Top three essential tasks you MUST DO with your student leaders before summer!
Being a former Dean of Students and working in areas of Orientation, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Activities, Residence Life, Student Government, Counseling, Peer Education, etc., I’ve learned that April is a CRUCIAL month to ensure you end the Spring semester on a high note and to plan ahead your SUCCESS for fall!
By April, most students, as well as faculty and staff, are looking ahead to summer plans and what they ‘have to do’ to meet Spring deadlines. Understandably, Fall programming, scheduling and officer transition retreats just simply aren’t a top priority in April—but they should be. Here’s three tasks to do with your students leaders before summer!
1. Assess Your Spring Programming!
Assessment carries a negative stigma for most, but it is one of the most powerful techniques to know what worked, what didn’t work and what students desire. Why program for students when you don’t seek what they want? Being a strong student advocate, I’ve worked at campuses where assessment wasn’t a priority and happily challenged the status quo. Assessment is simple—just ask some questions via SurveyMonkey at minimum and offer an incentive for those who offer feedback. Keep it simple… and by having a survey, you demonstrate to your students that you truly care.
2. Plan an Initial Fall Master Calendar!
From my experience, those organizations and campuses who thrive in the fall are those who plan ahead, schedule a master calendar and focus on a seamless officer transition. Because they already have an integrated master calendar with other Student Affairs departments, they have a plan when they return and don’t ‘double-book’ dates. They move forward quickly and they involve student input NOW, not during the summer when students are away. Plan NOW on those big dates for fall! Again, keep it simple.
3. Schedule a Fall Officer Transition or Leadership Retreat!
Whether you have a change in officers or are keeping the same officers, you should plan NOW to set dates for a ‘Back To School’ organizational retreat. The retreat is essential in setting goals for fall and updating everyone on policies and resources to be aware of and utilize. Many of the campuses who bring me in to speak ask me to help facilitate such a retreat.
Visit campuspeak.com/snyder for more information about Kevin’s keynote programs, Anchor Your Leadership, Be Greek…Be Proud, and his new orientation keynote EXPLORE AND SOAR: Making Your First Year of College F.U.N.