Cowan Center | Vaughn Auditorium, White Lobby, and Green Room

Policies and Procedures
Please note these are only scheduling guidelines as each venue may have additional policies and procedures for its particular area.

Who Schedules the Events in the Cowan Center Venues?
The Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center is the scheduling department for the Vaughn Auditorium, which will take the White Lobby and Green Room offline for requesting. All event details are coordinated through this department.

Who can Request an Event in the Cowan Center?
UT Tyler faculty and staff and registered student organizations may request this location. Community organizations are also permitted to request the Cowan Center without the necessity of a joint sponsored use agreement.

How and When to Submit an Event Request?
Cowan Center performances have priority scheduling. Completion of the event request form does not guaranteen your request will be scheduled since there must be at least twelve (12) hours of downtime in between events.

Please note the lead times below. However, larger events will need more time. PLAN EARLY! Requests can be made a year in advance.

• 10-day lead time for faculty and staff – requested through Astra
• 14-day lead time for registered student organizations – requested through Patriots Engage
• 14-day lead time for community members – contact cowan@uttyler.edu

Upon receipt of a request, Scheduling & Conference Services will send an email with acknowledgment that the event request has been received. This acknowledgment is not confirmation.

• If the request is denied, an email notification stating the reason will be sent to the event contact.
• The majority of the time, faculty and staff events will be held in a pending status. The event contact will receive an email stating this along with a link to the Event Management Coordination (EMC) form that needs to be completed. This will provide Event Management with additional information about the event. The event will not be approved and scheduled until the form has been completed and approved by Facilities, Environmental Health & Safety, and the UT Tyler Police Department.
• If the request is scheduled, a confirmation email is sent to the event contact. This confirmation can be used to double-check event information and resources and document the approved use of the room. Room requests are not approved until the confirmation is issued. Inquiries should be sent to cowan@uttyler.edu.

Facility Contacts
For questions regarding an event, please refer to the following contact list:

• Office of Cowan Center Executive Director
  (903) 566-7191
• Cowan Center Management Office
  (903) 566-7141
• Ticketed Events
  (903) 566-7424
  cowan@uttyler.edu 
• Usher Training
  (903) 566-7424
• Setup and Audio-Visual Support
  (903) 566-7269

Emergency Closure
If the University experiences an emergency closing due to weather, utility failure, or other unforeseen disaster, the event is considered canceled.

Event Sponsor/Contact Responsibility
The sponsoring registered student organization, university department/school/college, or community organization is responsible for the information provided. When making a reservation, a designated contact person responsible for the proper conduct of the event is required.

The type of activity(ies) at the event may not be changed from that requested without prior written approval from Cowan Center Management.

A reservation does not provide event support services such as catering or security. These items are examples of extra services that may be arranged on a fee-for-service basis. The event sponsor/contact is responsible for the planning and coordination of all event-related arrangements. Under no circumstances is furniture or other property to be removed from the room or removed from other rooms. The sponsor is responsible for any extra cleanup fees or damages to the facility incurred during the course of the event or during the event set-up and take-down. Any items brought in for the event should be removed promptly and the room returned to its original
arrangement.

Failure to adhere to these policies may subject the event sponsor to pay for damages and/or restriction of space usage privileges.

Arrange Mandatory Support Services
A reservation does not provide event support services such as catering, porter services, house manager, or security. These items are examples of extra services that should be arranged on a fee-for-service basis. 

The event contact is responsible for arranging and paying for separately (if not part of the Cowan Center’s facility usage fee), the following support services. Please note that some of the services are MANDATORY and may have an ADDITIONAL COST.

• Deliveries and/or Pick-ups
  The event contact must be onsite for all deliveries and/or pick-ups and coordinate these times with Cowan staff.
• Facility Cleaning (Mandatory Item)
  If using the Cowan Vaughn Auditorium, porter service is mandatory. UT Tyler’s Facilities Department is over housekeeping and porter services. For an estimate, call (903) 566-7290.
• House Manager (Mandatory Item)
  A House Manager is mandatory for all events (except for rehearsals and setups). Please coordinate the event details with the House Manager at (903) 566-7424 once a date has been approved and the event scheduled.
• Trained Ushers (Mandatory Item with Possible Additional Cost)
  All events in the Vaughn Auditorium require trained ushers. To check on training volunteers or regarding the availability of Red Coat Ushers (at an additional cost), please contact House Manager at (903) 566-7424.
• Campus Security (Mandatory Item with Additional Cost)
  The UT Tyler Police Department (UTPD) provides security at all events in the Vaughn Auditorium. Please contact bstanderfer@uttyler.edu to get an estimate or for any questions you may have. The number and type of officer required at your event will be determined by UTPD.
• Vaughn Auditorium Technical Requirements,
  The Cowan Center technical staff can help with needs such as sound, lighting, staging, etc. For a cost estimate on technical requirements in the AUDITORIUM, please contact Mike Stephens at (903) 566-7269 or mstephens@uttyler.edu.
• Food Service/Catering (Additional Cost)
  Sodexo is UT Tyler’s on-campus food service provider. Click to view Sodexo's Catering Website.
• Ticketed Events (Possible Additional Cost)
  For any event that will be ticketed, please contact the Cowan Center Box office for policy and fees at (903) 566-7424.
• White Lobby/Green Room Setup/Teardown Provided by UT Tyler’s Facilities Department
  Event setting up details need to be added to the Astra event request form. An estimate can be provided.
• White Lobby/Green Room Audiovisual
  Any audiovisual equipment needed for the White Lobby or Green Room may need to be rented from an outside vendor at the cost of the event.

Facility Information
The Department of Facilities is responsible for setting up the event. Click for a blank layout of the White Lobby. Submit the diagram of the event setup no later than two (2) weeks prior to the event date to cowan@uttyler.edu.

There may also be the need to create an Emergency Management Plan or Operations Plan. Please contact vbond@uttyler.edu. For facility questions or additional information, email cowan@uttyler.edu.

Blocked Parking
For the first two (2) weeks of each fall and spring semesters, NO blocked parking requests will be approved by Parking and Transportation. Parking spaces on Tuesdays and Thursdays are extremely limited and may not be approved depending upon the number of spaces requested. Please consider Monday, Wednesday, or Friday.

Blocked parking can be requested Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Requests after 2:00 p.m. and weekends will not be approved.

Alcohol
If alcohol is being served at the event, it is mandatory vbond@uttyler.edu be contacted. Permission via the Event Management Coordination (EMC) form must be received in order for alcohol to be served at the event, and UT Tyler Police Department (UTPD) is required to be onsite (additional charge to client). All other requirements found in Section 10 of the Event Procedure Manual must be followed.

Smoking
As of August 2016, the University of Texas at Tyler will be a smoke- and tobacco-free campus. All students, staff, faculty, and visitors are prohibited from smoking and using, selling, free distributing, and advertising tobacco products and electronic cigarettes in all facilities and on all University properties. For more information, please refer to UT Tyler - Tobacco-Free Campus.

Campus Carry Policy
For UT Tyler’s Concealed Handgun Policy, Effective August 1, 2016, click Campus Carry Policy.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR REGISTERED STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Registered Student Organization Reservations
Only registered student organizations are allowed to request space on campus. Please refer to the Student Organization Guidelines for additional details. There is a 14-day lead time for requests through Patriots Engage.

Porter Service and Excessive Cleaning
Extraordinary cleanup or any damage incurred from event usage will be billed directly to the student organization responsible. Additionally, the organization may be referred to Student Engagement for potential disciplinary review. Scheduling and Student Engagement reserve the right to deny future use of this venue based on these circumstances.

Publicity, Signs and Flyers
All signs, posters, and fliers must be approved by Student Engagement unless they are posted on a bulletin board or other designated location that is occupied and controlled by an academic or administrative unit per chapter 6, section 6-506. Please refer to UT Tyler's Student Organization Handbook for bulletin board posting locations.

Posting Guidelines
To determine if a registered student organization’s sign/flyer/poster or banner is ready for approval, review the Posting Guidelines.

Insurance
Questions regarding student organization insurance should be addressed to Student Success
(903) 566-7018.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Community Member Reservations
As outlined in the UT Tyler Handbook of Operations, the Cowan Center Vaughn Auditorium, White Lobby, and Green Room are designated as a “Special Use Facilities” by the President and are available for public use for a fee.

The community member looking to reserve space at the Vaughn Auditorium can email cowan@uttyler.edu.

Facility Usage Fee
The UT Tyler Use Fee Schedule 2025-2026 provides some pricing information. For an official quote, contact cowan@uttyler.edu.