Headquarters Décor
Think about how you want to visually welcome everyone to their “home away from home.” Will there be red and white in abundance? How about Big Red bears and photographs from your student days? Will you also display your carefully chosen souvenirs? Make it warm and welcoming, and you’ll boost everyone’s mood after a long trip to Ithaca! Refer to this list of florists and party suppliers.
Reunion Souvenirs
Souvenirs can range widely from apparel to keepsakes of all kinds. The purpose of a souvenir is to identify peers on campus throughout the weekend and to provide them with a Reunion memento. We recommend a simple, quality article that will get many years of use. Please consider the needs of attendees traveling by air. A list of university-approved vendors is available, as well as souvenir guidelines, the 2022-2023 souvenir price chart, and tips on maximizing sustainability, when selecting décor and souvenirs.
Vendors must be licensed with the university or you must request a one-time exemption for a non-licensed vendor. All souvenir artwork must be approved. Your Reunion staff contact will provide you with a souvenir approval form, and your art designer or vendor needs to provide you with the artwork.
If your souvenir artwork is approved, an approval email will be sent to our office. This approval will be included with invoicing sent to Cornell’s accounting office. If your total purchase exceeds $25,000, competitive bids will be required, unless using a preferred vendor. Your Reunion staff contact will lead you through this process.
If your souvenir vendor is unable to store your souvenirs until they can be delivered to you at Reunion headquarters during setup, please plan to designate a local classmate to receive shipment of your items and store them until Reunion. Class Programs has limited office space and cannot store souvenirs for classes/groups. Some vendors can store your purchase until delivery can be made to your headquarters the week of Reunion. Please inquire with your vendor.
Reunion Buttons
Our office orders Cornell Reunion buttons displaying your class year or group name. These buttons identify individuals, serve as admission to the Arts Quad Tent Parties and shuttle buses, and identify attendees who have registered with your group. Class Programs will provide you with the appropriate number of Cornell Reunion youth buttons for guests under the age of 21. You will also have the opportunity to order lanyards. It is important to remind classmates that they will not be permitted entry to the Tent Parties without a button. Class Programs will supply communications for your headquarters about this policy.
Headquarters Rentals and Supplies
Class Programs will coordinate and place orders with rental centers for all requested rental equipment for your headquarters (rental equipment examples). Most items will be delivered to your headquarters on Wednesday afternoon before Reunion and picked up on Sunday or Monday after Reunion. If rentals are lost or damaged, your class/group will be charged accordingly.
Closer to Reunion, you will decide what supplies you’d like at your headquarters. (List of supplies that Class Programs will provide.)
- Tent rentals: If your headquarters location allows for a tent, our office will make arrangements for an appropriately-sized tent. The cost of the tent rental will be covered by the university fee. Our office will also arrange for lights and electricity.
- Rectangular table and chair rentals: Our office will order tables and chairs for headquarters and dining locations to accommodate your Reunion guests. If you desire specialty tables such as high or low cocktail tables, please speak with your Reunion staff contact about this.
- Audio/visual rentals: Some headquarters have in-house equipment, while other sites will require rented equipment. Conference Services can advise on what AV equipment is available at your headquarters and arrangements for additional equipment can be made if needed. AV costs, including costs associated with a special guest visit will be at cost to individual classes/groups.
Headquarters Refreshments
Headquarters will be the gathering place for many of your classmates when they’re not attending other events on campus. It is advisable to have an assortment of snacks and beverages available at headquarters throughout the day. Consider the following factors to assist with estimating your needs:
- The beverage and food figures from the previous on-campus Reunion are available for your review.
- Beer and wine will be delivered to your headquarters on Thursday morning. Ideally, this delivery should last you throughout the weekend.
- Ice can be checked out at central locations on North and West campus.
- Water, soda, and juice will be delivered on Wednesday.
- Additional non-alcoholic beverages will be available for pick-up during Reunion. Your class will be charged for these additional beverages. Additional orders of beer and wine can be ordered during the weekend until Friday evening.
NYS Alcohol Policies and Significant Food
Cornell University enforces, at all times, a very strict policy on the distribution and consumption of alcohol. Under New York State law you must serve significant food during bar hours (which must end by 1:00 a.m.). Staff will assist you in estimating and placing your significant food order. Persons under the age of 21 cannot purchase or be served alcoholic beverages. It should also be noted that persons under the age of 21, including children of alumni (even if accompanied by a parent, including infants), are not permitted at the Tent Parties on the Arts Quad.
Headquarters beer and wine must be ordered through Cornell Catering. A NYS TIPS trained clerk or staff member who is 21 years or older must be present at all times when your headquarters bar is in operation. TIPS trained clerks who are 21 years of age or older are the only students who can handle (move and stock) your alcohol. They are never to act in the role of a bartender. TIPS trained clerks and staff are tasked with ensuring beer and wine products remain well-stocked and that guests remain safe while enjoying time together.
In addition, NYS law requires that food be served while headquarters bars are operating. Cornell Catering will secure an alcohol permit for your headquarters for Thursday through Saturday. HQ alcohol permits cover beer and wine only and are issued for each specific HQ location. They will not cover venues other than your headquarters. If you wish to serve hard alcohol you must work with a licensed caterer or bartender who can supply the alcohol and is permitted to serve off their business premises.
Clerks and classmates cannot purchase, handle, or serve hard alcohol at class/group functions. Your class will be reimbursed for up to TWO total unbroken cases of wine and/or beer if they are returned at the end of Reunion. Please be sure that you know your headquarters bar hours. All alcohol must be put away and stored by 1:00 a.m., in compliance with Tompkins County Law. The storage of alcohol must be in a locked facility. Special arrangements must be made for donated wine and beer. Inform your Reunion staff contact as soon as possible to help facilitate special arrangements for this. Under no circumstances can any individual purchase or provide alcohol for public serving.
Overall, we find that individuals are more health-conscious and that the days of a long, alcohol-filled Reunion weekend have disappeared. Consider what role alcohol will play in your events and what message you want to send.