Reservation Guidelines

Reservation Guidelines

The guidelines and procedures outlined below are intended to streamline the event reservation and planning process, create consistent event experiences, maximize space usage, maintain the integrity of the facilities and to provide support for users of our spaces.

NOTICE: All reservation rules, policies and guidelines have been updated as of August 2024.

Review all information prior to submitting requests:
Reservation rules
Reservation confirmations, switches and cancellations
Tabling guidelines
Large space event guidelines
Food and Beverage Policy
Binghamton University and The Union Posting and chalking policies

B There account

S.A. chartered organizations, University-recognized Greek groups, department recognized student groups, faculty and staff are permitted to make room reservations through the B There website. Users are able to login with their PODS username and password. Students that wish to make requests on behalf of their student group should submit the B There Account Request Form to have their account changed (limit one account per group). All faculty and staff are automatically permitted reservation access.

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Reservation rules

Reservations are granted on a first come, first served basis. 

Groups may not hold reservations for other groups.
If you no longer need a reservation, you must cancel it on B There and allow the space to be reservable for others. If you are found to be holding a reservation for another group, both groups will risk losing B There request access.

Groups and individuals are expected to follow the guidelines listed, directives given by Union staff, as well as other applicable campus policies. Failure to adhere to these rules will result in loss of reservation privileges and cancellation of future events.

Select a reservation area to read all important rules and information:

• General rules for all reservations and events
  • Moving of any furniture items into the hallways, another room or to another building is not permitted. Items in hallways blocks general access and may create fire safety issues. Classrooms in the Union will have stickers on the floor to indicate where chairs should be placed. The chairs should be placed at those spots once your event is completed.
  • Painting is not permitted anywhere in the Union. If you are found to have painted inside the building with a fronted reservation, your group will be responsible for clean up charges incurred and will lose B There request access. 
  • Pie in the face events are not permitted anywhere inside the Union and must be held outdoors. If you are found to have held a pie in the face event inside the building with a fronted reservation, your group will be responsible for clean up charges incurred and will lose B There request access. 
  • No outside food or beverages are permitted in reserved facilities unless a Off Campus Vendor Request Form is approved by Binghamton University Dining Services.  A Waiver of Liability Form is required for any events where food is prepared for a small group such as a group potluck.
  • If any food is planned for a reservation submitted online, requestor must specify details in the "description" area on the reservation form. If a group is found serving food without obtaining the necessary permission, a warning will be issued, followed by loss of reservation privileges for a second offense.
  • All groups is responsible for any damage and the repair costs associated with it in reserved facilities. Groups must clean up after themselves (removal of food, excessive garbage, cleaning of spills) otherwise they may be subject to an excessive cleaning charge.
  • The Spine, Peace Quad, and Campus Perimeter are available to be reserved for outdoor events. Groups and individuals are permitted to freely associate in these locations without a reservation. A request must be submitted through the B There Reservation system if the event requires physical equipment, such as tables and chairs, or if the requesting group wishes to reserve a specific location to avoid being supplanted by a separate B There reservation.
    
    • An event logistics meeting with Catherine Faughnan, assistant director for The Union, is required at least ten business days prior to the event to confirm details concerning necessary equipment for the event, sound needs, food, the exact location of the outdoor event and any potential conflicts with regular academic classes or other scheduled events.
    • Outdoor events that require additional support or services from other campus departments (electrical needs, food service approval, tables, chairs, UPD, etc) should be submitted at least twenty business days ahead of the event to accommodate for additional processing time.
    • Reservation requests are not required in advance for spontaneous expressive activities.
    • If a particular expressive activity is intended as a counter-demonstration such that it is occasioned in response to another event being held simultaneously on campus, a direct event request can be made to the main Union email address — union@binghamton.edu.  The Union will attempt to accommodate the request within 24 hours.  The required logistics meeting may be waived and support or services from the campus departments may not be guaranteed for these events due to time constraints.
  • Lit candles are NOT permitted in any University facility without consent of the University.
  • Donut sales are not permitted in the Union unless through a partnership with Sodexo and Dunkin’.
  • Sales of any kind are not permitted in classroom spaces. These must be submitted under tabling.
  • The Union staff is responsible for the coordination of room set-ups in the The Union only. If a group or office needs a specific set up in any building other than the Union, please contact Facilities Management at 607-777-2226.
  • When promoting events, groups are not permitted to hang flyers on walls, windows or scatter across tables or benches. There are designated event bulletin boards throughout The Union and on all floors that are available for event promotion. 
• Room reservations in The Union

  The Union only processes requests for the following locations: 
  Union indoor spaces, the Korean Center, Peace Quad, Spine and Campus Perimeter, and tabling in both the Tillman Lobby and Library Breezeway.  All other requests are processed by other offices.

  • Rooms reserved by groups should be used for their official group purposes and not personal use (individual birthday parties, study sessions, etc).  A select group of rooms in the Classroom Wing can be reserved for study space. 
  • Student organizations can designate one person from their group for requestor access to the B There reservation system.
  • Reservation requests require up to three business days for processing. Requests are processed Monday through Friday during business hours.
  • The Union operating hours are as follows:
    • Monday – Thursday: 6 a.m.- midnight
      Friday and Saturday: 6 a.m.-1 a.m.
      Sunday: 6 a.m.- midnight
    • Weekend reservations: Any requests for events in The Union on weekends before the standard operating hours must be submitted six weeks in advance and are subject to approval by The Union Office.
• Outdoor Tabling

  

  • Spine A and Spine B have been split into 3 locations each and can be reserved for outdoor events. 
  • Groups must bring their own tables and chairs.  An overhead view of the locations can be seen above with each Spine location being separated by color:
  • Outdoor tabling is rain or shine - if it is raining on the day of your reservation, you can ask a Union staff member if you may move inside. If there are no indoor spots available, you must either table outside as planned or forfeit your reservation.
  • Pie in the face events must be hosted in the grass and on a tarp. Groups are responsible for cleaning up any and all messes left behind, or they will be subject to a clean up charge.
  • Amplified music must be kept to a minimum. The Union staff reserves the right to ask you to lower the volume or turn it off entirely if it is too loud.
  • Projectiles of any kind are not allowed (i.e. water balloons, eggs, etc.).
  • Large scale events: Larger scale events involving external vendors, a logistics meeting must be set up with Catherine Faughnan cfaughn@binghamton.edu at least 15 business days prior to event.

Reservation confirmations, switches and cancellations

• Once a reservation is confirmed, a confirmation email will be sent to the requestor specifying the request title, date, time and location. The requestor should make sure it is correct and be sure to read through the confirmation for any additional information.  
• Groups may contact other groups to request a room switch. An email that includes both parties involved in the switch must be sent to Catherine Faughnan, Assistant Director of The Union, at cfaughn@binghamton.edu. Groups should not contact faculty to propose switches or cancellations of academic classes.
• Groups may not hold reservations for other groups.
• Cancellations can be done through the Bthere website in the "My Bookings" section in the top left.   

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Tabling guidelines

S.A. chartered organizations, University recognized student & Greek groups, faculty, and staff are permitted to make tabling reservations. External organizations must be sponsored by a University recognized department or student organization and may be subject to a $75 vendor fee. Tabling requests can be submitted by visiting the B There website.

Review all information prior to submitting a tabling request.

• Must read: Tabling guidelines
  • Tables may be reserved in the Tillman Lobby of The Union and the Library Breezeway. Tabling slots can only be held from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. There is no tabling outside those hours or any tabling on the weekends. Only one table is permitted per day.
  • Reservation requests must begin at 12:00 p.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. otherwise the BThere system will state that the space cannot be reserved.
  • Groups can have up to 3 active reservations for tabling in the system with a max of 2 tabling events per week.
  • Tabling sessions must be properly identified in the "Title" section of the request, using one of these descriptive terms:
    • Information Tabling
    • Bake Sale Tabling
    • Item Sale Tabling
    • Ticket Sale Tabling

  Failure to specify this information may result in a denied request.
  
  Groups that misrepresent their tabling event (by reserving an information table and attempting to sell something during the session) will be given a warning with a second violation resulting in a loss of tabling privileges.

  • For each day in the Tillman Lobby, there may only be one bake sale table, one item sale table and one ticket sale table per time block. If you are attempting to sell an item in an informational spot, you will be asked to stop your sale immediately.
  • Item Pre-Sales or Pre-Orders must be listed as item sales. When requesting for the second tabling session to distribute the pre-sales, groups must wait until the date of the pre-sale has passed, and have the request labeled as a bake sale if the group is selling more food items at the table.
  • Acceptable items for bake sales include low-risk foods such as granola bars, brownies, cookies, cakes, breads, fruit pies, etc. Donut sales are not permitted in The Union unless through a direct partnership with the Dunkin Donuts in The Union.  Food cannot be given away for free from any table while there is a bake sale in the same location. Groups must abide by the campus Food Policy. Groups who fail to follow the policy may be asked to leave or dispose of their food sale items. 
    
    • Any good sales beyond the listed low risk items are subject to Sodexo approval. A tabling reservation willwil not be approved without this.
  • Item sales can include things like hats, mugs, water bottles, key chains, etc. Ticket sales are for student events only. When filling in the request, you must clearly state in the event description box what you are selling.

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Large event space guidelines

Review all information prior to submitting a reservation.

Large event spaces are used by all students, faculty, and staff across campus, and we ask that you respect them. 

• Must read: Large event space guidelines
  • The Union has two large event spaces - the Mandela Room and Old Union Hall.
  • Groups are permitted two requests in these spaces per semester: one week day (Monday-Thursday) and one weekend (Friday-Sunday).
  • You must meet with Catherine Faughnan at least three weeks prior to your event date to discuss logistics. Failure to schedule this meeting in the appropriate time frame may result in the cancellation of your reservation and/or room setup requests not being accommodated.
  • Please remember these are shared spaces across the entire campus! We work to maximize the success of all events. We will do our best to accommodate your desired layout requests, but please note that on occasion, edits may need to be made based on the availability of Union equipment.
  • No outside food or beverages are permitted in reserved facilities unless a meeting with Binghamton University Dining Services has occurred and all direction from them is being followed. They can be reached via email at binghamtoncatering.usa@sodexo.com or via The Catering Office at 607-777-2925.
  • If a group is found serving food without obtaining the necessary permission, a warning will be issued, followed by loss of reservation privileges for a second offense.
    Each group is responsible for any damage and the repair costs associated with it in reserved facilities.
  • Groups must clean up after themselves (removal of food, excessive garbage, cleaning of spills) otherwise they may be subject to an excessive cleaning charge.
  • Your group is responsible for draping all tables that food will be served from or eaten on. The Union does not provide linens.
  • You must remove everything that you bring in. If you throw things away, there are large garbage cans in the room that you can use.
  • Items left will be disposed of by Union staff. If a large or an excessive amount of items are left without plans for removal, the group may be subject to a removal charge.
  • Please bring your own cleaning supplies as well as some garbage bags. Do your best to clean up and dispose of things you bring if you no longer need them. If the garbage bins fill up, use the bags you bring and there is a dumpster outside the Union.
  • You cannot use or enter the room behind the Mandela room under any circumstances. This space is for Union staff only. You also cannot use the hallway behind the Old Union Hall.
  • Do not move the AV tower in Old Union Hall. You will be charged for any damage to the equipment.
  • Do not drag items across the floor. Dragging may scratch and damage the floors.
  • Do not attempt to move the stage.
  • Do not bring in any additional tables or chairs from other rooms.
  • Your reservation time is subject to be adjusted by the Union Staff in order to accommodate for room setup and cleanup. You will be notified of any changes that need to be made.
  • The Union Staff bases event set up and tear down off of your listed event run time in B There. You cannot be in the room before your reservation time while the Union staff is setting up for the event unless otherwise arranged. You will be asked to leave if your group enters and disrupts the setup.
• Must read: Decorating rules and guidelines

  If your group is found to have used any of these items or broken any of these policies, you will be subject to charges for any damage to the room and may result in loss of reservation privileges.

  • Use painters’ tape when hanging things on the walls! Do not use: pins, packaging tape, command strips, etc. These items tear paint off the walls, and may subject your group to a damage fee.
  • Do not sprinkle things on tables like glitter, confetti, sand, rice, etc.
  • No flames (open or closed)
  • Do not use body oils on stage
  • Do not throw confetti, glitter, or the other mentioned items in the air or on stage
  • Do not use smoke or fog machines
  • No paint

Make any layout change requests via email to Catherine Faughnan at cfaughn@binghamton.edu at least three days prior to the event. Last minute changes and requests in excess the day of the event may not be accommodated.

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Food and Beverage Policy

Binghamton University has a Food Policy that must be followed by all groups for tabling and other events. Binghamton University Dining Services have exclusivity on food and beverages on all campus property except for those events under $200.00 and in the case where authentic ethnic foods and support of local establishments is in the best interest of the University.

Review all food and beverage policies, rules and guidelines below.

• Must read: Food and beverage rules and guidelines
  • Groups may not sell or give away Coke products.
  • Gloves must be worn when handling food including distributing items at bake sales.
  • Food must be wrapped and/or covered until consumed or distributed.
  • Food that must be temperature controlled and not kept cold or hot must be discarded if not consumed within two hours.
  • Generally, all food and beverages served/catered in The Union must be obtained from University Dining Services or their affiliates. Exceptions include "tabling events" for the purposes of fund raising by student organizations.
    
    • Acceptable items for bake sales include "home-made" items such as granola bars, brownies, cookies, cakes, breads, fruit pies, etc. Any food items to be sold or distributed must be approved by The Union Office.
    • All food must be in complete compliance with local and state health department codes and adhere to safety and sanitation regulations.
  • Arrangements for catered food and beverages can be made through Dining Services Catering by calling 607-777-2925 or ordering online.
  • In instances where Dining Services is unable to provide the catering, Dining Services may make an exception to allow an outside caterer come on to campus — particularly where authentic ethnic foods and support of local establishments is in the best interest of the University. Any exceptions must be approved by Dining Services and The Union office or their designee. Forms can be found online at our Dining Services catering website.
  • Dining Services requires at least two weeks' notice prior to the event so catering arrangements and food orders can be met. Additional notice is preferred. Room confirmations do not guarantee catering services; sponsoring organizations must make their arrangements for catering by calling the catering office at 607-777-2925.

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Posting and Chalking Policies

All individuals looking to post in The Union are expected to comply with the University Posting policy and Union guidelines.