Chapter 3: Branch Options

Effective Student Branch Operations comes from knowing how to develop a varied and interesting program of activities for your Student members, using the vast resources at your disposal, and informing students of the many awards and scholarships that the IEEE sponsors. The intent of this section is to provide you with some ideas on how to revitalize your Branch if it has been inactive, or how to provide new services to your members if your Branch is alive and well.

Section 1: Branch Program

Part 1: Branch Planning

Part 2: Branch Planing Workshop

Part 3: Reporting Requirements

Part 4: The IEEE Student Branch Calendar

In planning your Branch activities and programs for the year, it is important to keep in mind that you must design a varied and interesting schedule of events. It doesn't matter whether your Branch has 10, 50 or 200 members – students will not give up their precious free time to attend boring meetings or work on disorganized projects.

Experience throughout the years has shown that it is impossible to satisfy the interest of all Student members with just one type of activity. Some students join solely for the technical benefits, others for the social benefits, and still others for a combination of both. One way to come up with an interesting list of activities is to have a brainstorming session with your Executive Committee. Have each person take a different point of view and compile a list of events. You can then discuss this list in greater detail and decide which projects would be worthwhile to undertake. Keep the list generated during the brainstorming session, as ideas might be useful during the year.

When choosing an event, you should ask yourself several questions to evaluate the potential of that event. Among the things you should consider are:

Will this event attract new members?
Is the event actually feasible? Do you have the resources to carry it through? (e.g. time, people, funding)
How will it satisfy the needs of existing members?
Does it meet a specific need of your Branch?
Will you need to undertake a fundraising effort to hold this event?

Once you have decided on a program of activities for the year, you need to find the people to help you organize these activities. By having a varied program, you can involve members that are not on your Executive Committee. These team efforts give each member the chance for some leadership experience. By delegating the responsibility and authority, you not only reduce the workload for yourself, you also give the other members a chance to actively participate and improve their skills. The more people you get involved in planning and organizing events, the more people you will have attending those events. If your Branch is viewed as being "elitist", you will quickly find that members don't have the time to help, and your Branch will gradually become inactive. You should take every opportunity to involve as many members (and even non-members) as possible.

Depending on the size of your Branch, you may have a Program Committee that takes care of all the events, or a collection of sub-committees for each event. Either way, if you approach the tasks with the following attitude, you will improve the chances of your program being a success:

Always approach the program as a professional, everyone's time is precious;
Establish a reasonable timeline and stick to it;
Keep everyone who is involved up-to-date with written or oral reports. If someone feels left out, he or she is less likely to contribute;
Whenever possible, utilize the special talents of all your Student members in the committee;
Remember to have fun while you are doing things.

The following is a list of some activities that Student Branches have undertaken in past years. You can also refer to the Student Concourse web site at www.ieee.org/students for up-to-date information on Branch Programs.

Schedule speakers on technical or professional subjects;
Enter design competitions (e.g., Micromouse, Region Hardware Competition);
Hold Student Professional Awareness Conferences (S-PACs);
Hold Student Professional Awareness Ventures (S-PAVes);
Design a Student Branch web site and enter the Web site contest;
Organize field trips to Industry;
Give tutorials to junior students;
Organize sales of lab kits, lab manuals, solved past exams;
Raise funds for charity or Student Branch projects;
Participate in IEEE conferences;
Publish a Student Branch newsletter;
Participate in Engineering awareness programs;
Visit other Student Branches;
Host annual "Welcome Back", "End of School" picnics or barbecues (whatever is popular in your culture.

Section 2: Branch Resources

Part 1: IEEE Web site and Web accounts

Part 2: IEEE Student Branch Library Subscription

There are a number of resources available to help you plan and implement your program of activities. Local agencies such as the Association of Professional Engineers or the Chamber of Commerce can help you find technical and non-technical speakers. Local industry may also be willing to provide speakers and tours of their facilities. Finally, the network of IEEE volunteers is your biggest asset. A partial list of available resources follows:

IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Visitors Program. The Computer Society has established a list of more than 50 distinguished speakers who are funded to speak at Student Branches. A list of speakers may be obtained by writing the:

IEEE Computer Society

Headquarters Office

1730 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20036-1992

Distinguished Visitors Program sponsored by other IEEE Societies. Information and a list of these speakers is on the web at. This list is continually updated as more societies and speakers join the program.
Faculty members on campus, including those in other engineering departments, law, business, medicine, can also provide interesting speakers.
The Section Student Activities Chair can provide you with help in finding speakers, arranging tours, organizing a Student Paper Competition, and finding financial support.
Your Branch Counselor and Branch Mentor can provide you with help in finding speakers, arranging tours, and finding financial support at the Section or Region level.
For information on IEEE resources, grants, scholarships, and awards that the IEEE sponsors, you can visit the Student Concourse web site at www.ieee/org/students or www.ieee.org/scholarships..

The IEEE Program Resource Guide is available from Student Services. This booklet gives ideas on audio-visual materials, distinguished lecture contacts, IEEE Videoconferences, and Program suggestions.

Section 3: Student Awards

Part 1: Student Paper Competition

Part 2: IEEE Regional Exemplary Student Branch Award, Regional Outstanding Student Branch Award and RAB Outstanding Student Branch Award

Part 3: Outstanding Student Branch Counselor and Chapter Advisor Award

Part 4: Larry K. Wilson Regional Student Activities Award

Part 5: AT&T Labs Student Enterprise Award

Part 6: Student Branch Web site contest

Part 7: Computer Society Richard E. Merwin Scholarship

Part 8: Charles LeGeyt Fortescue Fellowship

Part 9: IEEE Life Member’s Committee Fellowship In Electrical History

Part 10: Regional Activities Board Certificate Awards

Among the benefits of being an IEEE Student member are the many awards and scholarships for which students are eligible. One of your duties in providing a well-rounded program to your Branch members is to ensure that they are informed of the opportunities available to them. This document contains information about some of the standard IEEE student awards. Most regions sponsor specific awards, and details of these awards, are administered on a regional basis. Additional details may be available as an appendix to this document. Information on all IEEE awards is available from IEEE Student Services and your RSAC.