FAQs

Welcome to the frequently asked questions page.  You can find answers to most of your questions here, if there is a question that is not answered please feel free to send an email to mera@vcu.edu
       

MERA Tutorials - Sound is required for all videos. For best quality, view in full screen and at 720p HD resolution.

How to browse for space pdf version

How to activate your MERA accout    video  •  pdf version
**MERA access is restricted to VCU faculty, staff, and students who members of a Registered Student Organization. Non-University sponsors must submit the Non-University Request Form to request space.

How to Reserve an Information Table video • pdf version
You may only reserve one table per day. You cannot reserve a table more than 3 days in a row. 

How to Reserve a Banner  video • pdf version
Publicity space requests need to be made at least 3 business days in advance. You may reserve indoor banner space up to 7 consecutive days. Outdoor banner space may be reserved up to 14 consecutive days.   Information Tables and Rolling Display Boards may be reserved up to 3 consecutive days.

How to Reserve a Single Meeting    video  •  pdf version
Meeting requests, changes or cancellations need to be made 3 business days in advance. It is strongly recommended that you reserve the space at least 5 business days in advance so that you can make any necessary changes or cancellations before that 3 business day deadline. If you wish to make any changes or cancel your meeting less than 3 business days before the meeting, you will receive on-site charges or late cancellation fees. If you do not show up for your meeting, you will be charged a no-show fee.

How to Reserve a Single Event    video  •  pdf version
Event requests, changes, or cancellations need to be made 10 business days in advance. It is strongly recommended that you reserve the space at least 30 business days in advance so that you can make any necessary changes or cancellations before that 10 business day deadline. If you wish to make any changes or cancel your event less than 10 business days before the event, you will receive on-site charges or late cancellation fees. If you do not show up for your event, you will be charged a no-show fee.

How to Reserve a Recurring Meeting/Event video • pdf version

MERA Questions
What do I do if my account is inactive?
How do I reserve a table or banner space?
How do I reserve a classroom space for a meeting?
How do I check if space is available?
How do I check a rooms set up capabilites and capacities?
I put in the information for my event, meeting, banner, or table space but I cant find any available spaces.  Am I doing something wrong?

General Questions
Who is my Event Planner?
I submitted a meeting request for the Virginia Rooms that has a complicated set up but it was denied
I have an important meeting tomorrow that I have to schedule, why wont MERA allow me to do so?
When can I submit meeting  requests for the following academic year?
Why can't I book a Complex Event if my event is less than 60 days away?
I dont think my event is "Complex", why is my Event Planner changing it to a Complex Event?
What dates should I keep in mind while making reservations?
What are the policies related to banner reservations?
What are the policies related to information tables?
What are the policies related to rolling display boards?
What rooms are standard and non-standard?

MERA Questions

Q.  What do I do if my account is inactive?
A.  If you log on to your MERA account and it says it is inactive, please contact our office.  Usually an account will become inactive if it has remained pending for a certain amount of time.  Make sure that if you are part of a Registered Student Organization and your account is inactive, that your student organization is on the MyOrgs website and your name is listed on the MyOrgs roster before contacting us.

If you are a non-university organization or individual, or you are a student at VCU and are not affiliated with an organization or department, you cannot use the MERA system.  If you wish to reserve a space on our campus, you must first find a Registered Student Organization or University Department on campus to sponsor you.  You should complete the Non-University Request Form.

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Q.  How do I reserve a table or banner space?
A.  Please follow the steps below.

1.   Log in to your MERA account
2.  Go to the tab in the top, left-handed corner labeled "My Account"
3.  Click on the "Reservations" tab
4.  Click on the reservations tab, then choose "MERA User - Publicity and Info Tables".
5.  Fill out all the information to the left of the screen: the date you wish to hold the meeting, the time, facility that you prefer, the expected attendance, and the set up type you wish to use.  If you are trying to reserve a banner, put the attendance at 1.  If you are reserving a table, put approximately how many people will be handling the table (1-2 people maximum).
7.  After you hit "Find Space" a list of banners and tables should appear on the right of the screen.  If you wish to look at the banner or table's location information before reserving the room, click on the room name.
8.  Find which banner or table you would like to use and click on the green plus symbol next to it.  This should send your banner or table request to the top of the page; then hit the yellow continue button. 
9.  Now fill out all the details and remember to be as specific as possible.  If you are reserving a table, state exactly what type of information you will be distributing.  If you are reserving a banner, make sure to be detailed in what the banner is publicizing.  If the title of your banner is not specific enough and Event Planning cannot tell what you are publicizing, you're banner may be denied.
10.  Hit the submit reservation button and your banner or table request has been submitted to us.  You can check the status of your banner or table request by going to the "My Account" tab and click on "View My Requests".

Q.  How do I reserve a classroom space for a meeting?
A.  Please follow the steps below.

1.   Log in to your MERA account
2.  Go to the tab in the top, left-handed corner labeled "My Account"
3.  Click on the "Reservations" tab
4.  Then choose "Student Organization Requests - Meetings"
5.  Next fill out all the information to the left of the screen: the date you wish to hold the meeting, the time, the expected attendance, and choose "standard" set up.  For the facility, choose the buildings labeled "VCU Monroe Park Campus".  If is difficult to read which building is which because the line is to long.  The first VCU Monroe Park Campus building is Harris Hall, then Hibbs Hall, then Oliver Hall, and then Temple Hall.
6.  After you hit "Find Space" a list of rooms should appear on the right of the screen.  If you wish to look at the room's location information before reserving the room, click on the room name.
7.  Find which room you would like to use and click on the green plus symbol next to it.  This should send your room request to the top of the page; then hit the yellow continue button. 
8.  Now fill out all the event details that you know.  Be as specific as possible, especially if the set up that you have in mind is special. 
9.  Hit the submit reservation button and your event request has been submitted to us.  You can check the status of your event request by going to the "My Account" tab and click on "View My Requests".

Keep in mind that classrooms and academic buildings can only been booked for meetings and can only be booked on Friday afternoons, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Q.  How do I check if space is available?
A.  If you wish to check room availabilities by looking at a booking calendar, you can do that through your MERA account.

1.  Login to your MERA account
2.  Go to the tab at the top labeled "Browse"
3.  Click on "Check Space Availability".  This will give you a schedule of room spaces.  The white areas are available spaces that can be reserved by you.  Blue and grey areas represent spaces that are unavailable (already booked).

Q.  How do I check a rooms set up capabilites and capacities?
A.  Please follow the steps below.

1.  Login to your MERA account
2.  Go to the tab at the top of the screen labeled "Browse"
3.  Click on the "Check Facilities" tab.  This will give you a detailed list of room locations, the set up types available in these spaces, as well as the minimum and maximum capacities of those rooms.

Remember the Policies and Procedures tab.

There is a tab at the top of your screen labeled "Policies and Procedures".  This is there for you if you have any questions and just need a quick answer.

Q.  I put in the information for my event, meeting, banner, or table space but I cant find any available spaces.  Am I doing something wrong?
A.  There could be various reasons why not available spaces are showing up.  It could be because all the spaces are unavailable, MERA will only show you rooms that are available, therefore if it doesn't show that anything is available, you may have to change the time or date of your event.  You can check room availability on MERA by clicking the Browse button at the top of your homepage and clicking on "Check Space Availability".  If it says that the room is available during that time but it is not showing you the room, it maybe because you have to many people for the room's capacity. 

It could also be because you are planning a meeting and attempting to reserve space less than three business days in advance or are planning a event and attempting to reserve a space less than ten business days in advance.  Also you must make sure you are filling out the information carefully. 

Make sure the times are right and you have not put down "1:00 AM" instead of "1:00 PM".  Make sure you didn't accidently say you were reserving a meeting space, when you really wish to reserve an event space.  Make sure that you are reserving the space with enough advanced notice.  Finally, make sure you are not trying to reserve a space when the University is closed.

Various small mistakes can make it impossible to reserve a room, so please make sure you are following all the steps carefully.  If you are following them carefully and things still are not working out, feel free to contact our office by either calling 804-828-9502 or emailing us at mera@vcu.edu.  We hope this manual was helpful and we look forward to assisting you with your events.

General Questions 
Q.  Who is my Event Planner?
A.  Bradley Bower, Christina Logan, Katie Paucar, Vann Wheeler, Yolanda Jackson

Q.  I submitted a meeting request for the Virginia Rooms that has a complicated set up but it was denied.
A.  All reservations submitted for Virginia Standard Meeting Rooms cannot exceed the maximum 2 hours permitted in this space from 6:00 PM to close Sunday - Thursday.  The standard set up is lecture style (VA-A = Lecture for 50; VA-B = Lecture for 50; VA-CD = Lecture for 100) with a podium and a head table with two chairs.  Additional furniture or AV equipment cannot be added to the room.  Please ensure that you return the set up back to its original setup should you make any adjustments.  Failure to do so may result in loss of reservation privileges and/or furniture reset charges.

VA-A, VA-B, and VA-CD each have a permanet screen, projector, and sound capabilities.  A laptop and VGA cable is required.  VGA cables will be available at the Information Center for check out.  Additionally, Macintosh adapters will be available for check out at the Information Center.  USC&A carries a limited selection of Macintosh adapters so the Macintosh connectivity cannot be guarenteed.  A $25 charge will be applied to reservations if the cables and adapters are not returned.

Q.  I have an important meeting tomorrow that I have to schedule, why wont MERA allow me to do so?
A.  Reservations for meetings in standard setup spaces must be made at least 3 business days prior to the requested meeting and meetings in non standard spaces must be reserved 10 business days prior to the meeting date.  Late requests can be made if space is available and a late room request fee is paid.

Q.  When can I submit meeting  requests for the following academic year?
A.  Meeting requests for Registered Student Organization sponsored meetings will be accepted via a MERA request starting on the first Monday in April prior to the academic year in which the event occurs.  Event requests for University Departments will be accepted via a MERA request starting on the first Monday in May.  Meeting requests and Event requests for Non-University affiliates will be accepted beginning on the first business day in August for meetings and events occuring in the fall semester, the first business day in January for meetings and events occurring in the spring semester.

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Q.  Why can't I book a Complex Event if my event is less than 60 days away?
A.  Complex Events require planning and preparation - both on the side of the Registered Student Organization and the USC&A staff.  Complex Event reservations must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the planned event date (90 days strongly recommended).

Q.  I dont think my event is "Complex," why is my Event Planner changing it to a Complex Event?
A.  A Registered Student Organization event will be defined as "Complex" at the discretion of the Registered Student Organization's Event Planner and/or when the event includes 2 or more of the following:

Attendance (expected or historical) of more than 100 people.
Tickets (paid or free)
Contracted services (performance contract, independent contractor agreement ect.)
Police and/or Security
Advanced Audio Visual Support
Alcohol
Event title includes: Social, Festival, Carnival, Dance, Fashion Show, Pageant, Auction, "Week," Open Mic, Concert, Comedy, or Culture Show.

Dates to keep in mind for Fall 2012 - Spring 2013

August 20 thru 24 - Student Organizations are only permitted to organize small meetings.  Large "meet & greet" style events cannot take place place prior to the Fall SOVO fair.
September 3 - Labor Day, University is closed.
October 18 thru 19 - Monroe Park Campus Reading Days.
November 21 thru 24 - Thanksgiving Break, University is closed.
December 10 thru 14 - Exam Week (Registered Student Organizations may not hold meetings or events during this time).
December 21 thru 31 - Winter Break, University is closed.
January 1 - New Year's Day, University is closed.
January 14 thru 18 - Only small meetings are permitted, events cannot take place prior to the Spring SOVO Fair.
January 21 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day, University is closed.
March 2 thru 10 - Spring Break
May 1 - Monroe Park Reading Day.
May 2 thru 10 - Exam Week (Registered Student Organizations may not hold meetings or events during this time).

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Q. What are the policies related to banner reservations?
A. Registered student organizations and University departments may reserve indoor and outdoor banner space without charge.  Banner space must be reserved through the MERA system.

Inside banners can only be on display for 7 consecutive days. It can be no larger than 8’ wide by 3’ high. Banners must be horizontal and cannot have glitter or anything hanging from them. There must be one week between each indoor banner reservation period.

Outside banners can only be on display for 14 consecutive days (2 weeks). It can be no larger than 8’ wide by 3’ high. Outside banners must be vinyl, made to withstand inclement weather conditions. They must have metal reinforced grommet holes in all four corners. Letters and graphics must be waterproof. There must be two weeks between each outdoor banner reservation period.

Registered student organizations may not credit corporations or businesses as “co-sponsors” but may state that the event is “being presented by“, “in association with,” or that the business is “underwriting,” the specific event being promoted. USC&A reserves the right to remove banners at any point should the content or condition of the banner become of concern.  

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Q. What are the policies related to information tables?
A. Information Table space must be reserved through the MERA system. Sponsors may have a table reservation for no more than 3 consecutive days. There must be 3 consecutive days between each table reservation. Information may not be distributed in areas away from the reserved table space. Sponsors may not reserve an information table and literature distribution area on the same day.

Any use of an information table to promote the use or purchase of a commercial product or service or for fund raising will be considered a sales or service solicitation table and must follow the procedures governing those practices.  USC&A reserves the right to determine the classification of tables. Cash donations or an exchange of cash is NOT permitted at information tables.

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Q. What are the policies related to rolling display boards?
A. Registered student organizations and University departments may reserve a rolling display board without charge. There are two rolling display boards, one for the Floyd Avenue and one for Main Street entrances. Sponsors may only reserve one side per day. Promotional materials can be no larger than 21” wide by 27” high.

Q. What rooms are standard and non-standard?
A. Standard meeting spaces (Request needs to be submitted 3 business days before meeting)
Metro Room
Forum Room
Canal Room
Shockoe Room
Alumni Board Room
*VA Rooms (Only on Sunday - Thursday 6:00pm-12:00am) all other times it is a non-standard space.
Church Hill Board Room

Non-standard meeting spaces (Request needs to be submitted at least 10 business days before meeting or event)
**Commonwealth Ballroom
*Virginia Rooms (When not in standard meeting time as listed above)
**Richmond Salons
Jackson Ward Rooms
Court End Ballroom
**Common Ground

*Virginia Rooms fall into two different categories depending on the date and time requested (see above)
**Indicates that the room is not a Smart Room and the sponsor will need to pay for an AV tech if AV services are needed. 

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