Long-Range Planning

Program

The Program Task Force met to discuss ways to improve attendance at monthly meetings and made the following recommendations to the Long-Range Planning Committee:

• Change the meeting format (ideas include an open forum; lunch meeting; theme nights; presentation/reception, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday night meeting; decrease number of meetings to five per year)
• Use the ACS Speakers Bureau
• Invite more general interest speakers
• Provide a Committee of the Month marketing table at each meeting
• Encourage first-time attendees to take an active role in activities
• Develop a Program Committee with three-year rotating membership
• Assign four or five Hospitality Committee members to greet members individually as they arrive at meetings.
• Hold Topical Group meetings at the same location as dinner meetings.
• Have representatives of different committees make presentations at Topical Group meetings.
• Reinstitute true topical group meetings.
• Do a membership survey as a direct mailing, in The Chemical Bulletin, or on the web.
• Ask for suggestions at meetings.

The Long-Range Planning Committee gave the report to the Program and Hospitality committees for their consideration.

Additional suggestions included:

• The volunteer form should be used to develop a list of potential speakers.
• A review of committees is needed and the list should be updated.
• The Younger Chemists Committee should be made a standing committee.
• There should be term limits for committee chairs. Vice chairs should be trained to serve as chair.