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Planning parties is a partnership between the University and student leaders to make fun and safe social experiences a part of campus life. Following these steps can help you avoid negligence and reduce your individual and group liability in the event of an incident.
Getting Started with Parties
In order to submit parties for approval, you must attend a party planning workshop and review the Party Planning Guide. This will give you the background to plan parties.
Understand Party Categories
Party levels have changed for 2009-2010. Make sure you understand the new categories.
We have modified the system to be more consistent and descriptive with each category. We’ve also added a new party category Please review this chart to learn about the current system.
Party Levels Model for 2009 - 2010
Notes:
- Unlimited capacity means that occupancy is set by the venue’s capacity. It is up to the host of the party to enforce occupancy loads.
- Security needs must be determined by the nature of the event in consultation with Public Safety and Student Activities and Leadership (SAL).
What is Your Party Category?
Following are key requirements only. For complete requirements see Stanford’s Party Planning Guide or consult appropriate University Staff.
* Capacity is set by the venue’s occupancy load. It is the responsibility of the host of the party to enforce capacity.
| What category is my party? | Who do I want to invite? | What is its anticipated party size? | Where do I plan to hold my party? * | How far in advance do I need to register online? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEMBERS | Organization member with no more than 1 guest per member at the event. |
|
Indoor Location | 3 Days |
| INVITE ONLY | Organization member with no more than 3 guests per member on the invite list. |
|
Indoor Location and Adjoining Outdoor Spaces | 7 Days |
| ALL CAMPUS | Stanford Students |
|
1) Indoor Location 2) Outdoor Location |
1) 14 Days 2) 30 Days |
| OFF-CAMPUS | Stanford Students |
|
Off-Campus Locations outside 10 mile radius may require prior consultation. |
21 Days |
| STANFORD & OTHER COLLEGES | Stanford Students & Other Current College Students |
|
Limited on campus spaces permitted inc. Tresidder, Elliott, Clubhouse and Bechtel. | 30 Days |
Planning for Your Party - Key Requirements by Party Category at a Glance
The following are key requirements only. For complete requirements see Stanford’s Party Planning Guide.
| Category | Types of Alcohol Permitted | Advertising on |
Banners/Flyers |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEMBERS | Beer, Wine and Mixed Drinks | Secret Stanford Network |
None. Email/Facebook only |
| INVITE ONLY | Beer and Wine | Secret Stanford Network |
None. Email/Facebook only |
| ALL CAMPUS | Beer and Wine | Closed Stanford Network |
On Campus Only |
| OFF-CAMPUS | Beer, Wine and Mixed Drinks | Closed Stanford Network |
On Campus Only |
| STANFORD & OTHER COLLEGES | Beer and Wine | Closed College Friends |
Permitted at other colleges with prior University approval |
Registration Process
Submit a detailed party registration with sufficient lead time.
To register your party, create and submit a new event in myGroups2. Only students that have attended the Party Planning Workshop will be able to submit party requests. Some tips to speed up the registration process:
- Be sure to enter the theme of your party.
- For risk reduction reasons, we will not approve any of the following:
- Parties involving drinking games
- Themes with an alcohol focus
- Concurrent parties of different categories (party within a party)
- “Pre-parties”
- Progressive parties
- Parties longer than 4 hours
- Enter start and end time of your party.
- Parties Sunday - Thursday must end by 11:00 PM.
- Parties Friday or Saturday must end by 1:00 AM.
- Be sure the expected attendance of your party does not exceed the capacity of your location.
- Review which types of alcohol are allowed for your category of party.
- If a high-profile band/DJ will be coming, allow a one-month lead-time.
Alcohol Safety
- Determine the number of points of service. We recommend no more than two.
- Someone 21 or older must serve all drinks and only to people 21 and older.
- Equally attractive non-alcoholic beverages (EANABS) are required at all parties.
Themes and Publicity
- Consider your community when selecting a theme.
- Brainstorm what types of publicity you will be doing.
- Review the “Advertising Strategies on Facebook” column on the above table.
- Think of ways to advertise sustainably.
Fire Safety
- Know the occupant loads in each room. It is your group’s responsibility not to exceed the load.
- Fog machines and tiki torches are prohibited because they set off fire alarms.
- Elaborate indoor decorations require treatment with fire retardant. The Fire Marshal’s Office sells this at wholesale cost.
- If the fire alarm goes off during your party, stop the party and help your guests evacuate.
- General information about fire safety and events
Public Safety
- Security needs are determined based on the nature of the event by Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS), in conjunction with Residential Education and Student Activities and Leadership.
- Create a plan to address security, including roles for your members throughout the party.
- Prior to starting the party, remind residents of the space to lock all their doors and windows.
- General information about public safety and event planning
Contracts
- Always use a contract when you are contracting any type of service.
- Sign the contract using your group’s name (not an individual's).
- See a SAL staff member to co-sign the contract if the amount required is over $500.
- Requirements and tips for negotiating contracts
Sustainability Tips
- Use sustainable/reusable materials (example: recyclable cups from the Green Store).
- Provide proper waste receptacles (recycling and compost bins, if possible).
- Use electronic advertising and print publicity materials on scrap paper.
- Provide organic and local food and drinks.
- Serve condiments and beverages in bulk rather than in individual packages.
