Event registration

MIT staff event organizers: The process of registering campus events is handled through MIT’s Atlas website (Touchstone authentication required). This online application replaced the former paper-based system.

Student organization events and activities: All in-person ASA student organization meetings and events, regardless of their size, need to be registered ahead of time using Engage@MIT. 

If you are an event planner or if you schedule space, approve alcohol expenditures, or review events for compliance with MIT policies and procedures, you may complete these steps using the Atlas website (click the blue Register New Event button).  

Whether you are a host or an event planner, you will find within the application a searchable space inventory that includes many campus venues and links to campus offices that provide event support. You should schedule all campus venues directly through the designated department that manages the space. Once the space is confirmed, and if your event meets the criteria of needing to be registered, you should submit your event registration in Atlas at least two and no more than 12 weeks in advance of the event date. 

Please keep in mind that not all MIT spaces are accessible to all audiences, and that different rooms are outfitted with different audiovisual systems. If you or those attending your event have accessibility questions or accommodation needs, please contact the designated department that manages the space where you are making a reservation. 

How do you know whether your event must be registered? 

We ask that departments, labs, centers, and institutes (DLCIs) continue to register hybrid and on-campus, in-person events that meet any of the following conditions: 

• alcohol will be served 
• you are expecting 100 or more participants 
• more than 20% of participants are not members of the MIT community 
• events are cosponsored with a non-MIT partner 
• minors will participate 
• money will be exchanged 

Event registrations should be submitted a minimum of 10 business days (two weeks) in advance of the event to allow enough time for the approval process. 

Registering your event using Atlas 

A few things to keep in mind when registering your event: 

• How it works—Based on the details you enter about the event, requests for approvals are routed automatically to the appropriate departmental designates. 
• Host confirmation—Event hosts must read the ‘MIT host policies’ and accept the responsibilities outlined to continue the registration process. 
• Room confirmation—Room coordinators must confirm that the space has been reserved for this event.  
• Hybrid events —Select “Add another location,” and enter a physical location. 
• Alcohol approval—The designated approvers for various areas (assistant deans for academic areas, the Dean for Student Life for student-sponsored events, and directors from administrative areas) must approve the use of MIT funds to purchase alcohol or to cover alcohol-related expenses. 
• Food truck approval— If your group is planning to bring a food truck to campus, MIT will only consider food trucks that are registered to operate within the City of Cambridge. Please email foodstuff@mit.edu or call 617-253-2706 to discuss your event with MIT Dining, as they must approve any food trucks on campus.
• Police approval—MIT Police determine whether police details or metal detectors are required, review issues around public safety, and recommend further support, as needed.
• Overall approval of event registration—Either Institute Events, the Student Organizations, Leadership and Engagement (SOLE), the MIT Sloan Student Life Office, or the Office of Residential Life will review all relevant details and approvals and determine whether the event meets guidelines. These offices direct the planners to obtain the appropriate licenses and permits from the City of Cambridge or other organizations, as warranted.