University Events

Please consult the Event Planning Timeline 

All event details have been communicated to University Events, you have received your detailed reservation form from your event specialist, and you have returned the form to our office complete with signature and cost center. Your event specialist will distribute your form to all necessary event support partners to ensure a successful event execution.

Liquor licenses should be requested six weeks prior to your event.

In addition to the $250 license fee, you will have to pay for a public-safety officer, custodian and bartender to be at your event. Please speak with an event specialist for more information.

While Brandeis Dining/Harvest Table is our campus partner for all catered events in reserved spaces on campus, in certain instances it is possible to source the services of an approved External Caterer to support your on campus event.

**Please note events in Hassenfeld, Faculty Club and Usdan event spaces, as well as community wide events, remain exclusive to Brandeis Dining/Harvest Table.

A catered event is defined as food and beverage associated with a reservable event space, requiring wait staff. This does not apply to individual offices or departmental conference rooms, or to drop off catering where staff is not required to support.

Sourcing an approved vendor is critically important - it ensures who you select has met insurance thresholds, has appropriate health and Covid-19 safety certification, and can properly support the discerning needs of our community. It establishes trust and familiarity with the campus when not selecting our campus partner. Please note only one external caterer may be sourced per event.

Current Approved External Vendor for Full Service On Campus Events

Catering By Andrew

Should you decide to secure a caterer other than Catering by Andrew, or Harvest Table, a minimum of 6 weeks notice will be required for the due diligence work required by both University Events and Procurement. This work includes, but is not limited to establishing:

• Appropriate Certificates of Insurance
• Appropriate servsafe certification
• Covid Safety Compliance
• CORI checks
• Sustainability standards
• Power/Generator/Rental needs

Requests inside of 6 weeks may not be possible to support, in which case you may choose to hold your event off campus.

Event Stakeholder Responsibility When Sourcing an Approved Catering Vendor

• Coordinate quotes
• Minimums and Contract Review
• Menus
• Dietary Restrictions
• Walk Throughs
• Furniture rental, delivery and pick up
• Linens
• Florals
• Final Headcounts

Please be sure to have approved funding and established payment processes either through a PO or a PCard.

Brandeis University and Dining Services are committed to adhering to all Massachusetts laws and guidelines for the safe serving of alcohol. Brandeis currently holds liquor licenses for the Hassenfeld Conference Center, the Faculty Club, and Usdan Student Center.

Please note: Only alcohol sourced through Brandeis Dining may be served on Brandeis property.

Custodial Services Events Charges 

The matrix below outlines potential set up, break down and cleaning fees associated with your event:

# of people	Time/day	Total Custodial Hours	Event Fees
100 or less	5 a.m. – 4 p.m. (M-F)	1-4 hrs + event time (if needed)	Zero (if no dedicated custodian needed)
50 or less	After 4 p.m. (M-F) or Weekend/Holiday	2hrs + event time	$82.50 + ($41.25 x event hr)
51-100	After 4 p.m. (M-F) or Weekend/Holiday	4hrs + (2x event time)	$165 + ($82.50 x event hr)
101-200	Anytime/any day	4hrs + (2x event time)	$165+ ($82.50 x event hr)
201-300	Anytime/any day	6hrs + (2x event time)	$247.50 + ($82.50 x event hr)
301 - 400	Anytime/any day	8hrs + (2x event time)	$330 + ($82.50 x event hr)
401 plus	Anytime/any day	12hrs + (3x event time)	$495 + ($123.75 x event hr)

 

FAQs

Does event set up, sound checks, rehearsals, other pre-event time needed count in the event time?

• Yes. 

Are student organizations and departments charged the same?

• Yes

What if my event run is shorter than my estimated/planned event time?

• You will still be charged to the estimated/planned hours that the custodian is ordered for.

What if my event is longer than my estimated/planned event time?

• After the event, Facilities Services will charge based on the actual event time.

What if my event takes place before and after 4 pm on weekdays?

• You will be charged at the “After 4 pm” rate for the entire event time. 

Does this include other campus partner fees?

• No, MTS, Campus Safety and Catering, etc are all additional costs, as are dedicated custodians

How is this different from the old system?

• Previously your event planner at University Events would provide an estimated cost for a custodian needed based on the complexity of the event. Typically this was shown as $200-$250 “Average cost based on a four hour minimum Final Cost TBD.” Following the event, Facilities Services would charge based on the amount of custodians and the amount of time needed for the event, which could be much less or much more than the originally quoted $200-$250. In addition for many small to midsize events, between 5am and 4pm M-F , event fees are now being waived.

What if my event does not fall in these categories or I have more questions?

• Please talk to your event planner at University Events or contact ueo@brandeis.edu 

Yes. The Faculty Club can be an ideal venue for catered events, but minimums do apply. There is a $1,000 food and non-alcoholic beverage minimum in order to use the Main Dining Room, and a $500 food and non-alcoholic beverage minimum to use the Faculty Club Lounge or President’s Dining Room Monday through Friday after 3 p.m. and weekends. Please note that an additional room set up fee will be required for events in the Faculty Club. Events that use the existing set up in the lounge and dining room will not incur a set up fee.

Absolutely no fireworks and pyrotechnics. Smoke machines or bubble machines are also a no since they could set off the alarm or cause trip/fall hazards. By fire code, you can not attach anything to light fixtures, fire alarm sensors, fire strobe lamps, sprinkler heads or overhead pipe runs. No penetration (nails/screws/tacks) to surfaces including ceiling and walls.

Any adhesives to walls/ceilings would need to be fully removed. If any paint/plaster is damaged when they remove their items, they should be charged to fix it. Ceiling tiles can not be removed. The ceiling tile suspension system should not be bent or destroyed. If anything is hung from it and it bends/breaks/destroys it, they must pay for the replacement of the complete room suspension ceiling.

Doors, windows or any form of egress can not be blocked.