TRANSITION

Simple ways to protect your

organization’s legacy!

Why is it so important?

• Continuous Progress of the group, not starting from scratch every year

• Higher Level of Performance, building on the success of the group now

• Avoid repeating past mistakes• Traditions• Prevent loss of Information• “Organizational Memory”

• Important for new RSOs.• Important for old RSOs.

When?

• When new leaders assume office at anytime during the year.

• At the end of the year when old officers leave and new officers assume office.

• Throughout the year in response to situations, changes, decisions, etc.

• Whenever there’s an influx of new members.

TOOLS FOR TRANSITION

• Officer notebooks, handbooks, and/or files (“Transition Binders”)

• Outgoing officer to-do List• Clear communication• INTENTIONAL meetings with the aim

to continue the organization’s progress

• Correspondence• Budget information• Year-end report• Organization traditions • Student Involvement information• “How to” list (how to get funding,

how to reserve space, etc.)

Outgoing Officer To-do List

• Create your transition notebook• Meet with your successor to provide

information to help him/her to assume the responsibility

• Review the job description, constitution, bylaws, goals, mission statement, etc., and point out any areas that need revision or attention.

• Set aside time not only to meet with your successor, but also for the outgoing and incoming executive boards to meet together.

Transition Binders

• Constitution/Bylaws• University and Organization Mission

Statements• Important names and numbers• Officer job descriptions• Meeting agendas and minutes• Goals: met and unmet

COMMUNICATION

• Talk, email, facebook, tweet, etc.• Ask questions• Share organization mission and

objectives• Discuss past, current, and future

issues.• BE INTENTIONAL

• New Officers: interview the old officers!

• Old Officers: evaluate your own terms in office and share with new officers.

Transition Meeting

• Allow enough time.• Ideally, there should be time for

old/new officers to meet one-on-one AND a time for both outgoing and incoming officers to meet as a group.

• Talk about the good stuff and everything else.

• Be honest!

Very Important

• Incoming officers needs to know Student Life policies and requirements

• Share the RSO Manual…it is available at our website: www.ksustudent.com

• Standard meetings: the Fall RSO meeting (held the week prior to the start of classes); the Spring RSO meeting (held in late January).

• ALL RSOs MUST REGISTER EACH YEAR.

Minutes

• Please please please take minutes at your meetings!

• Everyone should have access to the minutes.

• Minutes are important because:– They document the actions of your

organization– They provide a record of decisions that

were made– They serve as the memory of the

organization

Passing the Torch

• While the essence of the organization remains the same, each set of leaders will add a different touch to the group.

• Outgoing officers: there’s no guarantee that things will remain the same when you’re gone, but if you have documented your work, you’ve left your mark!

• Incoming officers: build on the work that the outgoing leadership has done.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

For the past

For the present

For the future