Policies & Procedures

Alcohol is strictly prohibited on campus, EXCEPT alcohol allowed under permit or license obtained in accordance with Washington laws and rules, including WAC 478-136-030, University of Washington Tacoma alcohol regulations and procedures, and the safety and use requirements determined by the UWT Implementation Committee.

Alcohol beverages may be possessed, sold, served and consumed within UW Tacoma event facilities only when the appropriate approvals and permits have been obtained from the University of Washington AND State of Washington. Once obtained, all University of Washington policies, Washington State laws, and Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board regulations must be followed during the event.

Alcohol service on campus requires a Washington State Banquet Permit OR Washington State Special Occasion License OR Washington State Caterer’s Business License with Liquor Endorsement. The appropriate, approved permit must be posted in a conspicuous location for the duration of the event. If there is no permit, UW Tacoma staff will not allow liquor to be served.

Please note that the University of Washington Tacoma policy for an event where alcohol will be served is that food and non-alcoholic beverages must also be provided. Also, a campus security officer must be present at any event where alcohol is served. There will be additional charges for this security coverage.

Review more info on serving alcohol on campus here: https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/uuf/serving-alcohol-campus 

For list of familiar Caterers please download and view the list below:

If you're seeking to have alcohol served at your event, please confirm with your caterer that they are approved to serve alcohol; no-host bar service. NO homemade food items or items that require on-site preparation are permitted.

If individuals bring personal lunches/snacks, no permit is required. However, if food is to be served (catered) to attendees, it will require going through the University EH&S department's review/approval process which can normally take 3–5 weeks depending on the scale of service needed. The earlier the details regarding food are provided, the better.

Internal groups: Work with our EH&S Department to ensure the food you would like served is approved and that you apply for AND receive a Temporary Food Service Permit and have attached to your reservation on 25Live.

External groups/clients renting campus spaces: Work with our office to ensure the food you would like served is approved. Home-prepared foods/potlucks are NOT allowed.

More information regarding UW Tacoma's Food Policy can be found here.

The University of Washington is contracted with Pepsi Co. This contract prohibits any distribution or sale of non-Pepsi Co. products on any University of Washington Campus. 

Internal clients: If you need to cancel your event within five (5) business days of your event/meeting, you are REQUIRED to contact directly in writing via email all support departments (Facilities, Media Services, Campus Safety, etc.). If you do not cancel directly, you may incur a charge.

If you cancel your event within 24 hours of the actual event date you may be charged a campus setup fee if the setup was already completed. Requests to cancel the event reservation must be submitted in writing to ecsuwt@uw.edu. 

External clients: Requests to cancel the event must be submitted in writing. Once the Rental Agreement is signed and returned to the Conference Services Office, cancellation fees are assessed for each booking, per room per day, as follows:

• 8-14 days prior to a scheduled event will be charged 25% of the room rental rate plus any unique costs incurred. 
• 7 days prior to a scheduled event will be charged the full room rental rate plus any unique costs incurred. 

Event details MUST be submitted at least 3 weeks prior to event date. Failure to do so may result in event cancellation OR addition of a SHORT NOTICE OR CHANGE REQUEST FEE.  Event details include, but are not limited to:

• Timeline
• Space setup/layout
• Audio/Visual
• Catering
• Guest Count

Important Deadlines

• Date-Hold Deposit:  DUE 15 business days (3 weeks) after tentative hold is placed.
• Signed Rental Agreement: DUE 15 business days (3 weeks) after tentative hold is placed.
• Event Details: DUE 15 business days (3 weeks) prior to event date.
• Special Event Liability Insurance Certificate: DUE 10 business days (2 weeks) prior to event date.
• Final Balance Paid-In-Full: DUE 30 days after receipt of final invoice.

Your campus event setup is due at least 3 weeks before your event. If the information is not provided by this deadline Conference Services can not guarantee the proper setup for your event. Any short-notice changes or requests 5 business days out from event date will result in a $100 fee.

You may request the space beyond your event time for up to 2 hours prior to your event start time, and for up to 1 hour after your event end time. Your load-in and load-out will need to occur during this time frame. If you have extenuating circumstances and need a different time frame, please email our team at ecsuwt@uw.edu. 

Internal units: Please indicate your specific event hours in your 25Live reservation.

External clients: Please indicate your specific event hours in the room request form. 

For on-campus departments: If you have a last-minute request (2 weeks out from the anticipated event/program date), after you submit your 25Live request, please be sure to have your setup diagram/details and EMSA form included on your 25Live reservation and emailed to uwtsetup@uw.edu. Also, should your event require additional support from departments: Facilities, Media Services, Campus Safety, etc. be sure to reach out to them immediately with your event/program details.

For off-campus (external) clients: If your event/program date is 4 weeks out and are looking to book a space, be sure to have the following required items ready to submit.

If the needed information and details for your event/program are not provided at the earliest convenience, we cannot guarantee proper setup of the event, available staffing, or approval of the event or food being present should it require administration permits, insurance, etc.

Spaces scheduled on campus follow a scheduling timeline. Specific dates that spaces become available for request are based on the type of space being requested - academic space vs. non-academic space.

Academic spaces include classrooms, computer classrooms, and breakout rooms.  These spaces must give first priority to University courses and all reservations assigned in academic spaces may be subject to change due to academic needs. This will include reassignment or cancellation. Dates that we will know availability are as follows:

Non-academic spaces include conference rooms, indoor event spaces, outdoor event spaces, and building lobbies/atriums.  University courses are not scheduled in non-academic spaces, so run on a different timeline:

UW Tacoma Conference Services attempts to accommodate short notice requests to the best of our ability. However, when changes are requested fewer than five (5) business days prior to event date, a Short Notice or Change Fee of $100 will be applied. Changes include, but are not limited to: audio/visual, rentals, labor/staffing, food and beverage/catering, setup/layout or start/end time requests.

UW Tacoma has made it a priority to incorporate a variety of wheelchair accessible routes via a network of ramps, switchback trails, elevators and skybridges. All campus buildings are wheelchair accessible via electronic door openers, internal ramps and elevators. Most bathrooms on campus also have electronic door openers, and every building on campus has accessible bathrooms.

For more information on accessible routes on campus, you can visit https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/drs/campus-accessibility

If your setup can occur during the weekly student setups shifts there is no charge for your setup (with the exception of large setups on the Prairie Line Trail).

Setups occurring in campus spaces are centrally funded if they can occur during the daily setups shifts. The setup crew works Monday - Friday 8a-10a and 3:30pm-5:30pm. If a setup for your meeting/event needs to occur outside of these times there is a $40/hour (minimum 2 hours) setup fee. If a mid-day setup transition/change is required (and given 3 weeks advanced notice) during a break in an event, a $40/hour setup charge will be applied.

Setups are charged based on a first-come, first-serve basis. If another reservation was already scheduled and a setup shift is required outside regular setup hours to accommodate the second reservation, the second reserving entity will be charged.

Client agrees to limit their use and occupation to the space(s) contracted for rental for the designated rental time(s). No additional campus space(s) may be used or occupied without prior rental agreement and/or approval by UW Tacoma Conference Services.

Client is responsible for the application and procurement of any permits required by the City of Tacoma and/or any municipal or county entities for use of campus space. Failure to procure the appropriate permit(s) may result in termination of the event.

Client use of university space must not impose restrictions nor alter facilities in any manner which violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Rehabilitation Act (RA).

University facilities and/or services are not available to and may not be used:

• For private or commercial purposes such as sales or advertising unless such activities serve an educational purpose as determined and approved by the UW Tacoma Use of University Facilities Committee.
• To camp, except by written permission of the Chancellor.
• To establish or maintain offices for political candidates or partisan political causes and/or in connection with political campaign activities on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office or any ballot initiative.

It is the sole responsibility of the client to disclose if the event violates the guidelines outlined in this policy. UW Tacoma Conference Services may cancel any event, conference or activity at any point if it is determined to be in violation of this policy.

The client is responsible for removal and/or disposal of all décor and signage immediately after the event.  Any and all damages caused by décor and/or signage will incur charges related to repair.

The following are PROHIBITED for use with decor and signage within our facilities:

• Glitter (or any equivalent crafting piece that can get stuck in carpet)
• Confetti
• Sequins
• Nails
• Tacks
• Staples
• Scotch, masking, duct and electrical tape
• Fog/smoke/bubble machines              

Fire and/or open flame of any kind is ABSOLUTELY NOT PERMITTED in our facilities. We recommend simulated, LED candles as a substitute.  Signs may not be attached to any surface with anything other than blue painters tape. If helium balloons are released to the ceiling, a labor fee of $500 for removal will be applied to the final invoice.

Any group hosting a program that involves arts and crafts is required to provide protective tarps that can be placed under and on top of tables where arts and crafts are taking place. Any messes that require additional labor or emergency cleaning will result in additional cleaning fees. 

Special Event Liability Insurance is required of all clients, a copy of which is due no later than ten (10) business days prior to the event. The insurance must, at the client’s sole expense, provide and maintain public liability and personal property damage insurance, insuring the University of Washington Tacoma and its employees, contractors and contracted vendors against all bodily injury, property damage, personal injury and other loss arising out of the client’s use and occupancy of the premises, including appurtenances to the premises and sidewalks. The insurance must have a single limit liability of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence. The insurance certificate must name the University of Washington Board of Regents as an Additional Insured and the client agrees to provide 45 days written notice to UW Tacoma Conference Services of any cancellation or substantive changes. UW Tacoma reserves the right to modify the above insurance requirements at their discretion with reasonable prior notice to the client.

If you're reserving space in the University Y Student Center, you must include "YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties" AND "University of Washington Board of Regents" under "additional insured."

Parking is regulated at all times and availability is extremely limited. Parking for event attendees is not guaranteed. There are pay parking lots on and around campus. Most street parking is metered and limited to 90 minutes. Event attendees may park for free at the Tacoma Dome Station Garage and take the free Link Light Rail, a 6 minute ride, directly to campus. On weekdays, this garage is often full between 8AM and 3PM.

With prior notice, a limited number of parking passes may be purchased on an hourly or daily basis for your guests. This option covers the parking fee for campus lots, but does not guarantee a physical parking space.

For more infro on parking, please visit this page.

A signed rental agreement and non-refundable date-hold deposit equal to 25% of the room fee must be received to reserve your space(s), date(s) and time(s).

Statement of neutrality

As a public university, it is the University of Washington Tacoma’s responsibility to provide open and inclusive environments for our entire community. We also must uphold free speech that does not violate federal and state laws or policies. The University is obligated by law to remain content neutral and neither promote nor oppose political views. There should be no implication that the UW in any way endorses the views of groups that lawfully pay to rent space on campus. No public funds are used to support non-UW events and all use of facilities is in accordance with state ethics laws and the Washington Administrative Code.

For full general guidelines on campus facility usage, please review this document.

For our complete UUF website, please visit: https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/uuf