Room Scheduling Policies & Guidelines

It is the responsibility of any department or individual hosting an event on the HMS Campus to comply fully with state laws pertaining to the serving/selling of alcoholic beverages and to University policies.  

Before considering serving alcohol at your campus event, you are required to read and understand the HMS Alcohol Policy including host responsibilities as well as subject to all associated charges for permitting, security or HUPD details etc. 

Click here for the full HMS Alcohol Policy

HMS does not have a blanket liquor license for the campus, any function where beer or wine (or in rare instances, alcohol) is served will require a special one-day alcohol license from the City of Boston which takes a minimum of 30 days to process. If your caterer holds a State of Massachusetts 12C Caterer's License AND your event is NOT open to the public, the event is exempt from the special-one day license process and your caterer holds responsibility for written notice to the local police chief and local licensing authority 48 hours before the event. You are required to send a copy of the license to room_scheduling@hms.harvard.edu to have on file in advance of the event. 

Armenise: 

• Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 4:00PM
• Modell Atrium can be booked only after 4:00PM

C Building: 

• Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 4:00PM 

Countway Library: 

• Monday - Thursday, 8:00AM – midnight
• Friday, 8:00PM – 6:00PM
• Saturday, 10:00AM – 6:00PM (Visitor access 10:00AM-4:00PM - see visitor access policies.)  
• Sunday, 12:00PM – 9:00PM (Visitor access 12:00PM-5:00PM - see visitor access policies.)
• Event requests that fall outside of Library operating hours are not permitted.
• Library doors lock from the outside, 30 minutes before closing time to allow security time to complete final walkthrough.

Gordon Hall: 

• Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
• Waterhouse Room Foyer can be booked only after 5:30PM, no tables in the hallway outside Waterhouse during business hours

TMEC: 

• Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 7:00 pm
• TMEC Atrium can be booked only after 1:30PM

Warren Alpert: 

• Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00pm
• Courtyard Cafe can be booked only after 4:30PM

Room scheduling will schedule space as it is requested by the user. Please note you may not always receive the space you request. In an effort to ensure we are maximizing the use of space on campus, we may need to assign an alternative space more conducive to the event or activity. 

If another group has a room that you desire, you may not use your access to approach others who hold room reservations. All correspondence about room bookings should go through the Room Scheduling office to handle conflicts. 

Room reservations are non-transferable. A group cannot release a room to another group. Any changes must be made by either editing a reservation directly online or notifying Room Scheduling by email.  

If an event is cancelled or a schedule change is made, it is the responsibility of the group to inform the Room Scheduling office at least two business days in advance by email. Failure to contact Room Scheduling may result in fees incurred by cleaning and setup of the space for a cancelled event. If the reservation is within 3 business days and there is a service attached, the online system will not allow for self-cancellation, and an email to Room Scheduling must be sent. This is to ensure we can notify any affiliated service departments of the change in plans.

At Harvard Medical School, Restaurant Associates (RA) is the preferred, on-site caterer, offering unparalleled access and convenience for events held across campus. With their deep knowledge of HMS spaces and comprehensive service offerings, they are a trusted partner in delivering a seamless catering experience.

On-site Caterer:  Restaurant Associates is stationed on-site and has exclusive catering rights at the Martin Conference Center. They also have full access to all other HMS venues, making them the ideal choice for hassle-free catering. RA offers the convenience of online ordering through hmsdining.catertrax.com, where you can quickly place your catering requests using either an approved 33-digit billing code or a credit card.

Using Outside Caterers While Restaurant Associates is the preferred caterer, outside caterers are welcome for events held at any venue outside the Martin Conference Center. If you choose to work with an external catering provider, please note that you are responsible for securing building access and making parking arrangements for them.

Clean-Up and Equipment Returns For drop-off catering, whether by RA or an outside caterer, you are responsible for ensuring the event space is left as you found it after the event. If you choose Restaurant Associates, they will conveniently return to collect any service equipment used.

Campus – Indoors:

Harvard Medical School/s regular hours of operation are 8:00AM-4:00PM, Monday through Friday. Events scheduled indoors, during regular hours of operation are not subject to a room use charge at this time. 

Quad Reservations:

The Quad is available only to internal departments, a 33 digit billing code is required for each reservation. External organizations or individuals may not reserve the Quad.

There is no fee to reserve the quad for basic gathering use, however requests that require additional support including but not limited to: supply, setup and teardown of pop-up tents or lawn games, addition of AV/media support requiring permitting, rental of furniture or equipment requiring proper delivery/removal support will incur the following fees:

• $150.00 for weekday events during business hours of 8:00AM-4:00PM
• $250.00 for weekday events that occur outside of business hours or on weekend days

Support Department Hourly Rates (as of 2/5/2025):

HMS Security - $60/hr, 4 hour minimum (subject to change by HMS Security)

• off-hour access to HMS buildings/restrooms
• events with more than 100 guests anticipated
• events where beer/wine service is planned
• instances where safety concerns exist, outside attendees are planned, high-profile speakers or other as determined by HMS may require enhanced security support

HMS Custodial - $53.70/hr (subject to change by HMS Custodial)

• room setup/teardown and associated cleaning between reservations
• trash receptacle provisioning and service for outdoor programming
• assessed for changes or requested add-ons made within 24 business hours of event date/time

Other charges to be estimated by the supporting department as need arises:

• Harvard University Police Department (HUPD)
• HMS Media Services
• Restaurant Associates Catering

Permit and licensure costs for outdoor programming will be estimated by HMS Room Scheduling at the time of application and will be charged to the reserving department once actuals are available. 

• L1 classrooms are for reserved courses only.
• No food or unsealed beverages are allowed in these rooms.
• The classrooms unlock 30 minutes prior to the start of each scheduled class.
• Please call (617) 432-1379 if a classroom is not unlocked as scheduled.
• As a courtesy to the next class, please be sure to leave the room layout as classroom style and ensure all trash is disposed of properly. 

For rooms with flexible furniture, rooms will be set up in the default room set up unless otherwise requested in advance. Set up types for each room are listed online in EMS, with their capacities. If a nonstandard set up is requested, custodial charges will apply. Examples of set up types that may warrant a fee are banquet style, reception, theater style.  Tables/chairs and instructions can be added to reservations directly online, and any diagrams emailed to room_scheduling@hms.harvard.edu. Custodial Services receives a list of all setup requests each Friday for the following week. Please submit any diagrams or instructions for your reservation as early as possible, but no later than 1 week prior.

Click here for common room set up types

The Dean of the Medical School submits their schedule for the following academic year (Sept through June) in the early Spring. These meetings take priority in Gordon Hall and Countway 5th floor. Once these meetings are confirmed, any pending requests can expect to be reviewed and receive a response in mid-March.

The use of all forms of open flame, including but not limited to: candles, bonfires, sparklers, fireworks, pyrotechnic devices, open flame cooking, etc. is not permitted for events or in, on or around campus buildings; exceptions may be approved in extraordinary cases in accordance with applicable policies and only with advance written request to HMS Room Scheduling and EH&S. 

All approved use of open flame, flammable, or hazardous material must be in compliance with University Environmental Health and Safety guidance and fire and safety policies and may be subject to additional safety restrictions.

State and local agencies may provide additional guidance on fire safety, for example, see Massachusetts Department of Fire Services and https://www.ehs.harvard.edu/.

Additionally, sparklers and other pyrotechnic devices, including so-called "cold spark" pyrotechnics, are illegal for possession, sale and use in the state of Massachusetts without professional licensing, certification and permitting. This includes small sparklers sold as novelties or party favors. 

To maintain the integrity and proper use of campus facilities, all individuals with room scheduling privileges are strictly prohibited from reserving spaces on behalf of any non-Harvard entity* without obtaining prior authorization.

Violations of this policy will result in the following graduated disciplinary actions. In addition, the reserving party will be held responsible for all charges incurred in the execution of such an event, as determined by Campus Services and their supporting departments (i.e. HMS Custodial, HMS Security, HUPD, etc.):

• 1st Offense: The individual will receive a formal written warning, outlining the policy violation and clarifying expectations for future compliance.
• 2nd Offense: HMS Room Scheduling access will be revoked for a period of one year. During this time, the individual will be prohibited from reserving any campus spaces.
• 3rd Offense: HMS Room Scheduling privileges will be permanently revoked.  The individual will no longer be permitted to reserve any campus spaces under any circumstances.

Repeated non-compliance with this policy undermines institutional operations and will be addressed with the utmost seriousness

*Examples of a non-Harvard entity include, but are not limited to: outside organizations, associations, or companies; affiliated hospital institutions; and any group, organization, or company wishing to pay for services without using a 33-digit billing code. All such events will be directed to the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center which is purpose designed and staffed to produce these types of events. 

For questions regarding what constitutes a non-Harvard entity, or for clarification on any aspect of this policy, please contact HMS Room Scheduling

Room Scheduling reserves the right to relocate the rooms and/or classrooms assigned. In the event a relocation is required, Room Scheduling will give the affected reservation email notice of the relocation need as soon as possible, specifying the new location(s). 

Where possible, all relocated rooms will be comparable to the rooms originally assigned and have sufficient capacity to handle the guest count. 

Groups are not permitted to use space that is not on their reservation. In the event a group uses space(s) that is(are) not part of their reservation, they will be asked to vacate the room. 

HMS Security and HUPD perform myriad functions on the Longwood Campus to maintain the safety and security of the community. Events carrying any of the following elements may require security and/or HUPD details dedicated to the event at the cost of the organizing department:

• Requests booked beyond a building's regular operating hours (4hr minimum may apply)
• Service of alcohol (HUPD required for 200+ guests or outdoor events)
• Minors in attendance (under 18, required compliance with the HMS Minors on Campus Policy)
• Outside guests in attendance (non-HUID holders)
• Over 100 attendees anticipated (Security presence scales with size, 1/100ppl)
• Known/perceived security/safety concerns (controversial issues or speakers, etc)
• Dignitary attendance
• Demonstration/Protest/Vigil
• Press presence anticipated

This list is not exhaustive, other elements may apply to your event that could necessitate dedicated security details or HUPD presence. Room Scheduling reserves the right to review associated information with HUPD and HMS Security and apply necessary details as required by the situation. 

A call for courses is distributed via email to the academic units. This happens twice per year (October for Spring courses, and May for Fall courses) and the classroom spaces are scheduled on a semester by semester basis. Email requests for course space are sent to the room scheduling office (not submitted by EMS). HMS Courses are given priority over administrative activities in all quad-based space used primarily for teaching activities. 

• Spring courses - scheduled in November for the following spring. Any pending non-academic requests can expect to be reviewed and receive a response in December. Semester for spring is considered to start on or around January 1st.
• Fall courses - scheduled in June for the following fall. Any pending non-academic requests can expect to be reviewed and receive a response in July. Semester for the medical campus generally starts on or around August 1st. 

One exception to the above classroom restriction is Armenise Amphitheater. For events, inclusive of setup, 4:00PM and after, reservations can be confirmed up to one academic year into the future. 

Below outlines the guidelines and procedures for the use of the TMEC Atrium space for events following the construction of the TMEC micro market, ensuring it serves the needs of students, faculty, and building occupants in a fair and organized manner.

General Guidelines

• The TMEC Atrium space is primarily reserved for dining, study, and informal gathering use by TMEC users from 7:00 AM-1:30 PM
• Reservations for events before 1:30 PM are only permitted for HMS flagship events such as Match Day, Commencement, White Coat, ITP Week and State of the School.
• Please note that prioritizing the dining block for our students, faculty and staff takes precedence; requests for events beginning before 1:30PM will not be approved. 

Availability & Reservation:

• All event requests for the TMEC Atrium must be submitted via HMS Room Scheduling Web App for review and approval.
• Events may be scheduled in the Atrium starting after 1:30 PM, following the accommodation of the dining block in TMEC.
• All event requests will be reviewed to ensure they do not conflict with any TMEC amphitheater activities and are suitable for any other concurrent programming. If the TMEC Amphitheater is reserved, separate requests for the Atrium are not permitted related to noise and crowd impacts.
• Requests should be made at a minimum, 1 week prior, to ensure appropriate support.

Micro Market Operations

• The 24/7 micro market located within the TMEC Atrium will typically remain open and available to students at all times during events.
• Event organizers are not permitted to request the closure of the micro market or restrict access to it for any reason.

Compliance

• All users of the TMEC Atrium space must comply with the guidelines set forth in this policy as well as general room scheduling guidelines.
• Non-compliance may result in the revocation of TMEC Atrium use privileges.