General Information
Is the Rock Auction being held in the Alumni Center?
Answer: This year we're moving to a new location in the University Union. We'll welcome you on the first floor in the Redwood Room (don't worry; we'll have lots of signs).
What are the COVID-19 requirements?
Answer: Sacramento State’s policies and procedures related to COVID-19 continue to evolve as conditions and needs change. Current campus requirements can be found here.
Who is welcome?
Answer: Everyone is welcome at the Rock Auction!
Do I need to register?
Answer: Please consider pre-registering to save time at the event, especially if you would like to place a bid on any of our auction items. In order to place a bid, you must register with your name, email, and affiliation. Register here.
Will there be refreshments?
Answer: There will be a variety of snacks available as well as a no-host bar.
Are children allowed?
Answer: Children are definitely welcome (we'll even have some activities for them). We do not have childcare, however, so children will need to be supervised by parents or guardians at all times.
Are pets allowed?
Answer: Animals are allowed in outdoor areas of campus only when on leashes and accompanied by their owners. Dogs, cats, and other pets found in violation of this regulation may be impounded by appropriate animal shelter officials.
No animals are allowed in campus buildings except:
No animals are allowed in campus buildings except:
- Service animals as defined under state and federal laws.
- Animals being used for official University instructional purposes that have been approved by the University Animal Care and Use Committee.
- Approved support animals may be present in Housing and Residential Life.
Do I have to pay for parking?
Answer: Yes. Visitor parking is currently $8 per day (subject to change). Current parking policies can be found at https://www.csus.edu/parking-transportation/
What is the closest parking?
Answer: The closest parking to the University Union is Parking Stucture II.
The Silent Auction
How do I place a bid?
Answer: This year, we're moving to a mobile interface for the silent auction. Each item will have a QR Code that will bring you to the sample page. There you will be able to view the item description, see the bidding history and current bid, and place a new bid. Only registered attendees will be able to place bids. We will have a few student volunteers nearby who will be available to assist you with any questions you have about the bidding process.
What kind of rocks will be available?
Answer: We're currently in the process of selecting the samples for this year's auction. To view samples from previous auctions, see Past Auctions.
What are the rules for the auction?
Answer: The rules for the silent auction can be found on the first page of the Rock Auction Program.
Will all of the Silent Auction items close at the same time?
Answer: To help prevent congestion at the checkout area, Silent Auction items will close in "lots" that will be staggered.
Payment
What forms of payment will be accepted at the Rock Auction?
Answer: We're able to accept cash, checks, and most major credit cards. Further details will be available at the Rock Auction.
Do I have to wait until the end of the Auction to check out?
Answer: If all of the items that you have bid on have closed, then you may proceed to check out.
Activities
What activities will there be at the Rock Auction?
Answer: This year, we'll have some great opportunities for networking, learning, and giving back for our attendees. Students will be able to get resume feedback or career advice from alumni and local professionals, all attendees can participate in networking BINGO, and you'll be able to learn about the current research that our students are doing. We'll also have some fun activities for the kiddos.
How do I sign up to be a drop-in mentor and what does it entail?
Answer: Alumni can sign up for a 30 minute drop-in spot to give resume feedback or career advice to current students at the Rock Auction by registering here. Even if you can't make it to the Rock Auction, you can still sign up to be an on-going mentor through the same form!
All About Donations
I have rocks that I would like to donate. How do I do that?
Answer: Please contact Theron Sowers at [email protected] or Alex Gama at [email protected] with the subject line "Rock Auction Donation" to arrange donation.
How will funds be used?
Answer: Funds from the Silent Auction will go directly to Department Scholarship funds including the Tim Todd Field Camp Scholarship and the Geology Equipment Award. Funds raised from merchandise purchasing will go to the Geology Club to use for enrichment activities, including field trips and networking opportunities.
Can I make a donation without bidding on an item?
Answer: Absolutely! We will have several collection boxes available for cash and check donations at the Rock Auction. Unfortunately cash and check donations are not tax deductible. To make a tax deductible donation, follow these steps:
- Visit this website
- Enter a donation amount
- Select "View All Giving Opportunities"
- To donate to the Geology Department, search "Geology" in the pop-up box
- Fill out all of the required donor information
- If you would like to specify a scholarship fund, place a note in the "Gift Instructions" section
- To donate to the Geology Club, use the search function to find “Clubs & Organizations”
- Fill out all of the required donor information
- Under “Gift Instructions”, list the club name you would like to receive the donation so that SO&L knows where to designate the money to.
Are my purchases tax deductible?
Answer: Purchases are not tax deductible. To make a tax-deductible donation, follow the instructions in the previous FAQ.
Where do you get your samples?
Answer: Most of our samples are donated by amazing alumni and community partners. Occasionally we will purchase additional samples to supplement these donations.
