1. Jake Haigis Meredith Beamer
Officer Transitions
Jake Haigis
Meredith Beamer

2. Goal
A thorough and intentional leadership transition plan will provide an organization with continuity so that next year’s officers can build on the knowledge gained rather than starting from ground zero. We aim to provide ideas and suggestions for you. Take pieces that will work for your group.
Provides for the transfer of significant organizational knowledge.
Minimizes the confusion of leadership changeover.
Gives outgoing leaders a sense of closure.
Utilizes the valuable contributions of experienced leaders.
Helps incoming leadership absorb the special expertise of outgoing leadership.
Increases knowledge and confidence of the new leadership.
Minimizes the loss of momentum and accomplishments of the group

3. Ice Breaker
Get into groups of three and place a blindfold on one person
The two without the blindfold will instruct the person without sight on how to construct a Play-doh figure exactly the way it is pictured on the next slide
Instructors may not physically touch the Play-doh
Instructors can NOT name the object to be built!
Good luck!
Have bags ready-blindfold, and designated amount of lego pieces

4. Ice Breaker
The point of this exercise is to emphasize the importance of not coming into an officer position “blind”.
By giving yourself more transition time and having more communication between old and new officers, this can be easier and more beneficial for your club!
This session aims at “taking off the blindfold”
These are the topics we are going to cover that can aid in transitions-ending with a checklist that encompasses all of these suggestions

5. Taking off the Blindfold
Year long transition
Binders
Retreats
Checklist/Timeline
Using your Advisor
Using the Office of Student Involvement
Next Steps for your Club

6. Never Too Early To Start
Yes, this is October, but it may be good to start thinking about right now!
Creating a year long transition period
President in Training
Treasurer in Training
Encourage potential leaders through personal contact
Begin early in the year to identify emerging leaders in your organization.
Encourage potential leaders through personal contact.
When officers have been elected, orient them as a group with all the outgoing officers. This provides new leaders an opportunity to understand each other’s roles and start building their own leadership team.
Share with them the benefits of leadership; clarify responsibilities of the position.
Help new leadership become acquainted with the available resources; have a meeting with the faculty advisor(s) and meet OSI
Be sure to transfer the knowledge and information necessary for them to function well. An organization history might be helpful.

7. Club Binders Have a binder specific to EACH officer position
Add to it as the year progresses
What to include…
Contact lists (past & current officers, resources, advisor)
OrgSync and logins and passwords
Meeting minutes, notes
Event Information
Notes, tips
Specific responsibilities for each officer role
Mid/End of Year Report
A notebook or binder can be shared during meetings with your replacement.
It should cover all aspects of your responsibilities and how those tasks fit into the organization’s big picture.
Recommend that your replacement file “historical” documents in the notebook such as meeting minutes when s/he has become comfortable with the information. That way, the notebook or binder can be used as a working tool rather than something to be completed at the end of the year (usually during finals!).
Each club is different so feel free to add and delete topics. Your replacement will thank you throughout the year!
Introduction
Advisor Information
Official Documents
Events Information
Membership Information
Evaluation/ Annual Report
Training Information

8. Think About Your Experience
What do you wish you knew?
What resources did you wish you had/knew about?
What did you learn the hard way?
What did you like/dislike as a member?
What did your previous officers do well in transitioning you in?
What is the most difficult/confusing aspect of my position?
Resources that helped me the most in my position?
What do you wish you had done, but didn’t?
What needs to be done immediately this fall? (versus what has more a flexible time line)
*Need pens and paper!
The answers to these questions would be useful material to include in binders-this info will be helpful to future officers so they don’t have to struggle with these questions anew every year!
Good info to share with old/new officer retreat-pass on the knowledge to help the club grow from past leaders and past experience

9. Retreats Outgoing/ Incoming Officer Retreat (or extended meeting!)
Introduction/Icebreakers
Discussion of past year’s events
Officer Exchanges (Binder sharing!)
Outgoing officers depart, leaving the new officers to discuss the upcoming year
Exchange Contact Info (if not already in binder)
Expectations of one another
Goals for the coming year
Ideas and calendar of events
Budgetary concerns
Disclaimer: this “retreat” can be an extended meeting-can be on campus, at someone’s house, etc. DOES NOT have to be fancy and overly structured!

10. Retreats New Officer Retreat
Introductions/Icebreakers (learning names, etc.)
Review of mission, purpose, goals
Self-expectations and expectations of one another, advisor, members, etc.
Team-buildering exercises
Goals for upcoming year
Budgeting
Events for the upcoming year
Task List Moving Forward
These retreats can be combined-start with old and new and then transition into just new officers in order to look at the club “moving forward”

11. Checklist/Timeline Retreat/Meeting for Incoming/Outgoing Officers
Don’t just drop off a binder and leave a note that says, “Good Luck!” Make sure that the outgoing and incoming officers meet together – uninterrupted.
Binders
Start generating a master binder for club specific info
Officers-start compiling individual position binders (ask for help from past officers!)
Other important documents include: Constitution/Bylaws/Mission, Committee lists and descriptions, Contact lists, Annual Calendar of events, Evaluations, Meeting Minutes & Agendas
President/Treasurer in training
Have Presidents (current and future) work together on end of year report
President/Treasurer?
Schedule Elections
Look at earlier elections to allow other positions AT LEAST a one month transitional period
Less stress!-more time to transition so elections aren’t happening close to finals!

12. Checklist/Timeline Update OrgSync End of Year Report
New meeting time and locations
New officer information
End of Year Report
Current/Future President collaboration
Include in Club Binder

13. Utilizing your Advisor
Schedule a meeting to introduce new officers
Pass along contact information
Roles and Expectations of each other
Officer responsibility to communicate
Advisor can offer…
Ideas for growth
Challenge and support the club/officers
Ideas of Events/Functions, meeting content
Aid with club maintenance

14. Utilizing the Office of Student Involvement
Student Organization Resource Room-GSC 220
Open 24/7
SGA Budget System/SORF Board
Storage Bin Available
xavier.edu/clubs

15. Next Steps Next steps Binders-Club and individual positions
Discuss/Identify upcoming leaders (President and Treasurer)
Talk about moving up elections
Communicate with past officers (if not already done so)
Having this information should help prepare the new officers for the upcoming year and the new road ahead, and help make your club as efficient and awesome as possible!

16. Resources Student Leader Transition Guide
Sample Checklist
Great Binder Content Ideas
Charts/Tables
Officer Transition Checklist (Lots of Ideas)