Justification
The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and Access to College Excellence (ACE) was designed to provide historically underrepresented students the chance to attend and succeed in college. Research has shown that students who are involved in extracurricular activities where they are given the opportunity to bond with other students and staff have a higher retention rate than those who do not. Therefore, the program seeks to provide the means for AOP students to participate in extracurricular activities that will provide the aforementioned benefits, as well as expand our students’ cultural, academic and social purview. Fundraising efforts are essential to overcome restrictions placed on the department by SUNY and New York State regulations and budget.
Committee Structure Committee Chair
The person who leads this committee is the professional staff member that is designated by the Director. That person’s responsibilities include but are not limited to:
1) Scheduling, planning and conducting committee meetings on a bi-weekly basis which includes a comprehensive agenda for everyone to view. (Professional staff will get a copy the day before the meeting to aid them in preparation for the meetings).
2) Delegating responsibilities to professional staff including assigning leaders to individual events; and delegating responsibilities to freshman class officers (in collaboration with the professional event leader).
3) Overseeing event planning and implementation through follow-up with event leaders who will expedite the tasks (i.e.: reservations, catering, van/bus scheduling).
4) Reporting to/updating the AOP Director at regular bi-weekly meetings.
5) Reporting to/updating the AOP professional staff at bi-weekly staff meetings.
6) Overseeing and giving bi-weekly budget reports at committee meetings including: money spent for each event, money saved as a result of discounts or freebies, and the balance in the treasury.
7) Planning and implementing at least two personal development workshops per academic year.
8) Completing, updating, and distributing a planning document for each event s/he leads using established template (Appendix A).
9) Upholding deadlines, commitments and responsibilities both delegated and self imposed in a professional timely manner.
10) Attending at least one weekend SOAL event each semester.
11) Preparing a list of contacts/campus & community supporters who may aid in implementing our events.
12) Mentor/train freshman class officers on how to be effective committee members.
Professional Staff committee members
The professional staff committee members are comprised of all AOP Counselors. Their responsibilities include but are not limited to:
1) Attending and actively participating in all SOAL bi-weekly meetings.
2) Presenting at meetings prepared outlines for new initiatives (activities or fundraisers) including tentative dates, times and locations. (The committee chair must receive outlines at least one day in advance of set meetings).
3) Attending at least one weekend SOAL event each semester.
4) Planning and implementing at least two personal development workshops per academic year.
5) Completing, updating, and distributing a planning document for each event s/he leads using the established template (Appendix A).
6) Upholding deadlines, commitments and responsibilities both delegated and self imposed in a professional, timely manner.
7) Assembling and distributing event packets* (this is the responsibility of one designated staff member, but not the Chair).
8) Insuring receipt and full completion of event packets for each event s/he leads and submission of the completed packet within three working days of the event.
9) Mentor/train freshman class officers on how to be effective committee members.
10) Taking committee meeting notes on a rotating basis; posting them no later than two days after meeting; and using a consistent format that includes complete sentences.
Freshman Class Officers
Freshman class officers are AOP students who are elected by their peers at the end of the AOP Summer Academy. These committee members will attend every SOAL meeting in the fall and every other SOAL meeting in the spring. Their responsibilities include but are not limited to:
1) Attending and actively participating in all SOAL meetings they are required to attend.
2) Attending all meetings prepared with ideas for fundraisers, cultural and social events.
3) Aiding in the research of possible events (venues and cost of events).
4) Assisting in the design of posters and flyers for advertisements.
5) Distributing all forms of advertisements (flyers, posters, table tents), and conduct word-of-mouth advertising to the greater SUNY Oneonta student/faculty community.
6) Annually review and revise the freshman class Constitution.
7) Attending monthly meetings where an agenda will be developed for the freshmen class meeting (with assistance from Committee Chair).
8) Attending and conducting monthly freshmen class meetings as a means of informing peers of upcoming events and workshops conducted by SOAL, as well as advertise other campus wide opportunities.
9) Planning as a team one event in the fall and one in the spring in its entirety under staff supervision.
Auxiliary Committee Members
Auxiliary Committee Members are defined as nonvoting participants who are part of the SUNY Oneonta’s campus community, but not necessarily a part of the AOP Department. This type of membership requires a one year commitment to the committee. Auxiliary members volunteer their services to the committee with the understanding that they are expected to uphold the duties and responsibilities listed below. Failure to do so may result in dismissal from the committee. No more than two auxiliary committee members will be allowed to join the committee per year.
1) Attending and actively participating in all SOAL bi-weekly meetings.
2) Supporting all events planned by the committee by assisting in the planning and implementation of those events.
3) Attending at least one weekend SOAL event each semester.
4) Co-planning and implementing at least one personal development workshop per academic year.
5) Upholding deadlines, commitments and responsibilities both delegated and self imposed in a professional, timely manner.
6) Assembling and distributing event packets* (this is the responsibility of one designated staff member, but not the Chair).
7) Ensuring receipt and full completion of event packets for each event s/he co-leads and submission of the completed packet within three working days of the event.
8) Assisting, through modeling, the training/mentoring of student committee members on how to be effective committee members.
Sophomore Consultants
Sophomore consultants consist of the previous year’s freshman class officers. These students will provide an “on-call” type of service to the committee. They are not required to attend meetings but are welcome to attend as they wish. However, if a sophomore consultant volunteers to perform a task for the committee, that person will be held responsible for accomplishing that task in a timely and professional manner.
Planning Structure
During the SOAL planning retreat, the committee will design a tentative schedule of events, fundraisers, and workshops for the entire academic year. The committee will plan these events on a calendar that will be juxtaposed to the events calendar of the university in order to avoid possible overlapping of events planned by other organizations. The agenda for the meetings will be based on the implementation and solidification of the events planned on the tentative calendar. If at some point an individual committee member has a new event idea to propose, they must come to the meeting prepared with potential dates, times and venues for the event.
During committee meetings professional staff members will volunteer to lead each event as well as develop a plan from start to finish using the event planning form (Appendix A). It is the responsibility of the lead of any given event to make sure that each committee member is executing delegated assignments. Updates will be given by the event lead at each meeting on the progress of these planned events until the event is seen through to its fruition. When each event has passed, the person who led the event is required to report on how well they perceived the event went as well as how they think the event could be improved for next year.
*Event Packet Contents
An event packet will be assembled and available for the event lead the day before the event. An event packet will include the following: an envelope with a label identifying the event name, date, location and lead name.
- A money envelope, if applicable.
- A list of students who signed up, if applicable.
- An attendance sheet.
- A transportation Trip Ticket, if applicable
- One AOP Opportunities and Activities Data Entry Form to be filled out by the lead person.
- Activity Evaluation forms to be filled out by each student in attendance.
All event packets need to be completed and submitted to the committee chair in a timely fashion (no more than three business days after event) for statistical analysis.
AOP Freshman Class Officer Election Process
An announcement will be made by the SOAL Chair at an evening program during Summer Academy which discusses the importance of student involvement as well as highlights the potential for students to serve on the committee as elected freshman class officers. During this program, the Committee Chair will explain what the purpose, functions and goals of the freshman class officers are, as well as the expectations of the elected members as outlined in the SOAL strategic plan. The Committee Chair will also emphasize that this is a very special opportunity for first-year students because it is unusual for freshmen to be elected to an executive board.
The Committee Chair will ask students who are interested in any of the six freshman class officer positions (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and two Public Relations Representatives) to meet with her/him after the evening program ends. The Committee Chair will then explain the election process to the candidates. The students will be given election rules and will be asked to sign a statement agreeing that they understand and will promise to abide by the rules while running for office. Each candidate will be informed that he/she will have to write and deliver a speech of no more than five (5) minutes explaining to the Summer Academy students the reason(s) they feel they should be elected for the position they desire. These students will have two weeks to campaign for the election. The election will be held the day before the end of Summer Academy by secret ballot and counted by the Committee Chair, another professional staff committee member, and a student. The Committee Chair will announce the winners of the election at the Summer Academy closing banquet and awards dinner.
Campaign Rules for the Freshman Class Officer Election:
1.) Use of slanderous or foul language against an opposing candidate will result in the candidate at fault being disqualified from the election process.
2.) The use of graffiti to deface a poster or flyer of another candidate will result in the candidate at fault being disqualified from the election process.
3.) Covering up or ripping down posters or flyers of another candidate will result in the candidate at fault being disqualified from the election process.
4.) Each candidate must write and deliver a speech justifying the reason(s) they feel they should have a position on the e-board.
5.) All speeches must be written by the candidates themselves with no outside help (some minor revision is acceptable).
6.) During the speeches, all candidates and voting students will listen and be respectful while each candidate delivers his/her speech.
7.) All candidates are expected to be honest about the skills and experiences they have that qualify them to run for the position of their choice.
AOP Freshman Class Officer Election
Candidate Agreement Form:
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for your interest in the AOP freshman class officer election. This opportunity can be an important part of your development as a first year student here at SUNY Oneonta. It is the goal of AOP to give our students opportunities to develop leadership, social and organizational skills, as these are essential to your success as a student. As such, we ask that from this point on you take this process seriously and demonstrate respect for the department, other candidates and, most importantly, yourself. To ensure that you understand what is meant by demonstrating respect, we ask that you carefully read the rules for the election process. After reading them, we ask that you sign your name at the bottom of the page. Your signature will indicate that you have read, understand and plan to abide by the rules. If you do not sign your name then you will automatically be disqualified from the election process.
Campaign Rules for the Student Opportunities Executive Board
1. Use of slanderous or foul language against an opposing candidate will result in the candidate at fault being disqualified from the election process.
2. The use of graffiti to deface a poster or flyer of another candidate will result in the candidate at fault being disqualified from the election process.
3. Covering up or ripping down posters or flyers of another candidate will result in the candidate at fault being disqualified from the election process.
4. Each candidate must write and deliver a speech justifying the reason(s) they feel they should have a position on the e-board.
5. All speeches must be written by the candidates themselves with no outside help (some minor revision is acceptable).
6. During the speeches, all candidates and voting students will listen and be respectful while each candidate delivers his/her speech.
7. All candidates are expected to be honest about the skills and experiences they have that qualify them to run for the position of their choice. I, ______________________, agree to abide by the above rules during the campaign and election process for the SOAL Committee freshman class officers.
Written 3/5/05 Revised 3/24/06