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SummerFest FAQs
2022 SummerFest FAQs
For those who couldn’t make the all-staff SummerFest meeting on Tues 25 Jan, or those who did and feel overwhelmed or confused about deadlines and what is achievable, this page is for you!
Below we will cover some frequent questions we’ve been getting about SummerFest and COVID, and what’s next for our organisation over the coming weeks. If you still feel a little lost, please reach out now! Being prepared (especially during a pandemic) is key to a successful event and stands you in good stead with your target audience for future events.
So, let’s work together to make this SummerFest the best it can be for students!
I’ve read all the emails, I’ve looked on Resource Hub but I still don’t know what the heck SummerFest is. Help!
Look, it’s not easy keeping up with what is going on. Or what day it is. We know!
SummerFest is a two-week orientation festival spanning across Weeks 0 and 1 (21 Feb–4 Mar) which includes activities for new and returning students. We say returning but, in this instance, it includes students who may never have set foot on campus due to COVID.
Week 0 is all about orienting students to campus and making friends, as well as learning about the student union (that’s us!) and how we support students through their entire uni journey. Think host tours, speed friending events and the UMSU expo (Thurs 24 Feb and Fri 25 Feb) where your departments get a table and chairs under a marquee on South Lawn to have chats and hand out your booklets, merch, invites to future events etc. to new students.
Week 1 has the first Bands, Bevs and BBQ gig for the year, a four-day clubs expo and other department events (like collectives or launch parties) which showcase what you do.
To get the full rundown, check out the current program here
(Note: this program is currently not available to students as all your COVIDSafe planning needs to be completed BEFORE you can promote your event.)
I have a request in Basecamp for an event I don’t know can run following our all-staff meeting?
To clarify, your in-person events can still proceed — we are asking you to have a look at what your activity is and how it can be scaled down to work with reduced numbers, potential capacity requirements and density quotients. Remember, we are trying to help students make friends and learn about the student union and the campus in a fun AND safe way. If being in-person does not add value to your audience, you may want to consider moving this event completely online to increase accessibility and inclusion.
I don’t like my SummerFest event idea anymore. Can I log a new request?
Unfortunately, no. The submission deadline for new SummerFest jobs has passed. Your options are to adjust your current events (i.e. downsize or move online) or take up a speed friending activity. Save your idea for later in the semester so the right resources are available to give you the greatest opportunity for success.
My event has food service. Can it still happen?
To be on the safe side, we are discouraging food service that is served as a banquet or promotes large queues that will require COVID marshals. If you have food that is individually served to a ticketed event with socially distanced guests, this activity can proceed.
There is only one office bearer/staff member in my department. What will happen if I become unwell and cannot manage my event?
Due to low staff numbers across our support services, we are unable to offer to step in for you. Your event will need to be cancelled or postponed. Even if your event is online, an authorised staff member or rep must take over your hosting responsibilities if you are unwell — it cannot be run by an untrained volunteer. We will be publishing cancellation messages on the Resource Hub that you can use if you wish to cancel or postpone your events.
I would like to err on the side of caution and move my event online but I don’t know what support is available or what platform to use.
The Resource Hub has a heap of information and resources for online events. Check it out, or if nothing suits, catch up with the Events team who can help work out what you need and how to maximize the engagement for your online event.
This is information overload; I still don’t know what is happening. What am I supposed to do?
First and foremost, don’t panic. The upside to all of this is your CME team have been here before. Organise a time to catch up with them to talk through your concerns and make a plan you know you can deliver!
But what’s this Hopin thing that’s being talked about?
Hopin is an online expo platform that we have used throughout the pandemic to provide students an online experience of everything UMSU. This SummerFest the online expo will be held on Wednesday 23 Feb from 3-5pm.
Essentially, Hopin is the online version of our in-person UMSU expo, where all departments have a stall to exhibit from. On Hopin, these stalls are called ‘booths’, and they operate in a very similar way to breakout rooms on Zoom, but with extra bells and whistles. You can integrate video, trivia and other functions into your space as well as maintain a live chat stream. Make sure you attend the test events and get comfortable with this virtual space!
Ok, I have a way to adjust my event to be manageable and a contingency online event. So, what’s next?
First off, yay! You are now ready to take the next steps to complete your event planning and finalise the marketing assets so people know what event you are running and how to get involved.
Make sure you have communicated your event amendment in your Basecamp job so it can be approved. The Events, Comms and Design teams will start making the required alterations to your event once you have done this. Please keep in contact on Basecamp so the teams can support you through the planning and execution of your event.
We only have a few weeks up our sleeves, so it’s time to roll up said sleeves and get to work. This means timely responses to questions from CME, working through COVID checklists and approving artwork as soon as you can. Please also keep an eye on your inbox for important announcements and updates in the UMSU staff news.
The more we work together to complete all our SummerFest jobs, the better the experience for you and UMSU's super experienced, super talented support staff. This will also mean a better experience for the folks who attend and makes it more likely that these students will join you for other activities you have planned for Semester 1.
We just wanted to thank everyone again for their patience and flexibility during this incredibly challenging time. CME is here to support you in any way that we can, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.