Usage priority

The following criteria are used to prioritize the schedule of usage:

1. MVCC academic/educational programming
2. MVCC-affiliated programming
3. New York State and Oneida County government agencies
4. Community organizations

General facilities use procedures

1. Normally, facility usage may not be scheduled more than three months in advance. Earlier requests must be approved by the Director of Events and Guest Services.
2. All groups, on-campus (MVCC) and off-campus (Off-Campus/Rentals), wishing to use MVCC's facilities must submit a Facility Use Request Form a minimum of two weeks prior to proposed date(s). Please note that we cannot put a facility on "hold" until a fully executed application has been received. Once application is received, all external groups must submit a Certificate of Insurance (see item No. 3 below) in order to confirm use.
3. A Certificate of Insurance with a limit of not less than $1 million against any injury or damage to persons or property on campus must be provided by any group wishing to use the College. The Certificate must be submitted to the Office of Events and Guest Services 14 days in advance of event date. Failure to submit proof of adequate insurance may result in cancellation of a scheduled event. The Certificate of Insurance for General Liability should name "MVCC and Oneida County and their offices and employees" as an ADDITIONAL INSURED, and include the specific date(s) of use. Each user will be liable for damages that require repair or replacement.
4. MVCC is not responsible for loss or damage to equipment or property owned by the user, its agents, employees, audiences, or guests. For selected events, liability limits may be increased.
5. Payment for the use of MVCC facilities and charges for personnel assigned to the event, equipment, and any additional services are in accordance with the pre-established fee schedule. Rates for technical and personnel services are set at the normal work week rate. Rates may vary if personnel services are required outside of normal work hours. The College invoices for rental space on a monthly basis. Invoices will be based on actual use and, therefore, will be processed after date of contracted use. Invoices that are more than 30 days past due will be subject to a 5% late fee and, if account remains unpaid, will be subject to an additional 5% late quarterly until payment is fully accounted for. The College reserves the right to require a nonrefundable deposit.
6. The User acknowledges and understands that they are required to utilize the College’s Box Office and Ticketing System (University Tickets) for ticketed events held on College-owned property at a rate of 10% per ticket. These fees are to be kept by the College to cover costs associated with operating the Box Office. Please note that the convenience fees are not the responsibility of the User, but will be paid for by the guests purchasing tickets.
7. The College reserves the right to require one or more part-time front of house and technical staff (stagehands) to oversee event logistics at the cost of the Facility User.
8. Tax-exempt organizations may use a facility on MVCC's campuses at a discounted rate. Organizations will still be billed for any required personnel and equipment used). A tax-exempt certificate will be required prior to reserving College facilities.
9. The nonprofit organization named on the tax-exempt certificate must match the nonprofit organization named on facility use application.
10. Groups that receive a fee waiver, or discount of any kind, must be willing and able to submit a financial report showing actual revenue, expense, and net income 30 days after use.
11. Any individual MVCC employee wishing to use MVCC facilities for work or non-work related events should submit a Facility Use Request Form. Any incremental costs resulting from that employee’s usage will be borne by that employee or sponsoring organization. A certificate of insurance will still be required.
12. Use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs is prohibited on MVCC's campuses. 
13. MVCC reserves the right to review all advertisements of outside groups using the facility prior to publication. No group will indicate the College is a sponsor of the event unless a written agreement is signed by the Office of Events and Guest Services in advance.
14. MVCC reserves the right to deny the use of its facilities to any organization whose goals and philosophies are not consistent with the mission of the College.
15. MVCC reserves the right to deny the use of its equipment if that equipment or the technicians needed to operate the equipment are unavailable, or if it is not in the best interest of the College to do so.
16. MVCC reserves the right to require additional security, including third-party vendors and/or personnel, to events at the sole cost of the facilities use rental group. Additionally, for events that feature regional or national acts and/or events with a potential for larger audiences, MVCC reserves the right to require bag checks and wanding (metal detection) for all audience members prior to entry into performance venues.
17. Any event requiring special effects, use of open flames, candles, gas or charcoal grills, fog machines, hazer machines or any device or mechanism that will generate a spark, flame or smoke of any kind must be approved by the MVCC Environmental Health and Safety Officer in cooperation with the Chief of Security, Utica Fire Department, and the Office of Events and Guest Services.
18. When the College is closed due to inclement weather or emergency situations, ALL campus events will be canceled, including facilities rentals.
19. Postings on walls are prohibited. Contact the Office of Events and Guest Services to have your event information posted within the designated areas of the campus.
20. The College reserves the right to invoice, and the Facility User will be held accountable, for 50% of quoted and approved facility use fee if an event is canceled with less than 48 hours notice.
21. Rental parties will honor the College’s food service contract with American Dining Creations.

Theater and Gallery Use Procedures

Note: The procedures listed within the MVCC Rental Requirements and Procedures document will also be enforced in the Theater and Gallery.

1. This policy is predicated on the understanding that the theater is, first of all, an instructional space. Scheduling of the use of the theater by both on-campus and off-campus groups will be the responsibility of the Office of Events and Guest Services. The Gallery will be scheduled by the Office of the Vice President for Learning and Academic Affairs (VPLAA).
2. The Office of the VPLAA will set up a yearly calendar for use of all academic classes and academic groups using the theater. For scheduling purposes, the summer will begin the day after the last day of faculty obligation in the spring semester and will end the day before faculty are due back for the fall semester. The academic year will consist of all days from the beginning of the fall semester through the last day of summer session, or as determined by the current College Catalog.
3. The schedule for the academic year will be created in January of the previous year. All College academic activities will be submitted to the Office of the VPLAA by the second Monday in January. All MVCC groups wishing to use the theater for their own special events (orientations, graduations, ceremonies, training sessions, lectures, etc.) must request use of the theater at least 25 days in advance of the first date of requested use. MVCC groups will request use of the theater by submitting a rental application to the Office of Events. Outside groups are required to request use of the theater a minimum of 45 days in advance of their first date of requested use. Outside groups must also request use of the theater by submitting a rental application to the Office of Events. All groups, inside and out, using the Schafer Theater must submit a facility use request form prior to the date described in item No. 13 of the MVCC Theater and Gallery Use Procedures.
4. Theater and Humanities credit classes will have first priority for scheduling (time blocked off for class-related productions will include rehearsal time, set design time, etc.). Second will come the Cultural Series (including the Gallery), followed by College-wide functions. The Gallery Coordinator and the Dean of the School of Art will coordinate scheduling of the Gallery.
5. Only after members of the College community have had the opportunity to schedule according to the process herein described will the space be available for rental to community groups, non-profit groups or individuals. Bookings for summer use (third week of May to the second week of August) will be accepted no earlier than December 15 of the previous academic year. Summer use groups will be limited to 15 days (maximum) of theater use and a non-refundable deposit in the amount of 25% of the event estimate may be required within 90 days of the first date of use. These parties will complete a rental application, including a signature indicating familiarity with theater operating procedures as stated in this document. The College will require that each group have a College-chosen theatrical technician proficient in all relevant phases of theater operation present during facilities use. Similarly, on-campus College groups using the theater will be responsible for understanding and honoring the procedures stated in this document.
6. In the event that an official College function requiring use of the stage conflicts with a scheduled theater course or Cultural Series rehearsal, the College will make every effort to provide equivalent substitute rehearsal space (e.g. CC116; not a classroom). However, this cannot happen during technical rehearsals; the integrity of instruction as a performance approaches must be respected.
7. Only qualified College personnel or technicians approved by the Technical  Coordinator of Events and Guest Services may operate any technical machinery, lights, sound, fly rail system, orchestra pit, etc.
8. Publicity for community events will be done by the sponsoring community group. MVCC will not be named as a sponsoring organization unless an exclusive agreement has been signed by the Office of Events and Guest Services in cooperation with the Department of Marketing and Communications.
9. The Office of Events and Guest Services will oversee the general operations of the Schafer Theater and part-time personnel. The Technical Coordinator of Events and Guest Services will supervise all technical service needs and operations in cooperation with facility use groups and their representative(s).
10. The Office of Events and Guest Services will provide a written estimate upon request. Billing will also be handled by the Office of Events and Guest Services. Rental parties will receive an invoice following their use of the MVCC facility. MVCC requires all facility use invoices to be paid in full within 30 days of the event.
11. A College-approved technical assistant must be present with any group using the theater at the per hour technician rate, at the expense of the Facility User. For selected events, additional technical assistants may be required. The Chief of Security will have the right to assign a designated number of security guards per event, at the expense of the rental group.
12. Rental of the theater will include access to the stage and house (lower- and upper-level) seating, backstage dressing rooms, and backstage restrooms. Use of the agreed-upon soft goods (curtains, legs, borders and Cyclorama drop) and house sound system will be included in the rental cost (operated by a College-approved technical assistant or qualified technicians approved by the Technical Coordinator of Events and Guest Services). Use of available chairs and music stands will also be included in the rental cost (rental groups must provide music stand lights). Use of the Theatrical Lighting System will be charged per our current fee schedule and will include up to 100 theatrical lighting instruments and one spot light (see fees portion of this document). The Steinway piano must be requested at least 14 days prior to the date needed. The Steinway piano will be rented for $250 per day. MVCC reserves the right to require a security deposit for use of the Steinway piano. Both on- and off-campus groups must incur the costs of piano tuning and must agree to use the professional tuner appointed by MVCC. Rental groups must leave the theater in an acceptable condition. MVCC reserves the right to charge rental groups an additional $100 clean-up fee when clean-up services are required.
13. The Schafer Theater scene shop is not available for use by outside groups. Access to the shop may only be used as a crossover space during production load-in and load-out. The scene shop may be available for storage, but must be requested and approved by the Technical Coordinator of Events and Guest Services in cooperation with the Director of Events and Guest Services. Storage will only be available during the scheduled rental period. MVCC is not responsible for loss or damage to equipment or property. Scene shop equipment (tools, supplies, lumber, etc.) are not be available for use by outside groups.
14. In the event there are conflicts among event times, days, or spaces or if there is a need to adjust the schedule of planned events for any reason; conflicts and adjustments will be resolved by the Office of Events and Guest Services in cooperation with the Gallery Committee.
15. The College reserves the right to establish and, when it may be appropriate, amend its policies for the use of its facilities.
16. MVCC reserves the right to deny the use of its facilities, property, and equipment as well as access to any location within its facilities.

Policies and procedures are subject to change without notice.