Let's Eat!

I am currently the Vice President of a professional organization on campus. My main responsibility is to plan the monthly meeting. The agenda includes contacting speakers, organizing announcements, setting up the room with required equipment, and arranging the food. The first three are fairly simple but the fourth was the hardest for the last meeting I planned.

All companies love the opportunity to represent themselves in front of possible new employees or clients, therefore speakers are very easy to recruit. I also allow the companies to bring pamphlets, promos, and literature for our members. They also cover their own travel arrangements. A simple email to the other officers handles the announcements. By using department printers, our organization does not have to pay for office supplies. The department also supplies the projector and any required chords for the speaker’s presentations.

The largest headache is involved in arranging the food. As I told you in a previous entry, I attend meetings for “free” food. On the flip side, our organization attracts members with “free” food. Consequently, each “free” has different meanings to both sides. For a common member, “free” enticement means they may or may not have to pay their dues in order to receive food. “Free” to the officers’ means we would prefer for the companies to sponsor the dinner. If the company does not want to sponsor the food, our organization has to tap into our weak budget and pay for an inexpensive dinner.

For the last meeting, I persuaded the speaker’s company to donate money in order to cover a portion of the food. But I also persuaded a local restaurant to cut a very good catering deal. By being resourceful, I was able to escape a large ticket for our monthly meeting.

In regard to our budget, I believe the school’s student government association has funds for all student organizations. I need to check into this, because we might deserve some “free” money.