Business Fraternities
In keeping with University policy, all business fraternities that are recognized by the Wharton Council and the Wharton Undergraduate Division will uphold a deferred-rush system. Business fraternities may not rush, hold rush activities, offer bids, begin a pledge program or hold initiation for freshmen during the fall semester. All freshman rush and pledge events must take place during the spring semester. Failure to comply with this policy will result in the business fraternity’s loss of recognition by the Wharton Council and the Wharton Undergraduate Division. Business fraternities may, however, hold rush for upperclass students during the fall semester.
Club Speaker Approvals
Any speaker that a group, club, department, or individual wishes to invite to a Wharton event, whether on campus or off-site, must be approved by Wharton Marketing and Communications (and in certain cases by the University) before any invitation is extended. Each speaker request must be submitted using the school-wide Speaker Request Management System. Failure to abide by this policy may result in loss of Wharton and University resources. Please expect at least 72 hours for a response to your request. Questions can be directed to Lee Kramer, Director of Student Life.
Please submit your speaker names for approval at least six weeks before the proposed event and prior to sending out any speaker bids or email invitations. You will be notified about the speaker approval decision via email.
Note: If you intend to invite the media to your event or capture the event in any medium (e.g., photography or video), you should:
Get approval from your speakers in advance by having them complete the Media_Release_Form.
Review the media relations guidelines before sending out any press releases.
Inviting the Dean to Speak at an Event
To request the Dean speak at your upcoming event or conference you will need to meet with Lee Kramer, Director of Student Life, at least two months before your event, to submit a formal request. The request will then be submitted to the Dean’s Office for review and confirmation. Requests will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis per semester.
Competitions
Any club or organization wanting to host or sponsor a case or pitch competition where prize money or gifts¹ will be given out to participants must receive approval to do so from Lee Kramer, Director of Student Life. Please complete this form to submit your competition for approval.
¹ Please note that only Penn- or Wharton-branded items may be offered as non-monetary prizes.
Contracts
Students are not allowed to sign any contracts. All contracts must be sent to Lee Kramer, Director of Student Life, for signature by the Penn Purchasing Department.
Corporate Sponsorship and Solicitation
Corporate sponsorships are a great way for clubs to access additional funding. Wharton External Affairs handles fundraising for the Wharton School and has the contacts and relationships to help your club access some of the world’s leading corporations.
To ensure that multiple student groups are not targeting the same company and to make certain that the student groups are representing the Wharton name appropriately, External Affairs requires that student clubs submit all solicitation materials and letters in advance to Lee Kramer, Director of Student Life, for review and approval.
Procedure for seeking corporate sponsorship:
- At least two months before the club’s desired solicitation start date, email a copy of all of your club’s corporate solicitation correspondence/materials to Lee Kramer, Director of Student Life, who will notify you once the materials have been reviewed and approved by Wharton External Affairs.
- Once a company has agreed to financially sponsor the club, the club leader or finance chair must fill out the Club Sponsorship Form and email it to ug-finance@wharton.upenn.edu and cc Lee Kramer.
- Methods of payment:
- Wire transfers are the university’s preferred method of payment for all corporate sponsorships. Please communicate this to your company sponsors. Be sure to indicate payment by wire transfer on the payment method line of the corporate sponsorship form. The finance office will follow up with the company contact to initiate the wire transfer process.
- If a wire transfer is not possible, the company may pay for the sponsorship by check. Please indicate payment by check on the sponsorship form. The check must be made payable to the “Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania” with the name of the recipient club on the memo line of the check or in a memo included with the payment. All checks must be mailed to: The Wharton Undergraduate Division, Attention: Frank De Francis, Business Administrator, 1400 Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall, 3620 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Once received, the check will be deposited into the club’s account for club use.
- If the company is incapable of paying by wire transfer or check, a credit card payment can be accepted as a last resort. Please indicate payment by credit card on the payment method line. Do not ask for any credit card information; the finance office will follow up with the company contact to process the credit card payment over the phone. You will be notified once the credit card payment has been processed. Barring any delays, receipts for credit card payments are typically sent to the company contact 30 days after the transaction date.
Please be sure to check with the corporate sponsor about specifics regarding use of their name and logo on marketing materials and how to properly acknowledge them as a sponsor of your club’s event or conference. Also, please be sure to send thank-you notes in a timely manner to recognize your corporate sponsors’ gifts. Please cc or send a copy of the thank-you notes to the director of student life for stewardship purposes.
Equipment Rentals
The Undergraduate Division (1400 SHDH) has a limited number of tables and some other equipment available for student use. See the Equipment Reservation Request Form for more information and to reserve equipment.
Please note the following:
- Requests must be submitted at least one week before the desired rental date.
- No more than three tables may be rented for any period of time. Additional tables must be rented from outside vendors.
- You must contact Wharton Facilities for permission to use space in the Walnut/Locust lobbies to promote your events. Wharton Facilities is located in JMHH F30 or you may call them at 215.898.2575.
Note that Wharton Events has select branded materials that may be borrowed for events.
Package Storage Requests
Wharton undergraduate clubs, cohorts, and sponsored student groups may request short-term package storage in the Undergraduate Division suite in 1400 SHDH for approved upcoming events.
After discussing your event and storage needs with your group’s assigned staff member, submit the Package Storage Request Form at least one week before the expected package delivery date. Packages may be stored for a maximum of 2 weeks leading up to the event and must be removed from 1400 SHDH within one business day after the event.
Note: Space is limited. Submitting a request does not guarantee use of storage space in 1400 SHDH.
Group Study Rooms
Use of the Group Study Rooms is reserved for groups only. Single individuals using a room (even with a reservation) will be asked to leave if a group wishes to use the room.
Secure a room via GSR Reservations: Room reservations are made through the GSR Reservations system. You must be a Wharton student to log in to this scheduling website.
Flexible scheduling options: You can schedule rooms for a total of 90 minutes (in 30-minute increments). You can reserve a room for one 90-minute slot, one 60-minute slot, one 30-minute slot, or up to three, separate 30-minute slots. The scheduling system has been configured to allow you to easily see which rooms are open on your requested time.
Use it or lose it (and make it available to others): Groups who have reserved a room must show up within 10 minutes of their scheduled time. If they don’t, they can lose their room reservation to another group who now can appropriate the empty room. (See the next item.)
Instant “on-site” booking of open rooms: If a Group Study Room is empty (either because it isn’t currently reserved or because the group that reserved it failed to show up), you can use the Group Study Room’s “On-Demand” booking feature to schedule the room—simply enter the empty room and access GSR Reservations from the room’s computer through MyWharton; the On-Demand feature will appear in the upper right.*
- If the room is not currently scheduled, GSR On-Demand will allow you to schedule the room.
- If the room is currently scheduled, GSR On-Demand will display the name of the person who has the room scheduled and the times of the reservation.
- If the group shows up before their 10-minute grace period has expired, you must relinquish the room to them.
- If no one from the originally scheduled group shows up within 10 minutes, GSR On-Demand will show a link, which will allow you to cancel the original group’s reservation and reserve the room for your group.
* Note that this feature of GSR Reservations is only available from the computer located in the Group Study Room. (In other words, you can’t use GSR Reservations to bump someone’s reservation unless you are in the room and intend to use it.)
Other study room policies:
- Students are responsible for their personal belongings.
- Windows and doors are not to be covered over with paper or other materials.
- Students will be held accountable for the condition of the room and equipment. Usage will be monitored. Students may be subject to fines and/or loss of use.
Student Conference Proposal and Planning Guide
Student organizations should consult the Student Conference Planning Guide when planning conferences and events. Also, please note that student clubs must submit a Conference Proposal for approval at least one semester prior to their proposed event.
Trips Sponsored by Student Clubs
Wharton Undergraduate Division-recognized clubs that are sponsoring a trip abroad will need to register their program/trip with the Division and meet with Lee Kramer, Director of Student Life, before any trip planning begins.
There are many University policies that a club must follow when sponsoring an international trip. These policies are for the safety and security of the students traveling abroad, including risk-management issues. Two policies to note are that all Wharton club-sponsored international programs/trips must have at least one faculty or staff chaperone on the trip and only current Penn students may participate in the programs/trips. The Director of Student Life will review the rest of these policies with you when you meet.
The Undergraduate Division can also provide guidance and logistical help with your international trips including connecting your group with Wharton alumni who are living in the respective countries. If you would like help connecting with alumni, please let us know at least three months before your trip departs.
Related forms:
Club and Cohort Purchases and Reimbursements
Purchase Orders
Vendors/suppliers that frequently work with the University of Pennsylvania are on Penn’s purchase order system. If a vendor is on the purchase order (PO) system, the only method of payment is a purchase order.
- All PO system vendors/suppliers
- Approved apparel/promotional-item vendors/suppliers (Use of other vendors is prohibited.)
- Approved caterers (see page 8)
In order to pay a vendor that is on the PO system, please follow these steps:
- Request a quote from the vendor.
- Complete and submit a Purchase Order Form at least two weeks before the event.
- The Undergraduate Division will process the request and provide you with a PO number that you must then provide to the vendor.
Purchases from vendors that do not accept purchase orders can be made through reimbursement using the Concur system.
Reimbursements
Students with out-of-pocket expenses that do not fall into any of the categories below must submit expense reports for reimbursement through the Concur Travel & Expense Management (TEM) system within 5 business days of the transaction. Instructions can be found below.
If you have never submitted a reimbursement request, please contact the Undergraduate Finance Office at ug-finance@wharton.upenn.edu to be added to the system. You will need to include your full name and Penn ID in the email request.
In order to receive a payment through Concur, you will need an active direct deposit account. After the Expense function is added to your account, you can go to your profile Settings in the upper right-hand corner, then to Bank Information to complete the process. If you try to submit a reimbursement before your banking information is validated, you will receive an error message.
When submitting a reimbursement through Concur you must include the following:
- Itemized receipt
- Attendees list or event flyer
- Proof of purchase such as a bank statement or scan of the credit/debit card used for your purchase and the account number found on the itemized receipt (Note that the bank account or credit/debit card must be in the name of the person submitting the reimbursement request.)
The Undergraduate Finance Office will reject reimbursements that are missing any of these requirements.
Instructions for submitting a Concur reimbursement request >>
Concur Travel & Expense Management System >>
Non-reimbursable items
The following are items the University will not reimburse students for:
- Campus Copy—Please email your assigned staff member at least three business days in advance to request the Campus Copy account code; you will need to give Campus Copy the code as your form of payment. The student organization’s name should be included in the email request. You will need to email your assigned staff member each time you need to use the Campus Copy code. Once you pick-up your order from Campus Copy, please write your name and the club’s name on the receipt and drop it off to the front desk in SHDH 1400 within one business day. Please note that if you submit a reimbursement for Campus Copy via Concur, you will not be reimbursed for the tax.
- University Club—Please ask your assigned staff member for a local account form and the appropriate account number/card and for this vendor at least 3 business days in advance.
- Tax (Some tax is reimbursable, but Penn is tax-exempt in almost all cases. If a Concur reimbursement is done for a PO vendor, the tax will not be reimbursed.)
- Alcohol
- Copying or office supplies—Use one of the above vendors or ask your assigned staff member for assistance at least 10 business days in advance.
- Gifts of any sort—Please contact your assigned staff member for alternative options at least 10 business days in advance.
- Honoraria for speakers or payments to independent contractors—Please see your assigned staff member at least 10 business days in advance, as these must be paid via check.
- Deposit holds for future events—Wharton never provides vendors with deposits.
- AirBnB, HomeAway/VRBO, Flipkey rentals—Students should use Concur to book lodging.
Checks
Checks require at least 10 business days’ notice; however, if a vendor requires payment on or before the date of service, you should submit your request to your assigned staff member at least 30 business days in advance.
| Student Group | Assigned Staff Member |
| Clubs | Lee Kramer |
| Cohorts | |
| Lisa Podolsky | |
| JWS Board | Utsav Schurmans |
| WAB | Jen Murphy |
| WEDIG | Teran Tadal |
| Wharton Ambassadors | Teran Tadal |
| Wharton Council | Lee Kramer |
| Wharton GUIDE | Lisa Podolsky |
| Wharton Wellness | Lisa Burton-Grika |
Club Funding Information
At the beginning of both the fall and spring semesters, clubs are allocated budgets by the Wharton Council.
Club budget and funding policies
A club may only spend up to the total amount allocated for its semester budget. A club spending in excess of this total amount will only be reimbursed for the total approved amount.
Clubs may spend their total allocation of funds as they see fit amongst their events, but must spend in accordance with Wharton Council funding policies, which are listed in detail below. In addition, Wharton Council funds can only be spent on events listed in a club’s budget breakdown.
Wharton Council funding policies:
- Wharton Council funds will be applied toward expenses prior to the use of a club’s corporate funding. In other words, a club’s corporate funds will not be utilized to pay for expenses until all Wharton Council funds allocated to that club have been fully depleted.
- A club that maintains a surplus of Wharton Council funds at the end of the semester will not be able to rollover this amount to the next semester or academic year.
- Student clubs may not use Wharton Council funding for private dinners, gifts, one-time banner use, or alcohol.
- Student clubs may not use Wharton Council funding or corporate-sponsorship money to make donations to charitable organizations. Only the profit from an event held to raise money for a charitable organization may be donated to that organization. Student clubs that wish to donate event profits must get approval from Lee Kramer, Director of Student Life, at least 30 days prior to the event.
Wharton Council contingency funding
Contingency funds* have been set aside for ad-hoc events, i.e. events that were not planned for and were not included in your semester budget. Contingency funds can also be used for club banners, which are requested on an as-needed basis. Contingency requests must be submitted at least 15 days prior to the event. To apply for contingency funding, please submit a contingency funding request through the Wharton Council website. If you have any questions, please contact the Wharton Council Finance Committee at whartoncouncilfinance@gmail.com.
Note: Contingency funding is the only funding option available for Wharton Undergraduate Clubs currently in their trial period.
Wharton Council transportation policies
Transportation costs can be covered through Wharton Council funding. Below are the maximum transportation funding amounts, but please note that there is no guarantee that a club will receive the amounts stated below. Due to funding constraints and the needs of all Wharton undergraduate clubs, the amount of funding allocated towards a club’s transportation costs is at the discretion of the Wharton Council Finance Committee.
Please note the following policies:
Planes:
- All plane reservations must be made using Penn’s travel vendor; no reimbursements will be issued. Please discuss with the director of student life.
Trains/buses/subway:
- Amtrak—To purchase Amtrak tickets (non-Acela only), clubs must use corporate funding. However, with prior approval from the WC and the director of student life, WC funding may be used to purchase tickets for speakers.
- SEPTA—Maximum of two tokens per passenger per event.
- Bolt, Mega, etc.—Maximum funding of a one-way trip per passenger per event.
See the director of student life to purchase tickets or tokens. Regardless of payment method, you must submit the ticket stubs and names of travelers after the travel has taken place.
Taxis:
- In certain situations, you may be reimbursed for taxi services; however, you will need permission in advance from the WC and/or director of student life.
Transportation for guest speakers:
- If you need to purchase tickets of any kind for your guest speakers, please discuss this with the director of student life in advance.
Email Policy
While email is an effective communication tool, many students complain about the number of emails they receive on a daily basis. In cases where you feel an email is appropriate to inform a portion of the Wharton community, the following rules and guidelines apply:
- Wharton students may disseminate information to each other and the wider Wharton community by using email distribution lists, such as club/affinity group lists and cohort lists.
- Creating a new listserv using the Wharton Global Address List is a direct violation of Wharton’s email policy. Any attempts to bypass mailing lists (and their restrictions and requirements) are prohibited.
The use of Wharton email is a privilege. Abuse of these policies could result in the deactivation of your Wharton email account.
Class (WUGR) Mailing Lists
The Wharton Undergraduate (WUGR) class mailing lists are a way to disseminate information to Wharton students by class year. Use of these four listservs is limited to Wharton departments and initiatives and, in some circumstances, Undergraduate Division-sponsored student orgs. To ensure that WUGR emails remain an effective communication tool, please adhere to the following guidelines:
- Messages should be original (no forwards or replies).
- Messages should not include attachments, shortened urls (bitly, etc.), or words like “today” or “tomorrow.”
- Messages should contain only one image (does not apply to Campaign Monitor emails).
- Copyrighted images used without permission are prohibited.
- Only one WUGR email should be sent per class year per initiative, course, or event.
- WUGR emails should only be sent to the class year(s) to which the message most directly applies.
- The message should be pertinent to all students on the respective list (this does not mean all students need to take part, just that they are all eligible).
- Multiple messages from the same source, especially around the same time frame, should be consolidated whenever possible to minimize the volume of WUGR emails that go out to undergraduate students.
- Messages will be approved within two business days of the time sent.
Please contact undergradinfo@wharton.upenn.edu with any additional questions.
LCD Monitors (Life at Wharton)
To advertise your club event on the UGR monitors in Wharton buildings, please follow these steps:
- Log in to the Life at Wharton app.
- Click “Create a New Slide.”
- Choose your slide template (16:9 wide-screen format is recommended).
- Add an image title and, if relevant, a link to more information.
- Upload your image (jpg or png).
- Select the “UGR Student” channel.
- Set an activation and expiration date (Your image must be submitted at least 3 days before your activation date, may be posted for a maximum of 14 days, and may not be posted past the date of your event).
- Add your slide.
Your slide will be submitted to an administrator for approval and will not immediately appear on screen. You will receive an email if there are any issues with the image.
Use of the monitors is limited to Wharton clubs, departments, and initiatives.
Media Relations and Press Releases
Media Relations & Press Releases
The Wharton Communications Office is available to provide resources and advice on media promotion for student conferences, and must approve all press releases prior to distribution. Note that Wharton Communications does not provide any services related to advertising or sponsorship.
Press release approval process
- Notify your conference speakers that you intend to invite reporters to the conference and have your speakers complete the Media_Release_Form. Do this as soon as possible; do not assume that your speakers will not care if reporters are present.
- If your speakers agree to media presence, draft your press release, which should:
- Be one page with basic who, what, where, when, and why type of information.
- State that the event is hosted by “a student-run organization of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.”
- Be on your student organization’s letterhead.
- Include your contact information (phone and email).
- At least one month before your event (the earlier the better), send your press release to communications@wharton.upenn.edu for approval and copy lkramer@wharton.upenn.edu on the message.
Wharton Communications can provide you with media contact lists when your release has been approved. They can also provide samples of previous student press releases, as well as boilerplate information about Wharton when appropriate. Tell the Wharton Communications Office if any reporters plan to attend your conference.
Please note that if you send out an unapproved press release you will not be able to use the “Wharton” name for your conference.
Wharton Brand Guidelines for Students
Attract the right attention. Make a good first impression. Did you know Wharton has a student-specific logo? Learn more.