GW SON Event Request Policy

Policy Statement

The Event Approval policy is in place to ensure all programming at GW Nursing aligns strategically on the GW Nursing calendar, puts the needs of students first, and provides communication and connectivity to all parties involved in planning, executing and evaluating SON Events.

Reason for Policy

This policy has been implemented to avoid the over programming of students, faculty, staff and strategic partners. In addition, this policy ensures high impact events are created with a targeted audience in mind and done so with the appropriate amount
of planning. This policy helps to ensure that students are accounted for first and that their academic experience is the first consideration given in the planning of any event. Lastly, the policy is designed to help all event planners at GW Nursing understand the parameters in which event requests may be declined.

Who is Governed by this Policy

All GW Nursing faculty, students, staff and external partners who plan events at GW Nursing must be aware of and comply with the policy.
Note: The Event Manager position is responsible for full understanding and compliance with this policy.

Policy

The Event Approval policy was established to ensure that all events are: 1) strategic, 2) timely, 3) high impact, 4) well-planned and 5) effectively communicated to audiences and affected parties.

All Events at GW Nursing must be approved. To request an event, event planners must fill out the Event Request form on the Event Dashboard: go.gwu.edu/sonevents. The Event Manager will Approve or Decline the event. Those event planners that have their event approved should return to the Event Dashboard and follow the Approved Event Checklist.

Approved events have important details of their event automatically shared with pertinent departments, including: Finance, Operations, Marketing & Communications and the Dean’s Office. Additionally, the Event Manager facilitates the inclusion of the event onto the SON Administrative Calendar. The Event Manager also acts as a resource for all events being planned at the school, and departments are encouraged to consult with the Event Manager when planning, executing and evaluating events.

Event examples from selected departments includes but is not limited to:

Spring Fest and Welcome Back Fall BBQ via Student Affairs
Receptions during CLASI / PTO / OSCE testing via Academic Affairs
Lunchtime Lectures via Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Wellness Sessions via the Wellness Initiative
Holiday Parties via the Dean’s Office
Student Leader Meetings of the SNA, Cohort Reps, Academy Health groups
VBSN Meeting
Research Colloquiums
Information Sessions via Global Initiatives
Accepted Students Days via Enrollment Management
VIP Guest Speakers via Center for Health Policy & Media Engagement
National Conferences via the Pathways Project
Simulation Conferences via Ventures, Partnerships & Initiatives
Coffee Chats via Career Services
Graduation/Anniversary Celebrations
White Coat Ceremonies

Declined event planners will be contacted by the Event Manager to discuss the justification and formulate possible solutions. For example, events submitted less than 30 days before the event date will typically be declined. A list of considerations for event planners are listed below. Any events not satisfying these considerations could contribute to an event needing to be rethought, reimagined, rescheduled, or cancelled in its entirety:

Why – Are we meeting our Strategic Plan? Is this high impact?
Date - Does it work for the school? (Academics, larger events, events previously all take precedence)
Audience – Are they available, interested & beneficiaries?
Finance – Does your budget accommodate the event?
Marketing & Communications – Does your event require Marketing and Communications support (advertising, collateral creation, etc.)?
Facilities/Operations - What resources are available: GW & SON?
Dean's Office – Is the Dean available, do I need alcohol approval?

The appropriate departments are connected throughout the event approval process, and approved events have important details of their event automatically shared with pertinent departments, including: Finance, Operations, Marketing & Communications and the Dean’s Office. These departments are consulted when Event Requests are submitted, should any of the details of the event seem out of line.

This policy also governs the Event Manager. The Event Manager will not decline an event without prior communication back to an Event Department. This will give the Event Manager and the Event Department the opportunity to discuss the concerns with the event as it is currently requested. It will then give the Event Department and the Event Manager the opportunity to rethink, reimagine, or reschedule the event.

Definitions

Event: Any program that has an audience of 7 or more GW Nursing students, faculty, staff or GW Nursing affiliates.

Approved Event: An event that is sanctioned by the Event Manager to be hosted by GW Nursing. Details from the Event Request Form of approved events are sent to Finance, Operations, Marketing & Communications, the Dean’s Office, and the SON Administrative Calendar.

Declined Event: An event that is not sanctioned by the Event Manager to be hosted by GW Nursing. Further discussion regarding the event will allow for future consideration.

Event Request Form: A form included on the Event Dashboard that is required to be completed and submitted to host an event at GW Nursing.

Event Dashboard: A website that provides resources to all GW Nursing event planners, and also contains the link to the Event Request Form.

Event Manager: A Dean’s Office staff position which oversees all events at GW Nursing which is responsible for approving or declining all event requests.

Event Departments: Any group of Faculty, Staff, Students or other GW Nursing affiliated groups who would host an Event. Event Departments at GW Nursing include but are not limited to below:

Academic Affairs
Academy Health
ACC/PPS Communities
BSN
Center for Aging
Center for Health Policy
Civility Council
Community Engagement
Cohort Reps
DAR
Dean’s Office
DEI
DNP
Global Initiatives
MSN
Pathways
PhD
Research
Sigma
Simulation
SNA
Staff Council
Student Affairs
VBSN
VIP
Wellness Initiative
Career Services
Writing Center

Procedures

All Events at GW Nursing must be approved. To request an event, event planners must fill out the Event Request form on the Event Dashboard: go.gwu.edu/sonevents. The Event Manager will Approve or Decline the event. Those event planners that have their event approve should return to the Event Dashboard and follow the Approved Event Checklist.

Approved events have important details of their event automatically shared with pertinent departments through Smartsheets, including: Finance, Operations, Marketing & Communications and the Dean’s Office. Additionally, the Event Manager facilitates the inclusion of the event onto the SON Administrative Calendar. The Event Manager also acts as a resource for all events being planned at the school, and departments are encouraged to consult with the Event Manager when planning, executing and evaluating events.

Those event planners that have their request declined will be contacted by the Event Manager to discuss the justification and formulate possible solutions.

Forms

SON Event Request Form

Related Information

Contacts

Contact	Telephone	Email
Maliha Mirza, Events Manager, SON Special Events	571-553-0276	mmirzagwu [dot] edu (mmirza[at]gwu[dot]edu)

Responsible University Official: GW Nursing Events Manager, SON Special Events
Responsible Office: Office of the Dean
Last Reviewed: May 5, 2020