Marketing & Event Planning

Room & Event Registration Process

Student organization officers may reserve space for their organizations in the following ways:

Online through Virtual EMS;
In person at Events at Vanderbilt in Suite 307 of Rand Student Center. Learn more here;
Via e-mail at reservations@vanderbilt.edu;
By phone at (615) 322-2448.

Please refer to the student handbook for more information about room reservation and event registration policies or contact the Events at Vanderbilt directly. Only student organization leaders who are listed as Officers on the organization’s Anchor Link group will be eligible to reserve space. Once you have booked your space through Reservations and Events, please register your event on Anchor Link!
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Advertising & Copies

ACE Design is a free resource to all students, student organizations, and faculty departments at Vanderbilt University. ACE does the work to advertise your campus event! Select the forms tab on ACE Design’s Anchor Link page to submit a project request.
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Advertising in Student Centers

There are three types of advertisements that may be used in Student Centers:

1. Print Advertising– Only student organizations and University departments may post within this Student Centers. All postings must be approved and stamped by Student Centers. Display boards are available in the Commons Center, Kissam Center, Sarratt Student Center|Rand Hall, and Student Life Center. Please click here for more information on publicity promotions and advertising.

2. Digital Advertising– Requests with intended graphics must be sent to digitalsignage@vanderbilt.edu one week prior to having it posted. All files should be in widescreen format, screen resolution JPG format (aspect ratio of 16:9 or 1920 px wide X 1080 px tall at 72 dpi), saved with the run dates in the file name (ex. 3-20to3-26VPB.jpg).

3. Banners– Only approved banners, co-sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students may be hung in the Student Centers. Banners will be hung by Student Centers. All banners must be collected by their sponsors no later than 3 days after the event. Only commercially made vinyl banners are permitted inside the Student Centers. Hand-painted paper or sheet banners may be hung on the poles in front of the Rand Wall on a first-come, first-serve basis with no reservation required.

Students may checkout banner-making equipment (paint, buckets, brushes, etc.) at the Information Desk on the first floor of Sarratt and are responsible for sanitizing the equipment upon checking it in and out. Gloves and cleaning supplies will be provided. In compliance with social distancing, an outdoor location will be designated as the space for student groups to create the banners.

Learn more here.

Hiring Performers, DJs, Bands, and Other Entertainment

Student organization members and officers are not authorized to sign contracts or make deposits. All contracts for performers, speakers, or other types of entertainment must be reviewed, approved, and signed by the Office of Procurement first and then the Dean of Students. All performers will be paid at the conclusion of the scheduled event or performance. Please speak with your organization’s coach as early as possible to begin identifying performers and other entertainment needs. It is best practice to allow six weeks before the event for processing.
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Electrical & Stage Needs

If you have any electrical or stage needs for your event (ex. microphones, sound systems, stage equipment, etc.) you are required to register your event in Anchor Link. In addition to registering the event in Anchor Link, it is necessary to inform Events at Vanderbilt in order for arrangements to be made for additional services. Events at Vanderbilt can work with Plant Operations to provide cost estimates for stage and electrical services. Outside vendors may also be used for some of these services, although students should communicate their vendors’ specific needs and plans to Plant Operations throughout the planning process.
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Event Ticketing Policies & Procedures

The Ticketmaster outlet is on the first floor of Sarratt Student Center at the welcome desk. You can purchase tickets for on-campus events, local concerts, and other area events at the outlet. Methods of payment include cash, Visa, Mastercard, or your Commodore Card.

The Box Office is open from 10:00 am – 7:00 pm Monday through Saturday. Please note that holiday and break hours may vary and will be posted.

An Event Setup Agreement must be completed at least five business days before the date tickets are requested to go on sale. It is recommended that the Event Setup Agreement be completed three (3) weeks prior to the event, allowing ample time for event marketing and sales to occur. For more information on event ticketing, please click here.
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Special Events Registration

The special event registration process is designed to support a variety of events that have special needs. The Special Event Registration Committee comprises representatives from Events at Vanderbilt, Traffic and Parking, Vanderbilt University Police Department, Plant Operations, Wellness Programs and Alcohol Education, and the Dean of Students or the Dean’s designee.

The special event registration process is managed online in Anchor Link. Occasionally, event organizers may be required to meet with the committee should clarification be needed on one or more arrangements for the event. For more information, click here.
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Catering & Other Food

When reserving your facility, be sure to inquire about specific guidelines for food as some spaces require you to order food through Vanderbilt Catering while others will allow for outside food to be served. University Departments and outside clients that host events in the Student Centers event spaces are required to request a quote from Vanderbilt Campus Dining. If a group’s needs cannot be met by Vanderbilt Campus Dining, an alternate caterer can be used for a small fee.

If you need to use Vanderbilt Catering, be sure to place your order at least two weeks in advance. Whether you use Vanderbilt Catering or another food service vendor, you should request a written quote for the order prior to the event, and follow up frequently to ensure success. If you buy your own food and drinks, make sure to keep your receipts, so you can be reimbursed by your organization.

As a RSO, your organization is considered to be a part of Vanderbilt and as such is afforded use of Vanderbilt’s tax exemption. In order to make purchases, you must physically have the Tax Exempt Certificate with you at the time of the purchase whether you are using your own money or the p-card. If you are using your own money, please note that you will not be reimbursed for taxes you paid on supplies for your organization. A link to the Tax Exempt Certificate is here: Tax Exempt Form. For more information on how to pay for your catering order, click here.