It
takes a council
By Walter
Hanig, President
As spring approaches, my thoughts turn to next year's chapter administrative council, also known as those visible folks who run the chapter. Of course, there are more volunteers than the council, and they contribute in many visible and invisible ways, all of which are essential.
I chose to use my newsletter space to highlight the responsibilities of each council position. Note that, in some cases, the council members perform the responsibilities; in other cases, activities are performed by committee volunteers. This newsletter is a perfect example of the latter.
I hope you'll use this information to consider volunteering to serve on the council next year. Some council members may wish to continue in their current roles; others may step down and give new volunteers a chance. Even if you don't volunteer, you'll be more informed of the expectations when a current or past council member asks you to serve.
Newsletter
The council member for our chapter newsletter:
- recruits authors, editors, and proofreaders
- determines, communicates, and manages schedules
- assigns articles to writers
- determines layout
- creates linked HTML from articles
- creates PDF of the newsletter
- uploads files to Web site
- accepts advertising copy and adds to pages
Membership
The council member for Membership:
- plans the new-member dinner
- welcomes new chapter members
- responds to requests for information about membership
- resolves chapter membership issues with STC headquarters
- requests from STC headquarters and maintains a chapter membership list
- provides membership-related articles for the chapter newsletter
Professional Development
The council member for Professional Development:
- solicits professional development interests from members
- identifies and signs up education/training resources to meet these interests
- coordinates training offered through STC headquarters, such as telephone seminars
- provides articles related to professional development for the chapter newsletter
- manages chapter's technical library
Employment
The council member for Employment:
- provides Jobmail to members
- maintains the employer database
- provides employment-related articles for the chapter newsletter
- coordinates the résumé-review service
- provides job listings at chapter meetings
Treasurer
The treasurer:
- collects and distributes mail from the chapter post office box
- pays all chapter bills and reimbursements
- prepares the chapter financial report
- checks in attendees at chapter meetings
- deposits chapter income into bank account
- provides finance-related articles for the newsletter
Programs
The council member for Programs:
- solicits members' interests for future topics
- schedules meeting speakers; hosts and introduces them at meetings
- collects meeting reservations and supplies them to the treasurer
- negotiates with catering manager of meeting site for menu, pricing, audio/visual needs, and room arrangements
- provides upcoming meeting information for the chapter newsletter and email distribution list
- solicits and analyzes feedback from meetings attendees
Web Site
The council member in charge of the chapter Web site:
- adds and modifies Web site content, such as job listings, meeting announcements, and newsletter availability, as directed by other council members
- ensures links' validity
- updates Web site with information from other chapters, such as their
meeting topics and speakers
President
The chapter president:
- schedules and conducts council meetings
- prepares chapter reports for the regional director-sponsor
- provides monthly newsletter articles
- makes meeting announcements
- keeps the peace
Next year, we're looking to add to the council, consistent with STC bylaws, a secretary. That person's primary responsibility would be creating and publicizing minutes from administrative council meetings.
Additionally, we plan for each council member to have an assistant. These assistants would help with some of the responsibilities listed above and represent the council person at council meetings when the council person is absent. This role would require less of a time commitment and would offload the council person. Also, the role of assistant council person would be the best breeding ground for future council members.
I'm stepping down from the council after this, my sixth year. I've learned a lot. Most importantly, I've gotten to know so many of you much better than I would have otherwise. And I'm a better person for it. Volunteer and you'll know what I mean!
