All organizations that sponsor a performer (DJ, Band, Speaker, Entertainer) on campus must execute a formal contract agreement before the program can take place. The Department of Student Activities & Student Organizations has been charged by the university to manage this contract process for all registered student organizations. The only people on the UM campus who can bind the university to an agreement are those authorized by the Executive Vice President for Business and Finance and Chief Operating Officer.
Student organizations cannot sign contracts on behalf of UM or in any way represent that they are agents of or signing on behalf of the university. Such action may constitute civil or criminal fraud. In many instances, a verbal agreement is binding; students should check with their advisors before making offers for any performers.
Contracts are important because they identify what each party is committed to providing, specify agreed payment amounts and accommodations, dictate the details of the program (time, location, length of performance), and safeguard the university and organization members.
Contracts should include key points about the event, such as the date, time, location, and performance length, and should contain information about hotel accommodations, ground transportation, and hospitality (if agreed upon). The timing of payment should also be addressed; it is recommended that payment be provided after goods are received or services are rendered, and not in advance.
The university created a Simple Contract Agreement for performers on campus. Student organizations or individual students who participate in on-campus entertainment programs do NOT need to fill out the simple agreement to perform (for example, one student organization performing at the event of another student organization).
To process a simple contract:
For larger events, a simple contract may not be adequate to cover all of the necessary terms of the agreement. In these instances, an agency contract may be issued by the artist or his/her representative.
To process an agency contract:
This contract is utilized when a student organization is having an off campus vendor sponsor a program or event. Sponsorship agreements are not required when one student organization or department is sponsoring the event of another student organization or department.
It is strongly recommended that you reach out to the Department of Student Activities & Student Organizations for assistance with generating sponsorship agreements. Student Organization sponsorships greater than $5,000.00 must be approved by the Department of Student Activities & Student Organizations. Please contact 305-284-6399 or SASO@miami.edu for more information.
To process a sponsorship contract:
The contract process can take time. Please plan ahead! When in doubt about a contract, please contact the Department of Student Activities & Student Organizations at (305) 284-6399.
Contracts are not required when an organization is purchasing promotional items, if the agency is an approved vendor, or if the agreement is between two UM entities (departments or organizations).
Download Sponsorship Agreement TemplateAll performers are required to carry insurance policies that meet the University of Miami requirements. The requirements include certain levels of general liability insurance and specific language with regards to endorsements. The complete policy can be found at http://www.miami.edu/finance/index.php/risk_management/vendor_insurance_requirements/.
In some instances, the insurance requirement may be waived or additional insurance may be required by the Department of Risk Management. For more information on insurance requirements, contact the Department of Risk Management at (305) 284-3163.
If an event is taking place at any of the SCC locations a Certificate Of Insurance (COI) must be filed by the vendor(s) at least two business days prior to the event occurring. COI paperwork can be obtained at the SCC Reservation Office.
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