USC Annenberg events on campus
The policies outlined here are University and USC Annenberg-specific policies. Please review the full USC Event Policy Guidelines here.
Space reservations are only available to Annenberg faculty and staff. All events require faculty or staff affiliation. If you are a member of the community wishing to hold an event on campus, please obtain faculty or staff affiliation or your event will not be considered.
If you need assistance with your USC Annenberg event and/or have questions about the university event procedures outlined below, contact Jasmine Torres at jitorres@usc.edu.
Hosting an on-campus event
If you are hosting an on-campus event, you are required to do the following (below), depending on the needs of your event. If you are requesting your event take place in a signature space (ANN Forum, ANN 106, ANN Alumni Plaza, ASC G26, ANN Auditorium L105A, ASC 207), there are additional requirements.
Requesting an event space
Signature space events
If you are requesting your event be held in a signature space (ANN Forum, ANN 106, ANN Alumni Plaza, ASC G26, ANN Auditorium L105A, ASC 207), you must perform the following steps:
- Request your event reservation by filling out Signature Space Reservation Request form here: https://annenberg.usc.edu/signatureeventrequest
- You will be notified if your event request is approved.
- After your signature event reservation has been approved, you’ll receive an email with a unique link to fill out a support form. The support form details all of the support needs you have for your event, including logistics and promotion.
- After you submit the support form, please submit an event permit with details of your event and receive an event ID number at https://eventspermit.usc.edu/. You will receive an email from Fire and Safety, USC Hospitality and FMS Events Planning with further instructions.
For all other events (non-signature space events, small private events, etc)
- Make a space reservation with Annenberg TechOps by emailing asctech@usc.edu and request the space, date and time.
- After your space reservation has been approved by Annenberg TechOps, submit an event permit with details of your event and receive an event ID number at https://eventspermit.usc.edu/. You will receive an email from Fire and Safety, USC Hospitality and FMS Events Planning with further instructions.
Additional requirements
After confirming your space reservation, filling out an event permit and receiving your event ID number, you will receive an email from Fire and Safety, USC Hospitality and FMS Events Planning with further instructions. Based on the needs of your event, you may be required to fulfill additional requirements to host your event on campus. The information below may repeat details listed in the Fire and Safety, USC Hospitality and FMS Events Planning follow up emails. Please use this section as a supplementary, informational resource if you are required to fulfill the additional requirements.
Serving food
If you plan on serving food at your event, you may be required to:
- Submit a catering approval form to USC Auxiliary Services: http://cateringapprovals.usc.edu/foodrequests/new
- Journalism and Communication faculty members should contact their respective School offices for assistance with serving food at their events.
- If your food service includes a food truck, you are also required to request parking for the food truck using this form: http://cateringapprovals.usc.edu/parkingrequests/new
- You must hire a food truck that is an approved vendor (documentation like any other caterer), have a fire extinguisher on board, protect the ground from oil/grease spills, and, if approved by FMS to have tires on the grass, place plywood under the tires.
- You must pay for an oversized parking permit (check with Transportation).
- Contact USC Department of Fire and Safety at firesafety@admin.usc.edu. The location of the food truck must also be approved by DPS and Fire Safety in advance. This includes the arrival/departure path for the truck. Pedestrian safety must be taken into account and planned for accordingly.
- USC Departments, Schools and Institutes can only bring food trucks on campus in the capacity of catering for an event.
- They must be contracted as you would any other caterer: select a menu, negotiate pricing for a specific number of guests and arrange payment.
- Cash sales from a food truck are not allowed.
- Additional information regarding food at your event:
- Auxiliary services will not approve food and beverage forms unless they have confirmed that all required documents have been submitted and are current.
- They will not approve forms with homemade items.
- They will not approve events with self-BBQ for more than 35 guests.
- You do not need to provide documentation (health permits, insurance, etc.) for items sourced from national grocery chains like Costco, Smart and Final, Vons, Ralphs, etc. Please keep in mind that these items must all be pre-made, pre-packaged.
- All non-alcoholic beverages must be Coke branded, including the water.
Please use hosp.approvals@usc.edu for all email communications and questions relative to food and beverage approval with USC Hospitality.
Serving alcohol
If you plan on serving alcohol at your event, you may be required to:
- Submit an alcohol request form for approval. Final approval must be acquired within two weeks of your event date.
- Alcohol request forms are required any time alcohol is served at an event, regardless of vendor.
- Recommended: USC Hospitality, USC University Club, or university-approved vendor Sunseris (mike@sunseris.com) can provide alcohol.
- Additional information regarding serving alcohol at your event:
- Serving and consuming alcohol should always be complementary or secondary to the event, not the primary focus of the event.
- Alcohol-only events will NOT be approved. A variety of food items must be provided for all guests, as the consumption of food slows down the absorption of alcohol.
- All alcohol must be served by a university-approved vendor. Self-service bars (either by guests or department staff) are NEVER approved.
- Your caterer being approved to serve food on campus does not mean that they are approved to serve alcohol. If they are not approved, they (or you) will need to subcontract an approved vendor for that service.
- In addition to General Liability Insurance, Auto Liability Insurance and Workers Compensation Insurance that meet USC minimum insurance requirements, alcoholic beverage suppliers must have a current ABC Caterers Permit 58 license (which has been approved by the ABC).
- Catering Authorization Applications must be submitted to the ABC at least two weeks in advance, using Form ABC-218.
- An approved ABC-218 will be signed by an officer of the ABC under Section 6 and given back to the applicant after approval.
Please use hosp.approvals@usc.edu for all email communications and questions relative to food and beverage approval with USC Hospitality.
Installing a stage or structure
If you plan on installing a stage in the ANN Forum, you are required to:
- Purchase an LADBS Temporary Special Event Permit.
- Find the permit and more information by clicking here.
- The cost of the TSE permit is $137.80 per event.
TSE is needed when you install any of the following for no more than 5 consecutive days:
- Tents or canopies, larger than 450 square foot, on a residential property.
- Tents or canopies, larger than 12 feet in length or width, on a commercial property.
- Stages or platforms more than 30 inches above grade (structures higher than 30 inches intended for live loads require approved engineering prior to inspection).
- Grandstands or bleachers.
- Structures higher than 12 feet.
Miscellaneous notes for events
- If you are hosting an event outside (ANN Alumni Plaza, ASC East Patio) and need access to power for catering, speakers, lighting, etc., you must submit an FMS Request form and request that electrical boxes be unlocked.
- Please indicate this on the FMS checklist you will receive after filling out your event permit form. For more information, access FMS’ website here.
- If you need rentals for your event (stage, chairs, tables, linens) you are required to rent from a USC approved vendor, such as:
- If you need audio/visual services for your event that are not covered by Annenberg TechOps, you are required to rent from a USC approved vendor, such as:
- If you need crowd control for your event and/or have security concerns, you are required to provide details of your event, anticipated attendance, security concerns, etc. to Lt. Mark Cervenak in the Department of Public Safety at mcervenak@dps.usc.edu.
- If you need to make parking reservations, visit http://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/parking-reservations/.
This document is maintained by the USC Annenberg Communication and Marketing department. The latest update to this document was made 10-25-2018. To inquire about the subject matter of this page, please email ascweb@usc.edu. Additional resources or policies may be added at any time, so check back frequently.