How-To Guide for Starting a

ASME International How-To Guide for Starting a Student District Operating Board August 3, 2007 What is a Student District Operating Board? The Student District Operating Board is a group of ASME students who work together to make improvements within their district. The SDOB acts as a grass roots network between local sections and districts and offers leadership opportunities at regional levels. A. Purpose/Goals The objectives are to increase or enhance interaction among student sections, senior sections, and industry within the district. It serves as the District Operating Board for student issues. B. People Involved Chair: SSC Student Representative Vice Chair: Elected by the board from students within the district Members-At-Large: Interested ASME student volunteers within a district chosen by the chair, district leaders, and ASME staff Associates: District leaders, section advisors, SSC senior representative, senior section members, section chairs, conference organizers. SDOB Structure Student District Operating Board Student Sections Committee Representative District Leader 2 Vice Chairs (North) 2 Vice Chairs (South) SDOB student members SDOB student members Rev. 06 Dec 2007 Actions for creating the SDOB Pre-SLS  Send out emails to every student section inviting and informing them of the seminar and agenda. A sample e-mail can be found at Adjust this e-mail with the events happening within your district and send it to Judi Cobb to be distributed. (cobbj1@asme.org)  Prepare a speech and presentation about SDOB and SSC for fall SLS (sample SDOB presentation attached)  Brainstorm improvements & activities that would benefit the district (IE: district website, contacting every student section, district newsletter, multi-student section events, etc). At SLS  Give SDOB overview & recruiting presentation and encourage participation  Hold a group meeting with interested candidates o Brainstorm how to create more “intradistrict” activities and discuss any improvements that could benefit the district o Create the SDOB. After brainstorming, ask for volunteers to fulfill the desired actions--these volunteers, as well as other interested members, will comprise the new Student District Operating Board. o Nominate vice chairs. Instead of holding elections, give out SDOB applications, have interested candidates complete them and selection will be done the week after the last SLS is held. 4 Vice Chairs of the SDOB will be selected by the SSC senior and student representatives, also with the opinion of past SSC representatives and the district leader. Post-SLS  Keep in contact with SDOB and make sure that the proposed actions are carried out  Hold quarterly meetings (telephone, e-mails) to assess the activities and their successes/failures. Plan future activities for the year.  Discuss and inform SDOB of upcoming LTC and SPDC. Try to come up with plan to encourage more student members to attend SPDC. *Pick SDOB members to attend LTC if the funding grant passes. Pre-SPDC  Inform SDOB, as well as other student members, of SSC position and the upcoming election. Encourage them to run for office if the position is available. At SPDC  Hold SDOB meeting similar to one at SLS Rev. 06 Dec 2007 Attached:    Contact Information Sample SDOB Meeting Agenda SDOB Formation Timeline Contacts for SDOB questions and information: Libby Schulte edschult at ncsu.edu SDOB website: Dan Nathan-Roberts dannathanroberts at gmail.com Dr. Beth Todd Btodd at eng.ua.edu Contact for SLS information: Judi Cobb SLS@asme.org SLS website: http://districts.asme.org/sls Contact for SPDC information: Judi Cobb SPDC@asme.org SPDC website: http://districts.asme.org/spdc Rev. 06 Dec 2007 Sample Agenda for SDOB Meetings      Progress reports from each member. If this is the first meeting, give an overview of the objectives of the SDOB and skip to the new business/brainstorming section. Overview of old/current business. Check that current action items are being carried out successfully. Make changes/improvements where needed. New business/brainstorming. Brainstorm new ideas for beneficial events/tools for local sections and the district. Assign tasks. Create action items and select people to execute them. Overview of task assignment and closing. Briefly restate the key points of the meeting and conclude. Discuss when the next meeting/follow up will be held. Rev. 06 Dec 2007 SDOB Formation - Timeline August-Before the SLS - Send SLS e-mails Find sample e-mail at http://districts.asme.org/sls and send it out to all student sections within the district - Prepare a presentation A sample recruiting presentation can be found on the SDOB website - Brainstorm Come up with some starter ideas for events/tools that would benefit the district (IE: district website, district newsletters, multisection tours) September & October- At the SLS - Give SDOB presentation Inform students of the goals of the SDOB and try to recruit volunteers to help - Hold first SDOB meeting Gather interested candidates and start discussing ideas for improving district connections and resources - Form the SDOB Nominate vice chairs and assign tasks (see the SDOB How-to Guide for picking the vice chairs) October-January-After the SLS - Progress reports Keep in contact with SDOB and make sure the tasks are being carried out successfully - New Business Hold meetings to discuss and evalutate past SDOB actions. Plan future activities for the rest of the year February & March -Before the SPDC - Inform members of SSC position Send out an e-mail to student section chairs and remind them about the upcoming SSC elections. Ask them to distribute the news to their student members Spring- At the SPDC - Hold an SDOB meeting Progress reports and more brainstorming - SSC elections Rev. 06 Dec 2007