If you’re gonna pull of your next campus event you need everybody’s support! The faculty, the staff, the dean, the chancellor, the provost, the president, the librarian, the janitor, the lawn maintenance guys – I mean everybody! We spend lots of effort trying to get students to attend, but what if we got professors, staff and advisors totally on board?! Break down some resistance with these simple tips:
- Be considerate when you ask for help. The time, space, materials and effort that people expend on your behalf is valuable. Be appreciative of what they can do and understanding of what they can’t.
- Ask permission. Some supportive professor may not mind you taking over their lecture hall or offering her services as a liaison. Ask real nice first.
- Match your seminar topic to majors, specific classes and clubs. Contact professors, club leaders and decision makers to let them know your upcoming event is ideal for their audience. I’ll bet you can get them to work with you to promote the event!
- Keep them in the loop by inviting staff and advisors to your planning meetings – especially if they’ve offered support of any kind. Send the written minutes or notes to them if they are unable to attend. Check in every so often to make sure they don’t have any questions or reservations.
- Partner with the staff for promotional activities. Professors can announce the event before class. Club leaders can add the date and event information into their newsletter or email blast. Get everybody talking, texting and posting.
- Make the grade by suggesting class assignments based on your event’s topic. Or see if extra credit can be given to those students who attend. Believe it or not, many professors are looking for creative, timely and hands-on ways to drive home the lesson.
- Say, “Thank You.” A thousand times say, “Thank You!” Mention the staff in your introductory speech, recognizing their assistance. (No Academy Awards filibusters please. We have a hook!) Nice touch to send a card or note after the event, too.
These things are guaranteed to make the relationship between the student planners and everybody on campus more amiable. By working together, your event can be an even bigger success – and it’s a win-win-win for everybody.
Have any other ideas to endear the faculty and staff? Let me know.
PEACE.
Rick
Please give it some consideration if any of these topic areas fit your future student activities planning.
- Academic Enrichment & Study Skills
- Career and Job Fair Programs
- Diversity, Black History, Women
- Finances and Money Matters
- Graduation & Commencement
- Orientation & First Year Experience
- Sexual Assault Awareness Programs
- Student Leadership Programs
- Professional Development Courses for Educators
About Rick Sherrell
