In-Person Event Guidelines - COVID

The Student Union is dedicated to ensuring the safety of all students, faculty, staff, and invited guests. A number of new guidelines and processes have been implemented to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus and promote healthy best practices for all events and visitors of the Student Union. The following guidelines and processes are designed to assist you in planning an upcoming event and what to expect when visiting the Student Union Building.

Boise State drew on a wide range of resources in developing the Campus reintegration guidelines. This includes guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Idaho Governor’s Office, Idaho Central District Health, the Idaho State Board of Education, and other government agencies and professional organizations.

The Student Union has established enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols that meet, and in many cases exceed, Boise State’s Reintegration Sub-Committee on Disinfection Protocols and Supplies. Cleaning protocols and frequency have increased with an emphasis on highly visited and high touch areas such as restrooms, elevators, handrails, and door handles. The campus utilizes cleaning and disinfectant products that meet EPA guidelines for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

* Note: Classes and dining are considered essential and may operate outside the guidelines with approval from Boise State Reintegration Committees.

Indoor meeting and event space are prioritized for academic course delivery, student recruitment and retention efforts, and student engagement activities. Therefore, ballrooms and large event spaces may not be available to host in-person events. Boise State is encouraging university departments and student organizations to leverage remote technology to re-imagine and conduct traditional face-to-face meetings, conferences, and events as virtual experiences until further notice.

Facial coverings are required for all event attendees including students, staff, faculty, and invited guests while indoors, and outdoors when continuous physical distancing of 6 feet cannot be achieved.

Event attendees must observe proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette (i.e., no hand shaking, cough or sneeze into a tissue, wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, etc.).

Event attendees must maintain the minimum 6 feet physical distance between one another at all times while on campus and will comply with current university, local and/or state guidelines attendance limitations.

• Local, state, and federal limits on attendees will be enforced. *Please note that support staff such as AV technicians, catering, etc. must be included in the total number of attendees.  The number of support staff is determined by the service provider based upon services requested by the event organizer and is not subject to reduction.

Room and facility rentals for third party non-university groups have been suspended through the 2020 calendar year, with limited exceptions.

Costs associated with procurement and utilization of personal protective equipment and sanitization products (hand sanitizer, facial tissues, complimentary face coverings) are the responsibility of the event organizer.

All events will be required to utilize standard setups or room configurations that are pre-determined for classroom utilization. Other configurations require permission from Student Union Administration.

All reservation inquiries not requesting services (AV, Catering, Parking, etc) must be received seven (7) days prior to the event (not counting the event date). All other event timelines remain consistent with University Event Services reservation timelines.

Based on event details and the CDC Level of Risk, Boise State may require a safety plan for Covid-19 mitigation measures.

To limit exposure, University Event Services (UES) will not enter the event space, unless previously agreed upon, until the event has concluded to collect trash, clean surfaces, and prepare for the next event or academic use. Depending on the event space the UES Operations team will need 60 minutes at a minimum in between each event for cleaning.

Catering options and approvals for food services will be extremely limited until further notice. Please see our COVID menu for further details.

If food or beverage are being provided, all items must be individually packaged.

If food or beverage are being provided by an approved caterer other than Aramark, a Catering Exemption Request must be submitted and approved a minimum of 14 days prior to your event date.

If food or beverage are being provided, all event participants will be required to extend physical distance to a minimum of 10 feet apart during consumption.

UES will deliver clean and sanitized event equipment to the outdoor location. The event organizer can request UES labor to set up equipment for an additional fee. The event organizer is responsible for cleaning the event equipment between event transitions. UES will clean and pick up event equipment at the conclusion of the event.

• If the event equipment request exceeds UES inventory, the event organizer will need to contract with a 3rd party vendor approved to perform services on the Boise State campus through provision and approval of a certificate of insurance meeting or exceeding the university’s risk requirements. UES will no longer mix university-owned equipment with 3rd party vendor-supplied equipment.
• UES event equipment should be set to allow for physical distancing. (Examples: 2 people per round table; 1-2 people per 6 foot rectangle table; 6 feet between chairs and between bistro tables)

To secure Facilities and Operations services (i.e. sprinklers, feather flags, porter service, and electricity) requests need to be requested with your Event Coordinator at least 14 days prior to the event (not counting the event day).

Event organizers hosting events outdoors may need to secure Porta Potties (1 per 75 persons) or request a facility be open for bathroom use. Requests for facility restrooms and bathroom cleaning must be made through your Event Coordinator no later than 14 days prior to the event (not counting the event day).

Event organizers will be responsible for providing their own hand sanitizer, handwashing stations, and/or masks for event attendees.

Event organizers will also need to provide signage and ensure clear pathways for ingress/egress to and from the event space and inside the event.

• Use signs, tape marks, or other visual cues such as decals or colored tape on the floor, placed 6 feet apart, to indicate where to stand when physical barriers are not possible.
  • Event organizers are to consult UES to ensure adhesives and other materials are non-marking and non-marring.

Amplified Sound is prohibited during regular class schedule, Monday- Friday 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.

• Any requests for an exemption to this policy must be approved by the Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. Requests can be submitted using the Amplified Sound for Events Request form.

Promotional spaces will be available to reserve in designated outdoor locations along with limited indoor options.

Designated spaces currently include Quad spaces 1, 3, 4, and 5 and 2 spaces in the Student Union Atrium to allow for proper physical distancing.

Limit group size to 2 persons, while allowing for physical distancing.

1 six foot table and 1 plastic folding chair will be provided.

Encourage use of digital information sharing in place of materials handed out (ie- QR codes to learn more).

** Additional information may be added at any time for the health and safety of event attendees.