The colloquia in the Department of Political Science are organized, managed, and run by members of the department's Ph.D. candidate program. While the colloquia are funded by the department, all budgets and discretionary expenditures are subject to the approval of the managing graduate students. As such, there are policies regarding the funding of meals with colloquia visiting speakers:
- No meal with a colloquia visiting speaker will be funded by said colloquia unless at least two graduate students are present at the meal.
- The colloquia will not purchase, and the department will not reimburse, any alcohol at a meal with a colloquia visiting speaker. Alcohol can be purchased on a separate bill at an individual's discretion.