Campus Engagement Operations Plan

Student Organizations

Student organizations are an important part of feeling a sense of belonging and finding community on campus. Student organizations are encouraged to find ways to operate and engage their members in a way that is consistent with public health and campus guidelines.

Continued Engagement

There will be engagement opportunities this 2020-2021 academic year through student organizations, events and other activities that are planned to be held both face-to-face and virtually to help bring you together with your University of Hartford community. To see all upcoming student events and programs, visit UHart Hub.

virtual events and outdoor spaces

Registered Student Organizations are encouraged to continue to hold events remotely when possible. Student organizations should plan all recruitment efforts virtually. The Office of Student Engagement and Inclusion (OSEI) via the Student Government Association (SGA) will provide training and safety plan requirements for face-to-face events that require detailed information on setup; face-covering enforcement; cleanliness; and plans for adhering to CDC, state and University guidelines via virtual club and organizations meetings. 

Engagement will take continued creative thinking about how to maximize virtual environments and utilize outdoor spaces in accordance with physical distancing and other precautions. We will continue to explore these options as we emphasize a campus culture built around caring and personal responsibility. 

Student organizations Fair

The OSEI via the SGA will offer a virtual Student Organizations Fair and work with student organizations in assisting with opportunities to recruit new members.

Virtual Spring Club Fair

• Saturday, Feb 13, 2021
• 12:20 p.m to 2 p.m.
• Platform: Air Meet      

New engagement platform

The OSEI introduced a new student organization engagement platform called Presence this fall. This platform is designed to help student organizations with recruitment, advertising, and all parts of the management of their organizations including budget management, event registration, and organization rosters, program planning, and so much more. 

Budgets and Fundraising

Budgets

Recognized SGA organizations who submitted budgets for the 20-21 fiscal year will be able to access them in early September. With most communication accomplished virtually, please direct questions or requests to Dan Falkovich, Vice President for Finance at sgafin@hartford.edu or Susan Rocco at 860.768.4775 or srocco@hartford.edu. 

Fundraising  

Refer to tabling activities within full policy. 

Event Advertising

Distribution of print materials should be limited and University guidelines for physical distancing and personal protection must be followed.  Student publications should consider moving to online platforms. Student media organizations may operate but must adhere to all University guidelines for physical distancing and personal protection.  With respect to digital advertisements, clubs and organizations should request logos and approval of materials from the SGA Public Relations Vice President, Sarah Stroh, at prvp@hartford.edu.  Additionally, Sarah can assist organizations in designing flyers and answering all questions related to advertising. 

Student Organization Office and Other Spaces

Student organizations with office/programming space on campus will be able to utilize space; however, these organizations will need to follow University guidelines for physical distancing and personal protection. The OSEI will work directly with each of these organizations regarding capacity and use requirements. Please see office space within full policy.   

Event Tips and Tricks

Unsafe Events that may be denied:  

• All events where social distance protocols cannot be maintained. 
• Dances/ Parties 
• Contact games and competitions. 
• Events with outside guests 
• Events with exchange of supplies that require more than one touch per item. 

Event Planning Risk Assessment and Planning Checklist  

As you begin the planning process for your meetings, activities, and/or events, please use this guide to determine the level of risk associated with your activity. Understanding there are different types of activities that take place across campus, it is important to recognize that your actions and behaviors can put others at risk. Like most organizations during COVID-19, University of Hartford has established a series of policies, procedures, and guidelines for those wishing to hold activities, meetings and/or events on campus.  

  
The following checklist is for event planners who have, or are in the process of, scheduling events on the UHart campus. For the purpose of this document, the word “activities” refers to any event, meeting, or gathering that will take place on University of Hartford’s campus, and sponsored by a registered student organization, sorority or fraternity, or academic/administrative unit/department.   
  
For In-Person Activities: 

• We have explored on-line/virtual options and have determined that this activity must take place in-person. 
• Our activity does not take place off-campus. 
• Our group has reserved a space using 25Live, and has received confirmation. Registered Student
• Organizations must also register their activity on UHart Hub. 
• If our activity required additional information as part of the reservation and event registration process, I/we have completed the necessary forms, and have received final approval. 
• We have confirmed the room capacity with the scheduler and have confirmed that our activity will not exceed the capacity. There will not be more than the room capacity in attendance, including our own staff who may be working the activity. 
• There will not be food or beverages served. In addition, we have notified attendees and instructed them not to bring food or beverages to the activity. 
• Face coverings will be worn by all attendees. We have notified attendees and instructed them that they will not be permitted to enter the activity unless they are wearing appropriate face coverings. 
  We have taken the necessary precautions to ensure that attendees will be able to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing throughout the activity. 
• We have a mechanism in place to take attendance, including event date, time and location, participants first and last name, cell phone number, university email, and University identification number. Student clubs/orgs must check in event attendees using UHart Hub.   
• We have designated a Social Distancing (SD) Coordinator. The SD Coordinator will ensure that proper social distancing protocols are being met. This person must not have any other role to fill during the event and must be identified as a part of the event planners 25Live reservation request.  
  We confirm that our activity is only open to current UHart students, faculty, and staff (in compliance with the University’s Travel and Visitor Policy).  
• There will not be any outside speaker or guest attending our activity (in-person). 
• Our activity does not include any type of physical contact. 
• There will be no singing or playing of musical instruments (indoors or outdoors) in which air from a person is required to play the instrument (i.e., brass, woodwinds) unless there is 12 feet of separation and/or barriers between the musicians.  
• If our activity includes filming on campus, we have received the appropriate permissions to film or record on campus. 
• The nature of our activity complies with all University of Hartford, Connecticut State, Hartford County, and CDC policies and procedures.  

For more information on event planning at UHart, Contact the Office of Student Engagement and Inclusion for further guidance at 860.768.4283 or scasched@hartford.edu.