chapter leadership

Chapter Leadership

______________________________________________________________________________________2009 SWCS Annual Meeting Leadership Development Workshop Dearborn, MI

Outline

• Duties of officers• Functions of typical

committees• Typical annual activities• Officer/Leader resources


Duties of officers

Typical officer positions•President•President-Elect•Vice-President•Secretary•Treasurer•Past-President


Duties of officersPresident• Provide leadership and DELEGATE• Encourage other officers to fulfill their

duties• Preside at Executive Council and

business meetings• Appoint committee and task force

members


Duties of officersPresident• Encourage committees & committee

leaders to fulfill their duties• Prepare agendas for Executive Council

and business meetings • Call special meetings of the Executive

Council & membership


Duties of officersPresident• Carry out orders of the Executive

Council• Chapter signatory authority • Report on Chapter activities to

membership• Appoint task forces to accomplish

Chapter business


Duties of officersPresident• Prepare of Chapter’s Annual Core

Activity Report• Chapter representative to Regional

Team


Duties of officersPresident Elect• Prepare for upcoming term as president• Performs duties of the President in

absence of the President• Chair the Membership Committee• Other duties as prescribed by the

Executive Council or President


Duties of officersPresident Elect• Chapter Delegate to International SWCS

Conference• Prepare slate of committee chairs and

committee members for approval by Executive Council

• Prepare plan of work and strategic plan for following year

• Regional Team member


Duties of officersVice President• Assume duties of the President-Elect in

absence of President-Elect • Chair the Program Committee, which is

responsible for ….• Member of Awards Committee• Other duties as prescribed by the



Duties of officersSecretary• Record minutes of Executive Council and

membership meetings • Give and serve all required notices of the

Chapter• Attest to documents signed by the

President or authorized Chapter representatives

• Maintain chapter membership list/listserv


Duties of officersSecretary• Serve on Membership Committee • Serve as communication liaison between

the Chapter and SWCS • Inform Ankeny of chapter delegate to

the International Meeting• Other duties as prescribed by the



Duties of officersTreasurer• Maintain Chapter financial records• Responsible for all funds, notes, securities, and

other property of the Chapter• Furnish a statement of the Chapter’s financial

condition at Executive Council and the annual meetings

• File the appropriate federal tax forms and if appropriate state tax forms (income and sales)


Duties of officersTreasurer• Authorized signatory for Chapter funds

and securities • Manage Chapter funds and securities • Registered agent of the Chapter• Assist in the annual audit of the Chapter’s

accounts• Other duties as prescribed by the



Duties of officersPast President• Serve as advisor to President • Assist with membership development and

mentoring• Prepare and submit the Annual Chapter Core

Activity Report• Assist Awards committee in preparing of

Chapter award applications• Other duties as prescribed by the Executive

Council or President


Typical committees

• Audit• Awards• Finance • Membership• Nominating• Program

• Public Relations• Newsletter• Webmaster

• Student chapter


Functions of Committees

Audit•Review Chapter financial records at

end of fiscal year •Provide audit report to Executive

Council & membership



Awards•Solicit nominations for Chapter,

Society and other awards•Prepare award applications•Submit nominations for awards to

Executive Council



Awards•Submit award applications•Plan and conduct award

ceremonies•Ensure proper recognition of award

winners



Finance•Prepare and recommend annual

budget to the Executive Committee/Council

•Seek funding to finance projects, activities, scholarships and programs



Membership•Promote membership in the Chapter•Develop & implement strategies to

recruit new members •Develop strategies to retain,

motivate, and engage new & existing members



Membership•Periodically survey professional needs of

members, and report to Exec Council & program cmtg

•Maintain a new-member mentor program• Identify potential officers and committee

members



Nominating/Elections• Identify potential officers• Insure that nominees understand duties

and are prepared to serve• Select a slate of officers• Prepare election material and balloting

process • Conduct elections



Nominating/Elections• Tally votes & certify results• Advise all nominees of results

immediately• Announce results of elections• Plan and implement the new officer

swearing in ceremony • Maintain officer job descriptions



Program/Professional Development• Identify professional development needs of

members and potential members• Plan and implement chapter meetings and

other activities to meet member and non-member professional development needs and promote Chapter goals



Public Relations• Disseminate information about

SWCS to the general public and professional organizations, industry, and agencies with similar missions and goals



Public Relations• Write informational pieces on

conservation topics for the website, newsletter, and other outreach efforts

• Oversee the website and newsletter subcommittees



Student Chapter• Develop and support SWCS student

chapters at colleges and universities• Mentor SWCS student members• Support the faculty advisor• Engage students in Chapter

activities


Typical annual activities

January • Annual financial audit• Annual work plant developed and adopted• Annual budget developed and adopted• Executive Council meeting• Submit new officer list to SWCS • Submit Annual Chapter Core Activity Report and Chapter

Award applications to SWCS

February • Committee meetings • Quarterly newsletter



March • Committee and Executive Council meetings

April • House of Delegates resolutions developed and delegate

appointed• Committee meetings• Spring meeting agenda/registration material distributed

May • Committee and Executive Council meetings• Quarterly newsletter•



June • Annual Spring/Summer Meeting• Committee meetings • Executive Council meeting

July • Committee meetings• Annual SWCS International Meeting



August • Annual Fall/Winter meeting agenda/registration material

distributed• Committee and Executive Council meetings • Solicit nominations for chapter officers• Nominations solicited for Chapter, Society, and other

awards• Quarterly newsletter

September • Committee meetings• Slate of officers developed



October • Chapter elections• Committee and Executive Council meetings• Officers and committees prepare annual reports for annual

business meeting• Annual fall technical and business meeting

November • New committee chairs appointed and responsibilities and

special charges identified• Committee members recruited • Committee meetings• Quarterly newsletter



December • Executive Council meeting• Committees review Chapter strategic plan and their

assigned responsibilities, develop annual work plans, set meeting dates, and propose budgets


Resources for Chapter Leaders

• Chapter Leader Guides• Chapter Leader Manuals• SWCS Leadership Development

Workshop materials


What are Chapter Leader Guides?

• Provide guidance on specific activities• Updated by SWCS committees and

distributed through SWCS website•CLG1--Conducting Successful Meetings •CLG2--Getting Your Chapter's Message Out to the Public

CLG3--Creating Strong Student Chapters •CLG7--Membership: Ensuring Growth and Vitality•Offering Continuing Education Units: A Guide for SWCS

Chapters (version 2.01)


What are Chapter Leader Manuals?

• Manuals developed by individual chapters to:• Define mission, goals, objectives, and operating

procedures of individual chapters• Identify the responsibilities of chapter officers,

committees, and committee chairs• Provide annual timeline for important chapter

activities

• Template available on SWCS website


Virginia Chapter Leader Guide

1. Chapter Vision, Mission, and Objectives

2. Introduction3. Chapter Officers and Duties


A. President D. SecretaryB. President-Elect E. TreasurerC. Vice-President F. Past President


4. Executive Councila. Membershipb. Term Lengthc. Duties of the Executive Councild. Duties of 2nd Year Council Membere. Duties of 1st Year Council Member



5. Chapter CommitteesA. Structure of Standing CommitteesB. Duties of Committee ChairpersonsC. Duties of All Committee MembersD. Standing Committee Responsibilities

i. Program Committeeii. Membership Committeeiii. Awards Committeeiv. Finance Committeev. Audit Committeevi. Nominating Committee



6.Ad-Hoc Committees and Positions

7. Student Chapter Advisor8. Activities/Events Timetable9. Virginia Chapter Bylaws


Questions?


chapter leadership

Documents

chapter leadership

executive council membership

committee members

program committee

chapter business

presidentperforms duties

chapter activities

absence of presidentelect