DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

All Northwestern University staff & faculty may request to reserve Harris 108.

You can read more in our Rules & Guidelines.

No, sorry; we deny any reservation request that is sent outside the current quarter we are in. We aim to confirm tentative reservations for the succeeding quarter at least four weeks prior to its start.

Both the room and our reservation system will be closed every summer starting from around mid-June till Labor Day (opening a few days after the holiday). Harris 108 is closed during the summer season for cleaning and maintenance. No exceptions.

This 2024-25 academic year, the form will re-open on 09/04/24 after 9AM.

Please allow us 3 - 5 bluishness days to process your request. If 7 business days have passed without hearing anything, you may follow up by email, but rest assured, we will process your request as soon as possible. Please do not email us to expedite a request.

You will receive an automated email informing you about the status of your reservation request: Confirmed, Tentative, Deny-Space Unavailable, Deny-Other. Automated emails are sent by History through Smartsheet. Please ensure you provide the correct email address on the reservation form to ensure you receive our prompt communications.

Unfortunately, we denied your request due to one or more existing conflicts. Please understand this could be for a variety of logistical reasons. We thoughtfully review reservations, but they must stay in line with our Rules and Guidelines. One of the reasons you received “Deny-Other” is that you have submitted your request too early. A fall event needs to be submitted during the fall quarter, a winter event during the winter quarter, and a spring event during a spring quarter, and so on. If this is the case for you, please re-submit it (only as early as 4 weeks to the start of the succeeding quarter).

Yes, we may accept events that take place 2 days in a row, or more, such as a week-long workshop or a 2-day conference. Note that you will need to fill out a reservation form for each different of your event day.

Unfortunately, we usually do not accept last-minute requests, especially if the event is tightly sandwiched between two other events in the same day.

Please send in your event reservation request at least 2 weeks in advance. Failure to do so may result in a denied status. Please do not email us concerning a last-minute event request.

We provide PDFs of three floor plans: Standard, Lecture, Blank/Custom (a blank sheet for you to self-design). Using this floor plan is not required, but if you work with Facilities for room set-up, this comes in handy as it is the master template used to communicate with Facilities. You are free to move the tables and chairs as you wish, except no furniture being moved to the outside terrace. You must move furniture back to the standard setup by the end of your reservation time.

Yes, as stated in the Rules and Guidelines, you are free to set up food/catering in Harris 108. You may eat, drink and be merry if the room is returned to its regular condition and in standard layout. Please treat the kitchenette in Harris 108 kindly and ensure its cleanliness after your event is over. If food is thrown in the sink by you or your caterers, we expect the sink to be properly drained and cleaned after. The sink has a disposal system. If you encounter issues with it, please notify us immediately.

All groups are required to fill in a chart string, even if the reservation fee is waived. The fee is waived for any Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences (WCAS) department only. Any repair costs that arise from significant damage to the room or furniture during your event may be charged to the chart string you provide. Non-Weinberg Departments will be charged the rental fee.

One weekday is $200. One weekend day is $300. Consecutive weekend days such as Fri/Sat, Sat/Sun is $600. The fee is waived for all WCAS departments only.

Pre-planning might include making room measurements, taking photos, envisioning room layouts, etc. If you only need to pre-plan with technology, please see the Audio/Visual or A/V questions below this section.

We cannot guarantee the space will be available if you stop by the building. We would like to ask you to check out the Availability Calendar, look for an open time, and please submit a reservation request for any pre-planning. You will need to fill in the reservation form for pre-planning, even if you only need the space for an hour or under. If pre-planning is under 2 hours, we can waive the rental fee (the fee is charged for non-Winberg departments and programs). We cannot accept last-minute requests and will not take emails for urgent or last-minute requests to quickly see the room. You will need to plan in advance. Any request, whether a request for event pre-planning or event reservation, needs to be sent with at least 2 weeks' notice.

It is not allowed to tape, fix, or post anything on the walls – thank you.

Yes, you are free to coordinate rental delivery & pick up from Harris 108 within your reservation period only.

Furniture is not allowed to be moved outside of room 108 nor out on the terrace. Luckily, it’s easy to fold and store the tables in one or more corners of 108. You should consider positioning the wooden chairs along the perimeter of the room (along the walls) if you do not need the chairs in the middle of the space. The black, stackable chairs are always stored in the kitchenette.

Harris 108 is equipped with the following:

• Crestron control system
• Projector
• HDMI cable with adapters for laptop connection
• Remote recorder for Panopto
• Room cameras
• Bluetooth audio connection
• 2 handheld microphones
• 8 tabletop microphones
• 1 gooseneck microphone on the podium
• 1 lavalier microphone

 Microphone Functionality:

• The handheld and lavalier microphones are audible in the room, on Panopto, and in Zoom.
• The tabletop microphones are audible only on Panopto and Zoom.

Equipment should never leave Harris 108. Any issues with the devices should be promptly made aware to the History Department and IT support at servicedesk@northwestern.edu.

If you use any of the listed equipment in the space, please put it back in its proper place. This ensures items will not become misplaced and ensures the devices are charging in their charging ports. If equipment is missing right after your reservation, you may be subject to pay for its replacement.

Yes, there is an in-built camera for any online-streaming or recording. You can access the camera and change camera angles up at the A/V system (AKA: the podium/touch screen in the front of the room).

While we may be able to provide brief assistance if available, staff in 104 are not responsible for setting up online-streaming for you such as Zoom or Panopto. We highly recommend you learn how to use and set up Zoom or Panopto on your own time – or simply contact IT at 7-ROOM or fill in the online form to coordinate tech assistance in advance.

FYI - Please give yourself ample tech setup time during your reservation. If in doubt, contact 7-ROOM.

More details on Panopto online recording here. You can log in with your NET ID and password. If you're interested in using this service, please contact Northwestern's IT Service Desk to request Harris Room 108 recording (their email is servicedesk@northwestern.edu).

7-ROOM is also 847-971-7666.

You will need to review the Availability Calendar to find a time when the room is not in use and then reach out to Christina at christina.alexandru@northwestern.edu to tell her you would like to set a date/time to bring in IT for your A/V system room check. (You can reach out to IT at servicedesk@northwestern.edu to ask someone to assist you with a room check).

Keep in mind: If you request an A/V room check with IT, and the room is not available the week leading up to your event, we cannot promise or guarantee a room check will be possible until your own event reservation time. The sooner you can plan this with us, the better.

An Audio/Visual room check might be a routine check to ensure, for example, the systems are working and anything with batteries is fully charged and operating. This can include a test run of your speaker’s program, Panopto or Zoom. This can easily be done during the day of your reservation, preferably an hour or more prior to the speaker’s presentation (in case you run into difficulties, then you will have time to find a solution).

Not all events need an A/V room check. The A/V system in Harris 108 has been upgraded and it is good to go for your event! An A/V room check may usually be recommended for a longer conference, symposium or workshop of panels that will heavily use the A/V system for most of the day. The A/V system check should be performed a day or two prior to your event.

It is your responsibility to reach out to IT to coordinate a room check. And it is your responsibility to let Christina know you would like to schedule an A/V room check, in advance. Christina will confirm or deny your desired time with you by email (for A/V room checks only).

If you need any help with your event setup or breakdown, floor plan configurations or any cleaning, you will email Facilities Maintenance at facilities@northwestern.edu; they process all Facilities requests and dispatch the Aramark team to perform event setup/breakdown and cleaning services. They do require a chart string. We do not know their service fees as they vary case by case, but feel free to ask facilities for more information. If you plan to use Facilities Maintenance for your event, please indicate this in your reservation form.

We do. Once you submit your request, we will review it and get back to you as usual. Make sure you read and understand Building Access for Harris Hall (for afterhours or weekend hours).

If your event starts at or after 6PM - be aware Harris Hall has Wildcard access only after 6PM. Any event after 6pm (on weekdays AND weekends) will need to submit the building unlock form. On weekends, all Harris Hall doors are locked all day.

As needed, YOU ARE REQUIRED to Submit a Building Unlock Request Form Here. You will need to wait to get approval from Facilities.

Facilities and Risk Management will review each of these requests on a case-by-case basis. More information about this is available on Facilities’ Building Access page.

History will not be responsible for any linens dropped off in the History office, Harris 104.

Linens will need to be delivered to your own office and picked up from your office, as well. At this time, we cannot store linens in Harris 108 nor Harris 104. (You may only deliver or store linens to Harris 108 if you are present for the delivery and have the room reserved during the same time of the delivery).

Linens left overnight in Harris 108 are subject to be thrown away by Facilities.

We highly encourage you to review all information as processes may change over time. This August 2024, we redesigned the entire Harris 108 experience, and we ask you to review and understand the information we provide please fully. Let’s work together to create a smooth functioning and safe, shared space. Thanks for doing so!

The History Department is at 1881 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL 60208.

We are on the southern end of the Evanston campus of Northwestern University. It is the first building on the right as you enter campus through Weber Arch.

The South Campus Parking Garage. https://maps.northwestern.edu/facility/647

1847 Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 60208

You first need to contact 7-ROOM, or 847-971-7666, for immediate assistance.

We highly recommend you review all information provided on this webpage in addition to the Rules and Guidelines first. If you have a question afterwards, please reach out to Program Assistant Christina Alexandru at christina.alexandru@northwestern.edu.