4.1 Alabama Chapter
Alabama Chapter (1998)
The Alabama Chapter operates to serve the membership and to provide informative programs to keep the membership up to date on new emerging technologies.
The officers consist of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, and the immediate past Chair. Over the years, the Officer selection process has been conducted on the principle of recruiting one new officer each year. Existing officers are promoted; the new officer starts as Secretary-Treasurer. The Chair becomes the immediate Past Chair. This process of carefully selecting one new officer each year, and then promoting the other officers has served the Alabama Chapter very well, as by the time one becomes Chapter Chair, the experience of serving in the other officer positions is been invaluable.
Each year a survey of the membership is conducted to solicit members' opinions regarding programs they want to see the Society provide. This feedback is carefully studied to produce a prioritized list of program ideas. The executive committee meets during the summer months to produce this list and to develop an action plan for getting appropriate speakers to address the topics the members have asked for. At this meeting, the Executive Board designates an officer to take each program idea and turn them into a successful program.
For each program idea, we select a ComSoc member to organize the meeting and possibly help to select a speaker. In some cases, the executive board member makes the initial contact with the selected speaker; in other cases the designated member does this.
The designated ComSoc member becomes a member of our Program Committee for the year. This idea of having each committee member handle one program spreads the work around and does not cause a hardship on any one person. This is another idea that is serving the Alabama Chapter very well.
The member who agrees to organize the meeting becomes a member of the Program Committee for the year. The Executive Board then works with the Committee to get them started and makes sure the Program Committee person knows his/her responsibilities. A major step in conveying these responsibilities is documented in the Check List (attached) that shows the steps to take to conduct a successful Chapter Meeting. The Check List has gone through several revisions and is used to provide guidance to the Program Committee member organizing this particular meeting.
Another thing we do each year is to conduct a membership drive. We buy a nice gift, such as a cordless telephone, and give it away to a lucky member. To get a chance in the drawing, a ComSoc member has to recruit a new member. This gives current members an incentive to bring in new members; another idea working well for the Alabama Chapter.
Program Check List
These guidelines are intended to provide a checklist for Program Committee Members of IEEE Communications Society Chapters. Consider this a working document. It will become more useful if each of us takes time to suggest additions and changes to this checklist.
Meeting Subject: The meeting subject should be one that the executive committee has approved. Also, agreement with the committee should be established for the meeting location. The committee should be sure the topic will be of interest to a broad base of members.
Meeting Speaker: Selecting a speaker is the responsibility of the Program Committee Member. The speaker should be a recognized expert (at least locally) in the selected subject.
Meeting Schedule: The executive committee has set meetings to be on Fridays following the Alabama Section Meeting. This schedule is flexible and can be changed to meet the schedule of the speaker. Most out-of-town speakers do not want to present a topic on Friday afternoon and then have to travel home that afternoon/evening. Meetings should be scheduled after the Alabama Section meeting so that the Section meeting may be used to advertise the meeting.
Meeting Time: Schedule the meetings for 3:00 PM. Unusually long meetings may start at 2:00 or 2:30 PM.
When possible, schedule meetings with the speaker at least two (2) months in advance.
Eight weeks prior to the meeting: Prepare a brief description of the meeting and send it to the Chapter Publicity Chair and the executive committee. This notice should be written in a way to encourage attendance. If the meeting is being held in an unusual place, include a map and/or directions. Reserve a conference room.
One month prior to the meeting, contact the speaker to confirm the schedule. During this phone call, ask the speaker what audio-visual materials he/she will be needing. Tell the speaker that you will take care of having these at the meeting site. If the speaker will need to be signed in at the location where the meeting is being held, tell the speaker whom to call when they arrive for the meeting. If the speaker indicates any uncertainty about being available for the meeting, ask the speaker who could substitute for them. Bring all potential problems such as this to the attention of the executive committee.
One month prior: Confirm the conference room reservation. Notify the Conference Center of the A/V equipment needed.
One week prior to the meeting: Notify Attendance committee Chairpersons. Remind each Attendance Chairperson that they should notify all members at their location of the meeting day, time and topic.
Prepare a list of facts to be used to introduce the speaker. You should be prepared to introduce the speaker at the meeting. Check with the speaker if you have not done so, and ask them to provide introductory material to include their educational background and work experience.
Day of the meeting: Arrive early. Greet the speaker and show him/her to the Conference Room. Leave word at the Guard Desk so that the conference room may be called if anyone shows up who must be signed in. Such a notice should be left at each Guard location where people are likely to show up.
Following the meeting: Within a week of the meeting, send a thank you letter to the speaker. A copy of the thank you letter should be sent to the Speaker's supervisor and a copy to the Secretary/Treasurer.
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