Student Organizations

Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine recognize independent student organizations as long as they adhere to School and University stated expectations for student groups. HMS/HSDM recognize student organizations through a formal process. Recognition is intended to create a relationship between the school and the student organization with the goal of further supporting the student organization. HMS/HSDM encourage student organizations to partner with advisors who can effectively guide them to responsible leadership.

HMS/HSDM aim to support students as they engage in personal and social transformation. Beyond the classroom, each School encourages its students to actively participate in student organizations that support their extracurricular interests and future careers. The following policies and procedures are intended as a resource for student organizations and student-planned events, and do not pertain to Department, Institute, Program, or Center-led conferences, symposia, and/or other events that students may attend.

What constitutes a student organization?

A student organization is defined as a group of at least ten (10) HMS/HSDM students who unite to promote or celebrate a common interest. All recognized student organizations must have open student membership unless they have obtained special permission from an advisory board or department to employ appropriate selection criteria, for example musical talent or athletic skill. While student organizations may include members from other Schools, faculty, or staff, two-thirds of the membership of the organization must be HMS/HSDM students. Only currently enrolled HMS/HSDM students are permitted to serve as officers/leaders of officially recognized student organizations. Student organizations may benefit from having faculty or staff serving as advisors. Advisors can help guide the student organization and transfer historical knowledge.

Advisors:

• Must be a Harvard faculty or staff member
• Should be familiar with the policies and resources for student organizations
• Are not directly responsible for the conduct of the student organization they advise
• Have no legal responsibility for a student organization’s finances, including any debts owed by the student organization.

Official student organization recognition

Student organizations granted official recognition by the Office of Student Affairs receive benefits that include:

• Permission to publicize, promote, and announce events via HMS/HSDM communication platforms managed and approved by each respective School.
• Permission to use the Harvard name with their organization under the strict guidelines set forth below and in Harvard policies.
• Funding support from the HMS/HSDM Student Council
• Event support from the HMS/HSDM Office of Student Affairs (OSA) and ability to reserve HMS/HSDM on-campus spaces.

In recognizing a student organization, HMS/HSDM are not adopting or endorsing the goals, activities, or points of view of that student organization. The Schools’ recognition of, or provision of benefits and privileges to, a student organization does not indicate that the student organization is a unit of the School or controlled by the School. Accordingly, HMS/HSDM are not responsible for any agreements a student organization enters into or debts or other obligations it incurs.

All student organization members are responsible for understanding and abiding by the policies and procedures outlined here. Student organization leadership is responsible for informing their student members of all such policies and for ensuring compliance with them. All recognized student organizations must abide by any and all additional Harvard University policies, including but not limited to those on non-discrimination, student rights and responsibilities, fundraising, alumni, commercial activities, hazing, and the use of the Harvard name.

Naming your student organization

Harvard University includes numerous Schools and faculties, hundreds of departments, offices, and centers, and thousands of students, faculty, and staff. Therefore, a student organization’s name must accurately and clearly represent its relationship with the University. This helps avoid confusion and misinterpretation regarding a student organization’s Harvard affiliation.

Student Organization Name Guidelines can be found under the “Policy on Patents Trademarks and Name Use Regulations” in the Medical Student Handbook.

All student organization names must be reviewed and approved by the HMS/HSDM Office of Student Affairs.

Responsibilities of the organization

By applying for and accepting recognition as an official HMS/HSDM student organization, the officers and members of the organization accept the obligations described in these and other relevant policies of Harvard University and the Harvard Medical School/Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Failure to abide by those obligations may result in disciplinary action. Please note that all HMS/HSDM students are held accountable to the Student Standards of Conduct statements found in the HMS MD Student Handbook and the HSDM Student Handbook.

Student organizations are independent of Harvard University and HMS/HSDM. Student organization leaders are expected to take full responsibility and ownership for decisions made by their organization. HMS/HSDM expects that each student organization will contribute positively to our campus community and beyond, including respecting the Statement of Mutual Respect and Public Discourse and adhering to the University-Wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities. HMS/HSDM expects that each student organization will interact respectfully and thoughtfully with others both on and off campus, including without limitation faculty, staff and students across the University, as well as individuals or groups with no Harvard affiliation.

Relation to outside organizations, contracting, and sponsorship

Student organizations must maintain local autonomy. This means that student organizations may not sponsor/co-sponsor on-campus events for external or unrecognized organizations (e.g. non-profit organizations or businesses) without approval from the Office of Student Affairs, all student organization organization. Please see the sponsorship section of the Campus Use Rules for additional guidance).

Student organizations that have non-Harvard Medical School/Harvard School of Dental Medicine affiliations (such as affiliations with other Harvard student organizations or national/international organizations) must provide the Office of Student Affairs with contact information (names, phone numbers, and email addresses) for such other organizations.

Moreover, non-Harvard groups may not organize, sponsor, or run events at Harvard by working with student organizations or using student organizations as a vehicle to appear on campus, gain access to Harvard spaces, or represent an association with the University (e.g. running a workshop about the external organization or product, or hosting an event aimed exclusively at recruitment). Student organizations must be responsible for planning, executing, and managing all aspects of events hosted on the HMS/HSDM campus or through HMS/HSDM technologies. Furthermore, in accordance with the HMS/HSDM Conflict of Interest policy, student organizations may not solicit sponsorship of student events or activities, either on or off-campus, by outside companies or organizations.

Policy on gifts, meals, and access of certain outside representatives to campus

Sales and marketing representatives of pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, and medical and dental supply companies are not permitted to visit or interact with HMS/HSDM students on the HSDM/HMS campus, and the sponsorship of student events by any pharmaceutical, medical device or medical/dental supply company is strictly prohibited. HMS/HSDM students may not accept any gifts from pharmaceutical, medical device or medical/dental supply companies, and these companies may not provide meals or refreshments for any student function. Additional information regarding this policy may be found in the HMS MD Student Handbook and the HSDM Student Handbook.

Presentations/lunch & learn events

Student organizations that wish to bring in outside representatives or companies/vendors for a presentation or talk must request an outline of the proposed presentation for review and approval by the Office of Student Affairs. In accordance with the policy on gifts, meals, and access of certain outside representatives to campus, any such representatives may not provide meals, refreshments or gifts.

Conferences, symposia and other large-scale events

The following policies refer specifically to student-planned events and do not pertain to Department, Institute, Program, or Center-led conferences, symposia, and/or other events that students may attend. Due to an increased demand for classrooms and meeting spaces, student organizations that wish to plan a conference, symposium or any large-scale event (meaning any event with an anticipated attendance of 50 or more) must fill out the HMS/HSDM Event Submission Form and coordinate with the Office of Student Affairs. Please note that events on the HMS/HSDM campuses must also abide by HMS Room Scheduling Guidelines and/or HSDM Room Scheduling Guidelines, including restrictions for hours on certain spaces and times of year.

Guests/visitors/non-HUID holders

Student organizations that wish to invite non-HUID holders as guest speakers, presenters, and/or visitors must fill out the HMS/HSDM Event Submission Form and coordinate with the Office of Student Affairs to ensure proper security authorization for non-HUID holders to be allowed on-campus. Presentations/slides by any such non-HUID holders may be requested for review by the Office of Student Affairs to ensure adherence to existing policies, and presenters may not provide meals and/or products or gifts to students. Please see the

Campus Use Rules for additional guidance. Student organizers must inform the Office of Student Affairs of the first and last name of non-HUID holders who are invited to campus. Student Affairs staff will coordinate with Security to issue these individuals guest passes. Student organizations wishing to provide an honorarium to a non-HUID-holding speaker should refer to the policy below and consult with the Office of Student Affairs before making any verbal or written commitments.

Policy for the safety and protection of minors

Harvard University is committed to providing a safe environment for everyone on its campuses and in its programs. This includes the thousands of minors who participate in programs and activities both on and off campus. Members of the Harvard community who interact with minors in any official capacity must foster and maintain an appropriate and secure environment for minors. See the Harvard University Policy for the Safety & Protection of Minors for more information.

The following information regarding the Harvard name and trademark applies to ALL student-led activities:

Use of Harvard’s trademarks by students and student organizations

The Harvard names, insignia, and logos are trademarks of the University and are used by members of the Harvard Community, including student organizations, with the permission of the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Their use is governed by the University’s use-of-name policies, which are administered by the Harvard Trademark Program on behalf of the Provost and the University. Those policies’ primary Standard of Accurate Representation states that “The University and its members have a responsibility to ensure that any implied association with the University is accurate.” Any use of Harvard’s names/logos by student organizations or students must comply with all relevant University policies, including the Policy on the Use of Harvard Names and Insignias.

In short, student organizations must make it clear, in all instances and contexts, that they and their related activities are student activities, and not activities of the School or the University as a whole.

Failure of a student organization to abide by the University’s use-of-name policies and trademark standards, as set forth here and on the website of the Harvard Trademark Program, can result in the University’s revocation of the permission to use of the Harvard name by the student organization. Any additional questions should be directed to the Office for Student Affairs and the HMS Use of Name Committee (UseofName@hms.harvard.edu ).

Harvard trademark program

The Trademark Program and the HMS Use of Name Committee have established the following guidelines to help student organizations ensure that they represent their association with Harvard in an appropriate and accurate manner, as is required of all members of the Harvard community under the Use-of-Name policies. Specifically, the guidelines stipulate that all student organizations must clearly and accurately identify their association with the University in print and electronic publications, on websites, and in promotional materials and related activities.

Publications

A student organization should visibly display its affiliation with a school on the front page of any publication it is producing by stating that it is “a student-run publication at [HMS/HSDM].” For inquiries regarding the use of HMS/HSDM in publications, please refer to the HMS Identity Guide or contact UseofName@hms.harvard.edu.

Promotional materials and related activities

The trademark guidelines also apply to student organization promotional materials and related activities. Thus, all brochures, posters, publicity materials, etc., related to any student organization event or activity, whether taking place in the U.S. or abroad, must clearly identify the event/activity as being hosted by an officially recognized student organization from HMS/HSDM. Please refer to the HSDM Social Media Policy if utilizing official HSDM channels for promotion.

Merchandise

Any member of the Harvard University community, including officially recognized student organizations, that wants to produce items bearing any University trademarks (e.g., Harvard, Harvard University, Harvard College, Harvard Law School, HMS, HSDM, Harvard Tennis, the VERITAS shield, all other Harvard school and house shields, etc.), including items bearing a student organization’s name and/or logo, must comply with the guidelines found at this link and complete the required form before ordering such items (whether such items are for use by the student or the student organization, or to give away or to sell). Ordering apparel or other items bearing Harvard’s Trademarks.

For further information about the Harvard Trademark Program, please visit the Trademark Program’s website or email the office at trademark_program@harvard.edu.

Website/social media guidelines

HMS/HSDM Student Organizations must follow Harvard University guidelines and best practices for using social media. Here is a link to the University’s communications guidelines and best practices and specifically, its social media guidelines and best practices.

Student Group websites must add a Trademark Notice, usually as a footer: “The Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine names are trademarks of President and Fellows of Harvard College and are used by permission of Harvard University.”

If a Student Group uses the tagline of “Student Group at Harvard Medical School/Harvard School of Dental Medicine,” it must be placed in a prominent location on the Student Group’s website (typically in conjunction with the Student Group’s name) and in a font size comparable to other fonts being used on the website.

Logos and shield use

Use of HMS and HSDM shields and wordmarks, including the University’s Veritas shield, are not permitted.

Student organizations may create their own logos, provided they are consistent with the University’s Guidelines for the Creation of a New Shield Design or Logo by Harvard Departments, Units, and Officially recognized Organizations for Themselves or Their Activities. These guidelines contain specific instructions for designing a new shield or logo, including design criteria and the proper review and approval process. New or redesigned logos cannot be used before receiving final approval by the Office of Student Affairs, Office of Communications and External Relations, and the Harvard Trademark Program.

Articulation of affiliation

Any time a student organization uses the Harvard name, it should be made clear that the organization is both student-run and recognized by HMS/HSDM.

Student organizations must make this affiliation clear through their name alone by including either “Harvard Medical School” or “Harvard School of Dental Medicine” or “HMS/HSDM” and “Student(s)” in their organization name.

The articulation should also be used by student organizations in all correspondence with the general public. Contexts where this language should be used include, but are not limited to:

• Website and social media accounts
• Fundraising letters, packets, and other solicitations or requests for sponsorship
• Conference and other event advertising and materials, including event-specific websites and registration pages
• Invitations to speakers
• Invitations to award recipients and other honorees
• Student organization-sponsored scholarship materials

Use of name in student organization events and activities

The use of “Harvard” in the name of an event without additional context can create the inaccurate impression that an event is an activity of, or is sponsored by, HMS/HSDM or the University as a whole. Therefore, special care must be taken to create accurate event names.

All brochures, posters, publicity materials, etc. related to any student group event or activity, whether taking place in the U.S. or abroad, must clearly identify the full, approved name of the sponsoring student organization, in addition to including a clear statement of affiliation with either “Harvard Medical School” and/or “Harvard School of Dental Medicine.”

The phrases “held at Harvard University,” “at Harvard University,” and “at Harvard” may be used as a general geographic designation for activities held on campus, provided they are accompanied by language that makes clear that the activity is being run by a student organization and not the University or any other Harvard School or unit.

Fundraising policies

Student organizations need permission from the Office of Student Affairs to do fundraising of any kind. This includes raising funds from alumni or other individuals, businesses, foundations, or by way of government grants, contracts, or special events. In order to engage in fundraising, students must be part of an officially recognized student organization. Individual students are not permitted to fundraise.

The first step for a student organization to secure funding from outside sources is to make an appointment to review the student organization’s fundraising plan with the Office of Student Affairs. Failure to have this meeting may result in an inability to accept requested donations and/or grants.

Before making an appointment with the Office of Student Affairs, the student organization must develop a project budget for the specific program or event it is planning. Project budgets should include both projected expenses and income. The Office of Student Affairs will advise student organizations on how to proceed with a proposed fundraising plan.

If the student organization plans to contact alumni, individuals, foundations or corporations, it must first meet with the Office of Student Affairs. Depending on the student organization’s plans, it also may be required to meet with administrators in HMS and/or HSDM’s Offices of Development and Alumni Relations or other relevant offices. Harvard is an active fundraising organization, and these meetings ensure that outside organizations and persons do not receive multiple requests from Harvard.

Please keep in mind the following guidelines:

• The purpose for which the funds are raised must be consistent with the purpose of the recognized student organization
• Funds must be used for the specific event or purpose for which they were raised

Disaster relief, charity drives, and raising funds for others

There are times when HMS/HSDM students want to collect goods and money to help domestic and emergency relief drives. Without adequate collaboration with an established relief agency that distributes the collected goods, such efforts can be unfruitful. Collaborating with a relief agency can ensure that goods are collected and a means of distribution is available. Student organizations may not collect cash or checks themselves; rather, they should identify an established relief agency with a fund-raising platform. Checks intended for donation elsewhere cannot be made out to Harvard University or Harvard Medical School/Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Student organizations may not establish GoFundMe or similar accounts on behalf of the University, HMS/HSDM, or the student organization. In addition, student organizations may not use funds provided by Student Council to directly donate to an organization or relief agency.

HMS/HSDM student organizations must obtain permission from the Office of Student Affairs before setting up collection points for donations. If OSA grants approval to collect materials, it is the responsibility of the student organization to set up a pick-up date for the goods collected. Due to space constraints, donated goods cannot be stored on campus for an extended period of time. Student organizations that raise funds or collect materials to give to other non-profit organizations must exercise care in selecting their recipient organizations. Student organizations are responsible for accurate representation of the recipient organization to the donors and due diligence in seeing that the donated funds and/or materials are used as represented.

Funding policies

All registered HMS/HSDM student organizations are eligible to request funding from the HMS/HSDM Student Council. Information on this funding request process can be found on the HMS/HSDM Student Council website. For large scale events, student event organizers are required to get event approval, formally request funding, and receive funding approval before any student organization funds can be spent. As a best practice, two members of the student organization should serve as the main and secondary financial officers and handle all financial transactions. Student event organizers should not take cash or checks at the event for any reason.

Guidelines for receiving grants

To receive grants from Harvard funding sources, student organizations must have an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Student organizations are eligible to receive checks issued prior to expenditures (if allowed by the granting organization).

All such checks should be made payable to the student organization. Any expenditure not documented with a receipt is not eligible for funding or reimbursement, and the undocumented funding must be returned to the awarding office.

Individual students may be reimbursed for expenses incurred on behalf of a student organization if that student organization has received Harvard funding. Students and student organizations must work with the department awarding any such grant to ensure all of the University’s requirements for reimbursements are followed; failure to do so may mean that funding or reimbursement will be withheld.

Grant sources within Harvard

• COOP Student Group Public Service Grant: Grants for Harvard student groups
• David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies: Grants for student groups
• Harvard University Center for African Studies: Graduate and student group funding
• Club Sports: Officially recognized Club Sports are eligible to apply for an Annual Club Sports Grant every Fall. Contact the Harvard Department of Athletics for more information.
• HMS Student MAXI well-being fund
• Community Connections Program (Mini Fund)

Financial management

Student organizations at HMS/HSDM and the University raise and manage their own funds and are given the autonomy and responsibility to spend these funds as the student organization sees fit within the confines of Harvard policies and state and federal law. Solid fiscal management creates a framework that allows student organizations to work proactively to accomplish their goals and serve their communities with financially sustainable events and programs. While student organizations are responsible for their own finances and for keeping their own financial records, student organizations may be asked to present their financial reports to the Office of Student Affairs if requested. Student organizations should consult the Harvard University Risk Management & Audit Services for best practices.

Developing and maintaining a budget

Student organization officers should work together to develop a budget in order to explore the full range of funding sources and projected expenses. Referencing budgets from previous years can be helpful when developing a current or projected budget for a student organization. When developing a budget, it is important to be both realistic and conservative. A well-organized budget has two components – income and expenses. Income may include fundraising revenue, grants, departmental funds, and any other planned revenue sources. When calculating projected income, it is best to subtract 10% in case a funding source falls through. Expenses include any funds the student organization plans to spend throughout the course of the year. Student organizations should project expenses for all planned events, including potential costs for supplies, promotional materials, HUPD details, ticketing, AV/media, catering, parking, honoraria, custodial fees, and licensing.

Student organizations should be fiscally responsible by making every attempt to stay within their set budget. Student organizations should keep track of all expenditures, deposits, and other income and work to ensure financial transparency. While most organizations elect a treasurer or other financial officer to manage financial matters, it is important that more than one person understands the financial operations of the student organization. Student organization members, especially event organizers or program chairs who spend money, should understand the organization’s financial operations for events and initiatives.

Budgets may change or shift throughout the year. Student organizations should reallocate available funds or obtain additional funding sources to cover costs if unanticipated expenses arise.

Check pick-up policy

The Office of Student Affairs will email the officers of a student organization if a check has been received for that student organization. Only an officer of the organization will be able to pick up the check. Please keep in mind that only an officer who is listed as an account signer for the student organization’s Harvard Federal Credit Union (FCU) account can deposit the check. All checks should be deposited promptly.

Harvard Federal Credit Union (Harvard FCU) accounts

If there is a need for a student organization to have its own bank account outside the HMS/HSDM Student Council account, then it must establish an account through the Harvard FCU, which requires the approval of the Office of Student Affairs. Student organizations are not permitted to use other banking services. Additionally, student organizations are not eligible to apply for 501(3)(c) status. Student organizations must keep their funds separate from the personal funds of its officers or members. Student organizations are not allowed to use a personal checking or savings account for student organization funds. Funds should be deposited into a checking or savings account in the student organization's name. More information about Harvard FCU can be found here.

Visit Harvard FCU to

• Add yourself as an account signer (there must be a minimum of two student account signers)
• Log into online banking
• Create a new membership
• Request checks
• Address other banking needs

The policies and guidelines below serve to supplement existing HMS/HSDM and University policies, including, but not limited to the University’s Campus Use Rules. The guidelines below refer specifically to student-planned events and do not pertain to Department, Institute, Program, Center-led or other events that students may attend. Student event organizers who are not affiliated with a recognized student organization but are interested in planning an activity should contact the Office of Student Affairs to discuss their event idea.

Student organization events and activities 

Student organizations hosting events and meetings on campus may request reservations for meetings as well as any special events that are School-sanctioned. HMS/HSDM’s regular hours of operation are 8:00AM-4:00PM, Monday through Friday. Events scheduled indoors, during regular hours of operation, are not subject to a room use charge. Student organizations reserving space through the Room Scheduling and Conference Center must adhere to the Harvard Longwood Campus Room Scheduling Guidelines.

HMS Quad scheduling and large event planning

Student organizations that would like to plan an event or activity on the HMS Quad must adhere to the Quad Reservation Policy and submit the HMS Quad Event Request Form for approval. Student organizations that would like to host events or activities with an anticipated attendance of 50 or more OR that anticipate attendees/speakers who are non HUID-holders must register their event or activity via the HMS/HSDM Event Submission Form and coordinate with the Office of Student Affairs for assistance regarding logistics and safety guidelines for their event. Depending on various factors related to the nature of the event, the Office of Student Affairs may assist such student organizations in coordinating with the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) to ensure that the event is able to proceed securely and to help ensure that all planned activities comply with all relevant laws and University policies or regulations.

Additional charges

Depending on the scope of the event, staffing may be required to support events, which may result in additional charges to the student organization. Examples of additional staffing that may incur charges include: captioning for an event and/or additional IT support if the event is large and technically complicated, custodial fees required for event set-up and/or clean-up, additional security fees, etc. For on-campus events, additional staffing charges may be applied if the event is outside of normal business hours and/or if there are a large number of anticipated attendees.

A Police/Security detail may be required by University policy under any of the following circumstances:

• Harvard University/HMS/HSDM-only functions with an anticipated attendance of 100 or more.
• Any function where alcohol is served with expected attendance of 100 or more guests.
• Any function held outdoors where alcohol is served.
• Any function held outside of normal business hours where non-HUID guests or vendors will require access

Refer to HUPD’s Request a Police Detail website for further information and particulars regarding police detail requests. Refer to the outdoor event guidelines for further information regarding outdoor events.

Alcohol

Any event at which alcohol will be served must comply with the HMS and HSDM alcohol and substance abuse policies, found in the HMS MD Student Handbook and HSDM Student Handbook. Funding provided by HMS/HSDM cannot be used to purchase alcohol for a student organization-sponsored event without prior approval of OSA. Please refer to the Campus Policies regarding alcohol on the Longwood Campus.

Contracts

Students may not sign contracts for student organizations in their own name or on behalf of HMS/HSDM or Harvard University. Student organization contracts should be under the student organization's name itself. Student organizations must provide any contracts to the Office of Student Affairs for review before signing.

Student organization contracts must meet the following requirements:

• The student organization’s official name, neither Harvard University nor HMS/HSDM, should be party to the contract.
• The phrase “an independent student-run organization at Harvard Medical School/Harvard School of Dental Medicine” should follow the student organization’s name.
• The contract must include the following two required phrases: • The parties hereto agree and understand that Harvard University is not a party to this contract and that Harvard University is not responsible, under any circumstances, for performing any obligations under this contract or for the student organization’s failure to perform any obligations under this contract.
• Nothing in this contract grants [Service Provider’s name] any right to use the name “Harvard” (alone or as part of another name) or any logo, seal, insignia or other word, name, symbol, image or device that identifies Harvard University or any Harvard school, unit, division, or affiliate for any promotional purpose.

Student organizations must submit contracts to the HMS or HSDM Office of Student Affairs at student_affairs@hms.harvard.edu or studentaffairs@hsdm.harvard.edu. Please provide at least 5-7 business days for review. The Office of Student Affairs cannot provide student organizations with legal advice but will be reviewing the contracts for compliance with these guidelines.

Honoraria

Honoraria are defined as gratuitous payment of money, or any other thing of value, to a person for the person’s participation in a usual academic activity for which no fee is legally required. As part of a faculty member’s key responsibilities associated with their academic appointment, it is customary for Harvard faculty to participate in student workshops, events, and programs without additional remuneration. Student organizations that wish to provide an honorarium for a non-affiliated invited speaker must adhere to a broad array of tax and immigration regulations, including restrictions on payments to certain visa holders, tax withholding obligations, and service requirements regarding both honoraria and reimbursements. Please consult with the Office of Student Affairs prior to offering or committing to supplying an honorarium.

Accessibility

All events sponsored by HMS/HSDM student organizations must be open and accessible to all HMS/HSDM students who wish to attend. For special accommodations, please contact the Office of Student Affairs; the student organization may also be asked to consult with the HMS/HSDM Office of Disability Services.

Room scheduling and use of campus spaces

HMS room scheduling

HMS uses EMS Room Scheduling for all room reservations and scheduling. Rooms may be booked by HMS Staff, Students and Faculty. Students must have an active HarvardKey to log in; a 33-digit billing code is required to make some campus room reservations. A 33-digit-billing code may be required for some larger campus spaces, as well as for reservations that require additional booking services (such as AV, custodial charges, security, etc.). Student organizations that require a 33-digit-billing code for their reservation and do not have an affiliated department advisor who can reserve space for the event should contact the Office of Student Affairs for help in reserving campus spaces that require a billing code.

Academic courses are given priority over administrative or social events in all spaces used primarily for teaching activities. If a student organization’s request is for a classroom or academic space it will not be confirmed until the course schedules are finalized.

Reserving a space using EMS Room Scheduling:

1. Go to https://hms.emscloudservice.com/web/
2. Click “Welcome Guest” on the top right corner and sign in using your Harvard Key
3. Click “Create a Reservation”
4. Click “Book Now” next to “Request a conference or classroom”
5. Enter event date and time (and other information as needed) and click “Search”
6. Scroll through the list of available spaces, clicking the green plus sign to add to your reservation request
7. Input the number of attendees and room setup type, then select “Add room” 
   (Repeat this process if there will be multiple rooms for your reservation)
8. Scroll to the top and click “Next Step”
9. Complete the required fields on the “Services for Your Reservation” page and click “Next Step”
10. Complete the required fields on the “Reservation Details” and click “Complete Reservation”

HSDM Room Scheduling

Room reservations for both the Main Building (188 Longwood) and the Research and Education Building (190 Longwood) are managed by the Office of Dental Education. Rooms should be reserved in advance of all courses (at least one month), special events (at least one week), and meetings (at least one hour). Not all last-minute requests can be accommodated. HSDM courses are given priority over administrative or social events in all spaces used primarily for teaching activities. If a student organization’s request is for a classroom or academic space it will not be confirmed until the course schedules are finalized.

HSDM uses EMS RoomBook for all room reservations and scheduling. All HSDM faculty, staff, and students can reserve rooms through EMS RoomBook (HarvardKey required). Please note that the system will not process requests when the start time of the event is less than an hour from the time of booking. Please call the Office of Dental Education 617-432-1447 for assistance.

Reserving a room through EMS RoomBook:

1. Go to https://roombook.harvard.edu/
2. Click on either HSDM or the HSDM Shield
3. Login with your HarvardKey
4. Select “Book Now” of the appropriate Reservation Template

Section 1: Rooms

• Enter event date and time (and other information as needed)
• Select the “Search” button to identify available rooms
• Select a room by clicking on the green circle* with the white cross next to the room name (*clicking the name of the room only provides more information about the room)
• Enter the # of attendees
• Click “Add room”
• Please read carefully any pop-up information concerning the selected room

• ---

  Select “Next Step”

Section 2: Services

• Choose any necessary services for your event. *If a 33 Digit Billing Code is required to book/pay for a service please contact the Office of Student Affairs for approval.

• Select “Next Step”

Section 3: Reservation Details

• Complete “Event” and “Group Details” and “Additional Information”

• Hit “Create Reservation”

PUBLICITY AND POSTING POLICY

All publicity for a student organization event must adhere to the Trademark and Use of Harvard Name guidelines outlined earlier in this manual.

Guidelines for Promoting Events and Activities

• All student organizations must clearly and accurately identify their association with HMS, HSDM, and the University in print and electronic materials and related activities.

• The word “student” must be included in the organization’s name, and all communications must use the entire student organization name.

• Student organizations should visibly display their affiliation with HMS and/or HSDM by stating that they are “a student-run organization at [HMS/HSDM].” This identity tagline must be placed in a prominent location, typically with the student organization’s name, and in a font size comparable to other fonts being used.

• All event communications must also include the following line (or close variation): “The views expressed by student organizations and their members are their own and are not official views of HMS or HSDM.”

• Broader use of the HMS, HSDM, or Harvard University names in event materials and communications materials cannot imply that the event is a sponsored School-wide or University-wide initiative. As such, the HMS/HSDM/Harvard name cannot be displayed or called out — by size, font, color, etc. — in a way that implies sponsorship or endorsement.

Posting

The posting of banners, signs, and posters on campus must follow the HMS and HSDM Posting Policy as outlined in the Campus Use Rules and HMS/HSDM Campus Use Rules Supplement, and must follow guidelines specific to student organizations as follows:

• Content: Postings may not contain content that is libelous, obscene, invasive of privacy, or otherwise inconsistent with the USRR. They must also comply with the Event Sponsorship and Promotional Material guidance below.

• Student Organization Requirements: In addition to the above guidelines, recognized student organizations wishing to post printed flyers or posters must have them reviewed and marked as compliant with the Posting Policy and Event Sponsorship and Promotional Materials rules outlined herein by the appropriate HMS (Program in Medical Education or Office for Graduate Education) and/or HSDM Office of Student Affairs prior to being posted.

Student Organization Disciplinary Process

All recognized Student Organizations, leaders and members are required to abide by all School and University Policies.

Any violations of the policies within this manual will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs, the HMS Promotion and Review Board, and/or the HSDM Committee on Promotions for consideration of possible disciplinary outcomes. The relevant reviewing body will consider the nature of the incident and its context as well as any prior disciplinary findings; these factors can be considered as part of any response.

Possible Outcomes for Student Organizations

Warning. Formal communication from the Office of Student Affairs notifying the Student Organization of a violation and that another violation likely will result in a more severe outcome.

Period of Probation: Probation is a period during which the Student Organization is given the opportunity to demonstrate its ability to abide by all applicable policies and procedures.

An outcome of Probation may be accompanied by a period during which the Student Group’s privileges are suspended; for example, accessing room booking, participating in HMS/HSDM events/programs or other appropriate restrictions. If a Student Organization is found responsible for violating any policies during the probation period, the Student Organization immediately may be subject to additional sanctions, including without limitation suspension or loss of recognized status.

Suspension of Recognized Status: Suspension of recognized status is a designated period of time, normally a period of one full academic year, during which a Student Group loses recognition from HMS/HSDM.