ABCs of Event Planning

Welcome to your go-to guide for event planning at UC Davis! From A-Z, find all the resources you need to make your campus event a success. Browse through our comprehensive list. Let's bring your event to life!

  • A - Alcohol, Aggie Hosts, Audio/Visual, Academic Calendar
  • Alcohol Permit - An alcohol permit may be issued only for closed events (not open to the public or University community and not publicly advertised). The issuance of an alcoholic permit will be largely dependent on the purpose and program of the proposed event.  Non-alcoholic beverages (besides water) and food must be provided during the time alcohol is served. For additional information and to apply for an online alcohol permit form, please reference the Conference and Events Services website for details.

    Aggie Hosts - Aggie Host Security Officers are non-sworn, part-time, student security personnel who support the mission of the UC Davis Police Department by providing a variety of services. For additional details and to request Aggie Hosts at your upcoming event please visit this link.

    Audio/Visual - Audio/visual services can be provided by IET-ATS. Learn more at the ATS website.

    Academic Calendar - The Academic Calendar is regulated by the Office of the Registrar, please visit the registrar website to view the calendars.

  • B - Brand Guide
  • Brand Guide - The UC Davis Brand Guide website has all the brand guide items required by UC Davis.
  • C - Calendar, Carve Out, Catering, Chancellor Request, Chancellor's Seal, Contracts, Commencement, Commencement Ambassadors, COVID-19, Contact Ceremonies and Special Events
  • Calendar - Go to the Academic Dates and Deadlines webpage for details.

    Carve Out -  In the event that Olive and Vine is unable to support the service, additional guidance on options will be provided. Please see the Requesting a Carve Out page for additional information.

    CateringCatering is defined as food and/or beverage service that includes on-campus food service or on-campus food preparation, provided at an on-campus event or function. For full-service catered meals at university facilities, students, faculty, and staff are required to utilize Olive & Vine. Please refer to this page on the UC Davis supply chain website to see the policy regarding catered meals at university facilities. Please also reference the Conference and Events Services website for details on serving food and beverages at events.

    Chancellor Request - To request the Chancellor for your upcoming event, please please contact Jana Gabby in the Office of the Chancellor at jlgabby@ucdavis.edu.

    Chancellor’s Seal - The Chancellor's Seal is exclusively reserved for events involving the Chancellor. For further details, please refer to the information on the Brand Communications Guide webpage. Reservations can be made at ceremonies@ucdavis.edu.

    Contracts/Small Business First - The UC Regents' Small Business First program, initiated in June 2021, mandates purchases from $10K to $250K to be made with certified Small or Disabled Veteran Businesses.

    Commencement - Ceremonies and Special Events oversees commencement ceremonies for UC Davis. Information about Commencement can be found on the Commencement website.

    Commencement Ambassadors - Commencement Ambassadors play an important role in the commencement experience. Ambassadors have a range of duties, including greeting students, helping students to line up, directing graduates to and from the stage and more. Ambassadors may be assigned multiple roles in advance and will be trained to perform their roles. There is flexibility in roles to accommodate different abilities. Interested in becoming a commencement ambassador? Let us know here. 

    COVID-19 - Want to keep up to date with current COVID-19 guidelines? Visit UC Davis Campus Ready.

    Contact Ceremonies and Special Events - Have questions not listed here, or have an idea on a topic to add? Reach out to us using the web form on our website

  • D - Dining Commons
  • Dining Commons - The UC Davis dining commons (DCs) are the locations in the residence halls where meals are prepared and served. There are three dining commons facilities at UC Davis, one in each residence hall area (Segundo, Tercero, and Cuarto). Dining commons are the primary location where residence hall residents eat, but they are also open to the campus community and the public.
  • E - Emergency Response Plan, EMT
  • Emergency Response Plan - In accordance with the California Fire Code Chapter 4 Emergency Planning, the Events Emergency Response Plan establishes a foundation for emergency response during special events at UC Davis. The Event Response Plan should be submitted for approval to Fire Prevention Services at least two weeks before your event. Events Emergency Response Plan.

    EMT - Would you like UC Davis EMTs to be on standby at your upcoming event? Use this link to request their services.

  • F - Fleet Services, Fire Prevention, Food Trucks
  • Fleet Services -  Short and long-term vehicle rentals can be requested through this link.

    Fire Department/Fire Prevention - UC Davis Fire, see more below at S-Safety

    Food Trucks - Did you know we have over 50 food trucks on campus? Interested in having one at your next. Review the list of available food trucks (pdf) and book a food truck online.

  • G - Gunrock
  • Gunrock - To request Gunrock for your event, go to the UC Davis Athletics Website.
  • H - Hotels
  • Hotels - UC Davis has a Preferred Booking Program which provides direct billing for local hotel lodging. To view a list of local hotels and more information visit UC Davis Preferred Booking Program.
  • I - Irrigation
  • Irrigation - Shut-off irrigation for outdoor spaces can be requested by submitting a service request through Facilities Management.
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  • L - Land Acknowledgement, Logos
  • Land Acknowledgement - The campus community is encouraged to present the land acknowledgment statement at any UC Davis event held on the Davis campus. 

    • Please Note: This statement is NOT appropriate to use at UC Davis Health, UC Davis-Bodega Marine Laboratory, or other locations not on the Davis campus. Such locations generally were not the traditional home of Patwin people. The UC Davis Land Acknowledgement Statement can be found here: Land Acknowledgement Statement

    Logos - Want to know what logos you should be using for your event? Visit the UC Davis Brand Guide.

  • M - Meeting Rooms Capacity
  • Meeting Rooms Capacity - Not sure what meeting space is the right one for your event? Take a look at the Meeting Room Capacity by Facility page.
  • N - Noise Permit
  • Noise Permit - Please see S - Sound Permit
  • O - Olive and Vine
  • Olive and Vine - Olive and Vine is the official UC Davis caterer.  To submit a Request for Proposal, please visit this link
    • Please note: Any UC Davis catering requests for university facilities not fulfilled by Olive & Vine require a Covered Service carve-out.  Please see the Requesting a Carve Out page for additional information.
       
  • P - Parking, Permits, Planning, Podium Seal, Policy, Printing, Purchasing
  • Parking - Information on special event parking locations can be found on the TAPS (Transportation Services) website.

    Parking for the Chancellor and Provost If the Chancellor and/or Provost are confirmed to attend your event, reserved parking is required. Steps to reserve parking for the Chancellor and/or Provost can be found here.

    Permits - To determine if your event requires a campus permit, please reference the Conference and Events Services website for details.

    Planning - Planning an event, and not sure where to start? The UC Davis Conference and Event Services is the go-to team specializing in corporate, athletic, and special events hosted on or surrounding the UC Davis campus. Contact Conference and Event Services for assistance with your upcoming event.

    Podium Seal - The podium usage of the UC Davis Seal is exclusively reserved for events involving the Chancellor. For further details, please refer to the information available here. Requests for the podium seal for your upcoming event can be made at ceremonies@ucdavis.edu.

    Policy – Is there a campus policy for that? Search the UC Davis Administrative Policy Manuals, or visit the Campus-wide Policies and Regulations website for details.

    Printing - Reprographics and printing services, including stationary, programs, and copies, can be accessed through the Repro Graphics website.

    Purchasing - Before you make any type of purchase on behalf of the university, there are several guidelines you should review.  These General Guidelines can be found on the Supply Chain Management website.

  • Q - Questions
  • Questions? - Contact us using this web form.
  • R - Recycling, Rentals, Reprographics, Reserve a Campus Space
  • Recycling - Custodial Services provides a clean, safe, and healthy environment for the UC Davis campus. To request trash and recycling services for your event, please contact Custodial Services. 

    Rentals - UC Davis Special Services rents office chairs, as well as other equipment, offering delivery and setup for your special events. Rental information can be found on the Special Services website. If you are looking for additional options for rentals, please e-mail ceremonies@ucdavis.edu for our trusted partner list.  

    Reprographics - Reprographics and printing services, including stationary, signs, and posters, can be accessed through the Repro Graphics website.

    Reserve a Campus Space - If you are an event coordinator for a campus department, you will need to create a CEMS user account to access the reservation system. To create a CEMS account please visit this link for additional details.

    • *If you belong to a Registered Student Organization or Campus Interest Group, you will need to be one of the designated signers for your organization. For more information, please contact the Center for Student Involvement at getinvolved@ucdavis.edu.
  • S - Safety, Security, Sound, Special Services, Speaking Request, Staging, Special Events, Staging
  • Safety - Please find information here regarding your Event Emergency Response Plan and download the Event Emergency Action Plan here

    Security - The Aggie Host Security (AHS) program provides a variety of security and public safety functions on the UC Davis Campus. For additional details and to request Aggie Hosts at your upcoming event please visit this link

    Sound - You can apply for a sound permit at this link. Please reference the Conference and Events Services website for details.

    Special Services - UC Davis Special Services rents office chairs, as well as other equipment, offering delivery and setup for your special events. Rental information can be found on the Special Services website.

    Speaking request form -  Please contact Jana Gabby (530.752.2067, jlgabby@ucdavis.edu) to obtain the updated Speaking or Appearance Invitation form for Chancellor May. Please contact Michele Hassett (530.752.4964, mchassett@ucdavis.edu) to obtain the updated Speaking or Appearance Invitation form for Provost Croughan. 

    Special Events Safety Services 

    Staging - Contact Ceremonies and Special Events for a list of their preferred vendors who can provide staging needs.

  • T - Trash, Tents
  • Trash - Custodial Services provides a clean, safe, and healthy environment for the UC Davis campus. To request Trash and recycling services for your event, please contact Custodial Services.

    Tents - Information about tent requirements can be found on the Safety Services website.

  • U - University Seal Usage
  • University Seal Usage - The UC Davis Seal is the most formal university asset. It is reserved for chancellor-level communications, events and official acknowledgment of courses completed. Any other use must be reviewed and approved by Strategic Communications.
  • V - Venue, Vendors
  • Venue - To reserve a venue, you can follow the space reservation process outlined on the Conference and Events Services website.

    Vendors - Contact Ceremonies and Special Events at ceremonies@ucdavis.edu  for a list of trusted vendors for event needs.

  • W - Water Truck
  • Water Truck - To reserve a Water Truck, you can do so at the Olive & Vine Food Truck page
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Contact Us!

Got questions about ceremonies and special events at UC Davis? We're here to help! Use the form below to reach out, and our team will respond promptly within 5 business days. Whether it's about scheduling, logistics, or any other details, we've got you covered!

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