Officer Transitions
Jake Haigis
Meredith Beamer
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.
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!
Ice Breaker
Taking off the Blindfold
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Year long transition
Binders
Retreats
Checklist/Timeline
Using your Advisor
Using the Office of Student Involvement
Next Steps for your Club
Never Too Early To Start
 Yes, this is October, but it may be good to start thinking
about 2015-2016 right now!
 Creating a year long transition period
 President in Training
 Treasurer in Training
 Encourage potential leaders through personal contact
Club Binders
 Have a binder specific to EACH officer position
 Add to it as the year progresses
 What to include…
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Contact lists (past & current officers, resources, advisor)
OrgSync and Email logins and passwords
Meeting minutes, notes
Event Information
Notes, tips
Specific responsibilities for each officer role
Mid/End of Year Report
Think About Your Experience
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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)
Retreats
 Outgoing/ Incoming Officer Retreat (or
extended meeting!)
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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
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
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
• 2015-2016 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!
Checklist/Timeline
Update OrgSync
• New meeting time and locations
• New officer information
End of Year Report
• Current/Future President collaboration
• Include in Club Binder
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…
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Ideas for growth
Challenge and support the club/officers
Ideas of Events/Functions, meeting content
Aid with club maintenance
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
Next Steps
Next steps
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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!
Resources
 Student Leader Transition Guide
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Sample Checklist
Great Binder Content Ideas
Charts/Tables
https://www.american.edu/ocl/activities/upload/Student
-Leader-Transition-Guide-SPRING-2011-2.pdf
 Officer Transition Checklist (Lots of Ideas)
 http://www.montana.edu/engagement/documents/Lead
er%20Transition%20Checklist.pdf