Organizing Campus Events

To effectively organize events on campus, we recommend that you recruit volunteers and divide them into various committees to handle different components of each event including planning, publicity and logistics. The importance of communication between these committees cannot be overstated. One person should serve as coordinator of all the activities to keep track of the “big picture,” to keep the committee informed about others’ activities, and to make sure the committees are on track with their plans.

Below are recommended checklists for each committee to follow that will help ensure smooth delivery and organization of events.

Planning Committee Checklist

	Students and Legislators Talking It Out in Missouri Around 100 college students and their legislators will participate in a student-led dialogue at the Missouri state capital during Raise Your Voice—A Week of Action. The students and legislators will discuss what issues are important to students and what students are doing right now to address their concerns. Training sessions to help students prepare for this important dialogue are being held by Missouri Campus Compact in St. Louis and Kansas City. To learn how to host your own dialogue click here.

• Set a date and reserve a location
• Select and invite an MC/moderator and other participants
• Make list of local celebrities and public officials to invite
• Work with local businesses to provide incentives to students who participate in events a percentage off their food bill or a free drink with a meal
• Work with administration and faculty to get approvals and finalize agenda, guests, plans, etc.
• Create materials such as handouts with background on speakers to have at the event
• Draft the agenda/speaker order for event
• Print and send out invitations or campus-wide e-mail inviting people to the event.

Publicity Committee Checklist (See Reaching Out to the Media for additional information on working with the media.)

• Create media list of local media targets including local TV, radio and daily and community newspapers
• Prepare press release and media advisory alerting the media to the event
• Coordinate with press contacts for local celebrity/public officials who are participating
• Prepare press materials including fact sheets and speaker bios
• Four to five days before the event, distribute media advisory and follow up with a phone call urging media to attend event
• On the morning of the event, distribute press release and follow up with a phone call to secure interest in a story from media who did not attend event

Logistics Committee Checklist

• Recruit volunteers to staff event
• Print invitations/flyers include a list of participants
• Make posters and other advertisements encouraging students to participate in campaign activities and hang them all over campus
• Notify students of your event by sending out a mass e-mail, posting on Web sites, tables
• Decide on seating arrangements and decorations for event
• Create a participant sign up sheet, especially for open mic, night to help maintain order
• Arrange for microphones, lights, TV, VCR, or other materials need for event
• Arrange for beverages to be available for speakers/participants (Usually bottled water, tea and coffee is sufficient)
• Decorate and prepare event location
• Clean up after event is over including event location and removal of signs and posters around campus