Meetings and Events
      •  Student Organizations exist to allow students to meet and network with 
         people who have similar interests and goals.
      •  Meetings and events are typically the way that organizations members 
         interact.
      •  Try to have a regular mix of these types of meetings each semester, or 
         combine these types of meetings. For example, conduct business for the 
         first half of a meeting and then switch to an educational or social meeting 
         after business is complete. 
      Typical types of meetings and events:
      1. Educational
      2. Social/networking
      3. Business/planning
      4. Service
         Educational
       •  An educational meeting usually pertains to the organization’s purpose.
            •  Example: An organization for environmental science might ask a 
               speaker to attend he meeting to discuss their research on water 
               resources or watch a documentary about environmental science.
            •  The organization’s faculty or staff advisor is a great person to speak to 
               the group or to recommend a colleague to speak. 
       •  Educational meetings should broaden the members’ understanding and 
          spur discussion of the topic.
       •  An educational meeting is a good way to open discussion for short-term or 
          ongoing service in the community that can be developed into a service 
          project for the group to participate in. 
         Social/Networking
      •  A social meeting is the ideal way to start and end each semester.
      •  Social or networking meetings or events give people the change to relax 
         and meet the other members in the organization while still having some 
         structure, so everyone has a chance to meet and no one is excluded. 
      •  Social meetings are an ideal time to host ice-breakers, game nights, craft 
         projects, cookouts, potluck meals or snack breaks, or other events that 
         encourage people to meet each other and develop common bonds
      •  At the beginning of the semester, a social meeting helps everyone get 
         acquainted, while a social meeting at the end of the semester is an ideal 
         time to say goodbye to members who are leaving, share a meal, and 
         present awards or recognition to members for their achievements.
         Business/Planning
     •   Business or planning meetings may or may not have to be the entire 
         length of a meeting depending on how much business has to be 
         accomplished.
     •   Many organizations plan their agendas to start each meeting with New 
         and then Old business and then move into a different kind of meeting 
         after business is complete.
     •   Student organization business may include: 
           •  Planning for future events- like who to invite to speak at the next 
              educational meeting.
           •  Selecting what type of service project to do that semester.
           •  Whether or not to hold a fundraiser that semester and what to do with 
              the profits from the fundraiser. 
     •   Voting by the members is usually how business is decided in most student 
         organizations.
           •  The organization’s constitution is the ideal place to review any 
              procedures for conducting a business meeting. 
         Service
      •   Service events are a great way to engage members in the the 
          organization and also be visible in the community to recruit new 
          members. 
      •   Holding one service event each semester is a perfect way to give back to 
          the community at large.
      •   Most organizations have logical service activities that they can 
          participate in throughout the year. Example: an educational club may 
          seek out ways to serve with youth in schools, sports teams, libraries etc.
      •   Organizations that do not already work with a local agency should 
          consider participating as a team in Into the Streets, Homecoming, 
          Cowboython, or other events such as walks, runs or service days 
          sponsored by community agencies.