Planning Successful Chapter Meetings




	Planning Successful Chapter Meetings Ideas for Chapter Activities IEEE Distinguished Lecturers Program Additional IEEE Resources Planning Successful Chapter Meetings Meetings are one of the most visible and valuable ways in which a Chapter serves its members. Successful meetings help to achieve the goals of education and professional advancement that are basic to all IEEE Technical Societies. They provide a uniform way to manage Chapter business and maintain a healthy environment for membership retention and growth. The basics of putting together an interesting, well attended meeting generally include: Selecting a subject and format Finding a good speaker Logistics: location and schedule Planning a social dimension Publicizing the meeting Selecting the Subject and Format The subject and format are easy to establish. You will usually have a good idea of the kinds of subjects that most interest your Chapter members. In addition, it is helpful to ask the members to submit suggestions. Keep in mind that the subject matter need not be limited to electrical engineering – any related technical field is appropriate, as long as it interests the membership. Choosing the format for the meeting – seminar, tutorial, conference or lecture – will largely depend on your objectives. Do you wish to present diverse opinions on a current topic? Will your members benefit most from the knowledge of several authorities or the expertise of a single individual? How much time do you have available? Answering questions like these will help determine the most appropriate format for your meeting. Return to top of page Finding a Good Speaker An excellent tool available to facilitate the process of finding speakers is the IEEE Distinguished Lecturers Program. This program lists the names, topics and contact information for lecturers from participating IEEE Societies and Technical Councils. To find out about CPMT Society lecturers, send a blank email to info.distlect.cpmt@ieee.org. Survey recently published papers and contact authors of appropriate or interesting material. Consult other Chapters or your Society. Check with other professional associations in your area. Contact local colleges or universities. Faculty members who belong to IEEE will be glad to recommend possible speakers. Calling on the head of the Electrical Engineering Department could be a first step. The Student Branch of the IEEE is also a good resource for identifying speakers on campus. Corporations in your area are another possible source of speakers. The Director of Engineering, who might also be an IEEE member, can probably tell you if the company has a suitable candidate on staff. You may even discover that the company has a speaker referral service for just this purpose. Return to top of page Logistics: Location and Schedule Location: try to find location for the meetings where the gathering will always be welcome. Look for a place that is centrally located, conveniently accessible and with adequate parking facilities. If possible, hold meetings in the same location each time. Schedule: try to have a regular schedule for meetings (the second Tuesday of every month, for example). It may be ambitious to consider, but if possible, schedule meetings for the entire upcoming year, and post that information on the web site (if there is one), in newsletters or emails. Planning a Social Dimension Adding an element of socializing to meetings is likely to help keep attendance high and provides networking opportunities. Dinner, or a speaker’s reception with refreshments, can make a meeting pleasurable as well as informative. It is a good idea to try to keep costs low. A faculty dining room at a college or a company cafeteria will generally be free or inexpensive and may even be able to provide good meals at a low cost. Some hotels and restaurants will provide the meeting space along with the cost of the meal. Return to top of page Publicizing the Meeting A well-publicized meeting usually results in a well-attended meeting. Remember that there are likely to be many IEEE members outside your Chapter who would be interested in hearing your speaker. Other professional associations in your area would like to know about it as well. Do not limit your publicity to your own membership. Some easy and inexpensive ways to publicize your meeting can include: Bulletin Boards – Print announcements describing the meeting and ask your Chapter members to post them where they work. Recruit student branch members to help get your announcements posted at local colleges. Internal Mail – Colleges and large companies have internal mail systems. Inquire about getting permission to do a postage free distribution to the faculty or professional staff. Newsletters – Your Section and Society, as well as local colleges, companies and professional associations, have their own publications and newsletters. Give them your information early enough and they will be happy to give you free publicity. Try to supply meeting details to them about three months in advance of the meeting. Submissions to the CPMT Society Newsletter should be sent to Dave Palmer. Section Communications – Take advantage of the regular mailings of your Section and be certain to have the meeting mentioned in your Chapter’s report at every Section meeting. Direct Mail/Electronic Mail – Mailing or e-mailing invitations or flyers directly to IEEE members in your area is one of the most effective publicity tools that you can use. Your Section’s SAMIEEE Diskette program recipient can supply lists or labels. If your Section does not have a SAMIEEE recipient, contact the IEEE Technical Activities department (email tad-chap-dev@ieee.org) to inquire about obtaining labels or for assistance with the coordination of your chapter invitation mailings/e-mails and meeting announcements. Properly publicized, well-planned meetings will contribute to the personal and professional growth of Chapter members who attend and will help your Chapter grow. Return to top of page