Committee on Lectures (COL) Event Policies

(approved and renewed 1/06/25) 

COL Event Policies and Violations

Any organization or unit that seeks COL sponsorship and/or Lectures Program assistance for event logistics, card scanning, and/or publicity must acknowledge its designated contact has read and agrees to abide by these policies. Each organization and unit is responsible for following these policies.  

  • Funding from COL for any event is not guaranteed.
  • Consistent with the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, COL reserves the right to decline to provide financial support for any event.
  • To be eligible to receive funding from COL and/or event support from the Lectures Program all policies must be followed.
  • A violation of a policy by a student or campus organization will result in a suspension of funding from COL and event support (including inclusion on the Lectures calendar) from the Lectures Program for two full academic years after the current academic year in which the violation occurred.
    • The suspension extends to any student or campus organization that has a current officer who was serving as an officer of the organization that incurred the suspension.
    • Lectures staff will provide COL with a written statement about the violation at the next-scheduled COL meeting and give the organization notice that a representative may attend to address the violation and answer any questions from COL members.
    • A simple majority vote of COL members is needed to invoke a suspension. 

Event Safety

If the Iowa State University Police Department determines that public safety officers are needed at an event, the sponsoring organization or unit must comply with ISUPD requirements, including but not limited to venue choice; restrictions on attendees bringing bags; and prohibiting signs, posters, or other materials that may block the view of other attendees. 

Consistent with the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, individuals shall be removed by public safety officials if said individuals are actively disrupting the operation of an event. 

Event Requests 

  1. Requests for funding need to come from a university-recognized student or campus organization, or university unit.
  2. Student and campus organizations must complete and submit a COL Event Request Application (ERA) (see website).
  • An application that does not include the required info (as indicated in the form) will not be presented to COL for a vote until all the required info is provided.
  • A student or campus organization must submit a completed ERA (with all required info) at least one week (7 days) before an event’s proposed date if the organization is requesting the event be placed on the Lectures calendar (and no other support is requested).
  • A student or campus organization must submit a completed ERA (with all required info) at least two weeks (14 days) before an event’s proposed date if the organization is requesting publicity and card scanning but no financial support (including event costs).
  • A student or campus organization must submit a completed ERA (with all required info) at least four weeks (28 days) before an event’s proposed date if the organization is requesting funding and/or logistical support, including but not limited to room reservations, speaker travel assistance, Event Costs, additional funding, and contract assistance from COL and the Lectures Program. 

Event Requirements

  1. At least one undergraduate student must be included in the planning and presentation of the event.
  2. The event must be free and open to the public.
  3. Ticketing and/or registration for free events is not permitted.
  4. The event must take place while classes are in session during the fall or spring semesters.
    • COL does not fund summer or winter session events.
    • Events are not held during Finals Week.
    • Events scheduled during Study Week require approval from the Provost’s Office.
  5. An organization or unit, and its individual members, must comply with campus facility-use policies, including but not limited to publicity, technology, and food and beverage restrictions.
  6. Any event receiving funding from COL must allow for a Q&A period that allows students to submit questions directly or indirectly to the speaker.
  7. Q&A monitoring via texting or at microphones will be done by Lectures Program staff.
  8. Lectures staff, at its discretion, may require alternative audience Q&A arrangements, including texting Q&A using Lectures-provided software.
    • Events held in Lee Liu Auditorium must utilize texting Q&A using Lectures-provided software.
  9. An organization or unit seeking COL funding for an event off campus must provide at least 30 days’ notice of venue location. COL reserves the right to refuse funding for off-campus events even if COL previously approved funding when the event was planned for on campus. 

Event Funding

  1. Each student and campus organization may request funding, including event costs, for one event per academic year.
  2. COL does not fund speakers who have made a public presentation on campus within the past three years.
  3. Events sponsored by a university unit or off-campus entity must cover the following costs, as needed.
    • Live streaming or hybrid option fee as set by the Memorial Union (MU) Event Management Office (EMO).
    • Speaker expenses, including travel, other transportation, hotel, and meals.
    • Event room rental, event technology costs, AV technician, and catering.
    • Other expenses that are unique to the event or required by the speaker.
  4. COL may provide up to $750 to cover Event Costs per event for a student or campus organization.
    1. Event Costs may include:
      • University Transportation shuttle to/from DSM
      • Lodging (at Gateway or Courtyard Marriott)
      • University vehicle to transport speakers around campus and Ames
      • MU room rental, AV costs, AV technician fee, and setup costs
      • Recording cost
      • Recording captioning cost
      • Expenses to cover security officers—if required/requested by ISUPD
      • Additional expenses not otherwise covered
  5. COL funding cannot be used to pay for food and beverages.
    • Exception: A meal, event, or reception with a speaker and students included in the official itinerary; may include faculty/staff but must have a majority of students attending to qualify.
    • COL does not provide funding for receptions or faculty/staff meals with speakers that do not have a student majority.  

Event Contracts

  1. If an organization or unit requests more than the designated amount for Event Costs, a university-provided contract or university-reviewed and -approved contract must be provided to Lectures Program staff before COL funding will be transferred.
    • COL reserves the right to refuse to provide funding (even funding already approved for an event) if the Lectures Program staff and/or General Counsel’s Office determine that the contract does not comply with COL policies, ISU policies, Board of Regents policies, and/or Iowa law.
  2. COL does not permit its funds to be used to pay deposits or cancelation fees.
    • Full payment via check on the day of the event or via EFT/ACH within three business days of the event will be offered in lieu of a deposit.
  3. Speakers receiving a payment of $5,000 or less will be paid using ISU-provided payment services utilizing EFT/ACH payment.
  4. Contracts may stipulate that if the event is canceled by the university that COL may reimburse nonrefundable travel expenses for the speaker as permitted by ISU policies, Board of Regents policies, and Iowa law. 

Speaker Logistics

  1. Student groups that receive funding from COL (including Event Costs) and drive a speaker must use a driver approved in the ISU Transportation system and use an ISU vehicle.
  2. An organization or unit must provide a designated person to transport a speaker to/from the lecture and any other on- or off-campus activities. 

Publicity and Promotion Policies

  1. One publicity graphic per event is allowed for university-related promotion.
  2. A student or campus organization event receiving Event Costs and/or additional funding must use the Lectures-designed graphic for all promotions on campus, student and campus organization social media, university social media, and ISU-affiliated spaces (including but not limited to CyRide, Greek houses, residence hall, and university housing).
  3. A student or campus organization or university unit that wants to design its own graphic for publicity must notify Lectures prior to the event’s COL approval vote and submit the graphic at least four weeks before the event date. The graphic will only be used if it conforms with the Lectures Program Graphics Requirements (see website).
    • An organization or unit that is not receiving COL funding (including Event Costs) for an event may design its own graphic, but the graphic must conform with the Graphics Requirements, and a file with the correct sizing must be provided for the graphic to be utilized by Lectures.
    • If an approved graphic is not submitted or revised as required by Lectures by the deadline of four weeks before the event date, Lectures will provide a graphic that must be used for all publicity and promotions as outlined in Policy 25.
  4. COL does not provide funding for individual events to be publicized on or off campus, including paid digital ads, flyers, and signboards. Lectures Program staff cannot assist student organizations with on-campus publicity.
  5. Student and campus organizations must comply with Student Engagement policies for publicity and should contact Student Engagement for assistance.
  6. An organization or unit may request advertising on the MU digital screens, but that cost (as determined by the MU EMO) will be passed on to the organization or charged to the unit.
    • A university unit must provide a worktag to charge.
    • A campus or student organization must obtain CAO approval and submit the approval email to Lectures prior to Lectures ordering the advertising.