Updated August 17, 2022
In the event of increased transmission within the Lincoln/Lancaster County community, guidelines for campus events may change.
Please refer to the UNL Events calendar for information on public events.
See Guidelines for Youth Events for any event involving attendees under the age of 18.
The following is guidance for organizing, sponsoring and hosting events at UNL. For the purposes of this guidance, ‘event’ is defined as a clinic, program, activity, camp, conference, or institute of any size. The goal is to help ensure the health and safety of the UNL community and visitors. This guidance reinforces key elements of the university’s safety and risk mitigation efforts, informed by recommendations from the CDC and Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department.
Approval
No universal or centralized event approval process exists at this time. All Recognized Student Organizations (RSO) planning events must still use the standard Event Planning and Registration (EPR) process facilitated by Student Leadership, Involvement, & Community Engagement (SLICE).
If the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department Risk Dial is in the red/severe level, all events involving the potential for more than 500 people must be pre-approved by campus administration and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. Those requests, including risk mitigation plans (download Excel document), should be emailed to covid19@unl.edu. If the risk dial transitions to red/severe at any point in the weeks leading up to the event, the event sponsor should still submit their risk mitigation plan to covid19@unl.edu.
Recommendations for Safe Events
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, event sponsors should carefully consider the safety of those attending and the broader UNL and Lincoln communities. The risk mitigation strategies below are not required, but should be considered, even in times of low transmission.
- Hold your event outdoors.
- Implement social distancing where possible, have multiple smaller events, and/or offer a remote/virtual component for those who may prefer to not attend in-person.
- Remind attendees about the campus face covering policy.
- Structure the event in a way that allows attendees to come and go throughout the event instead of requiring everyone to be there at one time.
- Require registration or RSVPs so you know how many people to expect for planning purposes.
- Track who attends the event in-person.
- Encourage hand washing and/or make hand sanitizer available, especially if the event includes shared items or food.
Visitors
Visitors are expected to follow the campus face covering policy. There are no further restrictions for visitors at events.
Athletic and Arts Events
Athletic event protocols will be governed by UNL, Nebraska Athletics, Big Ten, and NCAA guidelines and policies. Programs held in specific venues such as the Lied Center, Carson Theatre, Sheldon Art Museum and the University of Nebraska State Museum are expected to follow their specific approved venue policies and protocols.
These guidelines may change as COVID-19 conditions evolve and in keeping with corresponding federal, state, and local measures. Any university event can be cancelled without notice at any time, even if previously approved, at the university’s discretion in the interest of health and safety.