Sub-committees & Responsibilities

Responsibilities of Chair and Chair Elect for Women of Color at Penn (WOCAP)

Chair

Set vision for the year. Set dates and locations for planning meetings. Provide a timeline for activities. Ex-officio member of all subcommittees. Ensure that minutes are taken at each planning committee meeting. Represent WOCAP in public settings.

Hold executive committee meetings made up of chairs of the subcommittees. Discuss spending with planning committee for approval. Conduct meetings in a democratic fashion.

Chair Elect

Assist the chair with carrying out responsibilities and setting direction for the year. Assist with developing agendas for planning committee meetings. Take minutes at planning committee meetings. Disseminate minutes to the executive planning committee. In the absence of the Chair, carry out the function of this position.

Committee Duties & Responsibilities

Executive Committee

The executive committee is composed of all the chairs of the subcommittees and meets regularly with the chair and chair-elect. Executive Committee assists with the planning of the agenda for upcoming meetings of the larger planning committee. Each chair is responsible for developing a vision for their committee that is within the mission of the overall Planning Committee. They are responsible for recruiting members and maintaining a list of said members. Further, chairs are responsible for developing a timeline for activities stemming from their respective committee.

Nominations & Awards Committee

The awards committee is responsible for establishing the nomination process and the criteria for each award given by WOCAP. They distribute and collect all nominations, then present them to the committee for review and finalist selection. In conjunction with the planning committee, they decide on the award inscriptions and purchase the awards. The Nomination and Awards committee prepares biographies of each award recipient for the program and press releases in conjunction with publicity committee.

Inform chair and chair-elect of all scheduled meetings. Bring suggestions and recommendations to WOCAP Planning Committee for discussion and approval. Develop a timeline for all activities. Provide bulleted minutes for inclusion in planning committee minutes. Participate in the democratic process of planning meetings.

Finance Committee

The finance committee is responsible for maintaining all funds for the budget and pays all invoices and expenses incurred by the committee.

Inform chair and chair-elect of all scheduled meetings. Bring suggestions and recommendations to WOCAP Planning Committee for discussion and approval. Develop a timeline for all fundraising activities. Provide bulleted minutes for inclusion in planning committee minutes. Participate in the democratic process of general planning meetings.

Logistics/Box Office Committee

The Logistics Committee is responsibilities for identifying the annual award program site, selecting the caterer, menu planning, recruiting volunteers, assigning hostess/ushers as needed for day of luncheon, monitoring ticket sales and developing a ticket distribution mechanism for block ticket sales that will not restrict single purchase sales. The Logistics Committee assists the fundraising and program committee with arrangements for vendors, artist, and guest authors. The members ensure that special requirements of any program participant are met (e.g. dietary restrictions, handicap transportation, restricted accessibility, security.)

Inform chair and chair-elect of all scheduled meetings. Bring suggestions and recommendations to WOCAP Planning Committee for discussion and approval. Develop a timeline for all logistical activities. Provide bulleted minutes for inclusion in planning committee minutes. Participate in the democratic process of planning meetings.

Program Committee

The Awards Program committee is responsible for identifying program content, program participants including voices of color, program presider, awards presenters, dignitaries, and special guests. Obtaining titles, abstracts, bios, and equipment needs of presenters. Members of the committee send confirmation letters/emails to each program participants. The committee plans program format and time frames for each segment of the program and is responsible for maintaining a database of dignitaries and special guests. Works closely with the Logistics committee.

Inform chair and chair-elect of all scheduled meetings. Bring suggestions and recommendations to WOCAP Planning Committee for discussion and approval. Develop a timeline for all activities. Provide bulleted minutes for inclusion in planning committee minutes. Prepare an evaluation of all programming processes to be used for the next year program planning. Participate in the democratic process of planning meetings.

Fundraising Committee

The Fundraising committee is responsible for planning calendar of fundraising events including: theatre and concert outings, meal deals, biannual arts and craft fairs, social events, sporting events, sales of souvenir items and solicitation of corporations and local business establishment for advertisements for the Awards Program Journal. The committee also develops systems of marketing and promotion for fundraising activities including flyers, brochures, newsletters, emails to listservs, and social media updates in collaboration with the Publicity Committee.

Inform  chair and chair-elect of all scheduled meetings. Bring suggestions and recommendations to WOCAP Planning Committee for discussion and approval. Develop a timeline for all activities. Provide bulleted minutes for inclusion in planning committee minutes. Participate in the democratic process of planning meetings.

Program Journal Committee

The Program Journal committee is responsible for the design and format of journal, including the cover, typing, and preparing the layout for submission to printer. The committee works with printer to ensure delivery and distribution of journal by the time of the awards program. With the assistance of the fundraising committee the journal committee develops advertising solicitation materials.

Inform chair and chair-elect of all scheduled meetings. Bring suggestions and recommendations to WOCAP Planning Committee for discussion and approval. Develop a timeline for all activities. Provide bulleted minutes for inclusion in planning committee minutes. Participate in the democratic process of planning meetings.

Communications/Engagement

The Publicity & Public Relations committee creates publications and communication devices to inform the Penn and surrounding community about WOCAP activities and events. It issues press releases and contacts the media outlets to insure media coverage. For example, the committee contacts the Philadelphia Electric Company to arrange building lighting to announce the awards day. The Internet component is responsible for maintaining the Women Of Color e-mail list. The Webpage component is responsible for maintaining the Women of Color webpage.

Inform chair and chair-elect of all scheduled meetings. Bring suggestions and recommendations to WOCAP Planning Committee for discussion and approval. Develop a timeline for all activities. Provide bulleted minutes for inclusion in planning committee minutes. Participate in the democratic process of planning meetings.