CREDIT INSTITUTE OF CANADA

Generic Task List for Chapter Graduation Committee

Chair:

Members of Graduation Committee:

This document is a “check list” and is designed to help the committee address all relevant items
requiring attention in a timely manner. The committee may revise it as necessary. As lines are added
to this document, the column headings will replicate automatically at the top of each page.

(Important items in red text)

Item Activity By Date Remarks

A REVIEW WITH CHAPTER BOARD
1 Establish graduation date with Board well in June Board Avoid choosing date in
advance. meeting November that conflicts
with any major holiday,
public or sporting event.
2 Affirm additional members for committee. June 1 or 2 more makes it easier
3 Prepare detailed budget. Early Sept. For Board approval.
Treasurer can help with
financial details.
4
5
6
B HOTEL VENUE
1 Seek out possible venues 3 months in Early Sept. Check costs for each
advance. venue.
2 Choose venue that best suits overall needs. After Sept. Be sensitive to price.
Board meeting
3 Choose menu. Late Sept. Keep in mind that some
people have allergies.
4 Confirm wine to be served by servers (no Late Sept. Choose red & white at
bottles on tables) unless wine is to be reasonable prices.
purchased by all attendees at the bar.
5 Determine table & seating arrangements. Late Sept. Round tables for 8
preferred.
6 Determine needs for bar, sound, podium, Late Sept. Determine required needs
audio/visual, coat racks, tables & location for speaker. Depending on
for registration & display etc. size of room, registration
table & coat rack can be in
the room.
7 Determine point at which charges are Late Sept. Waved charges can save
waved for dining room & bar setup the Chapter a few hundred
depending on number of attendees & bar dollars.
sales respectively.
8 Deposit for venue. Late Sept.
9 Get cheque from Treasurer. Late Sept. Send deposit to venue.
10 Conclude & sign agreement with chosen Early Oct. After graduation, provide
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Item Activity By Date Remarks
venue. signed agreement to
Treasurer for filing.
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C ENTERTAINMENT
1 Choose appropriate entertainment. Early October More classical fits occasion
2 Determine time frame during cocktail period Early October Need little flexibility so
& dinner. dinner can start at certain
time.
3 Determine if deposit required. Early October
4 Get cheque from Treasurer. Early October Send deposit.
5 Conclude & sign agreement with Mid to late After graduation, provide
entertainment entity. October agreement to Treasurer for
filing.
6
7
8
D SPEAKER
1 Find speaker – 3 months in advance. Early Sept. Review what happens if
speaker cannot attend.
2 Help determine topic & time line with Early Sept.
speaker (max. 15-20 minutes).
3 Get curriculum vitae. Early Sept. Need this for speaker
introduction, printing of
invitations and programs.
4 Determine consideration (fee, honorarium, Early Sept. Sometimes, only a gift is
etc.). required.
5 President sends appropriate letter with Mid Oct. Done before mass mailing
invitation confirming dinner compliments of later in Oct.
Chapter.
6
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E INVITATION & EMAIL BLASTS
1 Establish date for mailing invitations (hard Early Sept. Depends on date of
copy & electronic). graduation in Nov.
2 Invite National guest/speaker early to Early Sept. Done by Chapter President
enable them to coordinate their travel
arrangements with other Chapter
Graduations.
3 Draft invitation, critically proof it & print it on End of Sept. Staples do an acceptable
heavier weight paper (light card weight). job at reasonable cost.
Ensure CIC logo is just the right size.
4 Determine where electronic invitations will End of Sept. Use in absence of mailing
be used. addresses.
5 Draft electronic version of invitation. End of Sept. Use in absence of mailing
addresses.
6 Develop email blast using Chapter Early Oct. If still in effect, apply for
Communications Style Guide. See Chapter Marketing
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Item Activity By Date Remarks
Orientation Kit. Subsidy Program from
National after graduation.
7 Establish dates for email blasts - (min. 2). Mid Oct. & mid. Depends on date of
Nov. graduation in Nov.
8 Determine list of complimentary attendees: Mid Oct. These people attend
National guests & lifetime members. compliments of Chapter.
9 President sends appropriate letter with Late Oct. Done before mass mailing
invitation to National guests & lifetime later in Oct.
members confirming dinner compliments of
Chapter.
10 Send invitation (hard copy & electronic End of Oct. Depends on date of
version) to members & students. graduation in Nov.
11 Track those attending.
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F GRADUATES, AWARD WINNERS &
SPONSORS
1 Obtain list of graduates from National office. Mid Sept. Need National assistance.
2 Obtain list of CRSPs from National office. Mid Sept. Need National assistance.
3 Obtain list of National award winners from Mid Sept. Need National assistance.
National office.
4 Determine list of local award winners with Mid Sept. Need National assistance.
assistance from National office.
5 Determine winner of any “regional” award (if Mid Sept. Need National assistance.
applicable) with assistance of National
office.
6 Determine valedictorian based on marks. Mid Sept. Need National assistance.
7 Phone valedictorian to confirm role. Mid to late President to confirm by
Sept. email.
8 Determine when National office will send Mid Sept. ASAP
certificates & awards.
9 President seeks out sponsors for local Early Sept. Pre-determine the amount
awards (initial contact by phone) 3 months preferred from each
in advance. Sponsors should make cheque sponsor and if that amount
payable to your Chapter. In turn, Chapter does or does not include
will cut cheque for award winner. one admission for sponsor.
10 Chapter President to write appropriate Immediately Highly preferable that
thank you letter to sponsors on CIC after each sponsors do not make
letterhead (include hard copy invitation). phone cheques payable to award
confirmation winners unless sponsors
are prepared to cut 2
cheques (1 for award
winner & 1 for Chapter).
11 Chapter President to write a personalized Early to mid Pre-determine if graduates
letter on CIC letterhead (include hard copy Oct. & CRSPs attend
invitation) affirming, congratulating & compliments of the Chapter
inviting graduates, CRSPs, local & National - at no cost for them.
award winners.
12 Align the correct bursary with the award Late Oct. or
winner. early Nov.
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Item Activity By Date Remarks
13 Place cheque in envelope & label it with Late Oct. or Use LARGE & BOLD font
name of award winner, sponsor & presenter early Nov. on label to make it easy for
(ensure names are spelled correctly). presenter.
14 Get graduate & CRSP certificates framed. As soon as You may have a local store
certificates that will do a good job at a
received reasonable cost.
15
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G Program
1 Draft of program with CIC logo on front End of Oct. On letter size folded once.
page and menu on back page (including
name of venue near bottom in smaller font).
Draft inside of program with all speeches in End of Oct. Include comment about
first half, short intermission (5 - 10 minutes group photo to be taken at
max.) followed by presentation of all awards end of graduation.
in second half.
2 Group multiple award winners together. Avoids award winner
coming to podium more
than once.
3 Critically proof program and print it – ensure Staples do an acceptable
all names are spelled correctly. job at reasonable cost.
Print on heavier weight
paper (letter size) so text
does not show through.
4 Program to include acknowledgement of The names of each
sponsors in general and provider of flowers sponsor are already
specifically. identified by each award
winner on the program.
5
6
7
H MISCELLANEOUS
1 Arrange for flowers for graduates & award Early Oct. You may have a local store
winners one month in advance. that will do a good job at a
reasonable cost.
2 Arrange for someone to take pictures. Mid October To take pictures of all
speakers, individual
pictures of graduates,
CRSPs & award winner
recipients.
3 Bring framed certificates & awards.
4 Bring release forms to permit photography
and posting of same in newsletter.
5 Pre-prepare receipts & bring them.
6 Pre-prepare name labels for all attendees
(use LARGE font size & BOLD) & bring
them.
7 Bring receipt book.
8 Bring banner & fastening features for Pre-check with venue how
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Item Activity By Date Remarks
hanging so it will stay up. best to hang it.
9 Bring flowers.
10 Bring cheques or cheque book to pay bills.
11 Bring tracking list.
12 Arrange for pick-up or delivery of framed Immediately Each non attendee should
certificates & awards for which awardees after graduation be phoned or emailed to
could not attend Graduation Night to determine how each non
receive them. attendee wishes this to be
done.
13 Do article for Chapter Newsletter about Immediately
graduates and award winners. after graduation
14 Do a post mortem of Graduation Night & Immediately
identify areas where improvements can be after graduation
made for the following year.
15 Report to the Board. Next Board
meeting
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Revised August 29, 2009