Conference Chair

The Conference Chair, under direction of the President, will plan and organize  the Annual Conference. This individual is selected by the UACRAO Executive Board and in most cases has served the  previous year as the Conference Co-chair.

A. Conference Task
 1. After discussion with the Executive Board the President and/or Chair will contact a member to serve as Co-chair (who will then continue as Chair the following year).

 2. Following the above procedure another member is chosen to be Local Arrangements Chair (this position continues through the conference only).
 
 3. Conference Theme:
  The conference Chair and Co-chair decide on a theme and present it to the UACRAO Executive Board for approval.

4. Track Chairs:
The conference has four tracks :
  a. Admissions
  b. School Relations
  c. Registration\Graduation\Records
  d. Personal Development

 The Chair and Co-chair decide on members to choose as Track Chairs (may receive input from Executive Board), one for each of the four tracks.  The Chair then contacts those members and provides them an opportunity to serve.  The Track Chair is responsible for selecting four presenters to then present the topics.  The Track Chairs obtain session topics from the Conference Chair.  Track Chairs work closely with the session presenters in making sure materials and equipment needs are communicated  to the Local Arrangements Chair.  They conduct and introduce their presenter(s) at each session.  Also, hand out evaluation forms, collect at the end of each session and turn in to Conference Chair at the end of the conference.

 5. Cracker Barrel Leaders:
The Cracker Barrel session has a leader who guides the group in a discussion concerning their area.  This helps to determine what other schools are doing, shares information, guidelines, and promotes networking.  There are generally five Cracker Barrel sessions, ie. Registration, Graduation, Records,  Admissions and School Relations. The Chair and/or Co-chair contacts an individual in each area to serve as the leader.

6. Registration:
  Responsible for such items as:
  a. Registration forms.  (Print and coordinate with theme if possible.)  Need to be sent out in newsletter prior to conference.
  b. Name tags.
  c. VIP ribbons.
  d. Receipt of payments.
  e. Registration packets (coordinate with Local Arrangements Chair).
  f. Works closely with UACRAO treasurer to assure that the registration fees are properly accounted  for.

 7. Equipment Request Forms:
  a. Coordinating with the Local Arrangements Chair these forms are to be mailed to the Track Chairs and/or presenters in advance of the conference.  They should be  returned to the Local Arrangements Chair two weeks in  advance of the conference.

 8. Evaluations:
  a. Create conference and session evaluation forms, then copy enough for all needs.
  b. Coordinate, disburse, and gather from the track chairs. Then tabulate the forms as required.
  c. Present copies at next board meeting following conference.

 9. Door prizes:
  a. Purchase door prizes with $150.00 provided by UACRAO.
  b. Remind each institution, generally through the newsletter,  to bring unwrapped door prizes  to the conference.
  c. Handle drawings for all prizes (can have Co-chair, and/or LAC, etc. help).

 10. Printing:
  a. Conference programs
  b. Registration forms
  c. Evaluations
  d. Misc.

 11. Conference Sessions:
  a. Track Chairs.
  b. Session presenters (selected and arranged by the Track Chair).
  c. Session topics, session descriptions, and session presenters (may include biographies), for programs.
  d. Cracker Barrel Leaders (selected by Chair and/or Co-chair).
  e. Session signs (main signs that session titles are posted on).

B. Suggested Due Dates:
 1. a.  Track Chairs contacted:  July
         b.  Session and Cracker Barrel Leaders contacted:  October
         c.  Conference agenda mailed to Newsletter Editor:  November
         d.  Equipment lists:  January (two weeks prior to conference)
         e.  Registration due:  January (two weeks prior to conference)

C. Post Conference:
 1. Discuss conference with Local Arrangements Chair for report to Executive Board (how things went, suggestions, concerns, etc.)
 2. Attend next board meeting and help evaluate conference, adding discussion from Local Arrangements Chair.
 3. Submit report on sessions and conference evaluations at that board meeting.
 4. Do write-up for the newsletter regarding the conference.
 5. Pass main session signs on to the new Conference Chair.