Events, Gatherings & Meetings

Updated January 7, 2022

NOTICE: In light of high numbers of COVID cases in the New Haven community and among Yale students, faculty, and staff, this policy is temporarily suspended. Until February 21, 2022 all events, gatherings, and meetings of any size require advance approval or reapproval by the COVID Review Team or cognizant HSL. The COVID Review team and HSLs strongly encourage all events, gatherings, and meetings be redesigned to be virtual or deferred and that only critical events, gatherings, and meetings seek approval or reapproval during this period. There are similar limitations until February 21 for visitors to campus.

To promote the effectiveness of our COVID-19 health and safety program at Yale, the university has put in place certain requirements for events, gatherings, and meetings (collectively referred to as gatherings). These requirements reflect current public health guidance and support our goal of expanding on-campus activities. They may be amended as the public health environment changes. 

These requirements apply to all university-sponsored gatherings as well as other gatherings related to university activities or programs whether those gatherings are on or off campus. These gatherings include all that involve the use of university funds or spaces; all academic, administrative, and social gatherings of any size involving students, faculty, staff, and postdoctoral trainees other than those gatherings occurring as a regular part of a course or class on the scheduled academic calendar.

Even if gatherings are not university-sponsored or related to university activities or programs, students, faculty, staff, and postdoctoral trainees planning off-campus private gatherings are encouraged to follow the relevant requirements to help promote the health and safety of our community.

Gatherings that meet the following conditions do not require prior approval from the Health and Safety Leaders (HSLs):

• take place entirely on Yale’s campus;
• are no more than 2 hours in duration;
• are open, only to invited faculty, staff, students and postdoctoral trainees
• include only fully vaccinated guest speakers, hosted in compliance with the Visitors Policy;
• comply with current mask requirements;
• provide for 6-foot distancing for individuals who have approved exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination who must be compliant with testing requirements in order to participate and may be subject to additional limitations imposed by an HSL or a health and safety plan;
• follow safe practices for food and drink service when providing refreshments;
• meet the facility capacity limits detailed below.

Classroom capacities are available from the registrar’s office on 25 Live. Capacity for other spaces can be determined by following the instructions from Environmental Health and Safety.

Gatherings that require prior approval from the HSL:

The HSL, in consultation with the Covid Review Team, must review an individual health and safety plan for any gathering that would:

• not meet all of the conditions above;
• involve performances or athletic competitions not already included in an approved health and safety plan (see below);
• be open to spectators, audiences, or participants other than faculty, staff, students and postdoctoral trainees.

Units with unique circumstances, activities, or services (such as Athletics, the Schools of Music and Drama, Yale College, and Hospitality) have health and safety plans approved by the Covid Review Team that address recurrent gatherings and they must follow those plans. Units wishing to establish a health and safety plan for recurrent gatherings should work with their HSLs who may consult with the CRT.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FOR EVENTs, Gatherings & Meetings APPROVAL (.pdf)

NOTE: Yale College should use the Yale College Event Request Form and not the general application linked to above.