Planning Student Club/Organization Meetings
The Center for Student Engagement (CSE) encourages all student clubs and organization to hold regular meetings for its membership. Clubs and organizations should meet at least once a month although we encourage you to meet more often. The style of the meeting is up to the club or organization. Meetings can be casual or more formal depending on the type of club or organization. During your meetings you can plan events, talk about relevant issues as it pertains to your club or organization, and even have guest speakers! It is also a place to connect with individuals with similar interest as yours, learn new things, and make new friends on campus.
How are meetings and events different?
For planning purposes, the Center for Student Engagement defines a meeting as a gathering of the club/organizations membership that may or may not be open to the campus community. Meetings generally take less time to plan and make arrangements for. Often times, student clubs/organizations just need a space to meet.
The Center for Student Engagement defines an event as a planned initiative/gathering open to the campus community. Events typically involve more planning and take longer to arrange. Learn more about planning an event for your organization.
Both meetings and events must be registered with the Center for Student Engagement via the Event Registration form on ROYALSYNC. CSE will assist with booking rooms, submitting work orders (if applicable), among other arrangements.
What kind of meetings can we have?
There is no set format for clubs and organization meetings – each organization is unique! Here are some ideas for typical meetings:
- General Meetings - A meeting where information is shared with members or currently enrolled students who are interested in becoming members of the student club or organization. Having an interest meeting at the beginning of the term is an example of this.
- Member Meetings - A meeting where members discuss organization-specific matters (i.e., fundraising, events, activities, elections, etc.). These meetings are generally aimed at active student club and organization members.
- Planning Meetings - A meeting where the executive board or general members of the student club or organization strategize how to fulfill the mission of the student club or organization (i.e. agenda planning, event logistics, finance review, etc.)
Tips for Engaging Members
While making sure you continue focusing on your organizations mission and goals, it’s important to remember that your organization is an opportunity for students to connect and socialize. Whether meeting in-person or virtually, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your members connected and engaged.
- Set time aside at meetings for members to engage informally, either through icebreakers or leaving time at the end of the meeting.
- Provide social connections outside of typical meetings and events. This could take place via text messaging platform like GroupMe.
- Pose a daily "this or that" question or gif challenge via your student organization's text message platform.
- Host informal gatherings for members (game nights, etc.)
- Executive members should be available outside of meetings for more personal connections and conversations.
General and Executive Board Meetings Tips
- Keep meetings brief. It is important to not meet just to meet. Everyone has classes, study groups, and other involvements to get to. Make your meetings short, simple and fun!
- Tips on well-run meetings:
- Plan out the meeting ahead of time. Know what you are going to say and do before you start the meetings.
- Share a brief agenda so everyone can come prepared to contribute.
- Start your meetings with a check-in or an icebreaker, or open the meeting early to allow people to build community and chat amongst themselves before going into formal club business.
- Take a look at some of these icebreakers for inspiration!
- Add more voices. Change it up. Make sure other members are able to speak. Don't meet simply to meet.
- Create a group chat on any platform to communicate meetings have been canceled. And don't underestimate email meetings, they can be just as effective if there isn't much to share.
Hosting meetings on Zoom
All faculty, staff, and students with an @scranton.edu email address have access to a Zoom license. This is a great resource for meeting planning, conducting virtual club events and programs, as well as 1:1 meetings with members. Use your Scranton credentials to log in from the waffle on the portal or at scranton.zoom.us.
Here are some ideas to use Zoom to help manage your organization:
- Recruitment: Create a Zoom Meet-and-Greet room! You can also use the "breakout room" feature to split attendees into smaller group conversations.
- Programs/Events: Use Zoom to engage with the Scranton community. Host discussion panels, awareness events, performances, and more! For events Be sure your meetings and events are registered on RoyalSync!
- Meetings, trainings, and workshops: Use Zoom for general body and executive board meetings, as well as any trainings and workshops you want to host with your organization. Use breakout rooms for smaller committee work!
- Socials/Hangout: Use Zoom to hangout with your members! Chat, watch a movie together, etc.
If you need technical help with Zoom, contact University Technology Support by emailing techsupport@scranton.edu or calling (570) 941-4357, further instructions can be found on the Technology Support website.
Zoom Meeting/Event Best Practices
How do I protect my meetings/classes from Zoom "bombings"?
The increased use of Zoom for instructional continuity and remote working across the country has led to a rise in uninvited “guests” joining virtual Zoom classes and meetings to eavesdrop or disrupt the session. There are a few things you can do to protect your classes and meetings from “Zoom bombing”, including:
- All faculty, staff, and students should sign into their Scranton Zoom account through my.scranton portal
- Use the Zoom Waiting Room feature
- Set a password for your class or meeting
- Check your Zoom settings to ensure that only you have the ability to share your screen
- Learn how to mute or remove any participant
- Avoid posting the session link publicly through social media or other channels, unless secured with a password and do not reuse your Personal Meeting ID (PMI)