Regulations

THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN 
TRINITY COLLEGE

ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE BOOKING AND CONTROL OF ACTIVITIES IN COLLEGE OUTSIDE OF SCHEDULED ACADEMIC AND RECREATIONAL FUNCTIONS

1 ENQUIRIES OFFICE

The role of the Enquiries Office in the arrangement of bookings is as follows:

a) It screens applications for bookings and information about meetings and functions to identify those needing approval by the appropriate authorities. It is the responsibility of sponsors, i.e. those organising or facilitating the use of College facilities, to provide all relevant information to the Enquiries Office in order that the appropriate consideration particularly to matters detailed in (c) below may be given by College Officers.

b) It secures the approval of the Senior or the Junior Dean for all bookings by outside bodies, or by departments or groups sponsoring outside bodies, or by individual members of staff sponsoring or acting on behalf of outside bodies.

c) It forwards details to the Senior Dean, the Junior Dean, the Facilities Officer and the Safety Officer of meetings and functions that may entail security or safety risks or in any way disrupt normal College activities. This includes any event open to a large attendance or without pre-registered admission; any event or participant of a controversial nature; any activity likely to lead to disorderly protest. In relation to safety this includes events requiring props, special effects, stunts, performance art and activities requiring the use of compressed air, gases or solvents.

2 SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS

a) Schools and departments organising events in their premises likely to create security or safety risks or to disrupt in any way the normal activities of the College are required to inform the Enquiries Office at least two weeks in advance of the event.

Schools and departments organising other events involving outsiders in their premises are asked to notify the Enquiries Office in advance. Requests for details of such events are constantly being received by the Enquiries Office which often cannot help because no information has been received.

b) Schools and departments organising events that require the booking of College halls, lecture theatres or facilities should apply to the Enquiries Office at least five working days in advance. If there are security or safety implications two weeks’ notice is required.

c) Schools and departments using any of the facilities on the Senior Lecturer’s pool room list are not permitted to move, tamper with or plug into any of the IT or AV systems in these facilities without the consent of the Chief Technician of AVMS. At least two weeks’ notice must be given if the use of the IT/AV system is required. A detailed list of the Senior Lecturer’s pool list is available at: 
https://www.tcd.ie/itservices/facilities/lecture-theatre-av.php

3 CATERING

a) The Catering Department must inform the Enquiries Office at least two weeks in advance of any special functions likely to create security or safety risks or to disrupt in any way the normal activities of the College.

b) Social events organised by the Students’ Union in the Catering premises must be cleared through the Enquiries Office with the Senior Dean, the Facilities Officer and the Safety Officer.

c) Catering is only permitted in designated areas in College and must be procured through the College Catering Department (except where the organisers prepare light refreshments themselves). In the event that the College Catering Department is unable to provide a service, contract caterers may be used only with the authorisation of the Campus Superintendent. In order to ensure food hygiene compliance, any contract caterer selected will be subject to the current guidelines for use of contract caterers, available from the College Catering Department.

4 STUDENTS’ UNION, SOCIETIES AND CLUBS

a) All these bodies must inform the Enquiries Office at least five working days in advance of all meetings taking place in their own rooms and give the names of the lecturers or speakers. If there are any security or safety implications two weeks’ notice is required.

b) The Students’ Union, societies and clubs may not lend or rent rooms to outside bodies without requesting permission, through the Enquiries Office, from the Senior Dean. This applies both during term and during vacation. This permission must be sought as early as possible, and no commitment should be made to any outside group until the permission has been granted. A deposit will be required from the outside body.

c) If the Students’ Union  or any society or club wish to hold a meeting in College rooms, halls or other area, they must make application to the Enquiries Office at least five working days in advance. A deposit will be required. Permission to hold a meeting likely to give rise to a need for additional security must be sought through the Enquiries Office, and the cost of extra security and other special arrangements must be borne by the organisers. The cost of any damage caused as a result of such a meeting will also be charged to the organisers. Failure to apply in time for permission to hold a meeting, the plans for which turn out to require special security, will be grounds for refusing permission for that meeting.

Rooms may only be booked by the officers of the Students’ Union or by the officers of clubs and societies recognised by Trinity Sports Union and the Central Societies Committee. Rooms may not be booked by individual students or by unrecognised groups of students.

d) The Students’ Union  and any College society or club planning to hold a concert, dance, gig or discotheque in College must apply for permission to do so at least two weeks in advance of the function through the Enquiries Office. Societies or clubs wishing to hold dances outside the College must apply through the Enquiries Office at least three weeks before the proposed date. A deposit will be required for each event.

e) Permission to hold a party/reception anywhere in College must be obtained, on application forms available from the Enquiries Office, from the Junior Dean at least five working days in advance. Please note that if societies or clubs are using rooms other than their own they must bring written permission from the society or club concerned. A docket must then be completed in the Enquiries Office and a deposit lodged. Societies/clubs will be responsible for the cost of any extra cleaning required in rooms where functions have been held. In Trinity Hall permission must be obtained from the Warden.

5 DOUGLAS HYDE GALLERY

The Gallery should inform the Enquiries Office as early as possible of all meetings and special functions within its premises. A booking form to cover such events must be completed.

6 OUTSIDE BODIES

a) Outside bodies wishing to use College facilities, or members of the College acting on their behalf, must apply to the Enquiries Office at least two weeks in advance.

b) Outside bodies using any of the facilities on the Senior Lecturer’s pool room list are not permitted to move, tamper with or plug into any of the IT or AV systems in these facilities without the consent of the Chief Technician of AVMS. At least two weeks’ notice must be given if the use of the IT/AV system is required. A detailed list of the Senior Lecturer’s pool list is available at:  https://www.tcd.ie/itservices/facilities/lecture-theatre-av.php

7 OPEN-AIR FUNCTIONS

All open-air functions outside of scheduled recreational activities must be approved by the Senior Dean, who acts in consultation with the Junior Dean, the Facilities Officer and the Safety Officer. Permission is not given for functions on the College lawns. Application must be made to the Enquiries Office at least two weeks in advance. Permission to use College Park, the rugby pitch or the croquet lawn must be obtained from the Department of Sport.

8 MEDIA RECORDING ON CAMPUS

Requests to film or record programme material on campus must be submitted in advance to the Communications Office atcommunications@tcd.ie. For full details and procedures of the College’s filming protocol please visit: https://www.tcd.ie/Communications/internal-communications/filming.php

9 MOBILE TRADERS AND MUSIC PROMOTERS

If a foreign (including UK) trader or music promoter intends trading at an event then their name, address, date and duration of the event must be submitted to Michael Kiely, Treasurer’s Office, Trinity College at least fifteen days prior to the event.

10 ALCOHOL

The serving of alcohol must be in accordance with the College Alcohol Policy. Permission to serve alcohol at events prior to six o’clock in the evening will not normally be granted.

11 PARKING

There are no parking facilities on the College site.

12 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THOSE BOOKING COLLEGE FACILITIES

a) Sponsors are responsible for the orderly conduct of meetings and functions; for ensuring that noise levels are not excessive; that the capacity of the hall is not exceeded; that doorways and fire escape routes are kept clear; that the hall is cleared by the time stipulated. In the case of large meetings sponsors have responsibility for appointing, in consultation with the Campus Superintendent, stewards to aid College security officers in ensuring order and safety.

b) The area booked must be left in reasonable order. It is not permitted to alter the layout of the room without prior permission of the Campus Superintendent. Excessive costs involved in cleaning or reordering will be charged to the sponsor.

c) Sponsors must on all occasions comply with directions from College Officers and must act as to uphold the dignity of the College.

d) The College accepts no responsibility for damage to or loss of property suffered by persons using the facilities .

e) It is a requirement of booking a College facility that a sponsor complies with all legal requirements of the Finance and Licensing Acts, the Performing Rights Act and of the Irish Music Rights and Mechanical Copyright Organisations.

f) Posters for events must be placed only on College notice-boards. Those who litter College with posters face a fine. Illegal postering outside College attracts a fine of up to €1016 (Litter Act, 1982). Advertising of Students’ Union    society or club events outside of the College is not permitted without the permission of the Senior Dean. Advertising of events taking place in College by parties outside College may lead to cancellation of these events, especially if this is deemed likely to lead to increased security or safety risks to College.

g) Organisers of meetings/events have obligations under fire safety legislation in places of assembly to ensure the safety of persons on the premises. These obligations include keeping escape routes clear, having emergency procedures in place and making safety announcements at the beginning of events. For large-scale or unusual events a written event management plan is required.

h) It is not permitted to fix signage directional or otherwise to College buildings or fixtures. Any directional signage is subject to the approval of the Facilities Officer.

13 PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE

Public liability insurance cover with indemnity of €13 million must be provided by the organisers of the following types of activities:

a) All out of term conferences lasting more than one day.

b) All events being charged the commercial tariff.

c) All special catering functions for outside bodies involving more than 100 people.

d) Special events organised by internal and external groups that, in the judgement of the Senior Dean, involve significant risks. The Trinity Ball and Theatre Festival constitute such events.

e) Events organised by outside groups renting facilities from Players or the Drama Studies Department.

October 2006

Issued by Enquires Office, West Theatre, College

The Board of Trinity College is not bound by errors in or omissions from this circular.

Contact: junior.dean@tcd.ie