Complete the Student Organization Training Experience so that you have a background in organization management. Plan ahead. Do event planning as early as possible, be it booking spaces, requesting funding, or submitting event requests. Ask questions and communicate concerns quickly, not only when it’s convenient. This helps us help you, and we love helping you! Friendly reminder: a lack of preparedness is not our emergency.

Be sure that you’re aware of Northeastern’s policies, outlined on the CSI website and here, with regard to events and programming. Many of those policies do not just protect the university; they also protect you. There’s a reason that Northeastern requires contracts to be signed by specially designated signatories, advanced notice to be given to facilities staff for setting up events, and the like.

The CSI website has lots of resources and information needed to run successful events and programs. Take the time to explore these webpages. Be sure to explore the resources on your college’s website, too, for other support services.

It’s important to hit the ground running as quickly as possible to accomplish as much as possible for your organization. Get all the information from your predecessor about the organization, including points of contact, logins, and processes. When you transition out, expand on or create a formal document for your successor that details your position, responsibilities, programming, what you’ve learned, and what could be improved. Institutional memory is crucial for operating effectively.

Your advisor and program manager are here to support your group’s needs, but you need to hold yourself accountable to your organization and fellow team members. It sets a good example for others and helps your organization succeed.

Think ahead! Keep in mind that you’re trying to set up your successors for success: think about how you can make the future better based on your past and present experiences.

Be inclusive of multiple identities, perspectives, and voices. Give everyone in meetings a chance to make their thoughts heard. Be mindful of how you market your programs and events. They will have a greater, more meaningful impact as a result.

Priorities can shift on a daily basis, and it can be hard to keep track of everything. Make lists. Break down large projects into smaller portions to tackle bit by bit. Work often takes up the space we give it, so try creating your own personal deadlines and do whatever you can to stick to them. 

Be sure you know how to request money from the GSG, including their timelines. You cannot run an event before CSI has approved your request, which means ensuring that you have enough money in your organization’s account. It can take weeks to secure the funding that you need for your event, so plan ahead! Consider partnering with campus offices to supplement your budget, or seek sponsorships.

Participate in events like Fall Fest, the Winter Involvement Fair, and college orientations to promote your organization to fellow graduate students. Use Instagram. Publish your events on Engage. Consider your target audience and how to encourage their participation.