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CREDIT INSTITUTE OF CANADA

Generic Task List for Chapter Graduation Committee

Chair:

Members of Graduation Committee:

This document is a “check list” and is designed to help the committee address all relevant items requiring attention in a timely manner. The committee may revise it as necessary. As lines are added to this document, the column headings will replicate automatically at the top of each page.

(Important items in red text)

Item / Activity / By Date / Remarks /
A / REVIEW WITH CHAPTER BOARD
1 / Establish graduation date with Board well in advance. / June Board meeting / Avoid choosing date in November that conflicts with any major holiday, public or sporting event.
2 / Affirm additional members for committee. / June / 1 or 2 more makes it easier
3 / Prepare detailed budget. / Early Sept. / For Board approval. Treasurer can help with financial details.
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B / HOTEL VENUE
1 / Seek out possible venues 3 months in advance. / Early Sept. / Check costs for each venue.
2 / Choose venue that best suits overall needs. / After Sept. Board meeting / Be sensitive to price.
3 / Choose menu. / Late Sept. / Keep in mind that some people have allergies.
4 / Confirm wine to be served by servers (no bottles on tables) unless wine is to be purchased by all attendees at the bar. / Late Sept. / Choose red & white at reasonable prices.
5 / Determine table & seating arrangements. / Late Sept. / Round tables for 8 preferred.
6 / Determine needs for bar, sound, podium, audio/visual, coat racks, tables & location for registration & display etc. / Late Sept. / Determine required needs for speaker. Depending on size of room, registration table & coat rack can be in the room.
7 / Determine point at which charges are waved for dining room & bar setup depending on number of attendees & bar sales respectively. / Late Sept. / Waved charges can save the Chapter a few hundred dollars.
8 / Deposit for venue. / Late Sept.
9 / Get cheque from Treasurer. / Late Sept. / Send deposit to venue.
10 / Conclude & sign agreement with chosen venue. / Early Oct. / After graduation, provide signed agreement to Treasurer for filing.
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C / ENTERTAINMENT
1 / Choose appropriate entertainment. / Early October / More classical fits occasion
2 / Determine time frame during cocktail period & dinner. / Early October / Need little flexibility so dinner can start at certain time.
3 / Determine if deposit required. / Early October
4 / Get cheque from Treasurer. / Early October / Send deposit.
5 / Conclude & sign agreement with entertainment entity. / Mid to late October / After graduation, provide agreement to Treasurer for filing.
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D / SPEAKER
1 / Find speaker – 3 months in advance. / Early Sept. / Review what happens if speaker cannot attend.
2 / Help determine topic & time line with speaker (max. 15-20 minutes). / Early Sept.
3 / Get curriculum vitae. / Early Sept. / Need this for speaker introduction, printing of invitations and programs.
4 / Determine consideration (fee, honorarium, etc.). / Early Sept. / Sometimes, only a gift is required.
5 / President sends appropriate letter with invitation confirming dinner compliments of Chapter. / Mid Oct. / Done before mass mailing later in Oct.
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E / INVITATION & EMAIL BLASTS
1 / Establish date for mailing invitations (hard copy & electronic). / Early Sept. / Depends on date of graduation in Nov.
2 / Invite National guest/speaker early to enable them to coordinate their travel arrangements with other Chapter Graduations. / Early Sept. / Done by Chapter President
3 / Draft invitation, critically proof it & print it on heavier weight paper (light card weight). Ensure CIC logo is just the right size. / End of Sept. / Staples do an acceptable job at reasonable cost.
4 / Determine where electronic invitations will be used. / End of Sept. / Use in absence of mailing addresses.
5 / Draft electronic version of invitation. / End of Sept. / Use in absence of mailing addresses.
6 / Develop email blast using Chapter Communications Style Guide. See Orientation Kit. / Early Oct. / If still in effect, apply for Chapter Marketing Subsidy Program from National after graduation.
7 / Establish dates for email blasts - (min. 2). / Mid Oct. & mid. Nov. / Depends on date of graduation in Nov.
8 / Determine list of complimentary attendees: National guests & lifetime members. / Mid Oct. / These people attend compliments of Chapter.
9 / President sends appropriate letter with invitation to National guests & lifetime members confirming dinner compliments of Chapter. / Late Oct. / Done before mass mailing later in Oct.
10 / Send invitation (hard copy & electronic version) to members & students. / End of Oct. / Depends on date of graduation in Nov.
11 / Track those attending.
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F / GRADUATES, AWARD WINNERS & SPONSORS
1 / Obtain list of graduates from National office. / Mid Sept. / Need National assistance.
2 / Obtain list of CRSPs from National office. / Mid Sept. / Need National assistance.
3 / Obtain list of National award winners from National office. / Mid Sept. / Need National assistance.
4 / Determine list of local award winners with assistance from National office. / Mid Sept. / Need National assistance.
5 / Determine winner of any “regional” award (if applicable) with assistance of National office. / Mid Sept. / Need National assistance.
6 / Determine valedictorian based on marks. / Mid Sept. / Need National assistance.
7 / Phone valedictorian to confirm role. / Mid to late Sept. / President to confirm by email.
8 / Determine when National office will send certificates & awards. / Mid Sept. / ASAP
9 / President seeks out sponsors for local awards (initial contact by phone) 3 months in advance. Sponsors should make cheque payable to your Chapter. In turn, Chapter will cut cheque for award winner. / Early Sept. / Pre-determine the amount preferred from each sponsor and if that amount does or does not include one admission for sponsor.
10 / Chapter President to write appropriate thank you letter to sponsors on CIC letterhead (include hard copy invitation). / Immediately after each phone confirmation / Highly preferable that sponsors do not make cheques payable to award winners unless sponsors are prepared to cut 2 cheques (1 for award winner & 1 for Chapter).
11 / Chapter President to write a personalized letter on CIC letterhead (include hard copy invitation) affirming, congratulating & inviting graduates, CRSPs, local & National award winners. / Early to mid Oct. / Pre-determine if graduates & CRSPs attend compliments of the Chapter - at no cost for them.
12 / Align the correct bursary with the award winner. / Late Oct. or early Nov.
13 / Place cheque in envelope & label it with name of award winner, sponsor & presenter (ensure names are spelled correctly). / Late Oct. or early Nov. / Use LARGE & BOLD font on label to make it easy for presenter.
14 / Get graduate & CRSP certificates framed. / As soon as certificates received / You may have a local store that will do a good job at a reasonable cost.
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G / Program
1 / Draft of program with CIC logo on front page and menu on back page (including name of venue near bottom in smaller font). / End of Oct. / On letter size folded once.
Draft inside of program with all speeches in first half, short intermission (5 - 10 minutes max.) followed by presentation of all awards in second half. / End of Oct. / Include comment about group photo to be taken at end of graduation.
2 / Group multiple award winners together. / Avoids award winner coming to podium more than once.
3 / Critically proof program and print it – ensure all names are spelled correctly. / Staples do an acceptable job at reasonable cost. Print on heavier weight paper (letter size) so text does not show through.
4 / Program to include acknowledgement of sponsors in general and provider of flowers specifically. / The names of each sponsor are already identified by each award winner on the program.
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H / MISCELLANEOUS
1 / Arrange for flowers for graduates & award winners one month in advance. / Early Oct. / You may have a local store that will do a good job at a reasonable cost.
2 / Arrange for someone to take pictures. / Mid October / To take pictures of all speakers, individual pictures of graduates, CRSPs & award winner recipients.
3 / Bring framed certificates & awards.
4 / Bring release forms to permit photography and posting of same in newsletter.
5 / Pre-prepare receipts & bring them.
6 / Pre-prepare name labels for all attendees (use LARGE font size & BOLD) & bring them.
7 / Bring receipt book.
8 / Bring banner & fastening features for hanging so it will stay up. / Pre-check with venue how best to hang it.
9 / Bring flowers.
10 / Bring cheques or cheque book to pay bills.
11 / Bring tracking list.
12 / Arrange for pick-up or delivery of framed certificates & awards for which awardees could not attend Graduation Night to receive them. / Immediately after graduation / Each non attendee should be phoned or emailed to determine how each non attendee wishes this to be done.
13 / Do article for Chapter Newsletter about graduates and award winners. / Immediately after graduation
14 / Do a post mortem of Graduation Night & identify areas where improvements can be made for the following year. / Immediately after graduation
15 / Report to the Board. / Next Board meeting
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Revised August 29, 2009