Student Organizations

Event Registration

Most on-campus events and activities outside of informal meetings between organization leaders and members must be registered via Eagle Engage. Events and activities that meet the following criteria must be registered:

• Activities in Tennessee Tech facilities where reservations are required
• Activities in Tennessee Tech facilities with the following features:
  • Equipment, such as inflatable equipment, that participants will be on or in
  • High impact sports activities
  • Alcohol
  • Non-University attendees and/or participants
  • Fundraising and/or cash handling
  • Purchase of food by the organization or attendees
  • The use of SOLO Funds or other University funds
  • Non-University speakers or performers
  • Presence of minors who are not current Tennessee Tech students
  • Amplified sound

Some off-campus activities must be registered as well:

• Organization-sponsored activities where alcohol will be present
• Activities funded by university funds

Event registration requests must be approved by the organization’s faculty advisor, the facility manager (as applicable) and the Center for Student Engagement. For information regarding how to register events in Eagle Engage, please see the Eagle Engage Officers Guide.

High-Risk Activities

For events held on Tennessee Tech property, the Office of Student Activities and Campus Life may require the Registered Student Organization to obtain event insurance and a specified number of police/security officers for any event, activity or program.

Features that may require insurance and/or event security include:

• The use of equipment that attendees will be on or in, such as inflatables
• Alcohol
• Large crowds
• Non-university attendees and/or participants
• High impact sports activities

These requirements will be determined during the Eagle Engage event registration process.

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Events With Alcohol

Tennessee Technological University policy prohibits the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages on University-owned or University-controlled property. While consumption is legal under certain circumstances, the University does not endorse or encourage the use of alcoholic beverages.

All Tennessee statues on alcoholic beverages must be obeyed with no exceptions. Under Tennessee State law, one must be twenty-one (21) years of age in order to consume, possess, or be served alcoholic beverages.

Two types of student organization-sponsored events with alcohol are permitted:

• Third-party Vendor – These events are hosted at a facility that is licensed to serve alcohol. Alcohol must be served by licensed servers and purchased by attendees. No organization funds may be used to purchase alcohol. Common-source containers, drinking games, and high consumption drinking devices (such as funnels) are prohibited.
• BYOB – These events require intensive management by event coordinators to ensure that alcohol is only available to those 21 years of age or older. Event sponsors and hosts take on significant legal responsibility for BYOB events. No organization funds may be used to purchase alcohol. Common-source containers, drinking games, and high consumption drinking devices (such as funnels) are prohibited.

Professional security will be required for all events with alcohol. Substantial food and non-alcoholic beverages must be provided by the organization for the duration of the event.

The registration of events with alcohol will only be approved following a meeting with the Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement or designee, at which time the organization’s risk management plan will be reviewed.

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Minors*

Minors may only be present at on-campus student organization-sponsored events while a parent or guardian is present with the minor for the duration of the activity.

For events advertised as “all ages” events, or where the organization anticipates minors to attend, the sponsoring organization must provide notice that minors must be with a parent or guardian and that the parent or guardian is responsible for the minor’s participation in the events or activities.

For on-campus events advertised as “all ages” events, or where the organization anticipates minors to attend, the sponsoring organization must meet with the Center for Student Engagement to review the content of the event. If the content of the event is deemed explicit and/or inappropriate for minors, minors will not be permitted to attend, regardless of the presence of a parent or guardian. If the event features live performances, including, but not limited to, musical, dance, or dramatic performances, minors will not be permitted to attend, regardless of the presence of a parent or guardian. While not all performances are inherently inappropriate for minors, the unpredictable nature of live performance increases the risk to the organization and the institution.  

If minors are not permitted due to explicit or inappropriate content, or because the event will feature live performances, the organization must promote the event as 18+ or “Tech Students Only” and provide such notice at the event. It is the responsibility of the organization to prevent minors from attending events where minors are not permitted to attend.

How will the University determine whether the content of the event is explicit and/or inappropriate for minors?

Center for Student Engagement team members will work with organization officers and advisors to determine whether an event’s proposed content is explicit or inappropriate for minors. While some subjectivity may make it difficult to determine the suitability of the content, two frameworks will be considered. First, Tennessee statutes related to illegal explicit activities will be consulted. Second, the ratings system used for motion pictures will be reviewed. For instance, a motion picture may be rated “R” or “NC-17” due to the presence of hard language, violence, sexual content, drugs, or other adult content. The University will generally prohibit the presence of minors at on-campus student organization events with content equivalent to R-rated or NC-17-rated films.

There are many constructive reasons to allow minors to attend student organization-sponsored events on campus, and most proposed activities will be appropriate for all ages. However, student officers and the University assume increased liability and responsibility when minors are involved. As such, the institution will err on the side of caution when electing to permit minors to attend student organization-sponsored events and activities.

*Minors in this context refers only to those individuals under the age of 18 who are not current Tennessee Tech students. Enrolled students under the age of 18 are permitted at events sponsored by Tennessee Tech and registered student organizations.

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Co-Sponsored Events

Co-sponsored events are defined as activities sponsored jointly by two or more organizations. Sponsorship may be inferred by the use of an organization’s name and/or logo being in promotional materials, authority for event planning decision-making and implementation, and/or the use of organization funds and resources. Guest speakers, beneficiaries of philanthropic fundraising efforts, or affiliated national organizations’ presence at an event does not necessarily constitute sponsorship.

• Each student organization is limited to two on-campus events co-sponsored with non-University groups each fall and spring semester.
• Student organizations may not co-sponsor more than one on-campus event with the same non-University group each semester.
• Restrictions related to non-University co-sponsorships are intended to reduce ambiguity regarding the Affiliated Use (121) and Rental of Tennessee Tech Facilities (122) policies.

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Amplified Sound

Amplified sound (the use of speakers or other public address equipment for music or speech) is permitted on campus during the following times:

• Monday through Friday - 4:30pm-12:00am
• Tuesday – 11:00am-12:00pm
• Thursday – 11:00am-12:00pm
• Saturday & Sunday – 6:00am-12:00am

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Food

Food purchases by the organization for on-campus events must comply with the University’s Dining Services contract.

For events with food expenses less than $300, organizations may purchase food from off-campus restaurants and retailers.

If food expenses exceed $300, the organization must utilize Dining Services.

All food provided to event attendees should be from a licensed food vendor.