Operations And Facilities

EVENT AND GUEST SERVICES

Through the end of fall semester 2020, Event & Guest Services was able to host a limited number of in-person events. From July 2020 until the end of January 2021, STAMP only had 33 individual event bookings. Despite this, the number of events during spring semester 2021 and those scheduled through the end of June 2021 has increased, including a definite increase in outdoor events during the spring semester. STAMP anticipates finishing the fiscal year with a total of 312 individual event bookings, not including the COVID-19 testing reservations.

Throughout the academic year, Event & Guest Services maintained close communications with all clients to ensure they were aware of current guidelines for hosting safe and successful events. This included working in collaboration with the Student Organization Resource Center (SORC) to ensure all student organization events were following expected guidelines as well.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

STAMP’s Information Technology unit had a busy year supporting remote and hybrid events and meetings held throughout STAMP. Although coaching STAMP staff through this new way of working and providing trouble-shooting services, the Information Technology team was able to perform updates and improvements such as installing new software on STAMP computers, updates to digital

signage, upgrades to the server operating system, and conducting a review of inventory items. The team also made strides to improve inventory tracking to allow for better management of technology during office moves and building renovations. Due to campus contracting with a new financial institution, the team implemented changes to the credit card payment system used by the TerpZone, Event & Guest Services, and the Memorial Chapel.

FACILITIES

Despite all the changes happening around campus, more changes were taking shape in STAMP. The Information Technology suite was renovated, allowing for all of the staff members in this unit to occupy the same space rather than two disparate offices providing for further collaboration and communication. Similarly, the Event & Guest Services suite was renovated, also enabling co-location of department staff and providing congruent space for the large number of student employees supporting our guests. The newly renovated suite offers an appealing space for potential clients to meet with event coordinators. This renovation also provided Dining Services Catering with a conveniently located and updated, renovated office.

The University Book Center also completed a one million dollar renovation integrating the former bank space and storefront windows to include a larger physical space, affording visitors to STAMP a more visual and welcoming entrance to their storefront by increasing the number of windows and expanding their sales area to include a reading space and dressing rooms. They also updated their business model to facilitate online purchases and the ability for students to charge expenses to their student account.•

Event & Guest Services set-up team members (left) ensured that all in-person events conformed to safety guidelines; de-densification meant that the construction of IT’s new space (above right) and the renovation of the Event & Guest Services suite (below right) could progress swiftly.