The lost & found is located at the Welcome Desk in the lobby of the Houston Hall. You can contact the Welcome desk at (215) 898-4636.
Please see our ADA Entrance Maps for each of the buildings Space & Events oversees.
Please consult our Additional Event Resources below for more information on other event spaces and vendors on campus.
Unfortunately, this means we are unable to accommodate your event for the date and time you’ve requested. We assure you that our team has checked all potential options in our portfolio of spaces. Please consult our Additional Event Resources below for more information on other event spaces and vendors on campus.
Space & Events has compiled a list of contacts for Event Organizers at the bottom of this page. If you do not see the contact you are looking for, please visit the Contact Us page.
Penn organizations may submit a Room Reservation Application online. Your application is not a confirmation; the events team will reach out with confirmations, denials, or requests for more information. Please allow up to 10 business days to hear back from us.
This depends on the time of year. To give our team enough time to process your event properly, please allow:
- Up to 10 business days during the academic year
- Up to 7 business days during the summer
We encourage you to submit your application as soon as you have the required information to ensure you receive the most appropriate space for your event. Complex events (conferences, banquets/galas, guest speakers, etc.) may require additional coordination time.
You can confirm the availability of our spaces using the Room Reservation Request Form on our website. Enter your desired event date, time, and capacity to view the available spaces. If you have additional questions, please contact us at (215) 898-5552.
Spaces are listed with their floor plans and capacities under the Explore Our Spaces page on our website. If you have additional questions, please contact us at (215) 898-5552.
Space & Events can reserve certain Central Pool Classrooms on campus only after the Office of the University Registrar has released the classroom schedule for the current semester. Visit our Central Pool Classroom Reservations page for more information.
We do not offer this service. Please reference our Additional Event Resources page for a list of approved vendors.
Student Group: Any student organization registered with the Office of Student Affairs and listed as a Registered Student Organizations.
Faculty/Staff: Any Penn organization made up of majority-Penn faculty or staff.
External: Any organization that is not directly affiliated with Penn.
Please keep in mind that University Life Space & Events only hosts Penn-affiliated events during the academic year.
That depends! If your application is missing crucial information, an Event Coordinator may reach out to you with additional questions or your application may be rejected. Please be advised that missing information will result in a longer processing time. If you are unsure whether you are ready to submit your application, please contact us at (215) 898-5552.
First, we review your event application for space availability and event feasibility. If we are able to accommodate your request, an Event Coordinator will be assigned to your request and will reach out to discuss the following details. Please have this information ready!
- Room layout/necessary furniture
- A/V needs
- Budget
Your Event Coordinator will discuss the above details with you and build your event. If you have A/V needs, our partners at Visual Sound will reach out to you to discuss those needs. At this stage, our office will send an estimate and Client Agreement, including our terms and conditions, for your event organizer to sign and return to our office.
- At this point, if there are any estimate discrepancies or charges to your event, they must be resolved at this time.
Once we have received your signed Client Agreement, we will send you a space confirmation letter! Keep in mind any changes made to your reservation after we have received a signed initial Client Agreement will require a new Client Agreement to be signed and you may incur an Emergency Setup Fee.
Please be aware that applying for space is NOT confirmation. We do not advise you to advertise your event before working with our team and receiving a space confirmation letter from our office.
Registered Student Organizations will receive the following complimentary equipment:
- The cost of the space per day;
- 6 tables of any kind (6-foot, 72″ banquet rounds, etc.) without linens;
- Unlimited chairs;
- A screen and projector;
- A podium with one microphone OR a JBL PartyBox with one microphone.
- Please keep in mind that if your reservation includes multiple spaces, only one space will receive the complimentary technology package.
Furniture, technology, and equipment beyond those outlined above will be billed at the cost of the Registered Student Organization.
Irvine Auditorium Main Hall requests must be made at least 3 weeks before your event date. Less than 3 weeks notice may result in a denial at the discretion of University Life Space & Events Management. Main Hall is considered a “Union Hall”. Due to the rules surrounding the unions that operate Main Hall, events in this space should expect to spend at least $3,500. This payment must be made 5 business days prior to your event. If you have specific questions regarding events in Irvine Main Hall, please contact us at (215) 898-5552.
In order for our team to properly process your request, please allow at least 10 business days during the academic year and 7 business days during the summer to hear back from us. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as you have the required information to ensure you receive the most appropriate space for your event.
If your reservation application has been accepted and you were assigned an Event Coordinator, they can arrange for a tour. If you have not yet submitted a reservation application, please call our front desk at (215) 898-5552 to schedule a tour.
We may or may not be able to accommodate storage space for events. Please consult your Event Coordinator to arrange for this as we have limited storage space.
Our Event Coordinators are happy to help you select the best furniture options for your needs. As a general guideline, a café table seats 4 people, a 6′-rectangular table seats 6 people, a 60″-round table seats 8 people, and a 72″-round table seats 10 people.
That depends! If the primary purpose of your event is to socialize, it’s likely you should register the event with University Life. Events with alcohol must always be registered; dry social events happening in off-campus residences or at third-party venues must also be registered. Other dry events on campus such as organizational meetings, grab-n-go-giveaways, speakers, etc. do not need to be registered with University Life.
Unregistered events that are visited by UPPD and/or the Event Observers will be shut down and accountability measures will be discussed.
For information on policies, please visit our Policies page. If you have additional questions, please call our office at (215) 898-5552 or reach out to your assigned Event Coordinator.
Penn organizations (RSOs, Departments, and Centers) are required to provide a 26-digit Penn Budget Code prior to the event.
Non-Penn organizations must make payments via money order, check, or credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or debit card).
Please refer to our Policies page for more details on payment.
The Building Manager will be your on-site support for all issues you may encounter on the day of your event. Please contact them at (215) 399-6019.
Irvine Auditorium’s Main Hall must be booked at least 6 weeks in advance of the event date. In addition, payment source must be confirmed 5 business days in advance of the event date.
Labor Requirements:
Main Hall is a union building. This means the following is required labor and non-negotiable:
- Electricians
- Reserved through University Facilities & Real Estate Services (FRES)
- IATSE Local 8 Union Technicians
- Reserved through our campus partners Visual Sound
- Guards/Ushers
- The number of personnel assigned is non-negotiable; Public Safety and other campus partners may require additional labor depending on the scale of the even or the profile of attendees
- For example, major political candidates, heads of state, famous musicians, etc.
- Any security labor assigned to an event will be the responsibility of the client to pay.
- Additional security may be ordered to check bags upon request
- The number of personnel assigned is non-negotiable; Public Safety and other campus partners may require additional labor depending on the scale of the even or the profile of attendees
Any use of Main Hall requires a minimum of 1 electrician, 2 union AV technicians billed at a 4-hour minimum, and 1 guard billed at a 4-hour minimum. Additionally, clients are responsible for a housekeeping charged billed at a 2-hour minimum regardless of food being served in the surrounding spaces. Any technology, including recording, must be reserved through our campus partners at Visual Sound. If outside audio/visual services and labor are brought in for special circumstances, shadow labor through Visual Sound must also be scheduled and an exclusivity fee may be applicable.
General Guidelines:
- Events in Main Hall must have a walkthrough with Visual Sound, catering, and other relevant vendors in attendance.
- The cap on Main Hall is 1,200 people. Guest count must be solidified at least 2 weeks in advance of the event date as additional labor may need to be ordered.
- If there is an event in Amado Recital Hall or Cafe 58, there cannot be an event in Main Hall due to sound bleed.
- The opposite is also true.
- A reservation in Main Hall does not include use of the parking lot.
- Use of the loading dock must be communicated prior to your event with your assigned Event Coordinator. The loading dock may only be used for load-in and pick-up. Availability is not guaranteed.
- Space & Events Management does not provide tickets for Main Hall; this is the responsibility of the hosting organization.
- Events in Main Hall must use the Spruce Street entrance closest to Houston Hall.
- Clients must manage guest traffic in order to maintain open egress between Houston Hall and Irvine Auditorium.
- Please communicate with your assigned Event Coordinator for all deliveries, drop-offs, and storage accommodations at least 2 weeks prior to your event date.
- Please contact your assigned Event Coordinator for assistance with signage.
For Registered Student Organizations: the Main Hall screen and projector is NOT included in the complimentary student AV package.
Under Construction…
Ordering Ushers & Front-of-House Staff with ULSE
Once your event has been assigned to an Event Coordinator, they will send you a list of questions regarding your event. Based on your responses to those questions, we will add the appropriate number of Front-of-House staff to your reservation.
Ushers are ordered based on the following factors:
- The minimum is (4) ushers for an event in Main Hall
- This would cover a 1st floor event only: 800 attendees or fewer
- Minimal duties: Opening the doors, showing attendees where the restrooms are located, etc.
- Additional ushers are ordered based on the following factors:
- Usher responsibilities
- Amount of attendees
- Length of event
- After (4) ushers the additions include:
- 2 (6 total) for utilizing the 2nd floor of seating (1,000 attendees)
- 2 (8 total) for utilizing all 3 floors of seating (1,200 attendees)
- Event hosts should expect 10-12 ushers ordered for a full house audience that includes responsibilities such as checking tickets and directing audience members to seats.
Important FYIs:
- Our team will need to know your event needs before the 10th of the month prior to your event to ensure we can adequately staff the event.
- Every event is assigned a house manager in addition to the ushers ordered.
- All Front-of-House staff is charged at a rate of $31.52/hr.
- These charges will appear on your invoice as LABOR-PLA House Manager (hourly) and LABOR-PLA Ushers (hourly)
- If an event needs to be cancelled, please notify your Event Coordinator at least 48 business hours in advance of your event date.
- If we are notified of a cancellation within 24 hours of the event, each staff member ordered for your event will be billed for (3) hours of work. This cost is the responsibility of the event host.
Below is the questionnaire you will receive when coordinating an event in Irvine Auditorium’s Main Hall. Please anticipate the answers to these questions in order to streamline your coordination process.
1. House Open Time for attendees
2. Event end time (the time attendees must leave Irvine Auditorium)
3. Event Run Time
a. Length of Act 1/Act 2 (if applicable)
b. Length of Intermission (if applicable)
4. Is this event Ticketed, Non-Ticketed, or Registration-based?
a. General Admission or Reserved Seating?
5. Do Ushers need to look at/take/tear tickets?
6. Expected attendance
7. Is seating allowed on all levels?
8. Is there a pre-show or post-show event?
9. Are there any content warnings to alert the audience of? (i.e. violence, strobe, etc.)
10. Is there a late seating policy?
a. Continuous seating? Only seating at certain moments?
11. Will there be programs?
a. Should Ushers pass them out?
12. Is merchandise being sold?
13. Is photo/video allowed from the audience?
14. Are there any known accessibility needs?
15. Is security expected?
16. Will Ushers need to check bags/IDs?
17. Has a coat check/stroller check been requested?
a. If so, should Guest Services use the coat room/tags?
18. Any reserved seating needs for staff?
19. Additional needs from ushers? (i.e. pass a mic for Q&A, recycle programs at the end of the event, etc.)
20. Anything additional that ULSE should know about your Main Hall event needs for our front of house usher staff?
Additional Event Resources
For spaces not managed by University Life Space & Events, please consult the following resources to ensure your event is a success.
Group Study Rooms, or GSRs, are flexible and innovative spaces ranging from collaborative or quiet study spots to classrooms designed for active learning and equipped with the latest technology. You can find GSRs in library buildings, Huntsman Hall, and the Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics. Please use the links below to request a GSR.
Library GSR Request | (215) 898-7555
Huntsman Hall GSR Request | Wharton Contact List
Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics GSR Request
In addition to Space and Events and GSRs, other venues around campus offer space for students. Please use the links below to request space or contact these venues directly.
Reservable Library Space Request | (215) 898-7555
Platt Performing Arts Spaces Request
Penn Hillel Steinhardt Space Request | (215) 898-7391
Penn Athletics Website | Penn Athletics Space Request | pennathevents@upenn.edu
Graduate Student Center (GSC) Space Request | (215) 746-6868 | gradcenter@upenn.edu
Albert M. Greenfield Intercultural Center (GIC) Space Request | (215) 898-3358 | gic@dolphin.upenn.edu
Penn Women’s Center (PWC) Space Request | (215) 898-8611 | vpul-pwc@pobox.upenn.edu
Perry World House Space Request
Academic Buildings on Penn’s campus also offer space to students. Please use the links and contact information below to request a reservation.
Graduate School of Education (GSE) Space Request
GSE Contacts:
- Greg Tausz, Senior Director of Finance and Facility Management: (215) 898-5422
- Donna Cai, Senior Facilities Manager at Stiteler Hall: (215) 573-4465
- Tony Delgozzo, Facilities Manager at the Solomon Building: (215) 898-7388
- Sherriann King, Facilities Support at the Solomon Building: (215) 746-7736
School of Social Policy and Practice (SP2) Space Request | (215) 898-5512
Department of Psychology Space Request | (215) 898-7300 | web@psych.upenn.edu
Penn Law Space Request | Penn Law Contact Page
Penn Med Scheduling & Events Services
Penn Engineering (SEAS) Space Request | SEAS Contact Page | seas-space@seas.upenn.edu
Wharton Space Request | Wharton Contact Page
There are a few off-campus event venues surrounding Penn. Below please find website and contact information for these venues.
In certain complex event scenarios, ULSE will need to rent equipment from a third-party vendor. Below is contact information for a few of our preferred vendors.
South Jersey Party Contact Page | (856) 320-6013
Contact List for Event Organizers
Before Your Event
Event Coordination staff can be reached during our Office Hours at (215) 898-5552. You may also email your assigned Event Coordinator with any questions.
During Your Event
On-site support questions should be directed to the Building Manager on Duty at (215) 399-6019 or the Houston Hall Information Desk at (215) 898-4636. If you ordered an Allied Guard and they have not shown up, please contact Allied Universal directly at (215) 573-9224. Audio Visual issues should be directed to the Building Manager on Duty. However, if your event requires on-call technical assistance, you may be subject to a labor fee.
In Case of Emergency
If you are experiencing an emergency or need medical attention, please contact Public Safety at (215) 573-3333 or 511 from a campus phone. You can hear more information on Public Safety by contacting (215) 898-7297.
Before Your Event
Event Coordination staff can be reached during our Office Hours at (215) 746-6067. You may also email your assigned Event Coordinator with any questions.
During Your Event
On-site support questions should be directed to the Building Manager on Duty at (215) 399-6019 or the ARCH Information Desk at (215) 746-6067. If you ordered an Allied Guard and they have not shown up, please contact Allied Universal directly at (215) 573-9224. Audio Visual issues should be directed to the Building Manager on Duty. However, if your event requires on-call technical assistance, you may be subject to a labor fee.
In Case of Emergency
If you are experiencing an emergency or need medical attention, please contact Public Safety at (215) 573-3333 or 511 from a campus phone. You can hear more information on Public Safety by contacting (215) 898-7297.
Please note that ULSE staff reserves special events in Central Pool Classrooms, but we are not the building administrators of these spaces. Local support will vary by building. Please visit the Support and Contact Information for specific contact information. Please also see our Central Pool Classroom Reservations page for more information regarding Central Pool Classrooms.
Before Your Event
Event Coordination staff can be reached during our Office Hours (insert link to hours) at (215) 898-5552. You may also email your assigned Event Coordinator with any questions.
During Your Event
On-site support questions may be directed to the Space & Events office at (215) 898-5552. If you ordered an Allied Guard and they have not shown up, please contact Allied Universal directly at (215) 573-9224. Classroom technology issues between the hours of 9:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday should be directed to (215) 898-9550. If you run into issues outside of these hours, support will not be available. If your event needs on-call technical support, you may be subject to a labor fee.
In Case of Emergency
If you are experiencing an emergency or need medical attention, please contact Public Safety at (215) 573-3333 or 511 from a campus phone. You can hear more information on Public Safety by contacting (215) 898-7297.