1 Sidney-Pacific House Government Leadership Retreat Morning session May 31, Endicott House

2 Roles and responsibilities of the SP house government (residents) - Creating a community where people can socialize - Offering to neighborhood - Being a source of information for residents - Orientation very important (helping out new students) - Fostering fraternity and friendship - Safety issues - Determining how money/resources should be spent - Setting procedures - Taking ideas from other dorms - Increasing awareness between residents - Coordination between committees, coherence inside government-> giving the good example to residents - Talks and exposition of events - Asking the residents their opinion - Being transparent - Maintaining strong committees - Creating a community where people can socialize - Offering to neighborhood - Being a source of information for residents - Orientation very important (helping out new students) - Fostering fraternity and friendship - Safety issues - Determining how money/resources should be spent - Setting procedures - Taking ideas from other dorms - Increasing awareness between residents - Coordination between committees, coherence inside government-> giving the good example to residents - Talks and exposition of events - Asking the residents their opinion - Being transparent - Maintaining strong committees

3 Recruiting and participation - Hold events and ask for help - Publicity / SPTV / spread news - Get help from old residents who were helpful in the past - Role of the hall councilors - Orientation (again!) - Contest-type activities - Recruit members from other dorms (Zip Bike) - Get people involved early - Recruit people and train them - Organize the website by committees - Hold events and ask for help - Publicity / SPTV / spread news - Get help from old residents who were helpful in the past - Role of the hall councilors - Orientation (again!) - Contest-type activities - Recruit members from other dorms (Zip Bike) - Get people involved early - Recruit people and train them - Organize the website by committees

4 Recruitment challenges 1) Identify people that are interested - Orientation and early year events - Word-to-mouth and publicity - Hall councilors 2) Find something to make people stay and be involved - Make it fun - Swap roles within committees - Awareness of the committee chair - Diversity in events - Give freedom to committee members 3) Keep track of what’s happening in the committee - Procedure/ report - Pre-event organization - Management skills - Show appreciation 4) Continuity - Documentation of activities - Mentorship/ training - Website 1) Identify people that are interested - Orientation and early year events - Word-to-mouth and publicity - Hall councilors 2) Find something to make people stay and be involved - Make it fun - Swap roles within committees - Awareness of the committee chair - Diversity in events - Give freedom to committee members 3) Keep track of what’s happening in the committee - Procedure/ report - Pre-event organization - Management skills - Show appreciation 4) Continuity - Documentation of activities - Mentorship/ training - Website

5 Summary Roles and responsibilities 1) Represent residents - get their opinions - Get them involved - Be a source of information to them - Organize events and activities 2) Support officers - Provide advice - Help coordinate between committees/ prevent overlapping events - Create a sense of family - Continuity 3) Building - Give the good example to residents (follow policies) - Safety - Make residents take advantage (and care!) of building - Ensure future/ maintenance Roles and responsibilities 1) Represent residents - get their opinions - Get them involved - Be a source of information to them - Organize events and activities 2) Support officers - Provide advice - Help coordinate between committees/ prevent overlapping events - Create a sense of family - Continuity 3) Building - Give the good example to residents (follow policies) - Safety - Make residents take advantage (and care!) of building - Ensure future/ maintenance

6 Recruiting/Participation Identity

7 Participation--Where are we? Low non-officer attendance Agenda –Residents lack ownership of agenda –Execution/efficiency Low event expectations (uncool) –Food events are well attended –Opportunity cost of time; low perceived value Limited time windows of introduction/interaction –Neighbor-hall interaction –Committee participation Low non-officer attendance Agenda –Residents lack ownership of agenda –Execution/efficiency Low event expectations (uncool) –Food events are well attended –Opportunity cost of time; low perceived value Limited time windows of introduction/interaction –Neighbor-hall interaction –Committee participation

8 What do we want to see? Internalize the value of each event/meeting (for residents) High attendance “Cool” events – diversity of events Get residents to know each other Efficient activities Valuable activities Attract students with something other than food Internalize the value of each event/meeting (for residents) High attendance “Cool” events – diversity of events Get residents to know each other Efficient activities Valuable activities Attract students with something other than food

9 How do we get there? Forum to discuss concrete issues Run meetings more efficiently Make use of the narrow time window in the fall Have orientation/welcome week activities ready and organized Forum to discuss concrete issues Run meetings more efficiently Make use of the narrow time window in the fall Have orientation/welcome week activities ready and organized

10 How--Events Block parties: people in a hall open doors and bring out food Floor potluck parties Put emphasis on identity, such as international background of residents Provide an identity for residents to identify with; get a theme for the dorm Have specific events, such as musical events like Ashdown; make use of un-tapped resources Block parties: people in a hall open doors and bring out food Floor potluck parties Put emphasis on identity, such as international background of residents Provide an identity for residents to identify with; get a theme for the dorm Have specific events, such as musical events like Ashdown; make use of un-tapped resources

11 How--Techniques Personalization Define the chain of communication; how to disseminate information to residents: knock on doors; put posters on doors Make resources for postering etc. available to hall councilors Bulletin/picture boards for every hall House Council should talk to their neighbors and let them know about events Make interaction more personalized; don’t just use , but talk to people or write on their white boards Personalization Define the chain of communication; how to disseminate information to residents: knock on doors; put posters on doors Make resources for postering etc. available to hall councilors Bulletin/picture boards for every hall House Council should talk to their neighbors and let them know about events Make interaction more personalized; don’t just use , but talk to people or write on their white boards

12 How—cont’d Timing is critical Figure out how to appeal to the MIT “phantom” personality Make people understand the value of getting out of their room and meeting other people Put ideas for events in a business plan/roadmap Spell out what each committees budget is and where it comes from Timing is critical Figure out how to appeal to the MIT “phantom” personality Make people understand the value of getting out of their room and meeting other people Put ideas for events in a business plan/roadmap Spell out what each committees budget is and where it comes from

13 How—cont’d Increase transparency of resources and funds Make committee websites Have a survey with different options for events and have residents vote for what they want Get residents involved in decision making and allocation of funds at an early stage of planning events Inter-committee communication Increase transparency of resources and funds Make committee websites Have a survey with different options for events and have residents vote for what they want Get residents involved in decision making and allocation of funds at an early stage of planning events Inter-committee communication

14 Identity S-P should be the dorm of participation –want to stay in their room and not participate in activities Diverse population Democratic participation Incredible facilities Have neighborhood tours for new residents with the architects who designed the neighborhood Get residents informed about history of the neighborhood S-P should be the dorm of participation –want to stay in their room and not participate in activities Diverse population Democratic participation Incredible facilities Have neighborhood tours for new residents with the architects who designed the neighborhood Get residents informed about history of the neighborhood

15 SP’s role in the Cambridge community It’s a good thing to be involved! Build goodwill in the community Unique position to interface with community Want to be a link between MIT and the Cambridge community at large It’s a good thing to be involved! Build goodwill in the community Unique position to interface with community Want to be a link between MIT and the Cambridge community at large

16 What do we do? Requests from the community Tax help for poor residents Sports coaching (soccer, baseball etc.) Ideas from our side Mentoring students in schools Hosting community groups Movie night Concerns Safety, security Being realistic out about what we can do Requests from the community Tax help for poor residents Sports coaching (soccer, baseball etc.) Ideas from our side Mentoring students in schools Hosting community groups Movie night Concerns Safety, security Being realistic out about what we can do

17 SP’s role within the MIT community SP is for the residents and MIT community too! Leadership position among dorms but promote co-operation and lead by example Build relationship with grad student community Specifically liaison with Edgerton and the Warehouse Ideas for the future More communication between dorms Build a standing committee between Edgerton, Warehouse and us Joint-orientation events Image of SP among the other dorms SP is for the residents and MIT community too! Leadership position among dorms but promote co-operation and lead by example Build relationship with grad student community Specifically liaison with Edgerton and the Warehouse Ideas for the future More communication between dorms Build a standing committee between Edgerton, Warehouse and us Joint-orientation events Image of SP among the other dorms

18 Roles and Responsibilities House Government –Provide Support structure/Team work –Time Commitment –Recruitment –Improve relationship and visibility with residents House Government –Provide Support structure/Team work –Time Commitment –Recruitment –Improve relationship and visibility with residents

19 House Government Bring social events into the dorm Provide resources Provide a support structure for the leaders and the residents –Handbook –Web based information Raise awareness Better planning –more advanced notices More effective communication Bring social events into the dorm Provide resources Provide a support structure for the leaders and the residents –Handbook –Web based information Raise awareness Better planning –more advanced notices More effective communication

20 House Government Social Events –Hall Councilors Role: Persistency Consistency Flexibility and variety of events Low maintenance events Creativity Social Events –Hall Councilors Role: Persistency Consistency Flexibility and variety of events Low maintenance events Creativity

21 Roles and Responsibilities Hall Councilors First contact with residents Coordinate events Facilitator for residents Help with other offices Teamwork First contact with residents Coordinate events Facilitator for residents Help with other offices Teamwork

22 Roles and Responsibilities Office of Information Must know everything Send more s regarding events around S-P and campus Must know everything Send more s regarding events around S-P and campus

23 Roles and Responsibilities Office of Residential Life Must be involved and know every step in –Throwing events –Contacts –Logistics –Resources Must be involved and know every step in –Throwing events –Contacts –Logistics –Resources

24 Roles and Responsibilities Office of Resources Know the policies Know about the office of residential life Work closely with the Reslife Know the policies Know about the office of residential life Work closely with the Reslife

25 Roles and Responsibilities Office of the President Institute Link Fight for money and get the MOST Integration of S-P with –The outside community –Rest of the MIT Institute Link Fight for money and get the MOST Integration of S-P with –The outside community –Rest of the MIT