Residence Hall Atlas Event
Registration

Event Registration Guidelines

Much of the following content is built into the new Atlas Event Registration Form. However, the committee thought it would be useful for students planning events to be able to review event guidelines in a single location:

  • Events are gatherings of 11 or more people with alcohol or 25+ people without alcohol. 
  • Private spaces are defined as individual bedrooms and suites within residences. All other spaces are considered to be public spaces.
  • Total attendance is the number of attendees expected during the course of the entire event, including those who come and leave.
  • Capacity refers to the number of attendees at the event at a given time. It is a snapshot of the event at any given point.
  • Open source refers to events that do not have a defined bartender.
  • Events should be registered with both total attendance and space capacity numbers.
  • Hallways and bathrooms cannot be included in the capacity of a space or used to serve as the location for alcohol service.
  • On residential floors the maximum capacity for a floor event will vary and is contingent upon City of Cambridge ordinance.
  • If students choose to utilize suites as part of their overall space plan for events with or without alcohol, then suites will be considered public during the scheduled event. Registration for events that use suite spaces will follow all tier requirements.
  • All Tier 2 events with alcohol must have an identified Social Host Training (SHT) trained alcohol server.
  • Depending on circumstances, Tier 3 events may require a 3rd party professional bartender. All Tier 4 and larger events will require a 3rd party professional bartender. MIT currently insures professional bartending staffs that are employed by the Institute through the Muddy Charles, the Thirsty Ear or the R&D Pub. Third-party vendors are responsible for the provision and removal of any alcohol from events.If an outside company is used they must meet MIT’s insurance standards regarding coverage.
  • The standard alcohol ratio of 1 standard drink per 21-year-old attendee per hour is still in place. The total number of standard drinks is based off of the capacity for the event. However, to account for events with high-turnover we suggest that a maximum alcohol ratio be created. This number should never exceed double the standard alcohol ratio total.
  • Events can only be hosted by current residents of the residence hall where the event is taking place.
  • Events where alcohol is being served must have a host who is 21 years of age or older. Hosts must be SHT trained.
  • Sober monitors will be required for all Tier 2 and above events at a ratio of 1 sober monitor per 25 attendees. These monitors must be at least 18 years of age. Sober monitors must be SHT trained. Within graduate communities, there will be one student sober monitor. In cases where additional monitors are required, these positions will be replaced by paid staff from the third party serving company. The maximum number of sober monitors per large event will vary based on risk factors, but should never exceed 15 monitors.
  • Guest lists will be required for all Tier 3 events with alcohol. The lists will be an active reflection of who is currently attending the event. Overnight or multiday events will be required to provide pre-event guest lists for each day of the event one week prior to the first day of the event. The purpose of these lists is to ensure the safety of all attendees by being able to track who is coming and going at any given time. Also, it will allow for hosts of the larger events to know the exact event number at any given time.
  • Food and non-alcoholic beverages are required for all events with alcohol, regardless of Tier. It is suggested that organizers plan on spending $2-3 per attendee on food and non-alcoholic beverages.
  • All Tier 2 and 3 events with alcohol will be required to use a non-duplicative, RLP provided wrist banding system that delineates attendees below and above the age of 21.
  • Open source events are allowed for of-age students holding events that do not fall in to the Tier system.
  • Events where elements of the Atlas Registration Agreement or Risk Management Plan are not followed may result in alteration, cancellation or banning of future events by the appropriate Division of Student Life staff. In some circumstances, a complaint may be submitted to the Committee on Discipline for further review.
  • In order to allow Heads of House flexibility to respond to the needs of their communities, we suggest that the aforementioned procedures are meant to serve as a baseline of expectations for our graduate and undergraduate communities. As such, all communities reserve the right to apply internal procedures that are more restrictive than what is stated here. However, these procedures must to be stated in written form and provided to all residents living within their respective communities during September of every academic year. These procedures must also be placed in a format where they are easily accessible for review and application throughout the year.