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Good news! We’ve made some improvements to the student event risk portal

The process for having your student group event approved remains the same, but we’ve modernized the submission experience to make it more intuitive and efficient.

  • Drop-down menus for faster input
  • A commenting feature within each section
  • The ability to edit your form when changes or uploads are requested
  • A direct link to detailed food and beverage guidelines
  • Access the new portal. Log in with your McMaster club email and password. Personal McMaster email accounts or non-McMaster emails will not be accepted.
  • We have included easy-access links for event code verification and space bookings through Conference & Event Services and MUSC.
  • All waivers and templates are available on the home page of this website. You are responsible for keeping copies of the completed waivers for each event.
  • The refreshed portal consists of three levels of approval:
    • Level 1 — Intermediate Approver (e.g., MSU, GSA, Faculty representative)
    • Level 2 — University Health and Safety
    • Level 3 — Enterprise Risk (if using third-party vendors and a certificate of insurance is required)
Student Event Portal - Organizer
Student Event Portal - Approver
Bookings: Conference & Event Services
Bookings: MUSC

Event Management

Your safety matters to us. Before planning an event or gathering, you must complete a risk assessment. This assessment shows us that you have considered the level of risk associated with your event.

Event ManagementGet started

Event Resources

Every successful event has a plan. Where are you hosting your event? Have you booked the room? Will you need catering? What’s your budget? Explore for clear guides to help achieve your event goals.

Event ResourcesGet started

Waivers

Certificate of Insurance (COI) Templates

Policy on Student Groups

This document contains McMaster University’s policies and expectations for student groups.

Policy on Student GroupsRead the policy

Budgeting

Make use of your resources. This is an Excel template you can use to successfully budget for your event.

BudgetingDownload the template

Successful Event Planning

If you’re in the planning stages of your event, this checklist has a week-by-week breakdown of what you need to do.

Successful Event PlanningDownload the checklist

I’m having trouble logging in to the event portal. What should I do?

Ensure you are using the clubs McMaster email. Personal McMaster emails or non-McMaster club emails are no longer valid. Student groups can create a role-based account (ending in @mcmaster.ca) through UTS. Please note:

Where can I learn more about event planning in general?

You can visit the Event Resources page to learn more. We are working on adding more useful information to support you.

Will I require an event code to reserve space?

Yes, event codes will continue to be issued when your event is approved, and you will require that code before you can reserve space.

When planning events, are there any timeframes to consider avoiding due to space restrictions?

Yes. Classroom and lecture halls are not available to book in the first two-three weeks of each academic term as teaching schedules get confirmed. Typically, the Meet@Mac portal is open for booking space after the drop/add date of each academic team.  December and April exam periods also significantly reduce the availability of classrooms and lecture halls.

If an approver asks for more information on my event, will the form go back to the first approver?

No. When an approver requests changes, the form stays with that approver until the updates are complete. It does not return to earlier approvers or restart the process. Once the requested changes are made, the form continues forward from that point.

Why am I being asked to complete the Criterion license?

All student groups — MSU, GSA, Academic Societies — must now complete the Criterion license form when their event includes a film.

My event has been approved by Level 1 and Level 2, but I have not received the approval email and event code. Why?

This is likely because your event involves a third-party vendor (i.e., petting zoo, bouncy castle, equipment rental, non-McMaster instructor) and a certificate of insurance is required. You can upload this to the form, and it will be reviewed for final (Level 3) approval by Enterprise Risk.

What is a certificate of insurance (COI) and how do I get it?

A certificate of insurance is a document provided by the vendor verifying insurance coverage. A certificate of insurance in the amount of $5M for commercial general liability is required for all third-party vendors, except for charted buses, which require $10M.

 

I have questions. Who can I contact?

Inquiries can be sent to stgroups@mcmaster.ca.