Room Reservation Policies & Procedures

General Policies

Reservation Applications

Our rooms must be reserved in advance by submitting a Cohen Career Center Room Request Form. To check room availability for a specific date, [[caprosser, contact Colleen Prosser]] at 757-221-7407. Once the reservation application has been received, you will receive a return e-mail confirming your event or letting you know the room is unavailable at that time. Please note that by submitting the Cohen Room application, you are agreeing to accept responsibility on behalf of your department, program, unit, or organization for the proper care of the room(s) and for any expenses incurred as a result of your event.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in the Cohen Career Center. Animals are not allowed unless they are assisting people with disabilities.

Noise

The Cohen Career Center is a place of business as well as an event space, so we ask that you keep noise to a minimum during the work day and avoid passing through business offices.

After-Hours Emergency Contact

During after-hours events, the business offices are not accessible and you may not have access to a telephone, so please be sure to have a cell phone in order to call William & Mary Police at 757-221-4596 if there is a problem or an emergency.

Room Capacity and Set-Up

We have five rooms available for reservation.

• 1st Floor Presentation Room

• 1st Floor Patio

• 1st Floor Atrium

• 2nd Floor Conference Room

• 2nd Floor Rooftop Terrace

View the Cohen Career Center floor plan

First Floor Presentation Room Capacity

• Reception: 112 guests maximum

• Theatre Style: 80 guests maximum

• Classroom Style: 50 guests maximum

• Served or Buffet Meal: 50 guests maximum

First Floor Patio Capacity

• Our first floor patio is preset with patio tables and chairs seating 16, but will accommodate up to 112 guests and is connected to our Presentation Room.

• If you open any umbrellas in this space, please close them at the end of your event.

Atrium/Lobby Capacity

• Our Atrium is preset with living room style furniture which cannot be moved and accommodates up to 50 people.

Second Floor Conference Room Capacity

• The Conference Room is pre-set with a conference table and chairs which cannot be moved and accommodates up to 15 people.

Second Floor Rooftop Terrace Capacity

• Our Rooftop Terrace is preset with deck furniture which cannot materially be moved and will accommodate up to 125 people reception style.

• If you open any umbrellas in this space, please close them at the end of your event.

Room Set-Up & Furniture

For the Presentation Room set-up, you may either set up and break down the room yourselves or place an online work order with Facilities Management, which will charge a fee for both set up and break down. Please be certain the room is left in good order at the end of your event. When reserving the room, be sure to add sufficient time for set-up and break-down.

The Atrium, First Floor Patio, Second Floor Conference Room and Second Floor Rooftop Terrace are pre-set with furniture and cannot be materially changed. If you require additional furniture, it will be necessary for you to contact Williamsburg Event Rental, or another vendor of your choosing, for your set-up needs. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Colleen in advance to discuss your proposed room set-up.

The Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement owns 80 metal chairs and 10 rectangular tables, for indoor use, which are stored in two closets just outside of the Presentation Room. You may use these tables and chairs for your indoor events free of charge. Other tables and chairs may be available for a fee from Facilities Management or an outside vendor, such as Williamsburg Event Rental. Table linens & skirts are not available from the Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement. But, if you wish to use them, you may bring your own table linens & skirts or rent them from W&M Catering or another vendor of your choice. Table tops must be cleaned at the end of your event. Cleaning supplies are stored under the sink in the Staff Kitchen right outside of the Presentation Room.

Building Security

We need your assistance to ensure the security of the Cohen Career Center. The security contact person for your event must be present for the full duration of the event, and at no time may the building be left unlocked and unattended. If your event begins and/or ends after working hours, we will modify the automatic lock system to coincide with the beginning and ending of your event, and the building will open and close automatically. Note that the security contact must wait until the caterers have finished, as caterers may not be asked to be responsible for the building's security. Once your event has concluded, please walk through the entire building, including the second floor, to make sure it is empty and secure, paying special attention to exit doors. If you are uncomfortable with securing the building, feel free to contact William & Mary Police for assistance.

If there is an event on the rooftop terrace, the door to the terrace will have to be locked after the event is over. This is the glass door with the handle on the inside – it indicates locked and unlocked near the handle. If you open any outside umbrellas, please close them at the end of your event. If they are left open and unattended and become damaged, you will be responsible for repair or replacement. If you take any trash cans outside, please bring them in at the end of your event.

Please try to keep traffic flow to your reserved room(s) or area(s) and avoid allowing people to walk throughout the building.

Food Service

You may use W&M Catering or an outside caterer for your event, or you may serve food and beverages yourselves. Please ensure that you or a representative are available to greet and orient your caterer when they arrive to deliver your food and beverage. Alcohol may be served to anyone over 21, but beer kegs are not permitted. Please note that alcohol may not be served at career-related events hosted by employers. Please note that your organization will be required to have a licensed bartender/third party serving the alcohol. 

During regular business hours (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.), only buffet meals are permitted, and caterers may use only the Staff Kitchen area for set-up. The hallways and business offices must remain clear during working hours.

To prevent damage to our reception area's slate floors, caterers may not roll carts through our front door and must use the back door instead. Individuals using carts may come in the front door without the cart and request assistance with access to the back door. Please make sure your caterer is aware of this. Grills are not allowed on the Rooftop Terrace.

A/V Equipment

The Presentation Room and Conference Room offer audio-visual systems, including flat-screen TVs and teleconferencing equipment. We do have a laptop that is kept in the room and generally available for use, although it may be unavailable on occasion. In these instances, you must provide your own laptop. Please [[caprosser, contact Colleen Prosser]] at 757-221-7407 to confirm availability.

In the Presentation Room, the directions for the system are stored on the credenza in the back of the podium, and in the Conference Room they are on top of the credenza. We recommend doing a test run in advance of your event. To request other A/V equipment, contact Jeff Herrick and or complete the AV Event Support Request Form.

Deliveries

Other items needed for your event may be delivered directly to the Cohen Career Center. Please make sure you or your representative will be available to accept the delivery.

Cleaning and Securing Rooms After Your Event

Please be sure to clean the tops of all tables used as well as any spills, garbage, etc. All garbage must be removed from the premises at the end of your event and carried to the nearest dumpster.

Once the room has been cleaned and restored to its original set-up, please remember to exit the audio-visual system, turn off the lights and close both sets of window shades.

Again, if you open any outside umbrellas, please close them at the end of your event. If they are left open and unattended and become damaged, you will be responsible for repair or replacement.

If your event is after hours, please conduct a security check of the building to make sure it is empty prior to leaving.