Partnerships Expand Access to Campus Meeting and Event Spaces

Finding available meeting and event space at UC Davis is becoming easier thanks to a growing partnership between Conference and Event Services (CES) and campus departments. By matching departments with the right mix of reservation technology and event management support, CES is helping keep more campus venues open and accessible while allowing departments to focus on their core mission.

Meeting departments where they are

As demand for meeting and event space continues to grow, departments face different challenges. Some have dedicated facility staff but need a better way to manage reservations. Others have suitable venues but lack the staffing needed to coordinate events and support clients. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, CES works with each department to identify the level of support that best fits its needs.

"Every department has unique operational needs," Conference and Event Services Director Lina Layiktez said. "Our goal is to help departments find the support model that works best for them while keeping more campus spaces available for the university community."

For some venues, that simply means adding the space to the campus Conference and Event Management System (CEMS), allowing event planners to search availability alongside other reservable campus facilities through a single, consistent process. Other departments choose to partner with CES for day-to-day venue management, including customer support and event coordination.

Keeping more spaces available

The International Center illustrates how that partnership can benefit both departments and the campus community. When the department faced the retirement of a staff member responsible for managing events, it considered discontinuing facility rentals. Instead, CES stepped in to manage reservations and event operations, allowing the International Center to keep its space available for campus use while department staff continue to oversee reservation approvals and focus on programming.

Other spaces, like the Diane Bryant Engineering Student Design Center, are being added to CEMS to make them easier for the campus community to discover and reserve. Each partnership is tailored to the needs of the department that manages the building.

A recognized model for collaboration

The approach benefits everyone involved. Departments can leverage CES staff expertise, technology and operational support instead of developing their own reservation processes, staffing models or software. Event planners gain access to more venues through one reservation system and enjoy a more consistent experience from planning through event day. Most importantly, the campus community benefits from better access to meeting and event spaces that might otherwise be difficult to find or unavailable altogether.

UC Davis' collaborative approach to conference and event services has also earned One-Stop Shop Certification from the Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors - International. The designation recognizes institutions that provide coordinated, customer-focused conference and event services while promoting the effective stewardship of university resources.

By helping departments find solutions that work for their unique needs, CES is making better use of existing campus resources while expanding access to the spaces that bring the UC Davis community together.