In my experience on campus, I’ve had the opportunity to serve on numerous Executive Boards (E-Boards) for clubs on campus. And while it feels satisfying to work with like-minded people who care about the interest of the club, there can be a myriad of challenges. Sometimes schedules conflict with each other and egos butt heads together. Through my own experience, it is important to organize priorities, recruitment and keeping level communications.
The first thing to keep in mind is organizing priorities. These should be based on the status of the club on campus. If your club is already established on campus, then the only priority should be to run events and meetings, as well as keeping the numbers up. Now if you’re starting a club from the ground up, then the work will have to cover two semesters. While getting potential members together is important, it is imperative to get the club approved/established by the Student Government.
But no club can thrive without general members. And this is why recruitment is key. There are many avenues that can be taken with this. Tabling and reaching out to students directly is the most effective way. And even if someone shows no interest, respect the response and the door open so to speak. More indirectly, it is important to have fliers hung around campus; this will help to get students on campus not only familiar with the club’s brand, but that it has a presence on campus.
Communication is key; and in working on an E-Board, it is just as important to keep the line of communication between other members coherent. And for anyone whose president of a club, it is important to rely on the input of other members of the E-Board. If you want to know other suggestions, it’s important to not only hear them but to acknowledge the suggestion. There are also instances where personal grudges might keep the club at a deadlock; in these situations, it is more imperative than ever to put them aside for the good of the club’s status.
Being on the E-Board of a club is no easy task. But it’s important to know that this is not a one-person job. There are many people who are interested in seeing this club thrive as much as you do. And as long as you keep communication strong, and put aside personal pride and grudges for the sake of the club, then there can be sufficient progress can be made.