Society for Technical Communication

Early June
Contact volunteers to recruit any members needed for the management team. The list of volunteers gained at the annual conference SIG meeting is a valuable resource. Contacting these volunteers soon after the annual conference with specific tasks helps keep their enthusiasm alive.

Mid-June
Have applicable members of the management team review the SIG Handbook and discuss any questions they have, using the AP for SIGs as a resource when helpful or necessary.

End of June
Review the SIG's ongoing, routine activities (for example, the SIG newsletter) with your management team and determine milestones and due dates for the coming year. Update the SIG Activity Chart with the activities your SIG completed or participated in during the fiscal year just ending if this was not submitted at the SIG manger/Advisory Committee meeting at the annual conference. Send the marked up copy to the AP for SIGs.

Early July
Review the "Participating at the Annual Conference" section in the SIG Handbook. Begin recruiting presenters from the SIG for next year's annual conference. Application paperwork is typically due early in August. You may also wish to have a member make a presentation during part of the SIG meeting to help attract attendees.

Mid-July
Review the Society's five-year strategic plan online on the STC home page and any goals that were discussed at the SIG manager/Advisory Committee meeting immediately preceding the annual conference. Then review any desires for the coming year that were voiced at your SIG meeting at the annual conference. You may also wish to review the "Activity Level Guidelines" in the SIG Handbook. Considering all of these ideas, lead your SIG management team in determining your SIG's specific goals for the year as well as any long-range goals. Discuss them with the AP for SIGs.

End of July
Coordinate with the program manager for next year's annual conference and the AP for Competitions if your SIG wishes to be a part of the management efforts or judging efforts of these STC activities.

If your SIG wishes to participate in any regional conferences, begin making the appropriate contacts and arrangements.

Review your SIG's Web page, if applicable, to ensure the information is current.

Early August
Review any presentations the SIG wishes to sponsor at the next annual conference and ensure the application paperwork is submitted on time. If the SIG wishes to sponsor a tour or other activity, contact the appropriate conference manager.

First week of Aug.
Review the preliminary budget amounts approved by the board and forwarded to you by the AP for SIGs. Also review the "Managing a SIG Budget" section in the SIG Handbook. After discussion with your management team and the AP for SIGs, submit requested changes in writing, together with the rationale for any needed increase, to the AP for SIGs for submission at the fall board meeting.

Last Monday in Aug.
Review the section on "Submitting SIG Board Updates" in the SIG Handbook. Submit the status update for your SIG's activities to the AP for SIGs, for incorporation in the fall SIG board report. E-mailing the update facilitates building the board report more quickly.

August-November
Submit an article on the SIG's activities to the Intercom magazine. Intercom is also looking for articles on subjects related to SIGs' focus areas: for example, management, online, and visual communication issues. Encourage your members to submit such articles in their names as SIG members (becomes a PR avenue for the SIG).

End of September
Review your SIG's Web page, if applicable, to ensure the information is current.

End of November
Review your SIG's Web page, if applicable, to ensure the information is current.

About Dec. 20
Submit the status update for your SIG's activities to the AP for SIGs, for incorporation in the winter SIG board report. E-mailing the update facilitates building the board report more quickly.

End of January
Review your SIG's Web page, if applicable, to ensure the information is current.

February
As soon as you receive the preliminary program for the next annual conference, begin to identify the streamed presentations that relate to your SIG, and define a means of conveying that information to your SIG members.

End of February
Tell the AP for SIGs how many tables you wish to request for the SIG networking lunch at the annual conference, working off of last year's usage. Get SIG member facilitators for each table.

End of March
Review your SIG's Web page, if applicable, to ensure the information is current.

Early April
Plan for the SIG meeting at the annual conference, including extra SIG brochures and other handouts. If you are unable to attend the conference, have another SIG member lead your SIG's business meeting and coordinate with you afterwards on the items discussed. The SIG meeting is, for many SIG members, the only time during the year when they can meet face to face, so it is extremely important that it be well managed.

Mid-April
Plan travel to the annual conference so that you can attend the Sunday afternoon SIG manager/Advisory Committee meeting. If you are unable to attend this meeting, arrange for another member of your management meeting to represent your SIG. Also plan to meet your management team at the annual conference. You can combine work and fun at the same time.

Third Monday in April
Submit the status update for your SIG's activities to the AP for SIGs, for incorporation in the spring SIG board report. E-mailing the update facilitates building the board report more quickly.

Early May
Remind your management team that they need to submit any final requests for payment/reimbursement as soon as possible after the annual conference. All requests should be submitted no later than June 1 so the books can be closed at the end of June.

End of May
Review your SIG's Web page, if applicable, to ensure the information is current.