Tips for Successful Annual Meetings
At past Commission and Interest Group Division meetings, discussions
have been held regarding the purpose(s) for the annual commission
and interest group meetings held during the annual fall conference.
The following ideas have been shared by the Chairs, including factors
that help to make a successful annual meeting. Perhaps
some of these ideas will be helpful to you as Chair in planning
the agenda for your respective annual commission or interest group
meeting held during the fall NACADA conference.
Tips and ideas for a successful annual
meeting:
- Introducing attendees -- works better
with smaller groups.
- Connect with others, especially to collaborate
on writing, research, or conference presentations.
- Solicit and brainstorm conference proposal
ideas and Hot Topics.
- Find moderators or discussion leaders
for various topics.
- Use icebreakers.
- Mini chat
sessions on topics solicited from the list serve or last year's
annual meeting.
- Poll attendees for questions to
post periodically to your group's list serve that would make good
discussion topics.
- Organize
group dinners or informal social gatherings. Have sign-up sheets
available at CIGD Fair and annual meeting.
- View the
annual meeting as an "opportunity", not an "obligation".
- Utilize
steering committee members to help with activities and planning.
- Provide handouts at the CIGD Fair.
- Encourage attendees to collaborate on
a presentation at a regional conference or the annual conference.
- Hold a panel discussion following the
commission or interest group meeting.
- Do something different each year to
retain the interest of returning members of your commission or
interest group.
- Brainstorm ideas to encourage members
to publish or seek a NACADA Research Grant, which could be the
first step to making presentations.
- Brainstorm ideas to encourage members
to submit an article to the Clearinghouse or for Academic
Advising Today.
- Spend half the time talking about current
projects and activities within the group, and how it can better
support its members. Spend the other half having members discuss
what is working on their campus or what they need help with.
- Have a definite agenda for the meeting
-- no technology used or formal presentation made.
- Provide brief, basic introduction on
what a commission or interest group is — several members
may have never attended before — and explain how your unit
relates to the overall NACADA structure. This might help members
get involved more quickly.
If you
have other ideas on what has worked with your particular meetings
in the past that you'd like to share with your fellow Commission
and Interest Group Chairs, please post a note to the CIGD
list serve for everyone's benefit, or e-mail Julia
Wolf at the Executive Office so the list above can be updated.
Your input is appreciated!
Meeting
Feedback Forms — Chairs are encouraged to create
their own feedback forms to distribute at their respective annual
Commission or Interest Group meetings held at the fall annual
conference to gather feedback from members. Sample forms are posted
at www.nacada.ksu.edu/candigdivision/CIGDMeetingFeedback.htm
to help Chairs create their own feedback forms. Chairs are
encouraged to e-mail these custom forms created to Julia
Wolf, or fax a copy to her at (785) 532-7732, so a variety
of sample forms can be made available to future Chairs.
You are encouraged to communicate electronically with the members
of your respective commission or interest group prior to the conference.
Providing them with a tentative agenda for your annual meeting,
asking for volunteers to help with conference activities, or sharing
your thoughts for future goals and activities ahead of time could
help you save valuable time during your annual meeting at the
conference. The Executive Office can assist you with sending these
communications to the current members of your commission or interest
group. Your meeting agenda can also be posted on your unit's web
site for members to access prior to the conference.
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