Keeping Up the Momentum: How to Keep Campus Activities Board Members Engaged
Are you a member of your college or university’s student activities board? Maybe you’re the president or vice president, and you have to conduct meetings and set the agenda from month to month. Or maybe you’re the person in charge of finding entertainment for upcoming events, be it a band, a magician, or a college speaker. Or, perhaps you’re the one who’s tasked with managing social media, issuing press releases, and generally getting the word out about upcoming student events.
It doesn’t matter which role you play on your student activities board. One thing is clear: you’re here reading this right now because you’re the kind of person who takes initiative. In fact, you might be the one person on your student activities board who’s always picking up the loose ends, taking care of last minute details, and generally “making things work” whenever needed. Does that sound like you? How is it that you always end up with so much on your plate at the last minute, anyway?
The problem is simple: keeping the other members of the campus activities board engaged and involved is tough. People are busy with classes, part-time jobs, relationships, other student clubs, and more. The first week or two of the semester, student activities board meetings are packed with attendees. By mid-terms, though, people have dropped off the face of the earth. You haven’t heard from your vice president in weeks, and you’re considering marching up to their dorm room to find out what’s up. The struggle is real, there’s no doubt.
Here’s the thing, though. It’s possible to keep your board members engaged and working hard throughout the year. We know, we know -- that’s not your job, right? People should just be motivated of their own accord to participate, work hard, and take charge. Right? Of course. We totally agree. But by taking a few steps in advance, you can maximize the chances of people picking up their share of the slack throughout the year.
How? Let’s take a look.
Communication Is Key
Let’s admit it: we’re all overloaded with information. We spend a huge portion of our days on our cell phones, and we’re constantly bombarded with Facebook updates, Instagram photos, Snapchat Snaps, and more. That’s not to mention the pile of email that shows up in your university inbox each week.
It can be challenging to keep track of all of this information, no matter how hard we try. That’s why it’s so important to communicate frequently, clearly, and concisely with your fellow board members. If you’re not sending out email reminders for the upcoming meeting, you’re almost certainly going to end up low on the priority list compared to the overload of Facebook events and calendar reminders that board members are likely being bombarded with. By communicating on a regular basis, you can keep feel board members engaged and aware of upcoming meetings and events.
Set Clear Expectations
Especially if you’re the type of person who likes to take initiative, it can be easy to assume that other people are taking care of certain tasks. In reality, though, they’re not even aware that you expect them to do so in the first place. This happens all the time with student organizations, especially with students who have never held leadership roles in the past.
The best way to ensure that your fellow board members stay active throughout the year is to set clear expectations ahead of time. When someone signs up for a particular position, make sure they know what’s expected of them from month to month. The more detail and specifics, the better.
Keep Things Engaging
Want to keep people engaged? Keep things engaging!
Okay, that sounds a little silly -- but we mean it. If you’re finding board members are dropping like flies in terms of meeting attendance, maybe it’s time to try a new venue or format for your meetings. Instead of meeting in the dimly lit basement of the student center, why not meet somewhere for a pizza-board-meeting-extravaganza?
There’s no reason that getting together to plan upcoming events has to be dull or boring. In fact, it should be the opposite! Sure, there’s work to be done, deadlines to stick to, and details to manage. But if you’re not having fun, what’s the point, right? By cultivating a fun and engaging environment, you’re more likely to keep board members on task throughout the year.
Make Things Easy
Our last bit of advice is to make things as easy as possible on everyone. Don’t complicate things any more than you need to. The easier it is to plan events, get things going, and move forward, the better it will be for everyone involved.
Of course, this is sometimes easier said than done. After all, it can be tough trying to find talented, engaging entertainers and speakers for upcoming events. That whole process takes a ton of time and effort on your part. Right?
Actually, finding the right talent for your next campus event can be easier than you think. ArtistHub matches student activities boards with talented, reviewed, and vetted entertainers. Browse our database of speakers, magicians, musicians, and more. You can read reviews, send messages, and book entertainment straight through our website. Best of all, the service is completely free! Ready to get started? Click here to sign up today!
