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Your Wisconsin Union Large Space Lottery Guide

Registered student organizations (RSOs) (and their wonderful advisors), this blog story is for you. Our team at the Campus Event Services Office (CESO) holds a large event space lottery just for you each fall and spring semester, and we’re giving the 411 on how to navigate your lottery experience.

What do you get at the lottery? Well, we thought you’d never ask. This is your chance to reserve a large Union South, Memorial Union or Red Gym space for your RSO-hosted, big event happening on a Friday or Saturday during the upcoming fall or spring semester. We know these spaces are in high demand, so to give all RSOs the opportunity to reserve these spaces, we hold a lottery and invite all of the registered student organizations. Please note that only one large space reservation is permitted per month for each RSO.

Winter Carnival Snow Ball in Memorial Union’s Great Hall

Here’s how it all works:

Step 1: Ensure your RSO is a currently registered organization with the Center for Leadership & Involvement office.

Step 2: Find out when and where CESO will hold the next large space lottery. For spring 2023, this is Nov. 10 at Memorial Union with registration from 4-5 p.m. in the Profile Room and the drawing beginning at 5 p.m. in Tripp Commons.

Step 3: Research which of our large spaces will meet your event needs. They include Great Hall and Tripp Commons in Memorial Union, Varsity Hall in Union South, and the On Wisconsin Room in the Red Gym. For details about these spaces, visit union.wisc.edu/host-your-event/spaces-and-facilities.

Step 4: Have one representative from your RSO register for the drawing. Only one entry is permitted per RSO. This usually begins one hour before the drawing. A reminder, to be eligible for the drawing, your RSO must be a currently registered organization with the Center for Leadership & Involvement office.

Step 5: Attend the drawing. Wait for your group name, and select your event space reservation from those dates and spaces still available.

Step 6: Plan your event. And CESO is there to help every step of the way, from assessing technology needs with you to determining a room layout. CESO will hold a pre-event meeting with you to ensure your event’s success.

Have questions about the lottery or CESO services? Visit union.wisc.edu/host-your-event or contact CESO at events@union.wisc.edu or (608) 262-2511.

Author: Shauna Breneman

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