Tips For Conference Planners

Whether you are a first time planner or a seasoned pro,
the tips below may save you time, money, and worry.

Schedule an appointment to tour facilities which may be unfamiliar to you. This will enable you to evaluate the fit of the facilities to your needs.
Prepare a list of your meeting needs to share with the Residential Life Conference and Event Services staff. This list would include such items as audiovisual needs, special room set ups, disability needs, meal service needs, and overnight guest accommodations.
Be as flexible as possible about dates. Having more than one date in mind increases the likelihood of securing a preferred date.
If you have a tentative conference schedule drafted, provide it to the Residential Life Conference and Event Services staff. Even if there are some revisions later, this preliminary draft will help the Residential Life Conference and Event Services staff become familiar with your general time line of activities.
Make sure you meet all deadlines. These dates are set to allow the Residential Life Conference and Event Services adequate time and resources to meet all your conference needs. Missed deadlines may make it difficult or impossible to meet all your requests, as well as cause additional charges for late changes. Additionally, missed deadlines could also result in the cancellation of your reservation.
Read all documents carefully and ask any questions you may have. The Residential Life Conference and Event Services staff will be happy to clarify any questions for you. We want to make certain you can avoid unexpected surprises at the last minute which could affect your satisfaction with your meeting, conference, or event.