Rebuilding the University SPS Group: Seeking Advice & Ideas

[Varaia]

Sadly the sps group at my university is in shambles and we are trying to make it selfsustaining. Basically we are starting over. I'm just sending out the call to anyone who has any sps ideas or management advice and to e-mail me. I will most likely become the president next quarter since I seem like the only one with time, energy and interest to keep the sps active. I'm very good at recruiting so I have arranged a meeting/luncheon for newest members but if anyone has any ideas on how to keep members in the group that would be graciously appreciated. But I am basically a new member myself so I figure I should probably ask around to see what other members have done. So that I don't end up leading these people in the wrong direction.

 

[amb123]

Ok, i'll bite... What is SPS?

(I might already know, but can't pull it up because it is overwritten with sps = small polyp stony corals:P )

Good luck w/your club.
-A

 

[Math Is Hard]

Sour Pickle Society?
I'll join!

 

[Moonbear]

Could you please spell out what SPS stands for? I don't know either. Hard to help if we don't know what your acronym means.

 

[ktpr2]

society of professional students?

 

[Dr Transport]

Society of Physics Students (SPS) is the organization. It is a sister organization to the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).

I suggest that you try to get some faculty member or the department to sponsor a lunch/coffee session where you invite the physics majors to come and see what this is all about. Then with their help go to ALL of the faculty to ask them if they would be intersted in giving a talk at the undergraduate level to your organization. Ask them to include any words of wisdom that they can share. From there you can branch out, collect dues and get into the unversity student association. You'll need to check with the student government about minimum numbers of memboers and officer elections. It usually takes a full semester to get recognized and maybe next year you'll get some of the student fees that are collected.

As a former officer (treasurer, vp, pres) of both an undergrad association and a graduate association (multiple universities) I spent a lot of time working these issues. Since I am no longer associated with an institution of higher learning, I am no longer involved with students and that is all the info I can give right now.

 

[PICsmith]

I am a member of the SPS at my college and we have been one of the more active clubs at the university. I would suggest that you have meetings once every two weeks or so at a time that is conveinint for all the members, and also advertise with fliers around the building and BRING PIZZA (be sure to advertise that there's free pizza ). That always gets people to show up.

Get the facutly involved. See if someone can arrange for a trip to somewhere nearby. A couple years ago we drove to California and stayed the night there. We visited the Lawrence Livermore National Lab and got a guided tour of the National Ignition Facitly, and we also we to the National Lab at Berkeley and got a tour of the Advanced Light Source there. 6 or 7 studends went and we all had an awesome time.

Find a couple other motivated, responsible students to be vice president, secretary, etc. so they can help out. Set up a bank account for any money you are given or have earned. Maybe have a booksale or organize a department barbequeue or whatever -- be creative. Hope that gives you some ideas, good luck!

 

[thecolor11]

At my university, it's hard to organize SPS events because all of the members are friends anyway. So if we're going to do something together, we just do it. This makes organizing SPS events pretty much pointless. Being a student organization is nice at times though (like when you need money). Right now we're requesting some money from the university to put a couple new computers in our SPS study room.

 

[Integral]

It doesn't hurt to have active alumi in the area. Last spring, Ivan, myself and one of my coworkers, met with SPS at the local university (we are all alumni and ex SPS members). We provided a rather broad look at life after a Physics degree. I am looking forward to doing it again.