Special Events Risk Assessment
The Special Events Risk Assessment (SERA) form is required for all events, camps and clinics as defined below. Please review the SERA Guidelines (pdf) to confirm your event is in compliance with the Special Events Risk Assessment Policy and Alcohol Beverages Policy. The SERA form must be completed by a full-time UTD employee at least 14 business days prior to the event.
Special Events: For the purposes of completing a SERA form, a special event is defined as a gathering that includes at least one of the following conditions:
- Advertised and/or open to the public.
- Alcohol will be served.
- Food will be catered.
- Outside supplier utilized, such as entertainer, speaker, musician, approved animals, etc.
- High attendance or potential for high attendance.
- Income-producing; fees or admissions collected.
- Media contact or involvement.
- Minors involved or invited.
- Outside normal business hours, including weekends, unless solely for academic purpose.
- Overnight stay.
- Outside entity using UTD property or facilities for event. (Use of University facilities and/or joint sponsorship).
- Potential for significant disruption.
- Controversial speaker or subject matter.
- Requires Facilities Management, Parking, Police or Fire & Life Safety involvement.
- Requires insurance.
- Utilizes release and/or waiver.
- University-sponsored event at off campus location(s), including personal residences.
High Risk Activities: The following activities are not insurable and are considered high risk. Risk Management does not endorse these activities. VP or dean approval is needed. Approval from the assistant director of Fire and Life Safety is also needed for any activity involving fire or pyrotechnics.
- Inflatable amusement devices,
- Carnival rides,
- Knocker ball/bubble soccer,
- Bungee devices,
- Fireworks,
- Mechanical bucking devices,
- Rock wall structures,
- Animals other than dogs, cats, goats and miniature horses,
- Trampolines and
- Zip lines.
Virtual events, camps or clinics including minors will need to submit the SERA form. The SERA form is reviewed by Legal Affairs for insurance requirements and Programs for Minors to determine policy applicability and to ensure compliance with Youth Protection Policy and Guideline requirements.
All youth programs are required to be registered with Programs for Minors / Youth Protection Program not later than sixty (60) days prior to the commencement date of the program. All sponsored or joint-sponsored programs that interact with minors online must be registered and approved by Programs for Minors / Youth Protection Program.
These forms work best using Chrome or Firefox.
Prior to submitting your forms, we ask that you verify the event date and times are correct. As a reminder, SERA forms only provide approval for an event to be held, it does not serve as approval for the location of an event. For additional guidance on event planning, please visit the Event Planning Guide website. When planning your event, please refer to the Virtual Event Checklist to ensure your event is accessible to all individuals.
If you have any questions, please email specialevents@utdallas.edu.
Contact
Vanessa Balderrama
Administrative Project Coordinator II
972-883-6356
specialevents@utdallas.edu