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Creating an Effective Organization
HAVE FUN! At times, people get involved for the wrong reasons – status, fame, glory, and not for the right reasons -- fulfillment, social outlet, and interest. You should always like what you are doing, so if you do not, get out of it. People who dislike their jobs tend to have a higher stress level, are more irritable and tend to have a poor outlook on life. Avoid this at all costs.
Manage Your Information: Be sure to keep your organization's information on StudentOrgs.gwu.edu updated. The Student Activities Center receives dozens of emails annually from people who see the list of orgs on that website and are seeking information about how to get involved. If you haven't established an organization email account or website, do so! If your officers have changed, and it is outside of the annual fall registration season of August and September, email your SAT Advisor so they can update your officer information in the student orgs database.
Meet Regularly: Schedule regular meetings. These can be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, but make sure you meet. This includes meeting at the same time and place. If you have a scheduled meeting, make sure you keep to it. If you have to cancel a meeting CALL AND E-MAIL EVERYONE!
Have an Agenda: Meetings are most effective if everyone knows what is going on, so have your executive board create an agenda. Include Old/New Business, Minutes, Roll Call, Dates and Time, and Thank You’s. The agenda should not be a substitute for attending a meeting. It should be a brief and bold summary of what will occur at the meeting.
Create a Sense of Belonging: Each and every person wants and needs to feel wanted. If a new member shows up to your meetings and is not welcomed, he or she will most likely not return. Be sure to contact all members regularly, and most of all, be a friend to them. By doing this, every person feels that sense of belonging and will ultimately contribute to the team.
Do What You Say, Say What You Do: A good leader always follows through. That could be checking in with your SAC Advisor as you plan an event, attending regular meetings, or sending a thank you card, but please do what you say you will do. Also, tell
others about the good things your group is doing. Be proud, not quiet.
Recruit New Faces: This is a must for any group because people come and go. If your roommate or best friend is not involved in your group, ask them to come to a meeting. If you meet someone in J Street, invite them to an event. There are lots of people who just want to be asked, so take the chance. If they say yes, then you have just added a new member to your group. One of the most fertile grounds for increasing your membership is by tabling during Colonial Inauguration. For more information go to the CI office in the Marvin Center room 433.
Get Involved in Other Activities: Studies show that students who are involved in activities do better in school because they learn to manage their time. Whether you get involved in Greek Life, Neighbors Project, a leadership program, or athletics is not an issue, just that you get involved! The more well rounded your extracurricular activities are, the more well rounded your college experience will be.
Know When to Say NO: We all get over-involved some times, so be prepared to say "I am too busy." Everyone loves the person who is involved in everything, but sooner or later, you will suffer for it. Pretty soon, you will see your stress level rise, your grades slip and your mood change, so watch for it! If you feel this is happening to you see your SAC Advisor to talk about your options.
Spend time in SAC / Spend time with your SAC Advisor
Student Activities Center: This is where so many things originate. We have information and staff available for advisement and everything your group will need to function. Don't hesitate to set an appointment with your SAC advisor.
Student Advising Team (SAT) Advisor: Your SAT advisor is your best resource for helping your student organization run smoothly. As well, while you are in the Student Activities Center use the opportunity to chat with others involved students. They too are a great resource for other campus happenings.
Run for an Office: People who are willing to take a risk are the same people who succeed in life. Serving as an officer will not only look good on your resume, but will give you the leadership experiences that are so valuable in life. You learn how to delegate, how to sell ideas, how to mediate discussions, and how to run a meeting.
Why Recruit?
The strength of an organization lies in the members within it. Recruitment is the building block of any student organization. For an organization to form and be considered active, there must be at least 5 students who are members.
Note: Excessively aggressive recruitment tactics are prohibited
Basic Principals:
-Make recruitment a top priority - Start with a discussion in your student organization of the costs and benefits of recruiting new members. Can you afford NOT to recruit? Use this discussion to set recruitment goals.
-Decide who are your potential recruits and what will inspire them to join - Be aware of the many different kinds of students who might want to join: idealists, achievers, socialites, and resume-builders. Make sure your recruitment campaign appeals to the kinds of students you want joining your organization.
-Emphasize active recruitment techniques versus passive ones - Use passive techniques (posters, advertisements flyers) to supplement, not substitute for active techniques (face-to-face, recruitment booths, class presentations).
Before the recruitment drive:
-Know the purpose, mission, and benefits of your student organization - Current members must be able to describe why the group was created and what it stands for. Start by reviewing the constitution or purpose statement with your membership. Then have members brainstorm a list of terms or short statement to the following question, What does our organization mean to me? The exercise will serve as a primer to help members talk in somewhat consistent terms when talking to potential recruits.
-Take an inventory – How healthy is your organization? Is recruitment a priority? What would be the ideal size for the group? What are some organizational goals for the coming year? Who are the best recruiters? This should help establish recruitment goals and leadership.
Strategies for recruiting new members:
Friends and classmates
Presentations in class and to other student organizations
Telephone/address lists
Host an event
Posters and flyers
A couple of tips:
Be honest
Make it fun to be in your organization
What is it?
The SUMMIT Outdoor Challenge Course is a low ropes challenge course located on the Mount Vernon Campus and specifically designed for the GW community.
. . . SUMMIT provides the ideal setting for leadership development and team building. SUMMIT is a fun way to work through challenging activities tailored to your group, geared to deliver a high energy experience tailored to meet the needs of your group.
. . . SUMMIT offers your group the opportunity to experience activities challenging creativity, communication and problem solving skills in a safe, supportive environment.
. . . SUMMIT ultimately can provide your group with a transferable, meaningful, and memorable experience.
Follow the links below for more information:
Why is transition so important?
In order to help your student organization thrive from year to year, it is essential to adequately transition the incoming officers. The new officers need to be fully briefed on the operations of your student organization, the Student Activities Center, the Marvin Center as well as University policies. Remember: you can always refer to the Student Organization Handbook, as well as contact your SAT Advisor if you have any questions. Thorough leadership transition has several benefits:
When do you start the transition? EARLY!!!
Prior to transitioning, outgoing officers should:
What do you need to transfer?
Think back to your first weeks. What could you have used to do your job better? Some suggestions are:
Your SAT Advisor is available for tips on how to execute a smooth transition
