Picking a date, time and location:
• Try to ensure your meeting does not conflict with other events on campus
• Meetings should be at regular intervals to keep the chapter’s momentum going
• Meetings should have a regular time and space to avoid confusion
• Your space should be accessible to all members or potential members
• Your space should not be too disruptive
• Meetings should never last longer than 90 minutes
Getting the word out:
• Choose who you want to target to come to your meeting (is it a small closed meeting or open to all?)
• Outreach tactics (see Outreach Wholesale vs. Retail)
Key roles in a meeting (rotate the roles so each group member can build his or her skills):
• The Facilitator ensures that the meeting runs smoothly (see Tips for Successful Facilitation)
• The Secretary takes minutes and sends participants action items (even if your chapter does not have an official secretary, one student should be responsible for taking minutes and sending out action items)
• The Timekeeper ensures that the chapter sticks to the meeting’s set time (if you need to table an issue, do so and continue with the meeting – you can always finish the discussion online or at the next meeting)
Key Tools for a meeting:
• Agenda: Put together the agenda with other members of the group so that you have support for it going in. An agenda helps to keep the meeting on track and everyone on the same page (see Sample Agenda)
• Energizers and Icebreakers: These are especially important for the first meeting where not everyone has met