Campus Events -The Basics

 

By Mike Harris, MBA, CAPP

Campuses around the country are a vibrant and exciting place to operate. As parking professionals, there are many different hats we all must wear in order to fulfill all the demands placed on our departments. One of these is managing events.

These events come in a variety of sizes and complexity. In order to make sure nothing falls through the cracks it is important that a consistent system is in place to make sure all information is conveyed in a timely manner.

Having a registration process form for events that is either setup on the parking website and or routed through the parking department is vital for that first notice of what is coming. Advanced notice of 48-72 hours should be required.

The form should have all the basic information, including but not limited to the following.

  • When: The date, time and duration of the event will provide parameters
  • Who: Knowing which department or organization that is setting up the event is critical for communicating purposes. Also, those who are attending the event is another important detail. These can vary from VIPs to Summer Camps and each will require vastly different specific setups.
  • What: What are the things specific to this event. Will they need attendants, special signage, reserved spaces, etc.
  • Where: Location can really throw a kink in the operation if parking is requested in areas with additional events all happening at the same time. It may be necessary to accommodate the parkers using transportation services from an alternative parking location.
  • How: Knowing how many participants are expected can help in determining the best parking areas to set aside. Communicating to those affected in advance via email and properly placed signs at lot entrances can also be extremely important in creating a positive PR strategy.

Events on college campuses are here to stay and they are continuing to grow in number and complexity. Taking a proactive approach can help you manage the overall parking demand on campus and better provide for campus growth and present a more positive parking experience for all.

Mike Harris, MBA, CAPP, is the Director of University Services for SP+ (SP Plus). You can reach Mike at gharris@spplus.com.