Student organizations and university entities frequently request funds for special programming from multiple divisions, departments, and offices at the University. In order to have one institutional response for such requests at the Presidential and Vice Presidential levels, the following policy guidelines are in effect beginning January 2005.

Process

Submit a Miami Special Events Fund Request form (opens in new tab/window) at least 8 weeks prior to the event. Your funding request should include a clear, concise budget and marketing plan. Student organizations must have the approval and consent of their organizational advisor.

All funding requests for special event programming from student organizations and university entities that are planning university-wide events should be directed to the Division of Student Life. The Dean of Students and/or the Assistant Vice President for Student Life will be responsible for reviewing and processing requests. Requests should be submitted to the Division of Student Life at least 8-weeks prior to the event.

The following are examples of events that will not be funded:

• A department brings in a speaker for a group of students with a particular major.
• An event for which revenue is anticipated to cover 50% or more of the cost or
• An event where proceeds are intended for charitable causes and revenue is likely to be less than the cost of the event.
• Political fundraising - although political speakers can be sponsored with this fund, fundraising cannot be part of the purpose.

Contracting Information

If booking a speaker or entertainer is part of your proposal, then you will need a contract. Below are some items to keep in mind about contracting at Miami University. Your contract should be completed after you have commitments for the necessary funding. Student organizations should work with the Student Activities staff during this process.

• Only authorized University staff can commit to a contract; you cannot initiate or sign an agreement that obligates your organization or the University for payment or conditions of service.
• You should not agree to a specific dollar amount or appearance conditions in your preliminary negotiations.
  • Obtain an indication of the range commonly charged,
  • agree to a tentative date for the engagement, and
  • then inform the speaker or her/his agent that an official University representative will be back in touch.
• All contracts must be reviewed and approved by the Division of Student Life and Miami University.

If you need assistance with the contract process, do not hesitate to contact the Division of Student Life for assistance.

Award Information

Once the requests have been reviewed, the student organization or university entity will receive a memo indicating that the request has been approved or not approved.

If approved, you will need to contact the Division of Student Life at 513-529-1877 for the appropriate accounting information. If the event has been canceled or funds are not used, the funds will need to be returned to (or will be retained by) the Division of Student Life. 

All events receiving funding, in whole or in part, from the fund will need to indicate that the University is a sponsor of or contributor to the event and any advertising or publications (print or electronic) must reflect a contribution from the Miami University Special Events Fund.