How-To Instructions for Common Events

Student organizations come up with new and dynamic events every day, and we encourage you to be creative in planning and implementing new activities to enrich the campus environment. There are, however, many events that are regularly hosted by student organizations, and in this section we will provide basic guidance for successfully managing the risks associated with these standard or common activities. Please remember to always submit an Event Planning Form after structuring your event in accordance with these procedures; we look forward to helping your group plan the most safe and successful events possible!

For more information, refer to the Event Planning guidelines on the Risk Management site and consult with additional resources. Contact us at (979) 458-4371 or risk@stuact.tamu.edu with any further questions about these or other events you are planning!

• Road Trip
• Event Involving Food
• Blood Drive
• Race or "Fun Run"
• Camp, Enrichment Program, or Youth Outreach
• Event Involving Inflatables
• Event Involving Gambling Activities
• Event Involving Alcohol
• Car Bash
• Dunking Booth
• Eating Contest
• Raffle
• Date Auction

Blood Drive

First, ensure that all proper procedures are followed by reserving space for the blood drive facilities through the Scheduling Office, submitting a Concessions permit request to the Department of Student Activities, submitting your Event Planning Form, and coordinating with representatives from the University Center Complex and Student Activities to sign the Blood Drive Guidelines and set up parking permits, collection sites, etc. for the blood collection agency. Please note the following staffing policies:

• The sponsoring student organization must provide staffing at each of the blood collection locations during the entire duration of the drive;
• While blood collection agency representatives are encouraged to recruit potential donors, they are asked to respect any initial decline to donate made by students, faculty, staff, or others; and
• When more than one agency is on campus at the same time, agency representatives should not coerce donors away from another agency.

Blood collection agencies will be responsible for collecting and disposing of all utensils used by their workers, and Texas A&M University's facilities may not be used to dispose of these items.

Race or "Fun Run"

To host a race or other walk/run on the Texas A&M campus, begin by consulting with the Fun Run website from Transportation Services. Here you will find options for various routes, dates and times for scheduling, and links to important paperwork. As you meet with Transportation Services and submit your Event Planning Form to the Department of Student Activities, staff members from both offices will help you line up all training and security plans for your event. Pay special attention to the physical risks associated with such events, such as injury, heat exhaustion, dehydration, crossing traffic, inclement weather, etc.

Event Involving Inflatables

Inflatable games, such as moonwalks, giant slides, climbing walls, human foosball, etc., are commonly rented by student organizations for carnivals and fundraisers. Though they may seem harmless, inflatables actually carry a great deal of risk, and it is important to ensure that your contract with the inflatables rental company sufficiently protects your organization and that your event is properly set up and supervised to keep participants safe. In "Deflating the Risks of Inflatables," D. Dickerson and P. Lake urge university entities to select a rental company with experienced and reputable operators, review the company's licenses and safety record, and ensure that the equipment rented meetings safety requirements for manufacturers (NASPA Leadership Exchange, Winter 2005, p. 22). Additional safety considerations include:

• Selecting a safe location on campus and closing off the area;
• Maintaining trained supervisors to monitor the inflatables and participants;
• Verbally and visually explaining the safety rules and warnings; and
• Having pre-established plans for crowd control, weather contingency plans, and medical emergency response.

The Risk Management team will review your contract for legal language that best protects your organization and clearly defines the responsibilities of the student group and the rental company for equipment maintenance and supervision, and will review your Event Planning Form for additional safety suggestions during your event. Please submit these documents well in advance of your event!

Event Involving Gambling Activities

Student organizations may seek to host casino nights, poker tournaments, or other gambling-related activities as social or fundraising events. It is important to ensure that these activities fall within legal boundaries to protect your organization and the university. The state of Texas has stringent laws about gambling. We encourage you to consult with a list of legal opinions set forth by the Attorney General of Texas over the last two decades, and to contact the Office of the Attorney General for a current opinion about whether your event falls within legal bounds.

Key considerations for student organizations planning gambling-related events include whether or not the activities involved are games of luck/chance or games of skill, whether or not participants pay to play the games, whether or not participants are rewarded with any prizes of value for their participation or winning of a game, and whether or not the persons staffing the games are properly trained and/or certified. Some local agencies and party companies have state licenses to conduct casino games, and a safe way to conduct your event may be to contract their services.

We also strongly urge you to consider the ethical implications of hosting a gambling-related activity on behalf of your student organization. Even if your event is intended to raise money for a charitable organization, promoting gambling can project a negative image about your organization and the university as a whole. Gambling addiction is increasing at an alarming rate for adults aged 18-23, and endorsing gambling activities may further a destructive gambling addiction for participants that could lead to psychological and physical risks.

Car Bash

First, ensure that all proper procedures are followed by reserving space for the car bash through the Scheduling Office, submitting a Concessions permit request to the Department of Student Activities, submitting your Event Planning Form, and coordinating with representatives from the University Center Complex about the delivery and removal of the vehicle on the day of your event. Additional safety requirements include the following:

• Any vehicle used for a car bash must be "stripped," meaning that there may be no glass anywhere on or in the vehicle, and the vehicle must have its engine and all gasoline/other automotive fluids removed;
• The area around the vehicle must be sufficiently cordoned off to prevent debris or a sledgehammer from striking spectators;
• All participants must wear safety goggles at all times;
• At no time may participants stand on or in any part of the vehicle; and
• Participants must sign liability waivers indicating their voluntary assumption of the risks associated with the car bash.

Dunking Booth

First, ensure that all proper procedures are followed by reserving space for the booth through the Scheduling Office, submitting a Concessions permit request to the Department of Student Activities, submitting your Event Planning Form, and coordinating with representatives from the University Center Complex about the delivery and removal of dunking booth equipment on the day of your event. Additional safety considerations include:

• Having a group representative available to assist the person(s) dunked into and out of the booth/water;
• Having towels available to wipe the ground and stairs dry between dunks;
• Cordoning off the dunking area sufficiently;
• Having all persons being dunked sign a waiver form indicating their voluntary assumption of the risks associated with entering a dunking booth; and
• Being prepared to postpone or cancel the event in case of inclement weather, especially storms or lightning in the area.

Eating Contest

If your event involves an eating contest, be aware that there are serious physical risks associated with these types of activities. Consuming food at a rapid pace greatly increases the risk of choking, so you should have a medic or person trained in the Heimlich maneuver available or consider eliminating the timed part of the activity. Consuming large amounts of food or beverages in a short period of time is also very dangerous to a person's health, and can lead to short-term or long-term illnesses. Remember that your organization is responsible for the safety of the participants at your event, and could be held liable for any injuries or illnesses.

The key consideration for eating contests is ensuring that all proper risk management procedures are in place for the activity. Another important point to consider is how the activity pertains to the mission of your organization and the objectives of the event. Consult with your fellow student leaders, advisor, and Department of Student Activities staff to develop ideas about the safest ways to achieve a fun or competitive environment at your event, and consider alternatives to help you successfully accomplish your goals in a manner that places your organization at lesser risk.

Raffle

Please note that only two types of student organizations may conduct raffles: (1) An assocation organized primarily for religious purposes that has been in existence in the state of Texas for at least 10 years; and (2) An organization that has obtained federal tax exemption status under 501(c) Internal Revenue Code, has existed for at least 3 preceding years, has a governing body duly elected by its members, and exists solely for a specific charitable purpose. For more information about whether your organization can host a raffle and/or how to coordinate the fundraising through your organizational account, please contact the Student Organization Finance Center.

Statement on Date Auctions

The Departments of Student Life, Residence Life, Multicultural Services, and Student Activities have had many discussions over the years about whether or not "date auctions" are appropriate activities for student organizations at Texas A&M University. This statement will address three specific concerns about date auction events; please be aware of these concerns and potential problems/liabilities.

1. Racial Insensitivity:  Date auctions are similar in structure to slave auctions, a tragic part of the history of the United States. Slave auctions devalued the dignity of human beings to the level of merchandise, and date auctions similarly involve one person "bidding" for the services of another and a comparison of the relative "value" of each person being auctioned. On a campus where equality and sensitivity are highly valued, any activity that suggests the auctioning of one human being's services to another bears an inappropriate resemblance to the slave auctions of the past.
2. Gender Insensitivity:  An extension of the issues explained in #1 is the need for everyone to respect the rights of others and realize that another person cannot be bought. A dangerous attitude that continues to exist between people of different genders is a concept of entitlement based on whoever pays; indeed, many date rape incidents result from an assumption on the part of one person that whoever pays for the "date" is entitled to more than the other may assume. Date auctions may create an environment where such expectations could be used to the disadvantage of one or both participants.
3. Personal Safety:  An organization sponsoring a date auction has no way of knowing the motications of the person(s) bidding on others. A date auction may become a convenient means by which a person has the opportunity to "buy" some time with the person to whom s/he is attracted; though this possibility may seem remote, the implications of liability for the sponsoring organization are severe and worthy of careful consideration.

Date auctions are usually held to raise money for good causes, and sponsored by organizations with good intentions. However, the concerns listed above expose the potential for persons to be physically and/or emotionally hurt or offended, and therefore date auctions may be an ill-conceived manner to raise money. As an alternative, we suggest auctioning items (tickets, services, etc.) rather than individuals. Please consider selecting a positive alternative to date auctions for raising your funds.

Additional Resources

Links to additional resources and other campus offices that may assist the planning of your events can be found in the Student Organization Manual.

Road Trip

Please refer to the Travel website for information about planning a trip and the Transportation site for important considerations pertaining to the types of vehicles you may utilize for road trips. The Trip Planning site is also a helpful starting point for laying out your itinerary, safety precautions, and emergency response plans.

Open Event Involving Food Sale or Distribution

Please refer to the Food at Events section of the Student Organization Manual for guidelines on hosting a safe and healthy event involving the open distribution of food prepared by your organization. 

Event Involving Alcohol

Please refer to the Events With Alcohol section of the Student Organization Manual and the Alcohol at Events section of the Risk Management website for guidance on how to host a safe and legal event involving alcohol.

Camp, Enrichment Program, or Youth Outreach

Please refer to the Events Involving Minors section of the Student Organization Manual and the Camps & Enrichment Programs website for more information about hosting programs for youth on- or off-campus.