During the academic year, recognized student clubs and organizations may invite speakers or performers of their choosing to campus, subject to the guidelines outlined below. A recognized student club or organization is a Bates College Student Government-recognized club or a student organization supported or advised by an academic or administrative department. 

Any guest speaker or performer presenting at Bates should be prepared to listen and respond to questions from the audience. An invitation extended to a guest speaker or performer does not constitute approval or endorsement of the speaker’s or performer’s viewpoint(s) by the college. Ordinarily, students and student clubs and organizations may not accept funding from external persons or entities to bring speakers or performers to campus. Student clubs and organizations are expected to contact Campus Life if/when an external person or entity is interested in providing funding for an event or program.  The college reserves the right to deny permission to accept funding for any purpose, including inviting speakers or performers whose history or purposes have demonstrated that they would likely constitute a material threat to campus safety or disruption to the community. 

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Sponsoring Club and Organization Responsibilities | Steps to Take When Booking a Speaker or Performer | Resources for Speakers and Performers

Sponsoring Club and Organization Responsibilities

When inviting a non-college individual or group to speak or perform on campus, sponsoring clubs and organizations shall:

• Notify Campus Life of plans to have a speaker, performer, or event at the college.
• Make clear to invited speakers and performers that any event or performance must adhere to college policies.
• Be clearly identified as sponsors in all publicity materials for the event, and at the beginning of the event itself.
• Be responsible for the cost of additional security measures if the college determines that such measures are necessary should the speaker, performer, or event have the potential to cause violence or damage or pose a threat to the safety or security of individuals on campus. In exceptional cases, the sponsoring organization may request funding from the college to cover necessary security-related expenses.

Steps to Take When Booking a Speaker or Performer

• Engage in critical thinking before you begin planning.
• Why is this speaker or performer being invited? How do they align (or not) with your club or organization’s values, and the values of the Bates community?
• Do comprehensive research on the individual’s public work (e.g., books, articles, interviews, etc.) to understand their viewpoints.
• Research past engagements, particularly on college campuses. Contact sponsoring organizations to assess how the speaker or performer was to work with. 
• If this speaker or performer is especially polarizing, could potentially create significant discomfort for campus community members, or if counter protests and unrest are at all likely, consider how that impacts your planning and communication. 
• Be prepared to answer questions from community members about why you invited this individual to campus.
• Draft a statement regarding all of the above, through the lens of your club or organization’s mission, vision, and values, in the event that people publicly or privately raise concerns.

Resources for Speakers and Performers

Resources for speakers and performers may be available through Campus Life or other campus partners. There may be a cost affiliated with some of the resources that a student or student group, club or organization would be expected to incur, including, but not limited to transportation and production equipment. 

• Lodging: Campus Life can assist sponsoring organizations with finding lodging accommodations for non-college individuals or groups.
• Logistical Support: Campus Life can offer logistical support to individuals or sponsoring organizations that are planning to host a speaker or performer. For example, Campus Life may help​​ individuals post their marketing to digital signage or through other forms of advertising, review and sign contracts for speakers and performers that are invited to campus, and assist with brainstorming other aspects of the event planning process to ensure the event is successful.
• Reserving Spaces: Campus Life can facilitate students reserving spaces on campus for their events by helping them navigate the Event Management System (EMS). In addition, Campus Life can work with individuals and groups to coordinate the use of a space outside of the Bates campus in the local community or elsewhere for their events.
• Production, Security, and Additional Personnel: Campus Life can connect you with a local production company, and help you to coordinate with Bates Campus Safety, private security companies, Dining, Conferences and Campus Events, or other groups necessary to support your event.