Terms and Conditions for Event Management at University College Cork

Please read the following Terms and Conditions carefully before you Submit Your Conference Request online, sign the Event Management Agreement and return this to the UCC Conference Office.

Booking Confirmation

Please note that all bookings must be confirmed in writing to the UCC Conference Office as soon as possible to ensure availability for your event.

A non-returnable deposit will be required before a conference/group booking is accepted as firm and guaranteed by University College Cork. This will normally be €100 or 10% of the estimated total account or whichever is the greatest. The Deposit amount will be requested by invoice on receipt of the completed Online Conference Submission Form.

The Event Management Agreement must be returned signed to the UCC Conference Office. Until written confirmation and deposit are received, all room and additional service bookings are considered to be provisional. Written confirmation implies that you have read and understood the conditions of booking laid out in this document.

Account Balance – 90% or the balance of room booking costs is due two weeks prior to the event. If the UCC Conference Office does not receive payment at least 2 weeks prior to the event and if there is no special payment arrangement in place, then it will be assumed that the event is not taking place and your booking may be allocated to another group. The UCC Conference Office is not obliged to notify you in this case.

Payment – All reservations must be made and paid for to the UCC Conference Office by the group or conference organiser. Any residual balance for additional services, including but not limited to Catering, AV Services, UCC Conference Office Services, must be cleared within four weeks of the final invoice. Should your organisation have a difficulty meeting this deadline, the UCC Conference Office should be contacted to make special payment arrangements.

Cancellation

Cancellation of your event must be notified in writing to the UCC Conference Office. The deposit already paid is nonrefundable. If you cancel your event with less than two weeks notice, any money already paid is non-refundable. Any service cost incurred by the university due to either your failure to cancel your event, or the late cancellation of your event (Security Staff on overtime, cleaning etc.), will be billed to you.

Room Layout

The hirer is not permitted to change the layout of centrally booked lecture and meeting rooms. By prior arrangement with the UCC Conference Office, the layout of the Aula Maxima (and in special circumstances, other teaching/meeting rooms) can be custom configured for your event. In some cases, a charge will apply for this service. Layout information must be supplied to the UCC Conference Office when booking your event. In these cases it will be the responsibility of UCC Security Staff to convert the layout to its next configuration.

Please Note: Special Safety arrangements must be applied to large halls fitted out with loose seating in concert/conference mode. Layout must be undertaken by General Services Staff as loose seating must be tied together in groups of 5 and aisles of adequate width and location must be provided.

It is not permitted to remove furniture from University rooms or to move furniture from one room to another under any circumstances. If you encounter difficulty with furniture in a centrally booked lecture or meeting room, please contact the UCC Conference Office or alternatively the security duty officer on site immediately.

Food/Drink Consumption & Smoking

Smoking is prohibited internally in all university buildings. It is not permitted to consume food and/or drink in University rooms. In exceptional circumstances, catering may be ordered to a centrally booked lecture or meeting room through the UCC Conference Office. It is then the responsibility of the conference organizer to prepare the catering materials for collection by the caterers. In the case of the latter tables and catering points including electrical supplies to same may not reduce the effective width of the escape route, encroach on exits or constitute trip hazards or danger to building users. Prior to entering into any catering arrangement for centrally booked lecture or meeting rooms, confirmation must be sought from the UCC Conference Office as to the feasibility of accommodating catering in or outside of the room.

Room Condition after Event Refuse

It is the responsibility of the conference organizer to remove all materials brought to a room for an event (for example, posters, hand-outs, flower arrangements etc.). Individuals/groups will be invoiced for any additional cleaning/waste disposal costs caused by their event. Refuse must not be placed within or discarded in escape routes, corridors or stairways. Waste should not be deposited in a way that creates trip hazards in rooms \ access routes.

Special Requirements

Should you have any special requirements for your event (for example, disabled access requirements etc.) these must be discussed with the UCC Conference Office at the time of booking to assess feasibility as a number of the central teaching facilities in the older buildings are unsuitable for the disabled. If special requirements come to light less than four weeks prior to the event, then the University cannot guarantee that such requirements will be met, and will not be held responsible for any resulting circumstances. Special Security and Safety arrangements will apply.

When the event is organized by an external party or where the expected number of attendees to the event exceeds 100, UCC Conference Office will provide the conference organizer with Event Management Plan at the time of the conference request submission. This document must be filled in to the best knowledge of the organizer and provide full details of the event to the UCC Conference Office. This must be returned to the UCC Conference Office a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the event.

Please Note: Due to the constant changing nature of campus, ongoing building development and associated restrictions, it is imperative that you meet with the UCC Conference Office staff member prior to your event. Roof top access for photographs is prohibited on safety grounds due to the risks involved. Marquees constitute a special fire risk and must adhere to, the requirements of Cork City Council Fire Authority (detailed).

Damage

The organisers of an event shall be liable for any damage resulting from the event to furniture, fittings, fixtures, equipment or any other property of University College Cork.

Service Charge

There are two possible service charges (in addition to room booking charges where applicable) relating to the booking of central lecture and meeting rooms. These are for security staff and additional cleaning. A service charge applies for security staff if:

  • A building is opened specially for a particular event – in other words this building would otherwise be closed
  • A security staff member is on duty especially for a particular event
  • The configuration of a central teaching or meeting room or restaurant area needs to be changed or a large hall needs to be fitted out in conference/ concert mode
  • If the nature of an event requires extra security staff to support/monitor the event
  • If an event taking place in the University commences prior to 08.30 hrs or goes on past 22.30 hrs Monday – Friday.
  • If an event taking place in the University commences prior to 08.30 hrs or goes on past 22.00 hrs Weekends and Bank Holidays.
  • Any other circumstance which requires extra security staff on duty, or security staff dedicated to an event.
  • A service charge applies for additional cleaning if your organisation requires cleaning additional to the regular cleaning schedule. This could arise when:
  • The event is taking place in the evening and the most recent cleaning will have taken place before 9am that morning.
  • The cleaning tasks to be undertaken for the event are additional to the regular scheduled cleaning tasks.
  • The event is of a nature that additional cleaning is essential to the successful presentation of the event.
  • Any cleaning required after the event to restore the room to it’s pre-event condition
Signs

It is the responsibility of the conference organisers to create signs to indicate the location of their event on campus if required. If these are delivered to the UCC Conference Office at least one day prior to the event, then the UCC Conference Office will pass them onto the Security Staff who will ensure that they are placed in suitable locations on the University campus.

Start and End Times of Events

It is the responsibility of groups and individuals to supply the correct start and end times of events (for each day of the event) to the UCC Conference Office. These times determine the opening and closing times of the rooms booked and possibly the building in which the room is located.

Event Set-Up/Set-Down

Equipment may not be left overnight in central teaching rooms unless by prior arrangement. Please discuss with the UCC Conference Office at the time of booking (very limited opportunities will exist in this regard). Equipment and combustible materials may not be left unattended in circulation / escape routes either prior, during or after events.

Guest Speakers/VIPs

It is the responsibility of the organiser to inform the UCC Conference Office if there is any possibility of controversy/protest/civil disorder in relation to the event or any participants. Please advise UCC Conference Office so that General Services \ Security may make special arrangements that will not compromise Fire Brigade access to buildings.

Parking

Visitor car parking on campus is very restricted. Consequently visitors are encouraged where appropriate to use public transport or taxis. It is the responsibility of event organiser to notify participants of the parking situation. Visitors bringing their vehicles to UCC can use the University Car Park at Perrott’s Inch and Perrott’s Avenue. Access is granted on a first-come-first-served basis, and visitors must pay to exit from the car park (hourly fee).Vehicles must only be parked in clearly marked spaces. Illegally parked vehicles may be clamped. A small number (6) of visitor car parking spaces are provided adjacent to the Security Centre at the vehicular entrance to the main campus on College Road. These parking spaces are for VIPs or are to be used in situations where central campus parking is essential. This parking should be prearranged with the UCC Conference Office. At least 24 hours notice must be given to the UCC Conference Office.

Please Note: Visitors who are unable to obtain parking on the campus are requested to pay due regard to the access needs of the residents in the area surrounding the campus. Prepaid disc parking controls operate on most of the on street parking in this area.

 Access\Regress Routes

Electrical cables or other trip hazards shall not be run across escape routes. Exit doors and Fire doors shall be kept clear and in a useable condition at all times. Combustible materials such as furniture, displays stands, boxes of stationary \ handouts etc. may not be stored in common escape routes.  (Note: All such items should be delivered to the room of use and removed at the end of the event). Events may not commence or continue if people are seated on aisles or if the escape routes are compromised. Contact Security at Emergency Extn: 3111, Main Campus.

 Deliveries\Set Downs

Deliveries and set downs associated with events must be executed in a safe manner that does not interfere with or obstruct building exits \ entrances or impede or restrict fire brigade access to buildings. Set down deliveries should comply with the foregoing and a driver should be in attendance on the vehicle at all times. If this is not possible, cars \ vans should be parked in designated car parking spaces and wheeled trolleys utilized to move the materials to the event location. Deliveries should be confined to off peak times. Organisers should arrange for the provision of their own moving equipment.

Disabled access     

Visitors with disability are permitted to access campus whenever possible on request at the vehicular entrance to the main campus. A number of designated marked spaces on campus are solely for the use of people with disability. Whilst our modern buildings and parts of our older buildings provide for universal access, a number of the central teaching facilities in the older buildings are unsuitable for the disabled. A request for venues with disabled accessible facilities should be made when organising activities which may be attended by persons with mobility impairments.

Audio Visual Equipment

The standard Audio Visual equipment in central teaching and meeting rooms is an Overhead Projector and Screen. Should you require additional equipment to the Overhead Projector and Screen for your event, you must contact the UCC Conference Office. Charges may apply for Audio Visual services. It is advised to contact the UCC Conference Office prior to your event to ensure all the audio visual equipment is in working order.

Flip Charts

Stands (not paper) for flip charts can be booked in advance of your event from the UCC Conference Office. These stands are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Insurance

Where requested by UCC, the Licensee shall be put and keep in place, for the duration of the use of facilities at UCC to cover the use by the Licensee and all employees and invitees of the Licensee of the said facilities, policies of employers liability and public liability insurance in the sum of €12.7 million and €6.37 million respectively with a specific indemnity in favour of UCC endorsed on said policies. Copies of the policies shall be furnished to UCC forthwith on request.

Exhibition and Registration Desk Space

Due to Fire and Safety regulations the provision of exhibition space in the circulation corridors \ foyers \ stairways \ escape routes, servicing all central teaching and conference rooms are prohibited.  If you require such facilities, please discuss this with the UCC Conference Office at the time of making your booking, as an additional room may be required. Displays, stands, tables and mains electricity powered equipment (including personal computers) may only be erected within the conference rooms and \ or any meeting \ teaching rooms or reception rooms in use. These items may not be erected in the common corridors \ foyers (escape routes) outside of said rooms. Temporary displays, stands or tables shall not be erected on the aisles of seated conference rooms. Displays, stands or tables within conference rooms or exhibition areas shall not encroach upon or obstruct exit routes or exit doors.  Displays, stands or tables shall be secured \ stabilized to prevent over-turning and shall comprise materials of low combustibility \ flammability. All electrical fittings \ supplies to such displays should be pre-examined by a competent electrician.  Evidence of same shall be available at all times.  Organisers shall provide their own portable step ladders for the set up of any high level elements of stands \ displays. Combustible materials may not be fixed to the walls or ceilings of rooms.

Please Note: Security Supervisors and the UCC Safety Officer or UCC Fire Officer and representatives reserve the right at any time to request changes to or removal of any exhibition if the Fire and Safety regulations are contravened. Electrically powered equipment, lighted stands, etc. are not permitted in the circulation corridors \ foyer \ stairways \ escape routes of the building(s) outside central teaching and meeting rooms. Registration desks and tea \ coffee stations are generally prohibited (with a few exceptions) in circulation routes and escape routes.

The exceptions are areas where there is sufficient space to temporarily accommodate modest sized tables without encroaching on exits or reducing the width of the escape route. Registration desks and tea \ coffee stations where allowed, are subject to the condition that said desks and associated supplies are permanently manned for the duration, do not reduce the effective width of the escape routes or encroach on any exit, are free trip hazards and of electrically powered equipment or ignition sources and stocks of combustible materials are kept to an absolute minimum.

Safety Procedures

There is a Fire Action notice affixed to the wall adjacent to the lectern of every central teaching and meeting room in UCC. This notice outlines the procedure to be followed if the fire alarm operates. It is the responsibility of every conference organizer to draw the attention of the group to the notice. Please review a list of all Fire Assembly Areas at the UCC Campus. Your group should be familiarized with these areas at the very start of any event, inserting the correct Assembly Area from the notice on the wall of the room booked. Emergency exits should be pointed out to participants before the event or session begins. Aisles and exit doors must be kept clear at all times.

First Aid\Ambulance

The conference organizer should make special arrangements for first aid \ CPR \ ambulance standby if the audience is likely to constitute a predominately at risk cohort.

Service Requirements/Reporting Difficulties with Rooms or Room Bookings

Should you experience difficulties with central teaching/meeting rooms, or with your booking on the day of your event, the first step is to make your difficulty known to the closest Security point. Security staff will then attempt to resolve your difficulty as quickly and efficiently as possible. If a Security staff member is not at the Security point, contact a Services Supervisor at Ext. 2266, or if calling from a Mobile Tel. 021-4902266. On the next working day after your event, you should report your difficulties to the UCC Conference Office. The UCC Conference Office, in consultation with the security staff on duty at the time of your event, will attempt to establish the cause of your difficulties, and will take any action required to ensure that further difficulties are not encountered.

Accidents/Dangerous Occurrences

Please report to the General Services Supervisor on duty so that the relevant forms may be completed prior to leaving the precincts. See below contact numbers:

UCC Conference Office 021 – 4902789
Security Emergency 021 – 4903111
General Services Supervisors 021 – 4902266
Audio Visual Services 021 – 4902596