Organization Maintenance and Resources

The How To's!

Before planning an event or program, your organization may want to take a look at a few things first:

Here is an example of one process that may help your organization in answering some of these questions.

  1. Assessment of NEEDS: Find out what people want. How can you do this?
  2. SET GOALS: What does your organization want to focus on? What does your organization want to accomplish? For example:
  3. Generate IDEAS
  4. PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION: You'll need to determine...
  5. ENJOY THE PROGRAM!
  6. EVALUATION: For the sake of future programs it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of your program. This can be done with:
Deb Miner and Jay Scott, 1988

Why Programs Fail

  1. Poor Publicity
  2. Poor Program Design
  3. Choosing Poor Location
  4. Choosing Poor Facilitator
  5. Unprepared Facilitator
  6. Things Go Wrong
  7. Program Runs Too Long
  8. Not Following University Procedures
  9. Timing
  10. Not Gaining Support of Colleagues

Promotions

Access (Computer Screen Savers)

Design Services is able to create promotions viewed as screen savers in the Pioneer Involvement Center computer lab. To discuss the possibility of creating promotional items, please see Design Services.

Signboard

The electronic signboard that hangs in the Ullsvik Center Beefeater is available for announcements. Forms may be picked up at and returned to the Information Center. (See "Forms" section of this handbook for a copy.) Events are entered weekly.

Guidelines:

Exponent

The Exponent is the campus newspaper written, edited and managed entirely by students. Published weekly to serve the university community as a news medium, as an expression of campus opinion, and as a social reflector.

Ad space can be purchased from the staff Business Manager. Please plan ahead and have accurate information available in written form.

All display ad requests are due by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the week of publication. Those received late, up to Monday at 5:00 p.m., are subject to a 10% late charge or placement in the next issue. Prices vary, depending on the size and work required on the ad. Rates are available from the Exponent staff.

The office is located in Russell Hall and can be reached by calling 342.1471 or sending an e-mail to Exponent@uwplatt.edu.

Intercom

Published every Monday during the academic year by the Office of Public Relations, 342-1194, this campus newsletter is distributed to all faculty and staff. Submissions of news items are encouraged.

The deadline is 10 a.m. on the Monday of distribution. Short summaries of events and items can be submitted via e-mail to intercom@uwplatt.edu.

Orange and Blue

A biweekly publication of Ullsvik Center, the O&B offers free classified ads to individuals and organizations.

Forms are available online and at the Information Center and the Pioneer Involvement Center. The deadline is prior to four o'clock three business days preceding the date of publication.

Guidelines:
  1. Announcements must be from authorized UW-Platteville departments, residence halls, offices or recognized student organizations. Exceptions include personal messages. Personal messages are limited to lost and found, thank you, birthday, congratulations and well-wish messages. We reserve the right to omit any announcement that we believe inappropriate. Proof of identification may be requested when submitting an announcement.
  2. All announcements are limited to 30 words. Exceptions will be made only if space allows.
  3. Announcements with reference to alcoholic beverages or parties where they will be served, or announcements containing obscene or offensive language will not be printed. Also, the names or addresses of local businesses are not allowed.
  4. Only one announcement per event, per section, per issue will be run. Informational announcements may run a maximum of two issues in succession. Personal messages may run one day only. If the announcement is an emergency, contact the Administration Office at 342.1451.
  5. No requests for non-emergency announcements will be taken over the phone.
  6. No political campaigning, which includes anyone seeking election to office, will be included.
  7. Items for sale will not be printed. Any ads relating to rides, riders, housing, etc. will not be printed.
  8. No flyers may be stapled to the Orange & Blue.
  9. The Orange & Blue editors reserve the right to omit messages to meet size requirements.

**Written announcements are kept on file for one week. The Orange & Blue publications are kept on file for one year. A permanent file is kept in the Karrmann Library. Copies of all announcements not printed are kept on file for one year.

Office of Publications

The staff in this office can assist with publications and promotions. They offer free design and layout services with artwork and graphics for items such as flyers and brochures. Arrangements for printing off-campus must go through this office.

Allow at least two weeks for design of projects to be completed. Printing can be done following completion.

The office is located in 403 Karrmann Library, 342-1197.

Office of Public Relations

This is a great resource for news-related assistance. This office requests services of UWP News Bureau, arranges for photography for UWP publications and promotional activities, assists with legislative issues, and assists with media inquiries and other Public Relations issues involving UWP.

The staff can help with news releases and getting the word out to area media.

In addition, if your organization has a great event coming up, call this office and tell them to bring a camera! Maybe someday your members will be featured in a UWP publication!

This office is located in 321 Brigham Hall, 342-1194

TV Services

TV 5 Announcement Guidelines

Overall space is limited; messages will be put on TV-5 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Television Services will make all decisions regarding available space.
Television Services reserves the right to edit all messages as necessary.

Pioneer Involvement Center Posting, Display Cases, Banners

See Policies and Procedures.

Web Calendar

Events or meetings may only be placed in one category of the UW-Platteville Campus Calendar. The Student Activities calendar is for:

After the date, time, and location of the event have been confirmed, send information, in the following order, to the Pioneer Involvement Center.

If the event does not belong on the Student Activities Calendar, please check the web page for the appropriate destination.

WSUP/91 FM Radio

WSUP is the oldest student operated radio station in Wisconsin. Staffed by approximately 60 students per semester and an Executive Staff of 12 students, they oversee news, sports, music, production, promotions, public affairs and technical operations for the station.

WSUP will assist organizations by reading Public Service Announcements - short summaries of events - on the air. Send a news release to the station.

Another feature of WSUP is Public Affairs Programming - 30 minute shows, that air twice a day. If organizations have issues, information, or events that are campus related, these programs are a great way to get the word out. Contact the station to arrange a time.

WSUP is located in the basement of Pioneer Tower, 342-1291.

The Essentials of Promo

If there is room add:
Pointers

Tips for Designing Promotion

How to Write a Press Release

It is called the Inverted Triangle structure:
LEAD: "A theme sentence"
Who What Where When Why
Gives the MOST important information
BODY: Explain any lead concepts not obvious to readers.
Then give the second and third most important information.
DETAIL: Incidental information
Addresses and/or phone numbers
"For more information call..."

Sample News Release:

FOR INFORMATION:
JOHN DOE, (608) 394-8382
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Student Activities Board proudly presents the national touring company "The Second City" on Friday, February 19, 1993 at 8:00 p.m. in the Ullsvik Center Beaux Arts Room, University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

"The Second City" is a traveling comedy troupe out of Chicago, Illinois. The cast includes seven actors who combine a series of rehearsed skits and improvisation into a two-hour performance, "The Second City" has become a springboard for such entertainers as Steve Martin, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, and Martin Short.

Tickets for "The Second City" on sale for $6.00 at the Box Office until 5:00 p.m. February 19. Tickets are $8 at the door. For more information, contact the Student Activities Board Office, (608) 342-1497.

19 Ways to Get People to Your Events

  1. Send personal invitations to people via campus mail. Target important groups and individuals who you want to attend. If you have time, you might even follow up with a phone call. Remember that these influential people will bring others with them!
  2. In addition to sending out flyers, make personal presentations at group meetings to encourage support for your program. This gives them a chance to ask questions and build enthusiasm. It helps if your group has supported their events as well!
  3. Involve as many people in the planning of an event as possible. The more people involved, the more people have a vested interest in seeing the program succeed.
  4. Ask professors to give class credit for attending educational events. Two extra points on the midterms could certainly bring some hungry students out to hear a speaker you bring in!
  5. Use door prizes as incentives for those who show up. If it gets around that you give cool prizes, people might bring friends to your next program.
  6. Give incentives and rewards to those of your members who can bring five or more friends to your event program. Do the same for RA's, fraternity pledge educators, and so forth.
  7. See if RA's can get programming credit for bringing their residents to your program. They will appreciate not having to plan a program from scratch.
  8. Hype an event in the media AFTER the event has taken place. People will remember the great opportunity they missed and will be more likely to attend the next event.
  9. Use table tents in all dining areas on campus to advertise the event.
  10. Have another group co-sponsor the event. That always helps to boost attendance. Go after a group that would not normally attend your events so that a new group of students is exposed to your good work.
  11. Check the campus web calendar closely. Be sure there is not a major event already planned that will conflict with your event. Avoid religious holidays and times when academics are especially demanding.
  12. Plan your program as far in advance as possible, then circulate the dates among other campus organizations so (hopefully) they won't plan events conflicting with yours.
  13. Carefully consider the size of room you use for programs. If the room is too big, people will think the program fell short of goals. Then again, everyone hates being in a cramped, hot room with too many people.
  14. Send thank you notes to those orgs attending the program in large numbers. This sort of recognition will increase your number of repeat attendees.
  15. If you are charging admission for any program or event, have some sort of discount for people who get tickets in advance. This makes programs and events seem more prestigious, and if people go to the trouble to get advance tickets, they will probably attend.
  16. Get promotional announcements on your campus radio station. Don't forget advertising in your campus newspaper as well, and remember that a press release is a lot cheaper than a display ad!
  17. Go into classrooms and write a little promo in the corner of the blackboards. Students will read these before and during classes.
  18. Put flyers in your campus post office. If they will let you, put flyers in individual mailboxes as well.
  19. Have a radio station do a "live remote" from your event. As the event goes on, people will hear about it on the radio and will come out to take part.

Recruitment

By Chris Bekemeier

The most important resource every organization on campus has access to is people.

Certainly there are many creative ways of attracting people to your organization, but one of the most important aspects is your imagination. Use your imagination to have fun! The easiest way to get others involved is to let them see your organization having a good time while accomplishing its goals.

Components of Planning a Recruitment Program

  1. BEFORE YOU START RECRUITING...
    1. Know the purpose and mission of your organization. Involve current members and make decisions on which activities will realize these goals.
    2. Define the type of person you are looking for. Identify qualities that your organization wants to maintain the image you project.
    3. Set realistic goals. Your organization needs to look for quality of new recruits and not necessarily quantity.
  2. WHERE DO YOU FIND POTENTIAL MEMBERS?
    1. Use your contacts in classes, at work, in the residence halls or apartments to seek out possibilities.
    2. Use networking to contact similar groups on campus.
    3. Go where the people are; do not expect them to come to you.
  3. SELL YOUR ORGANIZATION!
    1. Utilize all campus resources - media, publicity, faculty and staff to help get the word out.
    2. Use people who are comfortable with speaking to groups and getting people involved.
    3. Talk to people individually. You are your organization; sell yourself as well.
    4. "What's in it for me?" Emphasize the possible interests, hobbies, personal growth aspects, etc. an individual can work with by being part of your organization.
  4. SECURING COMMITMENT
    1. Follow up by contacting the individual personally before an event.
    2. Make the individual feel "Welcome" - introduce them to as many in your organization as possible - the individual just may find additional contacts.
    3. Utilize the individual's skills; find out their interests and put them to work. They need to feel a sense of need from the organization.

Retining Your Membership

  1. Develop a training and orientation program for new members that involve the current membership. Inform the new recruits about the group's policies and how you fit into the campus community.
  2. Get to know the new members as individual people. This is BONDING time! Get the group together outside of the "office". It is very important to build good relationships with your organization. If you have done your job in recruiting, you should have no problem.
  3. Include the new recruits in goal setting and developing job descriptions for each position and be sure everyone understands their responsibilities.
  4. PROVIDE REGULAR FEEDBACK!
  5. Seek input from everyone from leaders to committee members. Everyone's opinion is valuable!
  6. Most important of all...HAVE FUN!!!

Reward Your Members

One of the most important aspects of any organization is recognizing the achievements of members. Everyone likes to know they are doing a good job and their work is appreciated. There are many ways to let your members know they've done well. A few examples follow:

An important thing to remember when rewarding members is to be creative and have fun with the "awards". From the smallest "Thank You" note to an engraved plaque, the object is to let the member know you and the organization are appreciative of the work they have done!

Taken from: "Recipes for Recognition", Programming March '88 by Valerie J. Wetzel.

24 Ways To Motivate Members

  1. Permanently discontinue your use of words like "I" "me" and "my," and replace them with words like "we" "us" and "our." For example, don't say, "I think this needs to happen," and ask "What sort of thing do you think we should do?"
  2. Take the time to write little notes of thanks whenever someone does something for the benefit of the group. It doesn't matter if you wish they had done more! Take the time to recognize the little contributions because they add up to a lot of time saved for you! Mail these notes to people-they love mail.
  3. Ask someone else to lead the next meeting. Sure, you are the president, but become a "regular member" for one night and give someone else a taste of the big chair. Support that person in this temporary role.
  4. Give people meaningful work. If you always ask people to do the nuisance jobs you don't want, they won't be motivated to do things for you. Take a chance. Give a crucial role to someone you've never delegated to before.
  5. Never take the credit (give that to your fellow members) when things go right, but always take the blame when things go wrong. That's the mark of a humble leader.
  6. Invite a key member out to dinner. Don't talk business, just have fun. You need to spend the time to maintain those personal relationships with people.
  7. Have a "Seniors Appreciation Night" midway through the year to recognize those seniors who are staying involved in their final year.
  8. When a member misses a meeting, ask that person if he or she would host an executive committee meeting the next week in his/her apartment, room, etc.
  9. Don't hold your next meeting in a stuffy meeting room. Do it in a Pizza Hut, or in a McDonalds, or some other fun location. Make things a little more casual. You'll be surprised how much you can get done when people are relaxed and having fun together.
  10. 1Buy a few bags of bite-sized candies, or Jolly Ranchers, and bring them to your next meeting. Whenever someone makes a positive comment or contributes to the meeting, give him or her a piece of candy. If you have some left over at the end of the meeting, ask people to say nice things about others in the room. If Kevin says something nice about Tom, then Tom gets a piece of candy, and so forth.
  11. Be sure everyone in your group is doing something at all times. Is every person involved in a meaningful way in some activity the group is doing?
  12. Ask members to visit other campus organizations as your liaison. Maybe you don't have time to sit in on all student government meetings, but that's a great liaison responsibility for an up-and-coming new member. It earns respect for your group, and it gets a new person involved in a meaningful way.
  13. Before you start a meeting, pass the gavel around the room and give everyone a minute or two to say what's on their mind; something significant that's happened to them this week or a favorite new joke. People like to hear themselves talk.
  14. Put a classified ad in your student newspaper every week, thanking a member who has made a contribution to the organization.
  15. Be sure that for every serious topic on your meeting agenda there is at least one fun topic.
  16. Don't always do serious depressing programs. Do some fun things, even if the educational message is a lighter one. Go for a few of the crazy, silly ideas. Those are things that people remember.
  17. Always, always, always bring a camera to your events. Get photos of your people doing good things. Then, get double prints and give the extras to the people. They will put them up in their rooms, give them to friends, etc. You can also send the photos into your campus newspaper.
  18. Go to local businesses & seek out rewards for your best members. Imagine how nice it would be if your chapter president gave you two free tickets to a movie, or tickets to a baseball game, or a coupon for 50% off dinner, or a free ice cream cone. You'll have to pound the pavement a little to sell area business people on the value of your members' efforts.
  19. When an event is over, talk about it only in positive terms. If the attendance was a little lower than you would have wished, too bad. Don't cry over spilled milk. Concentrate on all the good things that happened and talk about the success you'll experience next time you do it. Talk in terms of improvement, not about failure or shortcomings. Remember, no one likes to be associated with a failure!
  20. Always work to recruit new members. There's nothing like the enthusiasm of a new member to keep everyone motivated!
  21. Pay attention to people's boyfriends and girlfriends. Those people are important to your members, so if your group is going out to dinner, be sure to have them invite their significant others along. Make those significant others feel welcome and included.
  22. Send a note to your advisor's supervisor and let that person know how important your advisor's efforts are to the group.
  23. Remember birthdays in some small way.
  24. Send as many members as possible to leadership conferences, on your campus and outside. This training will help people be better leaders in your group.

Brainstorming

by Kevin P. Jackson

Brainstorming is a procedure that encourages divergent thinking and the production of many different ideas in a short time. It's a method of generating ideas in quantity with the intention of getting the participation of all group members. In essence, it represents time in which all evaluation is suspended and ideas are allowed to develop freely on a particular issue. It is a time for free association of ideas and for opening new avenues of thought.

Brainstorming helps a group by:

Why Brainstorming Works

  1. Brainstorming will be more productive if ideas are not evaluated or discussed at the time they are proposed. This is important because education and experience have trained most of us to think judicially rather than creatively. By deferring judgement on the ideas, there can be more alternatives from which to choose.
  2. Group production of ideas can be more productive than separate, individual production of ideas. Experiments with group thinking have demonstrated that the average participant in this kind of creative collaboration can think of twice as many possible solutions as when working alone.
  3. The more ideas generated the better. In almost any type of problem solving, it is far more likely to choose the right path toward solution if 10 ideas are suggested as possible alternatives instead of only two or three.

Five Steps for Brainstorming

  1. Identify the issue to be discussed. Be specific and keep it simple.
  2. When an idea comes to you, express it. Only one person should speak at a time. Allow everyone equal opportunity to speak.
  3. Have an individual make a list of ideas as they are spoken. Try to write exactly as it was said.
  4. Post the list, or write it so everyone can see it.
  5. Allow a specific period of time. Adjust time allowed to each subject.

Rules

No criticism, evaluation, judgement, or defense of ideas may occur during the brainstorming. The goal is to get as many ideas as possible. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BAD IDEA!

Encourage ALL ideas. Creativity is the goal! No idea is too crazy!

Quantity! Quantity! Quantity! The more ideas there are, the more likely there will be several useful ideas!

"Piggybacking" is encouraged. Feel free to add to, combine, or build on the ideas of others.

When time is up, take a minute to review all the ideas. Each one can be evaluated, or the group can choose their top five to discuss. Ideas may be combined! Remember the goal is QUANTITY. Do not be disappointed if your idea is not chosen for this particular topic.

Resource: North Texas Leadership Training Paraprofessional Files

A Typical Exercise

Running Meetings

Do you dread meetings? Would you like to make it through a meeting without the hassle of disruptions? You are not alone if meetings frustrate you. Here are some tips for keeping your meetings on track.

These tips are very easy to follow and with any luck, your meetings will be more enjoyable and run more efficiently!

Remember that your meetings don't have to be big wrestling matches! By keeping some or all of these tips in mind, you might be able to enjoy this time together with your organization!

What Makes a Successful Meeting?

A team of people who actively exchange ideas to accomplish goals!

How can your organization do this?

Understand the general purpose of the meetings:

What do you need?

1992 Parlay International 1350.068

30 Ways To Make Meetings More Interesting

  1. Start each meeting with some sort of icebreaker - a silly game or a "get to know you" exercise. Members will be more familiar with each other and energized at the start of the meeting. See a student center staff members for ideas.
  2. Introduce any new members or visitors right at the beginning to make them feel welcome. If the new member is there because she or he was invited by a friend, recognize the member for outstanding recruitment!
  3. Have an agenda printed or written out on the chalkboard or flip chart. In this way members can "follow along" and there will seem to be some flow to the meeting.
  4. Switch the meeting place every now and then. Give individuals the opportunity to "host a meeting" or plan the logistics for the gathering. Meet around a table at a local pizza parlor or at a picnic table in a nearby park.
  5. Have a "Twister Break" or some other crazy activity right in the middle of your meeting in order to get people pumped up again. Divide everyone up and play a round of "Family Feud."
  6. Include food at your meetings - always an enticement for college students! Have members take turns bringing snacks. Get creative! Give out an award at the end of the year or best hors d'oeuvres! Have a theme for each meeting and have people bring snacks that match the theme!
  7. Arrive ahead of time and check out the room arrangement. Vary the set up from week to week. Never sit in the same seat twice, and encourage people to sit by people they don't normally sit beside.
  8. Have a nice surprise, a social event in lieu of a meeting--those who didn't show up will be sorry they missed it, and might make sure they are on time next week!
  9. Give out prizes for "five meetings in a row" or "ten meetings in a row." Encourage members not to break their streak.
  10. Turn one meeting into a slumber party! Even if it doesn't last the entire night it will be fun. In between productive work time, have rented movies, refreshments, and, of course, sleeping bags.
  11. Take time at the end of each meeting for silly awards. Have a traveling award for a hardest worker, most embarrassing moments of the week, etc.
  12. Have a list of jokes you can tell at each meeting to relieve pressure, or at lull points. Invite members to tell their own jokes (clean ones, of course).
  13. Stick to your time limit. Make sure members know approximately how long each meeting will last - so people can plan ahead in their schedules. Sometimes members don't show up for meetings because "the last one lasted two hours and I don't have that much time this week," etc.
  14. Try to keep the meeting as interactive as possible - with the "reporting" that needs to be done as briefly as reality allows. People join an organization to participate, not just to listen to others talk. Never let anyone (including yourself) talk for more than a couple of minutes.
  15. When membership seems a bit burned out, have an open forum on "why you joined this group" and let people share their reasons. Also ask if people "are getting what they want" out of the organization, and if not, what can be done to change things.
  16. Get a bag of fortune cookies, and pass them out at a meeting. Have everyone read their fortune and share the funny ones. Have people add the words "in bed" to the end of their fortune!
  17. When discussing hot topics, break members into two's or three's - this gives everyone a chance to have their opinion heard. Then go to a large group discussion about the key topics that came up in the small groups.
  18. Give out candy kisses or other little rewards anytime someone contributes to the meeting.
  19. Try to vary the content of each meeting. Have a guest speaker or show a video now and then. Pass out pictures of an event you just planned, or put together a slide show.
  20. Goal setting is important all year long, not just at the beginning of each year. Have a meeting every now and then that is pure brainstorming power. Put newsprint up on the wall and let the group brainstorm everything from the next planned event, to marketing techniques.
  21. Involve other members in running the meeting. Have different committee chairs give reports or take charge and run portions of the meeting.
  22. For that meeting during midterms, take a back rub break. Have the members line up and get two minutes of stress relief. Don't forget to turn around and switch the line so everyone is included.
  23. Training is an ongoing experience. Take the opportunity now and then to educate the group on significant issues you have been dealing with this year.
  24. Hold a raffle at the end of each meeting. Give small prizes that you have left over from events or that were donated. Must be present to win! Or, you can have people buy a one-dollar ticket (as many as they want) at the start of the meeting, and at the end, pull a winner. Half of the proceeds go to the winner, and the other half pays for the refreshments at the meeting!
  25. Give standing ovations! In the middle of the meeting, ask who would like to share an accomplishment they have enjoyed since the last meeting. When somebody does, everyone stands up and applauds. This is not only self-esteem building, but it keeps everyone moving around.
  26. Form committees by playing musical chairs. Once you have decided your working groups for a project, play some music and have people walk around. When the music stops, you work with the people who are in the group. This mixes up teams and gets everyone involved in different topics.
  27. Remember that the end of the meeting is as important as the beginning. Do another icebreaker or somehow put closure on the end of the meeting.
  28. Have everyone pick a favorite animal noise. Then, pick a "word of the day," and every time someone says that word, everyone makes his/her noise.
  29. People join this organization for personal reasons. At each meeting, have a "personal moment." This is where one person brings something to a meeting, a song, a quote, an item from home, whatever they would like. The personal item is shared with the whole group, along with an explanation about why this item was chosen by the person who presented it.
  30. Go to dinner as a group after the meeting. Give people some social time so that your meeting can be more relaxed and more business can get done.