on-campus housing by individuals or groups who do not have a university department as a sponsor cannot be accommodated.

   For Sections 03.02 b. through e., the DHRL coordinator for Camps and Conferences shall be the contact point (see Section 04. for specific guidelines).

PROCEDURES FOR RESERVING SPACE IN UNIVERSITY HOUSING FACILITIES DURING THE SUMMER

1. Requests for either student rooms or support space are accommodated based upon the above-outlined guidelines, on a space-available basis, using several factors, including historical usage, number of rooms or halls needed, requests for physical accommodations to meet ADA compliance, and for new requests, on a first-come, first-served basis.

2. Responsibilities of campus sponsors (hereafter referred to as “sponsors”) are as follows:

   1. The sponsor will complete the necessary forms to request space in university housing facilities and will need to complete and agree to all terms in an event contract form for any and all requested spaces (information can be found on the Camps and Conferences/Guest Housing webpage).

   2. Athletic-Related Camps – Requests that involve sports camps, cheer and dance camps, etc., should begin the reservation process with the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) at Texas State. The DIA liaison to the DHRL coordinator for Camps and Conferences will submit completed forms, as outlined in Section 04.02 a. The DIA liaison will be responsible for coordinating requests for usage of other non-housing-related support spaces (e.g., fields, gymnasiums, etc.).

   3. NSO (Summer) Program – Requests for space that involves Texas State’s NSO program should begin with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The Admissions staff liaison to housing will submit completed forms, as outlined in Section 04.02 a. The Admissions staff liaison will be responsible for coordinating requests for usage of other, non-housing related spaces (e.g., LBJ Student Center, classrooms, etc.).

   4. The event planner will be responsible for completing all information requested on the form. The completed forms will be filed with DHRL a minimum number of days prior to the opening day of the event, as outlined in the contract. All requests received will be reviewed and confirmed by DHRL to determine space availability and final location assignment.

   5. The event planner will be responsible for providing a participant guarantee number, no less than 30 days prior to the event. That guarantee number will be the minimum number used for billing purposes. An additional percentage of the final bed count will be added and prepared. Billing for the additional beds used will be based upon the original contracted per-bed dollar amount; any beds used above the amount set aside will be charged at an increased rate above the contracted per-bed dollar amount. In some cases, DHRL will not be able to accommodate last minute excessive participants; if that occurs, the event planner will be responsible for communicating with those participants for whom no space is available.

   6. Post-event, the event planner will complete a program evaluation form, supplied by the DHRL coordinator for Camps and Conferences, within five working days after conclusion of the event. This form, or a comparable survey instrument, will be filed with DHRL. Copies of the evaluation will be provided to DIA or NSO, as needed, depending upon the event planner, in addition to the director of Auxiliary Services, for feedback on dining.

   7. The event planner is required to provide adequate supervision for all participants residing in university residence halls and apartments. The recommended ratios are one counselor per 10 students through age 12, one counselor per 15 students who are 13 years or older, or one counselor per 40 participants if the participants are adults.

   8. All university policies and procedures are to be adhered to by all visiting groups, including UPPS No. 01.04.41, Protection of Minors and Reporting Abuse Policy.

3. Responsibilities of DHRL:

   1. ensure that events and participants do not conflict with the regular academic functions of the university;

   2. receive and immediately review all submitted forms for completion and for preliminary approval of dates and tentative assignment of facilities. All requests will be reviewed and confirmed subject to space availability;

   3. distribute copies of submitted forms to, and confer with, Auxiliary Services, Dining Services, University Police, and other campus offices to determine factors in location assignment process; and distribute final list of all groups staying in university housing;

   4. confirm that meal service contracts have been completed, signed, and submitted to Auxiliary Services and Dining Services;

   5. ensure that event groups comply with the University Food Service Contract, which states that all event attendees staying in university housing facilities are required to utilize the services provided by the dining contractor, unless attendees are at an on off-campus location during the meal period;

   6. provide additional cleaning services for a fee, or specific instructions on self-cleaning expectations to avoid a cleaning fee if the option is selected by event groups to have one meal catered by an approved off-campus caterer. It is the responsibility of the event planner to make all arrangements in compliance with university policy. DHRL will assist the sponsor in identifying campus resources to learn more about compliance;

   7. Small adult groups and other special groups may be exempt from dining requirements, as approved by the director of Auxiliary Services; however, only one meal may be catered. All other meals must be taken at off-campus locations, or may be purchased by each individual at an on-campus locations;

   8. receive and review the participant guarantee number from each event planner; ensure that all spaces have been prepared, including 10 percent more beds; and ensure that the event planner adheres to and understands the billing consequences of both over- and under-occupancy, as well as the space limitations should the number exceed more than 10 percent. In some cases, DHRL will not be able to accommodate last minute excessive participants; if that occurs, the event planner will be responsible for communicating with those participants for whom no space is available;

   9. hire, train, and schedule appropriate full-time and student-support staff for each event;

   10. serve as a liaison between the sponsor and Auxiliary Services, Dining Services, University Police, Transportation and Parking Services, and the LBJ Student Center Reservations office;

   11. coordinate access card requirements for residence hall exterior entrance access (including notification to the Access Services office staff), distribution, and collection of all cards. Charges for lost cards or cards that are not returned will occur at the end of the event and will be added to the final invoice. DHRL will not bill individual participants who are part of a centrally-billed event; and

   12. work with each event planner to coordinate the distribution of individual room keys. Any keys lost or not returned will require a lock change; charges for lost keys or keys that are not returned will occur at the end of the event and will be added to the final invoice. DHRL will not bill individual participants who are part of a centrally-billed event.

PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING NO-COST OR REDUCED-COST HOUSING

1. Each year, a specified number of beds are made available to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) to provide no-cost or reduced-cost housing for activities that are grant-funded and are in support of the university’s mission for research.

   1. No-Cost Beds – The President’s Cabinet has designated that up to 90 rooms (180 beds) per night at no-cost will be provided in the residence halls for grant sponsored activities in the summer. (A private room is considered as two bed spaces and will only be available if space permits). A total of 11,000 bed-nights is available each summer; all requests, approval, and allocation of the beds shall be coordinated jointly by the ORSP and DHRL. ORSP will notify DHRL of those groups who will receive no-cost beds. Any beds over the limit will be billed at the reduced-cost bed rate (see Section 05.01 b.)

   2. Reduced-Cost Beds – Other ORSP-approved, grant-funded activities may qualify for reduced-cost beds.

   3. ORSP will submit a list of those grant-sponsored groups that have been approved and will be utilizing the no-cost or reduced-cost beds and the total number of beds needed by May 1 each year to the DHRL coordinator for Camps and Conferences.

   4. DHRL and the ORSP will keep records of beds requested and utilized each year.

PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING SUPPORT SPACE IN RESIDENCE HALLS DURING THE SUMMER

1. During the summer, the use of support space within a residence hall may be available to academic programs, workshops, conferences, or camps. Requests for reservations may be made for only the timeframe of June 1 to July 31 of each summer. Due to post-academic year cleaning and pre-academic year preparations, requests for space utilization outside of June 1 to July 31 cannot be accommodated.

2. A list of support spaces and affiliated costs is provided on the Camps and Conferences/Guest Housing website. Requests for use of support space may be made via the DHRL coordinator for Camps and Conferences. Some fees for usage may be required, depending upon whether the requesting group or department is also utilizing and paying for student rooms at the same time.

REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS

1. Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:

   Position	Date
   Director, Department of Housing & Residential Life	November 1 E4Y
   Director, Auxiliary Services	November 1 E4Y
   Associate Vice President for Research & Federal Relations	November 1 E4Y

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Director of Housing and Residential Life; senior reviewer of this UPPS

Associate Vice President for Student Success and Dean of Students

Vice President for Student Success

President