Party & Event Policy

Introduction 

At ICC Austin, we understand the importance of gathering, celebrating, and connecting both in large and small groups.  We recognize and celebrate the arts - musicians, poets, painters, writers, and all other creators. We know that art connects us and is universal to our human experience.  

We also recognize the dominant US culture of parties on college campuses that often includes excessive alcohol and drug use and harmful, predatory behaviors. 

This policy has been created with the following goals in mind: 

• To align with ICC Austin’s core values and to protect the safety of members and guests by following city rules, fire code, and other relevant laws and regulations. 

• To ensure that parties/events are agreeable to a super-majority of current house members and that the process of event planning considers the needs of the community, centers equity, and promotes a spirit of cooperation among members. 

• To ensure fair and equitable practices that hold members accountable for their actions and group decisions should damage or other negative consequences occur.

Policy 

For the purposes of this policy, a Party and/or Event (hereafter “Party and/or Parties”) is a gathering of more than 49 people that occurs on ICC Austin property.  

In accordance with the fire code rules on public assembly, in which public assembly is defined as any gathering of more than 49 people, all Parties that take place on ICC Austin property, whether indoors or outdoors, must follow these rules and procedures. 

1. ICC Austin houses are licensed to operate as Room & Boarding Facilities. Any community hosting a Party must apply for and be granted a Temporary Change of Use permit.  
   
   
2. All Parties must be approved by a three-fourths majority vote of all current house members. A Party vote must be conducted via an online ballot/vote and made available to all members for at least a period of 48 hours. 
   • The Party vote must be made available to ICC Austin Staff in response to an incident report investigation and/or for any situation in which this information is necessary to resolve a conflict, address policy violation, or protect ICC Austin.
     
     
3. All Parties must be sponsored by current ICC Austin member(s).  No ICC Austin facility may be rented or used by outside agencies, groups, or individuals for parties, benefits, fundraisers, etc. 
   
   
4. All Parties must adhere to the ICC Austin Alcohol Policy. 
   
   
5. Any repairs necessitated from damages incurred to an ICC Austin facility and/or property during a Party will be the responsibility of all house members who agreed to the Party via the Party vote. 
   • In the event of extensive damage, staff will evaluate the totality of the damage relative to the known conditions of the building. Staff will work with community representatives (generally the trustee) to come to a fair agreement on how the repair fees will be assessed.
   • In the event that a Party does not follow this policy, all members who hosted the Party will be responsible for the entirety of any damage that is incurred. 
     
     
6. Party advertisements, including flyers and digital invites, may not include cover charges, band fees, or any other type of “pay-to-enter” fee.  Alcohol may not be mentioned or advertised on Party materials. 
   
   
7. House communities and members who violate this policy will be held accountable for their actions.
   • Violation 1
     • Mandatory education. The community will be required to participate in mandatory education facilitated by ICC Austin’s Program Director. 
     • Lease violation #1. Any member responsible for planning the Party will receive a formal notice of lease violation as outlined in Section 4.1(F) of the ICC Austin Member Resident Agreement. In the event that the persons responsible for planning the party are unknown, all current members will receive a lease violation.
   • Violation 2  
     • Lease violation #2. Any member responsible for planning the Party will receive a second, formal notice of lease violation as outlined in Section 4.1(F) of the ICC Austin Member Resident Agreement.
     • Contract termination. Upon receipt of two lease violations, ICC Austin will terminate the Member Resident Agreement as outlined in Section 4.3 (F).   
       
       

8. ICC Austin staff will incorporate training and learning about this policy into steward education, new member email communication, and regularly during the semester via the Weekly News.