Traveling Consultants

beachgirl87 · #1 04-20-2007, 03:49 PM

Hi all!!! I was just elected hospitality chair of my chapter and one of my main responsibilities is going to be the planning for the visit of the traveling consultant. Has/is anyone on here ever been a consultant? If so, what have been your favorite activities you've done while visiting chapters? Chapter members, what are some kinds of activities (besides the typical meetings and dinners that are pretty standard) that have worked out well???

(... and I apologize in advance if this has been discussed before. I did a search but didn't come up with a lot, so if there have been any really useful threads, could some one post them??? Thanks!!!

)

KSUViolet06 · #2 04-20-2007, 03:53 PM

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=75053

33girl · #3 04-20-2007, 03:53 PM

When the consultant comes, much of her visit is going to be spent in meetings with members and on the phone to HQ. She won't have a lot of free time, and that which she does, she may want to use to catch up on her sleep!

Make sure she has access to laundry and gym facilities.

If you have a mixer or other activities scheduled, invite her along, but I don't know that I would plan anything "special" for while she's there. She is there to observe your chapter's day to day life.

beachgirl87 · #4 04-20-2007, 04:06 PM

I've read in the booklet that I received that consultants should be given the opportunity to get to know the sisters of the chapter outside of the business and because visits can last up to a week, some fun activities should be planned... we've done things in the past such as a welcoming luai, a night out in Boston, etc. and I didn't know if anyone else had anything that they had experienced that really worked... also, we don't have a house or anything, so she'll be staying in our President's single. Do you usually take her out for dinner at a restaurant? Or just escort her to the dining hall??? A little of both??? We did not receive a visit this year, so many of the active sisters have never had a visit before and we really want to make the consultant feel welcome!

kddani · #5 04-20-2007, 04:21 PM

A recent alumnae from my chapter will be starting as a traveling consultant for KD this summer. She's also a GCer - her screenname is ta kala, you may want to PM her for ideas

Tom Earp · #6 04-20-2007, 04:28 PM

National visitors are there to find out if you have problems and try to help you with them.

Just be honest with them and they can help more than you can imagine!

Do they send reports, of course, that is their job. They are there to help, remember, they are Sisters and have been there and done it at their local chapter! They are dedicated or they would not be there for you!

Our ECL's usually join for a two year tour as it is time comsuming for them to travel across the country.

Does it matter that you have no house, NO! They are used to it and know if you do or not.

Just be yourselves and if you have problems then talk to them about it and if you are having problems, ask for their help! They do have a lot of knowledge or can find out for you!

Have fun, be courtious, and help her out as much as she will for you!

AGDLynn · #7 04-20-2007, 06:52 PM

As a CA, I usually tried to meet her the 1st night (most of the time I was the one to either pick her up or take her to the airport since I live close to it).

If time allows, it would probably be nice for her to meet the advisers to get their take on how your chapter is doing..to brag alot but to also pinpoint any issues that need to be addressed. (Some of these may be the same thing that the advisers have been saying all along, lol).

Plus they probably know some great new songs!

lauralaylin · #8 04-20-2007, 08:40 PM

As an adviser, I always tried to take the consultants out to dinner or a movie. You'd be surprised how little they get to do those things. If I can't do something like that, the chapter usually does. Something simple and easy to plan and execute.

AOIIalum · #9 04-20-2007, 09:21 PM

My current position involves travelling a few times a year to visit my chapters. Don't hesitate to ask your consultant before she arrives if there is something specific she'd like to do or see while visiting! I always appreciate a campus tour and spending time with advisers (which also gives the chapter a break from "entertaining" for an afternoon or evening). If you're in or near Boston, you have a treasure trove of sightseeing options available to you! If she likes to work out make sure to put that on her schedule. Offer to get her a guest pass (if available) to your campus facilities and have sisters sign up to accompany her to the gym or take her to a workout class.

As for meals, I'm lucky that my chapters have some great on-campus dining options so I don't mind eating on campus and if members have excess meal plan funds it's cost-effective for them. She probably won't mind eating on campus, especially if that's the norm! On a recent a few of the chapter members cooked a wonderful dinner for me at their apartment. I loved that! Make sure you include your meal escorts on the schedule, so your consultant knows when and who will be accompanying her for meals. Meals are also a great way for informal time with chapter members!

A few more tips to make your consultant visit go smoothly include scheduling "office hours" daily so she can work on paperwork, make phone calls, and such. If it's a "meeting" day for her, try to work in short 15-30 minute breaks every few hours. It can be very difficult for a consultant if she has 7-8 hours of meetings without a break or meal scheduled! If she does not have a laptop make sure there is a computer with internet access and printer available for her use. Ask her preferences in advance about meeting times. She understands that she will have to work around class schedules, but probably doesn't want to be holding scheduled officer meetings late into the night. Last thing--if there is a chapter event on the calendar that might require a certain dress code (recruitment functions, for example) let her know before her arrival. She'll appreciate the extra thoughtfulness!

ISUKappa · #10 04-20-2007, 11:53 PM

I know the LCs that visited the chapter I advised always enjoyed having time to work out, going for coffee or ice cream with a few chapter members, getting tours around campus, watching movies, and in general just hanging out if they had downtime.

gphiangel624 · #11 04-21-2007, 12:03 AM

As an undergrad I got to spend a lot of time with our TC's and they gave great reviews of what our chapter would do for them! The most important thing is making sure you work with your requirements for scheduling - not all organizations require the schedule to be made by the chapter officers, but if that's the case, do it in advance! If you're picking her up from an airport, be sure to have some sort of way for her to recognize you - balloons with your sorority colors, a sign with her name on it, wear your letters, etc. Don't make her search for you - and don't be late. Better to wait for her if her flight is delayed than make her wait. First impressions you know?

Our TC's typically stay at a member's house/apartment since we don't have chapter houses. If your national rules restrict living with men or have special visiting hours (even for houses not owned by the chapter), it's best to follow those rules during her visit and don't put her up at a house where men are living as well. One TC told me nightmares about hearing her chapter host with her boyfriend in her room every night... not a great impression to make.

I meet with a LOT of TC's through my job as a Greek Advisor and all that I've met with who have had a real, home-cooked meal during their visit have raved about it. Sometimes TCs get sick of eating out all the time; find out what her favorite things to eat are and have your best cook in your membership make her dinner a couple of nights.

One other thing - keep in mind that your Greek Advisor discusses the chapter's status on campus with the TC (and many times what is discussed is already known by the chapter leadership). Be sure that if the TC is supposed to meet with the Advisor, that she does and that an appointment is scheduled in advance of her arrival, for everyone's convenience. Make sure she's on time and that you are present at the conclusion of her meeting as well.

Good luck!

GeekyPenguin · #12 04-21-2007, 12:10 AM

We always like to email our CLCs to see if they have any dietary preferences or special needs. That way if they are a vegan or lactose intolerant we don't take them out for burgers and shakes!

Our chapter also has a list we use from year to year that explains laundry, phone calls, workout facilities on campus, where the internet access for them will be, where in town to go if they need to pick up some things, etc. We also like to give them a basket with little extras they might need like some hair ties, a small lotion, detergent, and the name and number of a sister who is "on call" for them each day. We put fresh towels on their bed along with a key to the house and have a binder with a composites and a short bio of each member (which we have anyway for recruitment.)

beachgirl87 · #13 04-21-2007, 01:04 AM

Ooooo!!! Those are some really good ideas! I really like the idea of giving her one of the spare composites and bios for each sister... I know I'm the kind of person who needs a picture to put a face with a name. I also think that the idea of planning several different activities and then letting her make the call of what (if) she'd like to do something. One more question... do you hold meetings in the apartment where the TC is staying or should we book a room on campus???

GeekyPenguin · #14 04-21-2007, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beachgirl87

Ooooo!!! Those are some really good ideas! I really like the idea of giving her one of the spare composites and bios for each sister... I know I'm the kind of person who needs a picture to put a face with a name. I also think that the idea of planning several different activities and then letting her make the call of what (if) she'd like to do something. One more question... do you hold meetings in the apartment where the TC is staying or should we book a room on campus???

We always asked ours what they would prefer - some want to stay in our house for the day, others want to get out and see the campus.

My chapter was pretty good at consultant visits, I think - we were always so nervous for them that we'd overprepare!

AOIIalum · #15 04-21-2007, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beachgirl87

Ooooo!!! Those are some really good ideas! I really like the idea of giving her one of the spare composites and bios for each sister... I know I'm the kind of person who needs a picture to put a face with a name. I also think that the idea of planning several different activities and then letting her make the call of what (if) she'd like to do something. One more question... do you hold meetings in the apartment where the TC is staying or should we book a room on campus???

These are all wonderful ideas! My vote for meeting location is on campus, so it's convenient for members to find her. She'll probably appreciate having a seperate place for meetings, so when she's at the apartment she can really relax. Down time is precious when you're traveling like that!