Departments or organizations who are the primary sponsor (originator) of VIA events are responsible for leadership in venue, finance and publicity. This checklist will help ensure you are not dealing with critical details at the last minute.
____ Reserve venue. Cordier Auditorium is the preferred venue for all VIA events and can be reserved at the time of application. Contact Paula Finton in MU Conference Services to make this reservation. In the case of a scheduling conflict the Jo Young Switzer Center, upper level should be reserved. This reservation should include Hoff, Lahman and Speicher conference rooms and be set up with 360 chairs in theatre style seating.
____ Confirm travel arrangements. This may include: airfare, car rental, hotel, and meals. Guests may stay overnight on campus for free, depending on availability. Contact Paula Finton in Conference Services for reservations.
____ Review and return speaker’s contract/appearance agreement. An independent contractor agreement should be completed for any events for which university funds will be disbursed. In place of a speaker’s own contract, the Independent Contractor Agreement is available on ChetNet for use. Contracts under $2,500 can be signed by Jared Friesen or Kathrine Dwyer. Contracts over $2,500 but less than $5,000 can be signed by Mark Huntington. Any contracts over $5,000 must be reviewed and signed by Clair Knapp, CFO and Vice President for Finance. Please submit the signed copy of the contract to Kathrine Dwyer in Academic Affairs
____ If the speaker/presenter is willing to be photographed and recorded, please ask them to complete the Speaker/Presenter Release and License and return it to Kathrine Dwyer in Academic Affairs. The request to record the event should be added to your room reservation.
____ Complete the Independent Contractor payment process. Consult with the speaker/performer about payment due dates. Please plan ahead: Submit copies of the Speaker’s Contract (or Independent Contractor Agreement Form), Payment Release Form and W-9 to Human Resources for proper disbursement of funds. Contact HR with questions.
____Get your event posted. Put your event on the Manchester University online calendar. Click here, look for the blue SUBMIT AN EVENT button on the bottom left and fill in your information. After you Save, an email then goes to a member of the Strategic communications team, who will complete the update. Because details for an event might change between the time it is submitted and the actual event, please send any changes to MU_News@manchester.edu and put Calendar Change in the subject line.
_____ Handle publicity for your event. Complete the Office of Marketing’s eForm to order posters, flyers, programs, request news releases, etc. Please submit the eForm at least three weeks before the event to allow sufficient time for creation and review of your materials. You are responsible for obtaining any available press kits, photographs and bios. The VIA committee covers the cost of poster design and 25 printed posters for each event. Funds for additional promotional pieces should be considered in your event budget. The Office of Marketing can also help to post the event to social media and, in some cases, live stream the event. Note: The presenter’s contract/appearance agreement may include specific instructions and/or restrictions regarding publicity and streaming or recording the event. If you have a question, email MU_News@manchester.edu
_____Confirm event details with Conference Services. Contact Paula Finton to specify your expected technology, equipment and set-up needs. For all events in Cordier Auditorium, please request that the back half of the auditorium be roped off and that the VIA power point be played on a continuous loop at least 10 minutes prior to the event. Also, if your event includes a Q&A portion, please request microphones on the sides of the audience.
____ Confirm the introducer. Who will introduce the speaker/performance? Please notify the VIA Committee of your decision.