Meeting and Event Planning

NLU is fully-open and excited to welcome back students and guests, and sponsor on-campus events that contribute to a vibrant campus experience. These guidelines are developed to address public health concerns and inform meeting and event planning.

Planning Guidelines for Meetings and Events

Closed Meetings and Events: Meetings with a specific invite or attendance list. Examples include staff meetings, class meetings, and audience specific events.

Open Meetings and Events: Meetings without a preset list of attendees. Examples include, but are not limited to, open houses, student events, guest speakers or panel discussions, and social events. Event planners should ensure a RSVP or check-in process that facilitates contact tracing and ensure that participants are informed of and adhere to NLU .

Key Points:

• Capacity limits are at 85% of room capacity to promote social distancing when possible. When requesting table and seating set-ups, consider adding extra seating, or adding space between tables, as space allows.
• Participants must adhere to NLU COVID-19 Policies and Campus Protocols.
• For open meetings, attendance must be recorded and kept on file for one month after the date of the event to allow for contact tracing This is an optional process for closed meetings.
• Guests who are on-campus for more than two hours are required to be either fully vaccinated, provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours, or test on-site.
• When possible, event planners should make available hand sanitizer and PPE.
• Daily Pre-Checks are encouraged for multi-day events; in Chicago campus security will manage compliance with that requirement at entry for guests. Employees and students are expected to scan their ID and conduct Daily Pre-Checks unless they have submitted vaccine documentation. If the event is expected to be larger than 20, please consult with security in advance of event to plan accordingly.

Event & Meeting Checklist:

1. Planners should secure appropriate approval from department head before proceeding with planning. Online Request: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/f8e3db7d37d34a15949e46c14f8ba449
2. If the meeting or event has food, all food and drinks should be individually wrapped (e.g. box lunches or individually wrapped sandwiches). If possible, no food should be served family or buffet style, and drinks should be individual servings and no drink pitchers should be used. Planners should use recyclable and disposable plates, cups, and cutlery.
3. At the beginning of events, planners should remind guests of expected behaviors such as social distancing, wearing face coverings and location of rest rooms for personal use (see suggested list).
4. Attendance at open events should be noted through a check-in process and files should be kept for a month, to ensure ability to facilitate contact tracing, if necessary.
5. Institutional representatives who host or sponsor the use of NLU space for events by community groups are responsible for ensure their compliance with safety protocols.
6. Local, state and federal public health officials are monitoring key metrics that may require changes in protocols, if changes are required we will also adjust meeting and event protocols accordingly. Meeting and event planners should stay updated by visiting NLU COVID-19 Alert website.

Safety Reminders for Guests

Open Meeting and Event planners must include these reminders in the event confirmation sent to guests prior to event, and announced at beginning of event.

• Prior to coming to campus, guests are asked to self-screen for COVID-19 related symptoms or signs of sickness by using our Daily Health questionaire. 
• Please do NOT attend event IF you been symptomatic, in close contact with someone who is a confirmed positive, or myself have been considered a confirmed or presumed positive of COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
• Guests must comply with NLU Mask and Face Covering Policy, and all campus safety and COVID-19 related protocols.
• Guests should practice personal hygiene such as frequent handwashing upon arrival, departure and throughout the day, and utilize hand sanitizer which is provided at entry or at tables. (include this if you provide hand sanitizer)
• Guests are encouraged to participate in social distancing with other individuals while on any NLU property or NLU function.