THE DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIALS IN AN ORGANIZATION

WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF THE SOCIAL CHAIR IN AN ORGANIZATION?

Organizations generally have a core mission on which they must focus to succeed in their purpose. However, there are other roles in the organization that ensure participation in other areas of business, including a social role. To market properly, businesses and organizations should have some kind of social role, which is where a social chair comes in. She not only ensures that organizations throw affairs of their own but also plans a presence at other events. There is an array of other duties associated with this position.

Organization of Social Functions

The core mission of a social chair is to organize social events that highlight the organization for which he works. This might be a large-scale gala that doubles as a fundraiser for your group or simply an entertaining and light party-like event that promotes the fun side of your organization. As the social chair, you coordinate these events from start to finish.

Attendance at Other Events

As the organization's social chair, you could also be responsible for attending other events on behalf of the organization for which you work. This raises the visibility of the organization overall and allows you to network with people from other groups. This is particularly beneficial if your organization is on the lookout for new business or increasing membership within the group.

Maintain Social Calendar

As the social chair, you are expected to put together, present and maintain the social calendar for the organization. This includes events that you will attend in addition to events that you expect other organization members to attend. You are responsible for presenting the calendar and getting approval on the events you've planned and chosen from other senior group members. You are also responsible for changes that occur as the year goes on, meaning you might need to add and delete events accordingly.

Coordination of Social Press Coverage

The social pages really matter in some locales, and as the social chair it is up to you to coordinate and document any socially oriented press coverage you receive. This might consist of photo clippings from your local newspaper of organization members attending a function or local press coverage of an event put on by your organization. Often, the social chair creates a look book of this coverage so that members can see what's been accomplished by the organization in terms of social visibility.

What Is the Role of an Event Coordinator in a Social Club?

If you have an outgoing personality, the ability to communicate with people from differing backgrounds and a bit of theatrical flair, an event coordinator position might be your thing. Event coordinators do as their name suggests -- they plan and organize special events or club activities. Social clubs come in all types, shapes and sizes and are formed around the common interests of its members.

Planning and Organization

At event coordinator must have detailed planning and organization skills. He makes arrangements for all club activities including dinner events or parties, special events, annual meeting or conferences, open houses, receptions or social mixers to attract new club members. His planning activities include developing the event's program, including when and where to hold it and managing costs. He also may schedule special fundraising events for the club or outside charitable organizations. He oversees the club's social activities and happenings.

Budget Development

Each year the club develops a budget for salaries, expenses and its planned activities. The event planner or coordinator must come up with individual budgets for each event scheduled throughout the year. He estimates the costs, attendance and performance fees, if any, associated with the event. He also needs to project or estimate ticket prices to cover the costs or come up with ideas to help the club raise funds for free member events.

Arranging Activities

For events that involve a sit-down luncheon, dinner or all-day event, the coordinator makes all the food and beverage arrangements. He interviews and qualifies a list of caterers or vendors for the event, ideas for the menu, locations for events, decorations, marketing materials and more. He works with key club directors or officers to finalize the event's activities.

Publicity, Communication and Marketing

A club's event coordinator requires the ability to connect and communicate both verbally and in writing with people from diverse backgrounds or cultures. He prepares all press releases, publicity and marketing materials for club-sponsored events. He oversees or handles advertising, brochures, pamphlets, fliers and ticket production as well for these events. He also may regularly attend club board meetings to keep directors and officers informed of planned events.

Leadership and Direction

Event coordinators provide leadership and direction to staff and committee members and volunteers. In events that include performances, the event coordinator auditions professional performers, arranges their contracts and schedules when they perform. He negotiates contracts with all types of vendors as needed for club events. On the day of the scheduled event he oversees site setup, vendor placement, performers, caterers and volunteers. He makes himself available for the crises that inevitably arise.

Social Functions

Social functions, such as dances, parties, and receptions, are a valuable part of student life. To make a positive contribution, however, they must be conducted with consideration for others. This entails, in addition to the requirements set forth below, keeping the sound level within reasonable limits and leaving the area used neat and clean. Violation of these regulations may result in disciplinary action by the head of a student’s college or by the Yale College Executive Committee.

A. Organized social functions

Social functions shall be deemed organized if they are financed, even in part, by funds administered by the Undergraduate Organizations Committee (UOC) or the University or if they are held in general access areas such as the common rooms, lounges, dining halls, courtyards, or entryways of residential colleges and the Old Campus, or other University buildings or common areas.

B. Advance approval

Approval of the head of college must be obtained no later than two days in advance of any organized social function anywhere in a college or in its annexes or in an affiliated entry on the Old Campus. If a college dining hall is to be used, permission must also be obtained in advance from the dining hall manager. Use of any other University premises for an organized social function requires advance approval of the appropriate authority including the Yale Police Department, the Fire Code Compliance Service, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, and the Office of Risk Management. If alcoholic beverages will be served, approval must be obtained at least one week prior to the event.

Private social functions in students’ rooms in the residential colleges, in the college annexes, and on the Old Campus at which more than twenty participants are expected require advance approval by the head of college. These private social functions may not make use of the general access areas listed in section A above and may not have more than fifty participants at any one time.

C. Responsibility of hosts

For each organized or private social function in a residential college, in a college annex, or on the Old Campus that requires the approval of the head of college, a host or sponsoring organization must be designated to the head of college in advance. That individual or organization assumes responsibility for the orderly conduct and prompt conclusion of the event, as well as for cleaning the area used and returning furnishings to their proper places. In addition, the host or sponsoring organization will be liable for any expenses arising from damage to University premises or property or injuries to people. If alcoholic beverages are to be served, the host, who must be of legal drinking age, assumes responsibility for adherence to the state law that prohibits the service of alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of twenty-one or to anyone who is intoxicated (CT General Statute, Section 30-89a). If at a private function the number of participants unexpectedly exceeds fifty, the host must reduce the number of guests or end the function.

D. Presence of police

If fifty or more persons are expected to attend an organized social function on campus where alcoholic beverages are served, an off-duty campus police officer must be engaged by the sponsoring organization and must be present throughout the event. The person or organization sponsoring such an organized social function must notify the Yale Police Department at least two weeks prior to the event. The chief of the Yale Police Department, or his or her designee, will determine whether police services are needed and the number of police appropriate for the event. The sponsor of the event will be financially responsible for police services. If the actual number of people attending an organized social function unexpectedly exceeds fifty, it is the obligation of the host to telephone the Yale Police Department at once. A head of college or the chief of the Yale Police Department or his or her designee may require that more than one police officer be present if attendance at a function is expected to be large or if the college’s geography makes gate attendance and general surveillance difficult for a single officer. At the discretion of the head of college or the chief of the Yale Police Department, it may also be prudent and appropriate to engage an off-duty officer for events where there are no alcoholic beverages served.

E. Bartenders

For organized events on campus at which alcoholic beverages are to be served, arrangements must be made at least a week in advance with Yale Dining for bartending service by off-duty dining services personnel. At the time these arrangements are made, the student hosts must reach agreement with the dining hall manager and the head of college regarding the procedures for checking identification cards, the number of bartenders needed, and other preparations. The number of bartenders needed will depend upon the expected attendance and the procedures to be used for checking identification cards. In all cases, bartenders must be provided with adequate student help for moving supplies and necessary tasks other than actual serving of alcoholic beverages.

F. Hours

All social functions, organized or private, that take place on University property must end no later than 11 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights and 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. With the head of college's approval, a college social committee may each term sponsor one organized function that extends until 2 a.m. on a Friday or Saturday night.

G. Admission charges

Admission charges may be levied for organized social functions only in the event of substantial entertainment costs and never to cover the purchase of alcoholic beverages. No admission charge or any other fee may be levied for private social functions on or off campus.

H. Service of alcoholic beverages

Any service of alcoholic beverages at a social function, whether organized or private, must be in full compliance with the laws of the State of Connecticut and the Yale College regulations on alcoholic beverages. heads of college, deans, dining hall personnel, and the Yale Police Department are authorized to request a student’s identification card in order to confirm that he or she has reached legal drinking age.

I. Nonalcoholic beverages and food

At any event on or off campus at which alcoholic beverages are served, there must also be available nonalcoholic beverages and food in adequate amounts.

J. Advertisements

Posters or other announcements of campus functions must be approved by the head of college or designated department or office representative before they are posted or circulated. They must comply with University policy on posters. (See Student Activities and Extracurricular Activities, section J, “Posters and Publicity.”) All notices of such events, including those on social media, may contain no advertising of the availability of alcoholic beverages.

K. Record keeping

All student organizations that receive funds from the University must keep precise financial records of those funds. They must provide details of the amount expended for social functions within three weeks of the event, including the return of unused funds and a full account reconciliation. Those records must be accessible at all times to appropriate University officials.

L. Abuses

In the event of abuses, such as the passing of alcoholic beverages to persons other than those who receive them at the bar or verbal abuse of bartenders or police, the police will warn that service is being jeopardized. If that warning is not heeded, the police may close the bar. It is the responsibility of the host (or host organization) to monitor the behavior of students or other guests and to maintain the general decorum of the event.

M. Social functions off campus

Social functions in off-campus locations hosted by Yale College students (or organizations in which the majority of members are Yale College students) must be registered with the Yale College Dean’s Office at least two days in advance of the event if fifty or more students are expected to attend. A host or sponsoring organization must be designated in advance.