STC Community Handbook

Society for Technical Communication
Community Handbook

Society for Technical Communication Community Handbook Page 2
Revised Edition, 2013
Copyright 2013 Society for Technical Communication

Table of Contents
The Society for Technical Communication and Its Communities .......................................................10
Community Definitions ................................................................................................................................10
Chapters ..................................................................................................................................................10
Special Interest Groups...........................................................................................................................10
Leadership Calendar...................................................................................................................................11
Community Success Plan ...........................................................................................................................11
Bylaws.........................................................................................................................................................13
Writing Bylaws that Avoid Conflict with Society Bylaws ..........................................................................13
Bylaws for Communities Outside the United States................................................................................14
How to Develop Bylaws...........................................................................................................................14
Review and Approval of Bylaws ..............................................................................................................14
Mission Statement.......................................................................................................................................15
Goals...........................................................................................................................................................15
Strategic Plan..............................................................................................................................................15
Budgets .......................................................................................................................................................16
Getting Started ............................................................................................................................................17
Where to Look for Help ...............................................................................................................................17
STC Office Staff.......................................................................................................................................17
Community Affairs Committee.................................................................................................................17
CAC Outreach Team...............................................................................................................................17
Leadership Resources Web Page...........................................................................................................18
Board of Directors....................................................................................................................................18
Communities............................................................................................................................................18
Available Email Lists and MySTC Groups...............................................................................................18
Leadership Transition and/or Leadership Retreat ......................................................................................19
SIG Business Meetings...............................................................................................................................19
Conducting a Successful SIG Business Meeting ....................................................................................19
Community Elections ..................................................................................................................................20

Summit Communities Reception.................................................................................................................21
Community Leadership Teams and Committees ..................................................................................22
Community Leadership Team.....................................................................................................................22
Responsibilities of Community Leaders......................................................................................................23
Chapter President/SIG Manager or Co-managers..................................................................................23
Vice President/SIG Assistant Manager ...................................................................................................24
Secretary .................................................................................................................................................24
Treasurer .................................................................................................................................................25
Immediate Past President or Immediate Past Manager..........................................................................25
Possible Committees and Responsibilities .................................................................................................26
Competitions............................................................................................................................................26
Employment.............................................................................................................................................26
Hospitality ................................................................................................................................................26
Membership.............................................................................................................................................26
Newsletter................................................................................................................................................27
Nominations.............................................................................................................................................27
Programs .................................................................................................................................................28
Publicity/Public Relations ........................................................................................................................28
Social Media ............................................................................................................................................28
Surveys....................................................................................................................................................28
Web Site ..................................................................................................................................................28
Workshops or Conferences.....................................................................................................................28
Leadership Day at the Summit....................................................................................................................29
Programs....................................................................................................................................................30
Identifying Program Topics .........................................................................................................................30
Choosing Presenters...................................................................................................................................31
Finding Meeting Venues .............................................................................................................................32
Meeting Formats .........................................................................................................................................32
Webinars .....................................................................................................................................................33
Workshops and Conferences......................................................................................................................34
Setting Prices for Programs ........................................................................................................................34

Communication .........................................................................................................................................36
Communication Plan...................................................................................................................................36
Newsletter ...................................................................................................................................................37
Why Have a Newsletter?.........................................................................................................................37
What do I Need For a Community Newsletter?.......................................................................................37
Advertising...............................................................................................................................................38
Email List.....................................................................................................................................................38
Web Sites and Blogs...................................................................................................................................38
Chapters and SIGs ..................................................................................................................................39
Society Web Site .....................................................................................................................................39
STC’s Notebook ......................................................................................................................................39
Member Blogs .........................................................................................................................................39
Social Media................................................................................................................................................40
MySTC.....................................................................................................................................................40
LinkedIn ...................................................................................................................................................40
Twitter......................................................................................................................................................40
Hashtags..............................................................................................................................................40
Facebook.................................................................................................................................................40
Facebook Pages..................................................................................................................................41
Facebook Groups ................................................................................................................................41
Pinterest...................................................................................................................................................41
Other Tools..................................................................................................................................................41
SurveyMonkey.........................................................................................................................................41
Basic (Free) Membership.....................................................................................................................41
Select Membership ..............................................................................................................................41
Eventbrite.................................................................................................................................................42
PayPal .....................................................................................................................................................42
File Sharing and Groups..........................................................................................................................42
File Sharing..........................................................................................................................................42
Cloud Storage Best Practices..............................................................................................................42

Membership ...............................................................................................................................................43
Increasing Membership...............................................................................................................................43
Identifying Prospective New Members ....................................................................................................43
Winning New Members ...........................................................................................................................44
Welcoming New and Potential Members ................................................................................................45
Keeping Members.......................................................................................................................................46
Get Members Involved ............................................................................................................................46
Communicate with Members...................................................................................................................46
Recognize Members................................................................................................................................46
Surveying Members.................................................................................................................................47
Membership Reports...................................................................................................................................47
Volunteers..................................................................................................................................................48
Benefits of Volunteering ..........................................................................................................................48
Recruiting Volunteers..................................................................................................................................49
Where to Find Volunteers........................................................................................................................49
Opportunities for Volunteer Recruitment.................................................................................................49
Leading Volunteers .....................................................................................................................................50
Retaining Volunteers...................................................................................................................................50
Recognizing Volunteers ..............................................................................................................................51
More Information .........................................................................................................................................51
Employment...............................................................................................................................................52
Society-Level Employment Services...........................................................................................................52
Community-Level Employment Services ....................................................................................................52
Employment Networking at Meetings and Events...................................................................................52
Résumé Review ......................................................................................................................................53
Job Boards ..............................................................................................................................................53
Mentoring ....................................................................................................................................................53
Employment Information .............................................................................................................................54
Community Newsletters and Web Sites ..................................................................................................54
Technical Communication Body of Knowledge.......................................................................................54
Employment Information at the Summit......................................................................................................54

Students.....................................................................................................................................................55
Student Involvement ...................................................................................................................................55
Student Chapters.....................................................................................................................................55
Other Student Organizations on Campus ...............................................................................................55
Professional Communities.......................................................................................................................55
Engaging Students in Programs..............................................................................................................56
Notes:...................................................................................................................................................57
Mentoring Programs....................................................................................................................................57
TCBOK-Specific Virtual Mentoring with SMEs........................................................................................58
TCBOK-Specific Virtual Mentoring with SMEs in SIGs .......................................................................58
Honor Societies...........................................................................................................................................58
Employment Services in Student Chapters ................................................................................................58
Awards and Recognition ..........................................................................................................................60
Community Honors .....................................................................................................................................60
Active Member Recognition.....................................................................................................................60
Volunteer Recognition .............................................................................................................................60
Member of the Year Award......................................................................................................................60
Other Awards...........................................................................................................................................60
Society Honors............................................................................................................................................60
Associate Fellow......................................................................................................................................61
Fellow ......................................................................................................................................................61
Society Awards ...........................................................................................................................................61
DCSA/DSSA/DSAS.................................................................................................................................61
Community Achievement Award .............................................................................................................62
Pacesetter Award ....................................................................................................................................62
Community of the Year and Most-Improved Community ........................................................................62
President’s Award....................................................................................................................................62
Frank R. Smith Award .............................................................................................................................62
Jay R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching .....................................................................................62
Ken Rainey Award for Excellence in Research.......................................................................................63
Sigma Tau Chi and Alpha Sigma Honor Societies..................................................................................63

Society Scholarships...................................................................................................................................63
Marion Norby Scholarship .......................................................................................................................63
Diversifying Your Community’s Revenues ............................................................................................64
Setting Operational and Financial Goals ....................................................................................................64
Developing Alternative Sources of Revenue ..............................................................................................65
Alternative Revenue Sources: Some Considerations .............................................................................65
Donations and Charitable Contributions..............................................................................................65
Incentives for Sponsorships and Advertising.......................................................................................65
Corporate Matching Gifts.....................................................................................................................66
Corporate Volunteer Grants.................................................................................................................66
Keep It Local ...............................................................................................................................................66
Samples and Templates ...........................................................................................................................67
Meeting Announcement ..............................................................................................................................67
Meeting Evaluation......................................................................................................................................68
Message to Presenter.................................................................................................................................69
Community Profile.......................................................................................................................................70
Membership Survey ....................................................................................................................................71
Templates....................................................................................................................................................73
Links and Resources ................................................................................................................................74
Society Bylaws ............................................................................................................................................74
Policies........................................................................................................................................................74
Documents ..................................................................................................................................................74
Links............................................................................................................................................................75
Archived Leadership Webinars ...................................................................................................................75
Glossary.....................................................................................................................................................76
Contact Information ..................................................................................................................................77
Office Staff...................................................................................................................................................77
Board of Directors .......................................................................................................................................77
Community Affairs Committee ....................................................................................................................77
Revision History........................................................................................................................................78

The Society for
Technical Communication
and Its Communities
Community Definitions
According to the Society Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, Article IX, Section 1:
“A Society community is a group of members, organized geographically, virtually, or in some other
fashion, that is recognized by the Board of Directors and which engages in activities and initiatives
consistent with the charitable, scientific, and educational mission of the Society of advancing the arts and
sciences of technical communication. Society communities shall be included in the group tax exemption
of the Society; shall be able to use the Society name, logo, trademarks, and other Society intellectual
property, as set forth in the policies and procedures of the Society; shall be eligible for funding by the
Board of Directors; and may receive guidance, mentoring, training, and other assistance from the
Leadership Community Resource [Community Affairs Committee].”
The Society charges dues to belong to communities, which may focus on a geographic area (chapters) or
on a topical interest (SIGs). Members hold meetings at which business is conducted and educational
programs are presented. These may take place face-to-face or online. Communities also publish web
sites and newsletters, host email lists, hold special events, and work on projects. Networking and
volunteering within a community builds friendships, skills, and knowledge. Communities are a significant
way that the Society provides value to its members.
The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, Article IX, Section 2 state that the types of communities are
chapters and special interest groups (SIGs).
Chapters
There are two types of chapters: professional chapters and student chapters. Professional chapters are
located around the globe for those who enjoy the benefits of local programming and networking with a
diverse focus. Student chapters are located at colleges and universities, primarily in North America.
Special Interest Groups
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are composed of Society members with common experiences and
interests who share their knowledge with each other and with other Society members.

Leadership Calendar
The Community Affairs Committee (CAC) maintains a document that explains what communities do each
month throughout the year. You can access the calendar from the Leadership Resources page of the
Society web site or on the SIG leaders’ wiki on PBWorks.com.
 Chapters: http://www.stc.org/images/stories/STC_Leaders_Calendar_Feb2012.pdf
 SIGs: (You will be prompted to log in. If you need access to this wiki, contact the CAC SIG
representative.)
http://sigleaders.pbworks.com/w/session/login?return_to=http%3A%2F%2Fsigleaders.pbworks.com%
2Fw%2Fpage%2F9468287%2FFrontPage
Community Success Plan
This section provides a list of activities that communities should complete each year. You can use this
Top Ten List to help you plan your program year.
1. Elect or create leadership team.
The leadership team should have at least three officers, and an election should be held once per
year. Note: An unopposed election is allowed.
Elect a leadership team annually by a vote of the membership or create a leadership team at your
business meeting or online, with at least three officers: a president or manager, vice president or
assistant manager, and secretary or treasurer. Ensure that the president or manager holds that one
office only.
2. Adopt and submit a budget.
Submit the budget annually to the budget review committee.
Ensure that your community adopts a budget each year and keeps true and accurate accounts.
Submit the budget to the Society’s budget review committee.
3. Conduct an annual business meeting.
Hold elections during this meeting if you have not previously held them.
Conduct at least one business meeting each year, at which the leadership team and committees
report and election results are announced.
4. Attend Leadership Day at the Society for Technical Communication Summit (if possible).
Send the president, manager, and any other community leaders.
Send your incoming president or manager to the Summit to attend Leadership Day (usually the
Sunday at the beginning of the Summit).
5. Maintain at least one communication tool.
Your community should have a web site, newsletter, blog, LinkedIn page, Facebook page, email list,
or some other communication tool.

Maintain a communication device for your members to discuss technical communication. This could
be a web site, newsletter, blog, listserv, LinkedIn page, Facebook page, or something similar. Post an
article or link to resources at least four times a year.
6. Communicate regularly.
Communicate with your members several times throughout the year. Write a newsletter article; send
an e-mail; tweet.
Contact all of your members at least four times per year with invitations to local community activities
and Society events.
Provide announcements about your community leaders.
Solicit feedback if possible.
Provide your members with a list of your community’s activities as you would a new member.
7. Welcome new members.
Send welcome letters or emails; publish new members’ names in the newsletter or blog; invite new
members to your meetings and other events.
Welcome new members. Review your membership roster at least one per month to identify new
members. Provide them with a list of your community’s activities, links to resources, a list of your
officers, an invitation to volunteer for open roles, and an invitation to join your email list or social
media group.
8. Define volunteer roles.
Maintain a list of volunteer roles and describe them. Include the estimated time required for the job.
If possible, provide team opportunities (in which more than one person organizes events, for
example), especially for new members – they can use mentors. Specify the time required if you know
it, location (whether virtual, in-person, or both), qualifications, and length of commitment. List benefits
(what’s in it for me?) such as portfolio additions, added skills (event organization or web site
development), and being a part of something important – promoting the profession. Make this list
prominent on your web site, link to it on your social media page, and link to it through your welcome
messages.
9. Provide educational events.
Hold program meetings or webinars; recruit a speaker at a networking event.
Provide educational opportunities for your members at least twice a year. Education is the primary
function of a non-profit organization like the Society.
At a minimum, hold an online chat to discuss topics of interest in your geographical or specialized
area. For geographic chapters, consider hosting one or more of the Society’s Live Web Seminars at a
location where a group can attend. Consider organizing a webinar for your members with a
presentation by a topic expert either in your community or in the Society.
10. Invite non-members to join.
Have members invite non-members; encourage non-members at meetings to join.

Consider having a member-bring-a-guest event that offers guests an opportunity to attend a meeting
at little or no cost.
Publicize your events in newspapers, social media outlets, or anywhere potential non-members might
look.
Bylaws
Chapters can develop a set of bylaws or follow the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Community
bylaws supersede, but may not violate, the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. SIGs operate under the
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. International chapters should have an Affiliation Agreement. See
templates for bylaws and affiliation agreements on the Leadership Resources page under MySTC on the
STC web site.
If your community has unique needs and can support the effort of writing and maintaining bylaws, follow
the suggestions in this section to develop them and obtain approval. An advantage of having bylaws is
specifying the duties of the officers and committee managers to meet the needs of the community. This
promotes continuity in operations.
If you have bylaws, form a bylaws committee each year to review the bylaws and ensure compliance. The
immediate past president or manager is a good candidate to lead this committee.
Make sure that all community volunteers are familiar with the bylaws. Optimally, a member of the bylaws
committee should serve on the leadership team and be present at membership meetings to ensure
compliance. Make sure that the secretary keeps the bylaws with the records and can distribute the bylaws
to members.
Review the bylaws on a regular basis (at least once every two years) to ensure that they correspond to
your current situation and needs. Propose any needed amendments, and hold a vote on the changes as
required.
When bylaws or revisions are ready for approval, send the bylaws to the STC office, Director of
Community Relations, for approval.
Writing Bylaws that Avoid Conflict with Society Bylaws
Here are some tips to help the bylaws committee avoid conflict with the Articles of Incorporation and
Bylaws:
 Do not refer to the parent organization as “a national organization.” The Society operates throughout
the world. Refer to it as “the Society” when making a distinction between Society-level and chapter or
SIG activities. The headquarters of the Society are located in Fairfax, Virginia, USA, and should be
referred to as the “STC office.”
 Consult the current version of the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws to ensure that you do not make
provisions for depositing community funds in inappropriate financial institutions.
 Do not give your community authority that it does not legitimately possess. For example, a Society
community may not dissolve itself and may not determine its own geographic boundaries or topical
focus without approval from the Board of Directors.
 Do not identify community services as being “for members only.” Because the Society is a nonprofit
educational and charitable organization, it must make its services available to members and non-

members alike. (The Society can charge non-members administrative fees related to those services.
However, this type of information should not be included in community bylaws.)
 Consider including some sort of caveat that your bylaws may be superseded by the Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws. A sample statement follows:
“Should situations not addressed in these bylaws arise, the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of
the Society for Technical Communication are in force. Should the Society bylaws be changed such
that they conflict with these community bylaws, the Society bylaws take precedence. Community
bylaws must then be amended as soon as possible to bring them into agreement with Society
bylaws.”
Bylaws for Communities Outside the United States
Communities outside the United States should strive to constitute themselves as legal entities in the
country in which they are situated. The exact nature of this legal status varies from country to country.
In some countries, the nature of this legal status requires that certain provisions be included in the
community’s bylaws. These local requirements must be incorporated in the bylaws.
Wherever possible, communities outside the United States should follow the guidelines in the
International Affiliation Agreement for non-US communities. If there appears to be a conflict between local
legal requirements and the terms of the affiliation agreement, community leaders should consult the
Director of Community Relations.
How to Develop Bylaws
The bylaws committee should begin its work by reviewing the community’s charter and the Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws.
Use the bylaws templates provided on the Leadership Resources page (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership
Resources > For Chapter Leaders).
Review and Approval of Bylaws
The community bylaws committee should follow this review procedure:
1. Have the leadership team review the draft bylaws, and incorporate the team’s comments into a
second draft.
2. Have the second draft reviewed by the Director of Community Relations and Executive Director of the
Society. They verify that your community’s bylaws do not conflict with those of the Society.
3. Incorporate comments from the Director of Community Relations and Executive Director of the
Society and develop a final draft.
4. Submit the next draft for review by the Director of Community Relations and Executive Director of the
Society if required. Otherwise, proceed with a review in your own community as follows:
a. Provide your bylaws to your community members at least thirty days before they are to be voted
on.
b. Conduct a vote on the bylaws, following the amendment process specified in your bylaws.

Mission Statement
If possible, write and periodically update a community mission statement. A mission statement tells briefly
who the group members are, what the group does, for whom, and why.
If you don’t have a mission statement, consider developing one during a leadership team meeting. If you
have a mission statement, review it at the first leadership team meeting each year. When you adopt a
new statement, notify the STC office, Director of Community Relations, and your CAC Outreach
representative.
Goals
Develop a concise statement of your community’s goals for the year with measurable criteria for
completion and due dates. Ask the STC office for the current strategic plan, and strive to make your goals
consistent with those of the Society.
Base your goals on the needs of your community’s members. Surveying members periodically is
recommended. Provide for conducting monthly activities. Select specific activities from those suggested
or devise your own.
Apply the following guidelines when setting goals:
 Meet Society expectations. Offer activities of practical and professional value to members, reflecting
the highest professional standards in both design and execution.
 Focus on the community’s stated area of interest and mission. Collaborate with other groups
and related professional organizations on activities in overlapping areas.
 Complete activities within a reasonable timeframe. State goals so that they can be achieved
within the program year. The next phase of a goal can be a goal for the next year.
 Stay within the community’s budget. Estimate needs carefully, discuss them with the STC office,
and act within the budget. Weigh the value in benefit to members against the cost for any activity.
You can request supplemental funding from the Society if an unforeseen project will provide value to
community members.
 Know your participants and limitations. Make sure that community goals can be accomplished by
the number of people available to do the work. If no one volunteers for an activity, do not provide that
service.
Strategic Plan
If possible, develop a strategic plan that covers a specific number of years. Use the Strategic Planning
Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For All > Strategic Planning Template) to
create your strategic plan. A three-year period is typical. A community with a three-year strategic plan
should update the plan once per year as follows:
 Note the goals accomplished for the past year.
 Update the goals for the next two years.
 Develop the plan for the third year.
To make creating a strategic plan easier, establish a strategic plan committee. Divide the areas (such as
communication, member services, and public relations) and ask a few members to draft goals in each

area. Then, have the whole leadership team or planning committee prioritize the goals and determine the
tactics for completion.
Many communities hold a dedicated strategic planning meeting once per year for members of the
leadership team. Holding a special meeting for this purpose allows members of the leadership team to
consider strategic goals without the pressure of needing to make decisions on regular community
business.
Some communities have found it beneficial to have the strategic planning meeting facilitated by a senior
member who is not a regular member of the leadership team. This could be a former president or SIG
manager, a senior member from another community, or a volunteer mentor recommended by the CAC. If
you would like a volunteer mentor to facilitate your strategic planning meeting, email the CAC at
cac@stc.org.
Ask the following questions when developing your strategic plan:
 What has been the average annual cost of operating your community over the last three years?
 Who are the members you hope to attract to your community? What are their concerns, professional
needs, and interests? What other professional organizations compete with your group for members’
time and interest?
 How will your community provide value to the larger community and further the overall goals of the
Society?
 What is your community’s mission statement?
 What are the goals? List at least three, but no more than seven, goals for your community for the next
one to two years, and to describe how you will achieve each of these goals.
The benefits of strategic planning are many, helping leaders and members to
 Stay focused on the mission and the audience.
 Find out if the decisions your leaders have made are still valid.
 Ensure that members are getting what they need from the community.
 Make decisions about the future.
Budgets
A community’s budget supports the community’s goals for the program year. The budget should not
define what the goals can or cannot be.
To develop a budget, use the following community finance tools, located on the Leadership Resources
page (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Community Finance):
 Treasurers' Manual
 Filing the 990-N
 Treasurer Quick Guide
 2013 Budget Form
 2012 Financial Report and Bank Reconciliation Report (editable Excel worksheet)
 SIG and SIG Member Reimbursement Form
 LR Web Seminar Community Funding and Budget Sample Plan

Getting Started
The Society provides documents for chapter presidents and SIG managers to consult when they take
office:
 Chapter Leaders Getting Started (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For Chapter
Leaders > Chapter Leaders Getting Started)
 Getting Started as a New SIG Leader! (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For SIG
Leaders > SIG Leaders: Getting Started)
These documents and more are located on the Leadership Resources page under MySTC on the STC
web site.
Where to Look for Help
Society leaders and staff can help you, as can the Society web site. Search the documents and links on
the Leadership Resources page of the STC web site and reach out to the following groups.
STC Office Staff
The Society has paid staff in the following areas:
 Publications & Content Strategy
 Community Relations
 Media
 Web & Systems
 Meetings
 Membership
 Business Development
 Accounting
 Education
Go to the staff directory (stc.org > About > Leadership > Staff Directory) to see a list of the office staff
and their contact information.
Community Affairs Committee
The Community Affairs Committee (CAC) establishes two-way communication and cooperation between
community leaders and the Board and STC office. The CAC has a defined set of initiatives around which
it is organized.
Go to the Community Affairs Committee (CAC) page (stc.org > About > Leadership > Committees >
Community Affairs Committee) to read more about the CAC’s initiatives and members.
CAC Outreach Team
The CAC Outreach Team is responsible for proactively working with chapters and SIGs to identify pain
points and help solve these problems.

Go to the Leadership Resources page (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Outreach Team
Community Assignments) to see the Outreach team community assignments.
Leadership Resources Web Page
The CAC maintains a web page with useful information for community leaders including templates for a
strategic plan, the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, sections for chapter leaders and SIG leaders, and
archived leadership webinars.
Go to the Leadership Resources page (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources) to access these
resources. Login is required.
Board of Directors
The Society is governed by an elected Board of Directors (the Board). The Board is composed of the
president, vice president, immediate past president, treasurer, secretary, and four directors at large. You
can contact any member of the Board at any time for help by emailing board@stc.org.
Go to the Board of Directors page (stc.org > About > Leadership > Board of Directors) to see the
current members of the Board.
Communities
The Society web site lists the communities (professional chapters, special interest groups, and student
chapters) currently chartered by the Society.
Go to the following pages to see alphabetical lists and descriptions of communities:
 Professional Chapters page (stc.org > Membership > Communities > Professional Chapters)
 Special Interest Groups page (stc.org > Membership > Communities > Special Interest Groups)
 Student Chapters page (stc.org > Membership > Communities > Student Chapters)
 Chapter Maps page (stc.org > Membership > Communities > view STC Chapters on a
geographic map)
Available Email Lists and MySTC Groups
You can use email lists and discussion lists to get help with questions and problems and to share
successes with your peers.
Most communities maintain an email list to share information with technical communicators who
subscribe. For professional chapters, the list might be open to anyone who subscribes, and you can
usually find information about subscribing on the chapter’s web site. The SIGs also maintain email lists,
and members of the SIG can subscribe to the list, which might require approval to join. If you are not a
member of the SIG, you can submit a request to subscribe to the email list. Each SIG maintains its own
policy regarding list subscriptions.
Some communities use LinkedIn, Facebook, or other social networks to communicate in place of an email
list. Check your community’s web site or ask the community leaders for details.
The Society’s social networking tool, MySTC, currently has 181 groups. They include groups for
geographic chapters and SIGs, as well as groups for special events (for example, the Society’s 60
th
anniversary), leadership teams (Southwestern Ontario Council), and different volunteer positions

(treasurers, newsletter editors, and webmasters). When you are logged in to MySTC, you can request to
join any of the groups and then start discussions, share files, and post comments on the group’s wall.
Note: Some groups limit access and require approval to join.
To go to MySTC, log in to http://www.stc.org, and click on MySTC in the menu bar at the top of the page.
Leadership Transition and/or Leadership Retreat
At the conclusion of your community’s program year, hold an event known as a leadership transition
meeting or leadership retreat. At this event, the outgoing leadership team members hand off pertinent
materials and information that will be helpful to the incoming leadership team. You can also use this time
to review your community’s initiatives and plan for the upcoming program year. In addition to the
leadership team, you can invite committee managers and other volunteers so that they are involved in the
community’s planning.
The leadership transition meeting or leadership retreat is also a good place to hold a leadership
workshop, where you can help the incoming leadership team and volunteers develop their leadership
skills.
SIG Business Meetings
SIG business meetings occur during the annual Summit and are scheduled so that they do not conflict
with education sessions.
To schedule a SIG business meeting, SIG managers should complete the following steps:
1. Contact the STC office after receiving the Summit Preliminary Program, and complete the form to
request a room for the business meeting. .
 Once the STC office receives and processes the form, they assign a time and location for the
business meeting. The SIG manager then receives an email confirmation.
 The business meeting is announced in the final program and on the Society web site.
2. After the meeting date and time are set, publicize the meeting as widely as possible, such as through
the SIG newsletter, email list, and web site.
3. If the SIG does a yearly printed mailing, consider sending a bulletin to members with the meeting time
and topic list, along with a list of Summit sessions in your SIG’s interest area.
Conducting a Successful SIG Business Meeting
 Prepare an agenda for the business meeting. Here are some suggested topics:
 Introduce the leadership team, including the incoming manager if there is one.
 Have committee managers deliver brief presentations about SIG activities.
 Have a SIG member present about a topic that has generated interest in the SIG.(This approach
has been well received and has increased attendance.)
 Have the SIG member summarize the SIG’s activities during the past year.
 Have the SIG treasurer present a financial summary of the past year.
 The SIG business meeting can include an open discussion. If you hold an open discussion, ask
someone other than the moderator to take notes.

 Use the business meeting to learn what members want; then establish goals for the coming year.
Encourage the exchange of ideas; talk about plans for future activities, and ask for volunteers to help
make these activities happen.
 Circulate a sign-in sheet.
 Post the sign-in sheet and meeting notes on a public web site. In the weeks and months after the
meeting, these meeting records will be helpful in following up on what the group decided to do.
 Take advantage of the business meeting to recruit SIG volunteers.
 Before the business meeting, make a list of open positions and include a brief description of the
responsibilities.
 Circulate the list and discuss the positions during the meeting.
 Encourage members to volunteer by dividing larger tasks into smaller tasks. For example, divide
the task of producing a SIG newsletter into smaller tasks such as soliciting articles, writing articles
on particular topics, and proofreading.
During the two weeks (suggested) following the Summit, contact everyone who attended the meeting and
those who volunteered. The Summit typically evokes a spirit of enthusiasm and momentum, and the
manager’s contact with new volunteers and the leadership team members following the Summit can be
an important contribution to the SIG’s success during the year.
Community Elections
Communities should hold elections per the community’s bylaws (if applicable). For these elections, a
nominating committee is responsible for recruiting qualified candidates for elected office and running the
election.
The nominating committee consists of members who are well acquainted with the other members in the
community. The immediate past president or manager is an excellent candidate to chair the nominating
committee. To avoid conflicts of interest, candidates for office should not serve on the nominating
committee or receive and report the ballot count.
The nominating committee performs the following tasks:
 Conducts a planning session to assign responsibilities, establish deadlines, and review the names of
potential candidates.
 Invites members—through the newsletter, web site, and announcements on the email list and during
meetings—to run for office or to suggest possible candidates.
 Evaluates the qualifications of potential candidates.
 Approaches qualified potential candidates to run for office.
 Advises the leadership team of potential candidates who are willing to run.
 Announces the slate in the newsletter, on the web site, via the email list, and at a meeting prior to the
election.
 Prepares the ballot, holds the election before the final meeting of the program year, and counts the
votes.
 Reports election results.
 Publishes the election results in the newsletter before the leadership transition meeting or retreat.

 Gives the treasurer the names of the elected officers for inclusion in the community’s financial report
to the Society.
 Reminds the president or manager to notify the STC office of the new officers.
Summit Communities Reception
During the Communities Reception at the Summit, tables are available for SIGs to meet new and current
members, and hand out community information. Brochures, newsletters, and volunteer sign-up sheets
can be displayed and buttons or other souvenirs can be handed out.
 If your SIG wants to participate in the Communities Reception, request a table through the STC
office. (Use the same form used to request a business meeting room.)
 The SIG Outreach team members also help organize the Community Reception. Contact the
Outreach team for details.

Community Leadership Teams
and Committees
Community Leadership Team
A community’s leadership team is the officers, councilors, or executives who are tasked with fulfilling the
mission of the organization by demonstrating its value and developing plans to reach its goals. Chapters
might call their leadership team the administrative council or admin council. The usual complement is four
or five people in the positions of president/manager, vice president/assistant manager, secretary,
treasurer, and past president, with director-at-large positions appointed or elected as required. In some
communities, the positions of secretary and treasurer are combined.
Depending on the size of the community and availability of volunteers, officers may work on or lead any of
the committees. The community president sits ex-officio on all committees. Committees include, but are
not limited to, the following roles:
 Archivist/Historian
 Competitions*
 Information Interviews/Mentors
 Innovation
 Employment/Job Board/Job Bank*
 Membership/Member Care*
 Newsletter*
 Outreach (might be divided into Employers/Students/Members)
 Workshops/Conferences/Professional Development*
 Programs/Webinars*
 Public Relations/Publicity*
 Scholarship
 Hospitality/Social Committee/Welcoming Committee*
 Social Media*
 Surveys*
 Ways and Means/Sponsorship
 Web site*
*Most commonly a standing committee
Standing committees are those that are filled every year. They are established because their functions
are critical to the community’s success.
In a student chapter, faculty advisors provide support and serve as the primary contact for the Society.
The leadership team should meet once per year at a minimum, face-to-face or by conference call. While
the chapter president or SIG manager calls leadership team meetings, any two members of the

leadership team may also request a meeting for a specified purpose or to vote on a proposed resolution.
A majority of the officers constitutes a quorum. A simple majority rules on questions brought before the
leadership team.
At the time the community was formed, the initial leadership team decided if the community should have
their own bylaws, and if so, likely established a bylaws committee. These bylaws should be legal in the
jurisdiction in which the community operates and not contradict any of the Society bylaws. The leadership
team follows the community and Society bylaws and Society policies.
The leadership team ensures that the nominating committee develops a slate of officers and that
elections are held.
At the annual planning meeting, led by the president, the leadership team states the community’s goals
and identifies activities to achieve them. The results of this meeting can form the basis of the strategic
plan. In concert with the nominating committee or a volunteer team lead, the president appoints
responsible individuals as committee team leads. Both officers and committee leaders should attend
leadership team meetings to ensure that the community operates in the best interest of its members.
Responsibilities of Community Leaders
All elected officers, committee leaders, and committee members must follow the community’s bylaws, the
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, and Society policies and procedures in fulfilling their responsibilities.
Not all positions and tasks are required.
Community leaders should be enthusiastic, energetic, responsive, and good at solving problems and
resolving disputes, as well as gracious and good listeners. It helps to be open to new ideas and accepting
of input and feedback.
Make sure that job descriptions are created and kept updated for elected and appointed positions. The
following sections provide ideas for what to include in these job descriptions.
Chapter President/SIG Manager or Co-managers
The chapter president or SIG manager heads the leadership team and is responsible for all operations of
the community.
Student chapters have a faculty advisor and a chapter president who are responsible for operations.
The chapter president or SIG manager performs the following tasks:
 Attend Leadership Day at the STC Summit.
 Join the presidents’ email list or the SIG leaders’ email list and MySTC group.
 Request ownership of the community’s MySTC group.
 Conduct regular meetings of the leadership team.
 Assign duties not specified otherwise by the community bylaws to other officers.
 Appoint leaders for all committees and special committees in concert with the nominating committee
or volunteer coordinator.
 Explore meeting topics with the program committee lead and other officers.
 (chapters) Together with the treasurer, sign all checks and maintains financial controls.
 (SIGs) Together with the treasurer, approve expenses and payment requests.

 Write a regular column for the newsletter, blog entry, or president’s message.
 Lead goal setting.
 Become familiar with the criteria for the Community Achievement Award and applying them where
possible to community goals and activities.
 With the treasurer and secretary, make sure that required forms are filed on time with regulatory
bodies and the local Registrar of Companies.
 Prepare and distribute the community’s strategic plan for the year.
 Obtain regular status reports from committee leaders.
 Take advantage of resources including this handbook, the presidents’ or SIG managers’ email list,
treasurers’ email list, and MySTC groups.
 Stay in touch with the Community Affairs Committee (CAC) Community Outreach team member for
the community.
 Advise the Society of all changes in chapter or SIG leadership, address, or status. (This task may be
delegated to the secretary.)
 If a position on the leadership team becomes vacant during the program year, seek out a new
volunteer for the position and present the nominee to the leadership team for approval.
Vice President/SIG Assistant Manager
The vice president or SIG assistant manager performs the following tasks:
 Attend Leadership Day at the Summit.
 Assume the duties of chapter president or SIG manager if that person is not available.
 Get to know fellow chapter members, networking with them and becoming aware of resources who
can support the community to become a positive force for its members.
 Prepare to succeed the current president or manager by
 Maintaining special awareness of all activities.
 Conferring frequently with the president or manager.
 As assigned, managing special projects or key committee functions.
 Assisting with goal setting.
 Monitoring finances.
 Supporting and promoting the goals of the chapter or SIG and its members.
Secretary
The secretary ensures that the business of the chapter or SIG is recorded accurately and completely, to
meet legal requirements and to ensure that the leadership team can determine how and when community
policies, procedures, and activities were discussed and decided upon.
The secretary performs the following tasks:
 Take minutes at leadership team and other community meetings (or arranging for a substitute).
 Prepare and distribute copies of meeting minutes to officers, posting them to the chapter or SIG web
site or wiki.

 Send correspondence on behalf of the community.
 Maintain community records and documents (soft and hard copy).
Treasurer
The treasurer performs the following tasks:
 Manage community funds and financial operations.
 Join the Treasurer’s listserv and/or the Treasurer’s Group in MySTC.
 Safeguard the community’s assets.
 File the required 990-N postcard with the IRS annually.
 Make sure that the community’s budget supports the community’s goals (the budget does not define
what the goals can or cannot be).
 Complete and submit financial reports to the leadership team and to the STC office by established
deadlines.
 Complete the transition of duties from the previous treasurer.
 Complete the required year-end financial report with assistance from the immediate past treasurer
 Prepare the community budget.
 Keep accurate financial records.
 (chapters) Establish and maintain banking arrangements, including arrangements for two signatures
on each check (treasurer and president or vice president).
 (chapters) Deposit funds and pays invoices promptly.
 (chapters) When authorized by the leadership team, transfer funds from the operating account to the
savings account when appropriate, and vice versa.
 Prepare a monthly report of income and expenditures for the leadership team.
 Work with the committee leaders to prepare reports of income and expenditures for projects.
 Compare the budget every sixty days for current projects and at the close of each project.
 Develop a detailed year-end report of all financial transactions (income and expenditures by activity),
as of December 31 each year.
 Complete and sign a year-end financial report for the Society treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
(CFO) using the Excel format provided by the STC office, and send it to the appropriate party no later
than the due date.
 Seek advice and guidance from the Society treasurer or CFO as needed.
The Treasurers’ Manual explains more about the typical responsibilities and provides useful information,
including best practices, links to the necessary forms, and other Society resources.
Immediate Past President or Immediate Past Manager
The immediate past president or manager is not elected and does not vote.
Typically, the immediate past president or immediate past manager serves on the leadership team as an
advisor. The current president or manager might assign tasks to the immediate past president or
manager. Often the immediate past president or manager leads the nominating or bylaws committee.

Possible Committees and Responsibilities
All committee team leads should be encouraged to maintain careful records of their policies, procedures,
decisions, activities, and job descriptions for reference by incoming volunteers and leaders.
The following sections describe the most common committees, in alphabetical order by their most familiar
names.
Competitions
The Society sponsors a number of competitions for the recognition of individual work. There are local and
regional or cooperative competitions that submit entries to the Society’s competitions. The competitions
are described on the STC web site.
Employment
Prospective employers and people looking for jobs can register with the employment committee, which
distributes job opportunities to those who have requested to be on the mailing list. The employment
committee also posts job opportunities on an electronic job board on the chapter or SIG web site. When
this committee builds relationships with employers, it performs an outreach function that enhances the
image of the Society and technical communication professionals.
In student chapters, the employment committee might work with the school’s placement service to help
identify prospective employers of technical communication professionals.
An employment committee provides a valuable service to members, the Society, and the larger
community. The work can be demanding, so it is important to make it as easy as possible and to
recognize its value.
The employment committee lead serves as a contact with employers for notices about positions and with
job seekers for inquiries about employment.
Over time, the employment committee is in a strong position to monitor the job market and to be aware of
career counseling services and job boards in the geographic or interest area. The committee can be
instrumental in building good relations with potential employers, who might sponsor Society or chapter
events, or even encourage employees to join the Society.
The employment committee should work with the other leaders of STC community to ensure that
employment services are always included in publicity and in information provided to prospective
members. Try to keep in touch with the employment committee leads of other communities and share
successes and challenges.
Hospitality
Meetings and programs provide educational opportunities to members as well as networking
opportunities. The hospitality committee secures the locations and refreshments for the meetings and
programs.
Membership
The membership committee is responsible for highlighting the benefits of membership, recruiting and
retaining members, and responding to inquiries or concerns. See the Member section for information
about attracting and keeping members.

The membership committee performs the following tasks:
 Download a list of members or new members from the Society web site. (The chapter president or
SIG manager may download this list also.)
 Make sure that information about the community is readily available to new members.
 Welcome new members and introduce the community, its objectives, services, and benefits. (This
information could be part of a new member welcome package.)
 Make sure that new members receive an orientation to get to know fellow members and the workings
of the community. (You might want to set up a ‘buddy’ system to mentor new members.)
 Remind members to make any needed changes in their personal information by logging in to the
Society web site.
 Distribute Society brochures.
 Encourage prospective members to join, especially from October through December, when
membership for the balance of the year is free.
 Remind members to renew no later than January 1 to remain in good standing, or February 28 to be
eligible to vote in the Society election.
 Make sure that announcements from related organizations are distributed to members by email.
 Encourage members to submit profiles and news of honors they have received to the newsletter.
 Together with employment committee, lead development and administration of the annual
membership and/or regional salary survey.
Newsletter
A community can reach its members by publishing a regular newsletter and ensuring that all members
receive it or are notified that it has been published. The newsletter can tell members what is going to
happen and what has been accomplished. When meetings are held, the newsletter can promote the
meetings. By publishing feature articles, the chapter or SIG participates in developing knowledge in the
field of technical communication.
The newsletter can be kept online.
See the Communication section on page 36 for information about the role of the newsletter editor and
team and publishing a newsletter.
Nominations
The nominating committee performs the following tasks:
 Conduct a planning session to assign responsibilities, establish deadlines, and review the names of
potential candidates.
 Invite members (through the newsletter, web site, announcements on the email list, and during
meetings) to run for office or to suggest possible candidates.
 Evaluate the qualifications of potential candidates.
 Approach qualified potential candidates to determine their willingness to stand for election.
 Advise the leadership team of potential candidates who are willing to run and announces the slate in
the newsletter, on the web site, through the email list, and at a meeting if one is held at election time.

 Prepare the ballot, holds the election before the final meeting of the year, and counts the votes if they
are not counted by an election service.
 Report the results to the leadership team and the candidates as soon as they are known.
 Give the results to the newsletter editor and webmaster for publication.
 Give the secretary the names of the elected officers for inclusion in the community’s report to the
Society.
 Remind the president to notify the STC office of the new officers.
Programs
Meetings and programs provide educational and networking opportunities to members. The programs
committee plans and executes in-person and virtual meetings, including lining up speakers and other
activities. Refer to the Programs section for information about the work of the program committee.
Publicity/Public Relations
The publicity committee promotes the community and its activities to the general public, members of the
community, and the Society. Refer to the Publicity section for information about different publicity
methods.
Social Media
The social media committee promotes the community and its activities on the different social media
platforms. If your community forms a committee to handle social media, you can delegate a different
platform to each member. That way, you can promote your community to its fullest advantage.
Communities should create community-specific accounts on the social media platforms and encourage
members to follow these accounts to keep informed about community events and topics of interest in the
area or field of interest of the community.
Surveys
A survey committee can create surveys and compile their results on behalf of the community. To avoid
survey burnout, run no more than two surveys per year.
Web Site
The web site committee can report news and publish information. The web site promotes the community
to prospective members and sponsors, and provides a place for members to register for events, take
surveys, and follow local events in technical communication.
Refer to the Communication section on page 36 for information about the role of the web site.
Workshops or Conferences
Holding workshops or an annual conference are excellent means of providing educational opportunities to
members and prospective members, as well as a means of earning revenue. A workshop or conference
committee can plan and execute this type of programming separately from the programs committee
because these events usually require additional resources and time. See the Programs section on page
30 for information about holding workshops or conferences.

Leadership Day at the Summit
Each year at the Summit, Leadership Day presents topics of interest to SIGs and chapters. Communities
are encouraged to send multiple representatives.
This day-long workshop is organized by the Community Affairs Committee (CAC). Speakers cover topics
such as budgeting, finances, sponsorships, legal, programs, volunteers, and more.

Programs
The frequency of program meetings varies depending on the needs and plan of your community. Monthly
meetings, except during holiday periods, are common, as are bi-monthly and quarterly schedules.
Try to address the diverse needs of your community throughout the year. Choose topics and plan
networking opportunities to suit the different industries in your area, the different types of information
products that are produced, and new technologies and trends in the industry.
Continually look for program ideas. Sources include:
 Programs of the most recent Summit and local, multi-chapter or chapter, and SIG conferences
 Recent meetings of other professional and business organizations
 Presentations by members of the Society Board of Directors (the Board) who are in your area or can
participate online
Note: Board members can give an update on the Society and speak about their particular expertise
on the Board. Email board@stc.org to find out if someone is available to speak to your community.
 Topics presented to other communities
Opening a meeting with a tip that is unrelated to the meeting topic can also attract interest and
participation. Any member can present the tip, and a variety of topics can be presented in this way.
Identifying Program Topics
To provide value to their membership and attract new members, communities need to provide programs
that enhance their members’ knowledge and skills in technical communication. Members also need to
know business basics to excel in their careers.
Deliver programs about technologies that members use, such as computer technology,
telecommunication, pharmaceuticals, defense technologies, and environmental engineering.
Consider programs that address which authoring tools to use, when to use them, and how they work.
Provide examples of completed communication products.
Offer programs that expand knowledge and skills in writing and editing, such as marketing
communication, proposal or grant writing, and environmental communication.
Programs can be designed to pose challenges in communication to attendees and to invite them to offer
solutions.
Offer topics related to expanding members’ business skills; for example:
 Business 101 for non-business majors
 How to demonstrate the value of technical information products
 How to sell the value of technical information products
 Copyright law
 Editing

To demonstrate the standards of the profession, obtain the traveling exhibit of winners of the Society
Competitions to show at a meeting. Your community pays the cost of shipping. Contact the STC office to
make arrangements.
Meetings do not need to be confined to technical communication subjects. Programs on management
topics benefit a significant segment of members who are managers (and other members as well) since
expanded knowledge of management strategies and processes helps people succeed as employees and
contractors. Managers generally want to learn new and improved ways to
 Manage projects, including formulas for estimating the schedule and budget of a project.
 Hire and retain qualified staff.
 Define and control quality.
 Handle personnel matters and counsel poor performers.
 Conduct performance reviews.
Choosing Presenters
After you have chosen topics (and formats), find presenters who have the knowledge to speak on the
topics, and the presentation skills to maintain the interest of participants. Try to find presenters with
sufficient expertise to not only present well-researched information, but to answer questions about
practical application of that information.
You can find presentations by
 Looking through the STC Summit program or taking recommendations from members.
 Asking for recommendations on the presidents’, SIG managers’, and newsletter editors’ email lists or
in MySTC groups.
 Finding instructors from your local colleges and universities who have expertise in pertinent subjects.
 Sending out a call for proposals using your community’s email list and to your community’s social
media platforms to identify presenters. Send out the call at the end of the current year to find
presenters for the upcoming year. The programs committee reviews the proposals and chooses the
presenters.
 Checking the STC Buyers’ Guide for Products and Services under the “speaker” category.
 Checking previously recorded Society webinars for speakers who provide educational content on
topics of interest.
If your members have not heard the presenter before, you might want to request and check references.
If you are considering bringing in an out-of-town presenter, consider these items, which will increase the
cost of your meeting:
 Honorarium
 Transportation
 Hotel
Presenters from within the Society often will not ask for an honorarium, but your community should cover
the presenter’s transportation and hotel costs. You might be able to allow the presenter to promote their
product in exchange for a lower or waived fee.

Finding Meeting Venues
The hospitality committee or programs committee finds the venue for the program meetings. The venue
should be centrally located when possible, or you can take turns on the side of town where you have the
meeting. Meeting locations can include hotels (food or rental charges will apply), local employers,
libraries, and community organizations. Organizations like the United Way, American Red Cross,
homeowners’ associations, and utility districts sometimes offer meeting facilities that you can use free of
charge.
Next, decide what food, if any, to serve at the meeting and where you will obtain it. Try to offer food that
accommodates special dietary needs if you know about them. When you choose food for the meeting,
your decision should still allow the meeting to be affordable for attendees and profitable for the
community. Sometimes, the meeting venue will provide the food, further controlling the cost of the
meeting.
Meeting Formats
You can choose from numerous meeting formats to help your community’s programs be successful.
Using different meeting formats helps you introduce a greater variety of topics, and allows you to include
more topics during the meetings.
Program meetings can be in-person meetings or virtual meetings (webinars). Meeting formats include
joint meetings, networking meetings, and progressions.
In-person meetings encourage networking and can also facilitate open discussions and hands-on
activities during the meeting.
 Social events can work well for face-to-face meetings, especially during holidays or at the end of the
program year.
 A joint meeting with another organization or a cooperative meeting with another chapter or
SIG can expand the audience and increase attendance. Consider meeting with the American Society
for Training and Development (ASTD), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the
International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), and other professional organizations.
Meeting with a chamber of commerce or local networking organization can build awareness of
technical communication in a particular locale.
 Focusing a meeting on a particular group, such as newcomers or experienced technical
communication professionals, can increase interest.
 A meeting focused on networking is an effective face-to-face program. For variety, a presenter may
demonstrate networking skills, followed by practice in networking.
 Progressions are a popular format that can increase interest. Progressions follow a roundtable
format. (A room has several tables, each with its own speaker and topic. Each speaker presents a
brief summary of a subject in 5 to 10 minutes, and guides an open discussion for the next 10 to 15
minutes. At the end of the round, participants move to another table to learn about another subject.
The speakers stay at their tables and address a new group.) A progression meeting can
accommodate three rounds. Progressions can be built around several topics or can be focused on a
single theme. Popular topics have included technology trends, different kinds of jobs in technical
communication, and management issues.

Webinars
A webinar is a program meeting presented over the Internet and conference call. Attendees listen to the
speaker and can see a presentation on their computer monitor. Then attendees can participate in a
question-and-answer session. Communities can purchase tools like GoToWebinar or Adobe Connect, or
they can pay a small fee to the STC office to use the licenses purchased by the Society. For more
information about using Adobe Connect, email cac@stc.org.
 The STC office coordinates web seminars that your community members can participate in during a
program meeting. Attendees listen to the speaker and participate in the question-and-answer
sessions. The number of participants is limited only by the size of the facility.
 Communities have facilitated recorded web seminars in one or more locations (typically conference
rooms made available by members’ employers). These seminars have been used as the regular
program or to supplement regular programs.
For information about web seminars being offered, go to Live Web Seminars page (stc.org > Education
> Live Web Seminars). The Society also offers more than 70 on-demand archived web seminars at no
additional cost to members, and you can find these on the Free On-Demand Archived Seminars page
(stc.org > Education > Free Archived Seminars).
If your community plans to hold webinars, as many SIGs do, the programs committee can carry out this
important job. First, the leadership team provides guidance to the programs committee as to the number
of webinars to hold.
The programs committee performs the following tasks:
 Brainstorm topics and speakers.
 Evaluate webinar software and recommends the tool to use.
 Reach out to potential speakers and make a verbal agreement (this works well when committee
members who know the potential speaker contact that speaker).
 Send a letter of agreement to the speaker and file a copy of the signed letter in the community
archives.
 Set up and runs webinars.
 Set up the webinar using webinar software and payment platforms.
 Publicize the webinar.
 Rehearse with the webinar presenter.
 Accept registrations.
 Run the webinar.
 Collect feedback.

Workshops and Conferences
If your community plans to hold a workshop or conference, face-to-face or online, form a separate
committee to plan and execute it. Make sure that you have adequate volunteers and financial resources
before undertaking a program of this magnitude.
Holding a workshop or conference includes these tasks:
 Develop a budget.
 Schedule a date and a venue (for an in-person event), or conference call and webcasting services
(for an online event).
 Convene a committee to help plan and run the conference.
 Select a conference theme.
 Determine sponsorship needs, and contact vendors to serve as sponsors and exhibitors.
 Determine registration categories, and the fees for each category.
 Plan the program, obtain speakers, and coordinate arrangements with the speakers.
 Oversee the registration area, meeting rooms, audiovisual equipment, meals, and coffee breaks for
face-to-face events.
 Distribute conference information in advance, including how to register and pay.
 Work with the public relations committee to publicize the conference in the community newsletter,
web site, social media, local news outlets, area businesses, colleges and universities, and members
of related organizations.
 Receive registrations and payments directly or through a web service.
 Notify registrants that their registrations have been received (if the web service does not do
this).Welcome attendees.
 Orient speakers to the facility, have all of the equipment that they need, introduce speakers, and
present each speaker with an appropriate gift.
 Carefully track expenditures, provide regular reports to the leadership team, and submit all receipts
and other financial information.
 Distribute evaluation forms and make sure that they are collected and analyzed.
 Turn over evaluation results and all records to next year’s committee.
Setting Prices for Programs
As an STC leader, remember that you are responsible for running your community as a business. As you
consider what to charge for programs, remember that your prices should cover not only the cost of the
meal or refreshments that attendees may consume, but also the overhead expenses associated with
putting on the program. These may include fees for virtual and/or physical meeting facilities, AV support,
telephone charges, publicity, online event-management and registration applications, PayPal and credit-
card processing fees, speaker transportation/travel, printing, supplies, etc. Some expenses may be offset
by sponsorships or donations (see Chapter 12), but all other expenses should be factored into your
program pricing.

A few general guidelines:
Do not use community funding to just pay for food while giving programs away for free. The mission of the
Society is to advance the practice and theory of technical communication and to promote the value of
technical communicators – not simply to feed them!
 Do not use community funding to just pay for food while giving programs away for free. The mission
of the Society is to advance the practice and theory of technical communication and to promote the
value of technical communicators – not simply to feed them!
 The price of a program reflects its value. People will think they are getting more of an education from
a $25 or $35 meeting than a $10 meeting. In addition, people are more likely to show up for an event
they had to pay more for. You will likely get more no-shows for a lower-cost event.
 Require payment in advance, or set a cancelation policy that requires people to pay for the event
regardless of whether they attend, unless they cancel their reservation 72 hours in advance (for
example).
What about preferential pricing? This is an acceptable practice. In fact, it can reinforce the value of
membership in STC and/or your community. Feel free to set prices lower for members, while keeping
non-member prices at a premium. Just be sure that you still can cover all program costs.
Ultimately, your goal should be to work toward self-funded programs, and eventually toward programs
that generate revenue to help fund other community activities. Occasionally, you may choose to subsidize
the cost for members, volunteers and guests by offering coupons, discounts or special rates. However,
subsidies should be the exception, rather than the rule, to help reinforce the value that attendees are
receiving from your programs.

Communication
This section addresses the forms of communication that your community can use to publicize what it does
and to tell the Society’s story. In the past, communication and publicity were different ideas. Today, they
are almost the same, as this figure illustrates:
As you look at the ideas in this section, think about how you can use them facing in and facing out. With
good volunteers, you can make your communication tools publicize your events.
Communication Plan
If you can, develop a communication plan for your community. Your plan can include one or more forms
of communication, how you will use each to communicate with your members, deadlines or timeframe
targets, and who will be responsible for each form.
How much or how little you plan to communicate depends on how many volunteers you have, their
communication skills and preferences, and the preferences of your members. Keep in mind that any
communication is better than none, that your community members understand that we are staffed by
volunteers, and that we have successful communities all across the spectrum.

Your communication plan can include any of the following items:
 Newsletter
 Email List
 Web Sites and Blogs
 Social Media
 Other Tools
For information about developing a communication plan, see Communications Liftoff: Rocketing Your
Community to the Stars (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Communications Liftoff! Rocketing
your Community to the Stars) and the Communications Liftoff: Rocketing your Community to the Stars
webinar (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Archived Leadership Webinars).
Newsletter
Why Have a Newsletter?
A newsletter is a great way to provide value to members, letting them know what’s going on within your
community, within the Society, and within our profession. When published regularly, a newsletter gives
members a reliable way to stay informed and respond back to leadership within the community. In a
recent survey of the communication preferences of Society members, the emailed newsletter was the
number one preferred means of communication within the group.
Do not hesitate to repeat news from other sources, such as the Society web site, STC’s Notebook blog,
or in Intercom, as people might miss items if they are published in only one place.
What do I Need For a Community Newsletter?
A community newsletter can be simple or complex, depending on the community and the amount of
resources (time, money, graphic design, and content) available within your group.
The basic newsletter usually includes the following items:
 Email format
 From the community president or editor, with contact information
 To all members (as blind copy to protect their privacy). Download your membership roster (login
required) from http://www.stc.org/mystc/resources/community-reports.
 A warm greeting from the president or editor
 Announcements and registration information for coming events
 News about events, recognition, and other activities within the community since the last newsletter
 Employment news
 Society deadlines
 Reprints of news and announcements published elsewhere, such as from the Society web site,
Intercom, or blogs
 The Society’s mission statement: “STC advances the practice and theory of technical
communications and promotes the value of technical communicators globally.”
 Society mailing address, telephone number, and web site address

 A warm closing from the president or editor
Consider adding other elements to your newsletter whenever possible:
 Society logo: Download the logo from the Society web site and follow the Guidelines for Using the
STC Logo and Logotype (stc.org > MySTC > STC Logos).
 At least two senior officers’ names with their email addresses and (optionally) telephone numbers
 Publication frequency: How often the newsletter is published
 Publication policies: Deadlines and how to submit information for publication
 Copyright statement (for example): “This newsletter invites writers to submit articles that they wish
to be considered for publication. Note: By submitting an article, you implicitly grant a license to this
newsletter to run the article and for other Society publications to reprint it without permission.
Copyright is held by the writer. In your cover letter, please let the editor know if this article has run
elsewhere, and if it has been submitted for consideration to other publications.”
 Reprint policies: Statement that other Society publications may reprint items with attribution and
requesting notification (if you wish)
The editorial content of all Society community newsletters must be informational and not commercial.
Material that promotes an individual, firm, or organization is inappropriate. Biographical sketches of up to
50 words following articles are acceptable. Logos of companies or other organizations should not be
included. Contact the STC office for guidance if you have questions.
Advertising
Newsletters may contain paid display and classified advertising related to professional technical
communication and germane to the geographic area covered by the chapter or the interest area of the
SIG. Solicitation and acceptance of advertising is at the discretion of the newsletter editor. Consider
checking with other communities to find out their advertising rates before proposing rates to your
leadership team for approval.
Email List
Communities can use email lists to enable members (and non-members, depending on community
policy), to communicate with each other. The email list is an easy way for the email-list members to ask
questions, make announcements, and advertise employment (but not necessarily seek employment).
You can use Yahoo, Google, and other groups to set up an email list, and there are other ways you can
set up email lists, such as letting the Society administer your email list.
Email management software is also available, such as Constant Contact and MailChimp. For $10-$15 per
month, your community can maintain an email list while sending out professional, well-designed emails.
Web Sites and Blogs
Web sites are one of the most powerful tools available for communicating with your members and other
interested parties. Every community should have some kind of web presence. Most have a web site,
typically with a domain name representing the particular community, and hosted by an Internet service
provider.

Chapters and SIGs
Use a web site to announce events and distribute information. Be sure you have a webmaster who will
keep the information on the site current and will work with the hosting service if technical problems arise.
Each site should include the following information:
 Society logo and contact information for the Society (at least the address of the Society web site,
http://www.stc.org)
 Mission statement of the community
 Announcements of upcoming meetings and events, with links to register or buy tickets
 Contact information for the chapter president or SIG manager and webmaster, and other leaders if
desired, updated promptly after elections
Web sites may also include the following information:
 Links to corporate sponsors of the community
 Links to technical communication-related academic programs
 Links to related Society sites and sites of related organizations
 Forms for online registration for events
 Links to surveys and ballots
 Community news
 Educational articles
 Media kits and news releases
 Membership information, including online packets for new members
 A job board or links to pertinent technical communication jobs in your area (or area of expertise)
Society Web Site
The Society web site (http://www.stc.org) can be a one-stop shop for members to get information about
the Society and maintain their accounts.
You can access MySTC, the STC’s Notebook blog, membership reports, leadership resources, STC
Summit news, and Society documents on the web site.
STC’s Notebook
STC's Notebook (http://notebook.stc.org) is the official blog for Society members and is also open to the
public. STC's Notebook provides formal and informal announcements, information about important
subjects, spotlights on communities and members, and links of interest.
New stories and articles are added multiple times per week, sometimes daily, and the blog will grow and
change to meet the Society’s needs. Both members and non-members are invited to comment on posts
and participate in this social media platform.
Member Blogs
If members of your community keep blogs, you can link to their blogs on your community’s web site. You
might also consider creating a publishing schedule for your community’s blog. If you don't, the content
could go dormant.

Social Media
Communities can use social media to communicate with their members and other interested parties
outside of their community. Some communities will exploit many different social media platforms, and
other communities will choose one or two. If your community wants to use only one or two platforms,
consider a survey of your membership to select the one most members use.
If you have enough volunteers, allow one of your members to be the Social Media Manager and sit on the
leadership team. It’s an easy job and can be used to encourage a young or new member of your
community to join the team.
MySTC
MySTC (http://www.stc.org/mystc) is the Society’s social media platform. When you join or renew your
membership in the Society, you gain access to MySTC. You can send requests to other members to be
friends; you can join groups (many communities have groups in MySTC), and you can post events. Each
group has an administrator, which your community leader can specify to be anyone in the community.
LinkedIn
Several Society and community groups are available on LinkedIn, including a Society for Technical
Communication group, along with individual groups set up by chapters and SIGs. When you set up a
group, you can specify whether membership must be approved or if the group is open.
If you decide that membership in your group must be approved, you must specify at least one
administrator for the group. (Two or more administrators are recommended so that someone will always
be available to manage the group.)
Members of your group can start discussions and post announcements.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2926
Twitter
Society members, technical communicators not in the Society, and communities have a strong presence
on Twitter. Consider creating a Twitter handle for your community to post announcements, retweet
Society news, and post questions. A Twitter handle allows those interested in your community to follow
you and keep up with the latest news.
https://twitter.com/stccac
Hashtags
The Society uses several hashtags to communicate with members.
Use #stcorg to tag posts about the Society in general. https://twitter.com/#stcorg
Use #stcyy to tag posts about the STC Summit for year yy. For example, use #stc13 for posts about the
2013 STC Summit in Atlanta. https://twitter.com/#stc13
Facebook
Facebook has two options for large group communication. Many of our communities have a Facebook
page, many have a Facebook group, and some have both.
https://www.facebook.com/STC.org

Facebook Pages
Facebook pages are good for one-to-many communication with people who are not your specific friends.
Anyone can like a Page to become connected and get News Feed updates. There is no limit to how many
people can like a Page.
Set up a page for your community and select several admins (administrators) for the page.
Best practices for Facebook pages change from time to time as the form and function of Facebook are
continually modified.
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are good for sharing information, documents, and interests and for many-to-many
communication. Group members must be approved or added by other members. When a group reaches
a certain size, some features are limited. In groups, members receive notifications by default when any
member posts in the group. Group members can participate in chats, upload photos to shared albums,
collaborate on group docs, and invite members who are friends to group events.
As with pages, be sure to select several admins for the group. Best practices change from time to time as
the form and function of Facebook are continually modified.
Pinterest
Pinterest is a pinboard-style photo sharing web site that allows users to create and manage theme-based
image collections such as events, interests, and more. If you set up a Pinterest account for your
community, you can invite members to pin. At this time, only a few communities have Pinterest accounts.
http://pinterest.com/
Other Tools
Here are some additional tools that can be helpful in community management.
SurveyMonkey
Use SurveyMonkey to survey members of your community to gather demographic, salary, and interest
information. SurveyMonkey has four levels of accounts: Basic, Select, Gold, and Platinum.
Basic (Free) Membership
With a Basic (free) membership, you can send out surveys of ten questions or less and are allowed to
receive 100 responses per survey.
Select Membership
With a Select membership ($204 annually as of spring 2013), you can ask unlimited questions and
receive unlimited responses. Furthermore, you can design a custom survey, have enhanced security, use
advanced features, and receive an Excel report and a PDF of your results.

Eventbrite
With Eventbrite, you can plan, set up ticket sales, promote, and publicize events. It also enables
attendees to find events online and purchase tickets. Eventbrite works with PayPal and credit cards for
online payment.
PayPal
You can use PayPal to collect money for your programs. Chapters can also use a PayPal account to pay
vendors. When you sign up with PayPal, specify that your community is a non-profit organization so that
you will be eligible to pay reduced fees.
One pitfall with PayPal is that changing the name of your community’s officers is difficult. Make sure that
the person listed as the contact name completes the name transfer, and that the name transfer is
confirmed. Otherwise, you might end up closing the account and starting a new one.
File Sharing and Groups
Many communities use file-sharing and cloud-sharing resources for planning, brainstorming, and record
keeping purposes.
File Sharing
File-sharing tools available include Yahoo Groups, Google groups, Google Drive, Dropbox, Skydrive, and
Box.net.
Cloud Storage Best Practices
STC Toronto has provided a toolkit and presentation that offers these best practices for storage of
community material on the cloud:
 All internal and external communication and documentation should be fully accessible to all council
members from any computer.
 Tools and processes must be clear and simple; otherwise, they won’t be used.
 Reuse content to continually improve it.
For more information, see the Leadership Day presentation Moving Your Community’s Communications
to the Cloud (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Moving your Community’s
Communications to the Cloud).

Membership
Community membership is at the heart of the Society experience. Each community needs to work
throughout the year to increase membership, keep the members they have, and recognize their
members.
When people join the Society, they have the option to be a member at the Society level only (unaffiliated),
as well as include one or more communities in their STC membership.
Increasing Membership
The Society offers several levels of membership to meet member needs and interests. These levels
include
 Classic
 Student
 Gold
 New Technical Communication Professional
 SIG Value
 Retired
Each level offers a specific dues structure and set of benefits. When joining the Society, a member can
choose one of these levels. When a member renews, they can keep their selected level or choose a new
one they are qualified for.
Members can also add individual chapters and SIGs to their membership throughout the year.
For more information about membership levels, go to the Membership Dues page (stc.org >
Membership > Membership Levels).
Identifying Prospective New Members
You can identify potential members through the following activities.
 Build a communication program to spread the word about the Society and your community. Publish
stories in the local newspaper, trade publications, and on local or trade web sites. Include information
about your community and its programs.
 Use social media to communicate your community's news and events.
 Set up a Twitter account for your community and tweet regularly about your community's events.
 Create a LinkedIn group for your community and invite both members and non-members of your
community to join the group. Post messages about your community during membership renewal
time, inviting non-members to join and current members to renew.
 Hold community membership drives in conjunction with the Society’s annual membership renewal
campaign. Give a small prize (such as a free registration to a meeting or program) to the top recruiter
in your community.

 Hold a meeting in which members can bring guests at little to no cost. At the meeting, hold an
orientation for new and potential members, covering the benefits of membership, as well as personal
testimonials from members.
 Expand your community’s mailings:
 Find out which companies employ technical communication professionals in your geographic
area or interest area.
 Contact colleges in your geographic area or with programs in your interest area to determine if
courses in technical communication are offered and who teaches them.
 Read local publications and web sites to see if companies that employ technical communication
professionals are moving to your area or expanding.
 Monitor job postings to learn which companies are adding technical communication professionals.
 Post your meeting notices through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media.
 Send your community brochure, Society promotional brochures, and other promotional material or
links to your mailing list. (You can download many of these materials from http://www.stc.org.)
 Encourage members to bring co-workers and friends who are interested in technical communication
to a meeting.
 Participate in career events at colleges and high schools.
 Establish local special interest groups within chapters and encourage networking in geographic areas
within Society-level SIGs.
 Identify faculty members who teach technical communication and send them information about the
Society. Find out how your community can work with the faculty and students at area colleges and
universities.
 Work with faculty to engage students in activities and encourage students to join the Society as
student members.
 Encourage guest presenters who are not members to join.
 Invite members of related professional organizations to your community events, and discuss the
benefits of STC membership.
 Invite colleagues in your company who are not members to participate and to join.
 Send calls for competition entries and judges to non-members as well as to members. Each non-
member entrant or judge is a potential member.
 Encourage non-member competition winners to participate in community events and join the Society.
They might be willing to make presentations or serve as judges in the next competition.
 Participate in community service activities and other events in your community’s geographic or
special interest area. Talk about the Society and invite people to participate and join.
Winning New Members
When you identify potential members, share information about the benefits of joining the Society:
 Networking opportunities through community events.
 Publications:

 Intercom magazine -- Published ten times a year, Intercom keeps members informed about the
latest trends, professional news, and Society activities.
 Technical Communication journal -- Published quarterly, the journal provides thought-provoking
articles on subjects of interest to all technical communication professionals.
 STC’s Notebook Blog -- Provides formal and informal announcements, information about
important topics for technical communicators, spotlights on communities and members, and links
of interest.
 TechComm Today e-newsletter -- Provides industry-related news plus Society information to
members.
 The Summit, an international conference that brings technical communication professionals together
from around the world for educational programs, seminars, and workshops conducted by experts in
the field.
 Society, local, and interest group workshops, educational programs, web seminars, and
conferences
 Community member mailings, which provide reminders about events and membership benefits, as
well as opportunities for members to exchange information about technical communication as well as
interest areas specific to SIGs.
 Society and community web sites, as well as community blogs, forums, wikis, newsletters, and
social media platforms that provide news, information, informative articles, and opportunities to
exchange information and ideas.
 Employment information, including the Job Bank, which provides members with first look access to
the newest job openings (http://www.stc.org/job-bank).
 Scientific, literary, and educational grants (for members) and scholarships for full-time graduate
and undergraduate students.
 The Society’s Corporate Value Program (http://www.stc.org/membership/join-or-renew-
now/corporate-value-program), a way for employers to support STC memberships at group discounts.
For more information, see the Membership Committee Resource Guide (stc.org > My STC > Leadership
Resources > Membership Resources > Membership Committee Resource Guide).
Welcoming New and Potential Members
The initial contact with each potential or new member is vital. It's your most critical step in forming a
positive relationship with a new or potential member, and creating a positive impression of STC and your
community.
 Welcome new people who are attending your meetings. Follow up with an email or telephone call.
 Review your community report each month and identify new members to contact and greet. Send
a welcome email to each new member of your community as soon as possible after they join.
Your new members need to know that they, and their membership, are welcomed and valued. An
individualized, sincere welcome will have a lasting effect on their relationship with your
community. Members who are welcomed will be far more likely to become active in your
community.
 Use the New Member Welcome Email Template (stc.org > My STC > Leadership Resources >
Membership Resources > New Member Welcome Email Template).

 In your email, include links to information such as a contact list of community leaders, the most
recent newsletter, and a volunteer form that members can complete and submit.
 Develop a membership packet that informs new members about your community and its activities.
The packet might include an introductory brochure, Society brochures, and a recent newsletter or link
to the recent newsletter. Distribute the packet at your new-member event or by mail.
 Hold a new-member event and make sure that the leadership team can attend. Hand out new-
member packets, network, and answer questions.
Keeping Members
You can take positive steps to increase membership retention by getting members involved in your
community’s activities, communicating regularly with members, soliciting and incorporating your
members’ feedback, and recognizing members. Members who are involved and regularly receive highly
relevant information are more likely to remain members.
Get Members Involved
 Welcome new and prospective members to meetings and discussion forums. A warm greeting and a
feeling of being included encourages prospective members to join and existing members to stay.
 Send welcome messages to new members and to contact long-term members who seem less
interested in activities.
 Offer new members opportunities to work on committees and lead activities where members want to
gain experience.
Communicate with Members
 Update your members regularly about your community's activities. Post program announcements and
other community news on your web site, newsletter, and social media.
 Distribute an annual summary of your community’s achievements, emphasizing the contributions
made to members’ professional growth.
 Contact members who have not renewed and try to learn why. Provide a supportive and safe
environment in which members can express their concerns.
 Periodically survey the members to stay informed of their interests and concerns. Know why
members joined and plan activities that meet their needs. Surveys help you stay aware of the
changing needs of members over time as technology and trends change.
Recognize Members
 Develop service awards and present them annually at a special event or by special announcement in
the newsletter.
 Nominate a member for the Distinguished Chapter Service Award (DCSA), Distinguished SIG Service
Award (DSSA), or Distinguished Service Award for Students (DSAS) to recognize exemplary
dedication and service to the community. You can find details on the STC Awards page (stc.org >
Membership > Awards).
 Nominate a member to become an Associate Fellow. Those who have been members for 10 years,
have been active in the profession for 15 years, and have made substantial contributions to the

profession and the Society are eligible. You can find details on the Honors page (stc.org >
Membership > Honors).
 Encourage Associate Fellows in your community to apply to be a Fellow.
 Conduct an active-member program that awards members points and later recognizes members for
participating. For information about such programs, contact the leaders of the Orlando, Rocky
Mountain, or Northeast Ohio chapters.
 If your budget allows it, order pins for your new senior members. For information about ordering pins,
go to the STC Membership Pins page (stc.org > MySTC > Membership Pins).
Surveying Members
Survey your members every year or two to solicit their input and find out what they need from your
community and what they are willing to do. Through the survey, you can learn your membership
demographics such as job titles, experience and education. You can also learn about job-related and
professional development needs, the best time and venue for meetings, and what topics members would
like covered in the newsletter. For more information about surveys, go to the Communication section.
Membership Reports
The membership manager and the chapter president or SIG manager can run membership reports on the
Society web site. Check your membership reports at least once a month to find out who has joined and
left your community and who needs to update their personal information in the Society’s database.
How to Download Your Membership Roster (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > How to
Download Your Membership Roster) gives you information about running membership reports. Go to
stc.org > MySTC> Community Reports to run the reports.
You can create a membership directory from your report, but make sure that you do not publish
information for members who want to remain unlisted.

Volunteers
All communities are led by volunteers, and all the work of communities is done by volunteers. The Society
would not exist if volunteers did not contribute time and talent.
Volunteering results in contact with speakers, potential authors of articles, members of other professional
and community groups, and a large number of Society members. These contacts expand the personal
and professional network of each volunteer.
Benefits of Volunteering
Volunteers build skills that they can use on the job.
 Planning, coordinating, and implementing skills apply to project management tasks.
 Negotiation and teamwork skills apply to working with developers, marketing staff, and other
members of your team.
 Survey and evaluation skills apply to planning and coordinating projects.
 Meeting planning skills apply to planning meetings at work, such as department meetings, and to
positions in training and event planning.
 Supervisory skills apply in a management position.
 Leadership skills apply to many different positions within a company.
 Technical skills apply to a technical communicator’s deliverables.
Before you begin recruiting and working with volunteers, review your community’s volunteer environment:
 Have clear, up-to-date descriptions for each volunteer position. Doing so provides several
advantages:
 Make transition easier for new volunteers.
 Provide a resource for training and mentoring.
 Give both new and current volunteers clarity about their roles.
 Help prevent misunderstandings.
 Help balance workloads.
 Look at your community’s goals.
 Do your volunteer roles accurately reflect those goals?
 What roles might need to be added or changed?
 Look at your community’s bylaws.
 Are all elected and appointed role descriptions current?
 Is the distinction clear between elected and appointed roles?
 Reflect on volunteer successes and challenges.
 Do some roles need additional volunteers?
 Are there some activities that need a defined volunteer role?
 Are there some roles that are always hard to fill? If so, why?

Recruiting Volunteers
Recruiting volunteers is ongoing and a major responsibility of community leaders. Whenever possible, the
chapter president or SIG manager should avoid taking on specific assignments and, instead, invest time
in finding and recruiting volunteers, ensuring that volunteers become established in their roles, and
ensuring that volunteers receive recognition.
Leaders must continually emphasize the advantages of volunteering.
Where to Find Volunteers
Possible volunteer pools include:
 Student members
 Newer members who might want to learn more about the community
 Members who would like to develop a particular skill (such as event planning, running a web site, or
speaking)
 Members who were active previously, but took some time out and want to get back into the game
 Retired members
 Long-distance members who can volunteer virtually
 Members of companies who have supported the Society for a long time; often, long-time members
are managers of other technical communicators and will encourage and support newer members’
volunteer efforts
Email and face-to-face requests are equally effective. While many people will volunteer when they are
asked directly to do so, many do not respond to mass appeals. Those who do respond become great
contributors. Listing the work your community needs attracts volunteers for that work. Once a year, your
community’s nominating committee and new president or manager should make a special effort to recruit
volunteers. Success in recruiting determines the focus of community activities in the coming year.
Opportunities for Volunteer Recruitment
Use every opportunity to recruit volunteers:
 When you know of someone who is interested in the type of work your community needs, invite them
to participate.
 Invite people who have expressed interest to you or to someone else on your leadership team.
 Think about the people you know who are members and consider the contribution they might make
and how volunteering can benefit them.
 The nominating committee should make notes about members who did not run for office. Contact
those people after elections and ask them to volunteer.
 Announce volunteer opportunities through your communication channels and at meetings
 Seek opportunities to chat one-on-one with new members.
 Encourage current volunteers to spread the word about volunteer opportunities and share their
success stories.
 Emphasize volunteering in your welcome letter to new members.

When recruiting volunteers, clearly communicate what your community needs done and when. Estimate
the time required based on your own experience. Nearly every person you invite to volunteer will ask for a
deadline or due date, so be prepared to state a definite one.
Keep in mind that, typically, only a small percentage of the members of a chapter or SIG volunteer at any
one time. The active volunteers change slowly over time, as people arrive and depart. Leaders emerge as
newer volunteers gain experience and develop the ability and desire to lead. This is normal in a healthy
organization.
The Leadership Resources page (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources) has online training on
working with volunteers. Watch the Attracting and Keeping Volunteers webinar (stc.org > MySTC >
Leadership Resources > Archived Leadership Webinars > Attracting and Keeping Volunteers).
Leading Volunteers
Leading volunteers, managing volunteer activities, and working with other volunteers are all tasks that
differ from working with others in the paid workforce. Volunteer teams must back each other up fully,
helping the team see the value of teamwork and how it can help develop support and respect. Volunteers
can apply those values in their jobs. When the time comes to conclude a project, volunteers release what
is complete. Leaders might need to fix or supplement the work of the volunteers, but this allows your
community to be a learning laboratory where volunteers can make mistakes yet still know that someone
will be there to back them up. All this is true in the paid workforce to some extent, but even more so in
volunteer work.
People volunteer for different reasons: a desire to serve others, enjoyment of working with others on
projects everyone feels are important, the desire to develop new skills and knowledge, and the desire to
build a reputation locally or worldwide. When you are leading volunteers, it’s critical to know what each
person wants to gain or achieve. Volunteers will not only do a better job if their work is well matched to
their interests, but they will have more motivation to volunteer for other tasks and maybe step up to
leadership. You should be able to customize the tasks and the focus to help volunteers achieve their
goals.
Retaining Volunteers
You need to keep a constant focus on retaining your volunteers. Here are some ideas:
 Communicate regularly with your volunteers.
 Make sure the volunteers have the tools and resources they need to get the job done.
 Don’t micro-manage your volunteers. Micro-management is something that a volunteer might have
encountered at work and wouldn't want to deal with as a volunteer. Also, micro-management implies
mistrust and limitations. Volunteers who are trusted and whose ideas are encouraged will be more
likely to continue volunteering.
 Let your volunteers make most of the decisions, but important decisions (those involving spending or
making money or a change in service providers) should go before the community leadership for a
vote, with the volunteer making recommendations.
 Give your volunteers finite tasks that have a clear beginning and end. Make sure there is a goal that
the volunteer can see being accomplished.

For existing volunteers, it is important to communicate with them to determine if they want to continue in
their current role, volunteer in a different role, or step down. Some things to keep in mind:
 If a volunteer is in a role they enjoy and are good at it, ask them if they want to stay in that role or do
something different. If they prefer their current role, let them stay in it.
 If you think they would be an excellent candidate for an elected office, invite them to run and tell them
why you would like them to run. If they do not want to do so, accept their decision.
 On the other hand, if a volunteer wants to step down, respect their decision but leave the door open
for volunteering again in the future! Or, if a volunteer wants to serve in a different role, support them
in that decision.
 When a volunteer steps down, thank them profusely for their service.
Recognizing Volunteers
Volunteer recognition should be something all of our communities do automatically. Here are some ideas:
 Thank early and thank often!
 Publish volunteer names in your newsletter.
 Use social media to let everyone know about a specific job a volunteer has done for your community.
 Hold a volunteer recognition event, such as a picnic or special meeting; list your volunteers on a slide
show that you display during the meeting.
 Give your volunteers a certificate or letter of appreciation.
 Tell the volunteers’ bosses what a great job they have done for your community.
Recognizing your volunteers for a job well done lets them know that you appreciate them. In turn, they
are happy to volunteer again. Volunteer recognition also shows other members of your community that
they, too, will be appreciated if they volunteer.
Recognition says something about the community itself -- that it is a place where volunteers are
welcomed and honored.
More Information
For more information about working with volunteers, including useful checklists, read Supporting,
Honoring, and Sustaining Your Volunteers (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Supporting,
Honoring, and Sustaining Your Volunteers).

Employment
Society-Level Employment Services
The Society provides a http://www.stc.org/job-bank (stc.org > Job Bank), where the most recent job
listings are available to members only. (They are available to non-members after two weeks.) Employers
pay to post jobs in the Job Bank. Non-member and guest recruiters can purchase accounts where they
may post jobs, search résumés, and more from inside their recruiting account. The fees offset the cost of
the service and are not a revenue-producing activity for STC.
Technical Communication and Intercom publish articles about professional matters. The Society’s ePubs,
TechComm Today, and STC’s Notebook blog also provide industry-related news and career tips.
 Intercom -- http://intercom.stc.org/
 STC's Notebook Blog -- http://notebook.stc.org/
 TechComm Today -- http://www.stc.org/tech-comm-today
 Technical Communication -- http://techcomm.stc.org/
All members receive a free copy of the Salary Database. The database can be used to conduct more
powerful job searches, make a strong case for a raise, or prepare department payroll budgets. The data
in the Salary Database are drawn from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Occupational
Employment Statistics (OES). Non-members, employers, and recruiters can buy the Salary Database as
a single report in PDF format, as a series of Excel workbooks, or both.
Community-Level Employment Services
Networking in a community is an excellent way to find employment opportunities, so communities are
encouraged to develop employment services and provide employment information to supplement Society-
level services. Communities provide employment services that can be specialized to the geographic area
(chapters) or area of interest (SIGs) of their members.
Employment Networking at Meetings and Events
Attending community meetings is an excellent way to make contacts that lead to employment, both for job
seekers and for members who continually nurture their networks. Encourage attendees to bring their
business cards to hand out during networking activities.
Allowing time in a face-to-face or online meeting for announcements of employment opportunities and for
job seekers to introduce themselves briefly is a strategy for attracting an ever-changing group of
members to meetings and providing a valuable service.
If your community holds an annual conference, consider having an employment booth. This can
showcase your employment services for members, prospective members, and employers and be a
central place where employers and job seekers can connect. If the conference is online, allowing for job
announcements and introductions by job seekers can serve the function of an employment booth, as can
a temporary interactive web page for registrants only.

A Career Day workshop is another way to help job seekers and attract student members and recruiters.
The workshop can be a panel of speakers or a progression of round table discussions about careers in
technical communication. Invite experienced practitioners to speak on the panel or host tables. Topics
can include a résumé review session, interview skills, creating a portfolio of your experience, building and
adding to your skills list, and more.
Résumé Review
Some communities offer résumé review services. If your community provides this service, publicize it
frequently to your members.
 Offer résumé reviews at career-day workshops or as a service of the employment committee if the
volunteer expertise is available. Ask career-day participants bring their résumés to the workshop to
leave on the résumé review table. Recruiters can review résumés and speak with attendees for
possible job opportunities.
 Professional résumé writers, recruiters, and technical communication managers can also conduct
reviews on an as-requested basis. These volunteers can critique résumés and provide suggestions
for improvement.
 Post articles on your web site or job board with tips about good résumés.
Job Boards
A community can post a job bank that lists employment opportunities in the geographic area or area of
interest, and links to employment services. Communities can also send notices of opportunities by email
to members who ask to be on the distribution list.
Community announcement or email lists can also be used by members and agencies to announce
opportunities. Some list managers ask that these announcements include “JOB” in the subject line.
If a community posts or emails notices of job opportunities, the community must clearly state that it is not
offering employment referral services. Communities do not recommend people for jobs, recruit applicants,
or evaluate qualifications of job candidates. The job seeker and the employer are responsible for verifying
information and judging qualifications.
Running a job board can involve a lot of time on the part of the volunteer job board manager if job
postings and correspondence involve manual activation. Fortunately, plugins are available for WordPress
sites that provide automated services. Job announcements can also be posted to a community’s LinkedIn
group. For an example of a robust job board, see the Washington, DC – Baltimore chapter’s group at
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=156478 and the chapter’s job board at http://jobs.stcwdc.org/.
If you decide to charge employers for using the job board, it can supply income for maintaining your site;
or your community can subsidize it as a service to the community.
Mentoring
A mentoring program is an excellent benefit to offer your community’s members. Students and those new
to the profession are paired with an experienced technical communicator. For those new to the
profession, this connection can help them learn, give them a connection in the industry and in the Society,
and develop important contacts. Some of the mentoring programs are geared toward technical
communication students in the geographic area and are not open to members new to the profession. For

an example of a robust mentoring program, see the Orlando Central Florida chapter’s web site at
http://www.stc-orlando.org/.
Employment Information
Community Newsletters and Web Sites
The employment committee can be the main source of employment information for your community
newsletter and web site. The committee can provide any of the following types of information:
 Tips on job hunting, résumé writing, and skill building
 Information on job search techniques
 Member success stories
 Ideas for dealing with layoffs
 Tips on consulting and contracting
 Listings of helpful resources, such as career counseling centers in your area and online job boards
 A web page on which to post community members’ résumés
The employment committee can also create brochures, networking guides, salary surveys, employment
handbooks, and directories of contractors and consultants, typically for publication online. Obtain
permission before publishing the names and contact information for individuals or private businesses.
Technical Communication Body of Knowledge
The Technical Communication Body of Knowledge (TCBOK) is an ongoing project that is attempting to
organize our dispersed professional knowledge and experience in books, academic programs, and
collected experience. The goal is to make this information accessible for training and professional
practice. The TCBOK will be contained in a web-based portal. Contributions from members relating to
careers are contained in the Managing Your Technical Communication Career
(http://stcbok.editme.com/Managing) section. The following information might also be useful:
 Academic Programs -- http://stcbok.editme.com/AcademicPrograms
 Professional Development -- http://stcbok.editme.com/ProfessionalDevelopment
 Business Knowledge -- http://stcbok.editme.com/BusinessKnowledge
 Career Paths -- http://stcbok.editme.com/CareerPaths
Employment Information at the Summit
The Employment Information booth at the Summit provides a place where attendees seeking either
positions or applicants can stop to look at job postings and résumés. Members also benefit by seeing new
listings on the online Career Center 14 days ahead of everyone else. Point out this benefit to community
members as it may help job seekers and employers to make connection with each other at the Summit
and encourage more members to attend.

Students
Student Involvement
Increased student involvement in the Society and retention of student members upon graduation are
critical to the future of the Society. By involving students, we encourage them to begin a lifelong
relationship with their professional organization and to form professional and personal relationships with
other members that can help them excel.
There are several models for establishing affiliations between geographical communities, SIGs, student
chapters, and university-sponsored clubs for technical communication students. Some form of affiliation
with a university is important, because it can give the students (and possibly members of your chapter)
access to valuable resources, including funding for conferences and speakers, meeting space,
promotional media, and so on.
Student Chapters
Currently, student chapters are located at colleges and universities primarily in North America.
If a student chapter is in your geographic area or area of interest, form a relationship between your
professional community and the student chapter.
Encourage students to attend your program meetings, ask the student chapter to be involved with your
community’s activities, and offer to provide SME speakers for student chapter meetings and workshops.
Other Student Organizations on Campus
Colleges and universities might offer other organizations not affiliated with the Society that are
appropriate for technical communication students in particular, or English majors in general. The student
government-sponsored Future Technical Communicators (FTC) club at the University of Central Florida is
an example of such an organization. Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society for
undergraduate and graduate students, has chapters on most major campuses (see Sigma Tau Delta
Alliance, below). Search the web sites of colleges and universities to see if their campuses offer an
organization for technical communication students or English majors. Such organizations can be a fertile
recruiting ground for new student members for your community.
Professional Communities
In geographic areas with a nearby student chapter, you can encourage members of the student chapter
to exercise their free membership in a geographic community by joining your chapter as a student
member. In geographic areas without student chapters, you can get students involved by encouraging
them to work with the professional chapter, preferably by joining your chapter as student members.
On campuses with a student chapter (or a student-government-sponsored organization for technical
communication students, such as FTC) identify a chapter member to act as the student liaison. (A recent
graduate is a good candidate for this role.) Put that member in touch with the faculty advisor and the
president of the student chapter. In cases where there is no student chapter or organization for technical-
communication students, have the student liaison get in touch with the chair of the technical
communication program.

You can get students involved in the chapter with activities like these:
 Networking events held at the college or university
 Mentoring programs
 Joint projects, such as writing newsletter articles or writing and editing the chapter’s processes and
procedures
 Competitions
 Attendance of professionals at university job fairs
 Professionals as speakers in face-to-face classes or participants in online classes
For SIGs, identify the student members in your SIG and reach out to them virtually (or, if you have SIG
members who live near universities with a student chapter, face-to-face as well). Student members of
your SIG can help with these activities:
 Programs
 Newsletter content
Encourage students to consider enrolling in the Academic SIG as well as a specialty SIG (see Virtual
Mentoring Programs).
Engaging Students in Programs
Students from trade schools, colleges, and universities are an important audience. Some schools have
student chapters, which work with the local professional chapter and can work with SIGs. The following
ideas might help your community engage students:
 Ask a student to work with the program committee.
 Arrange tours, demonstrations, and job-shadowing initiatives and solicit student participation.
 Work with students to prepare and present an exhibit of outstanding information products in the areas
of informational, instructional, promotional, and user support materials.
 Organize a group of students to submit proposals for the STC Summit and to attend. Of particular
interest is the student poster competition, where the two finalists attend the STC Summit and
compete for first place.
 Ask students to attend or assist in holding conferences.
 Ask students to present a program at a chapter meeting or an informal webinar on a SIG-related
topic.
 Sponsor a local high school tech writing competition, encourage high performers to consider technical
communication as a major in college, and suggest they consider a student membership when they
are in college (whether or not they major in technical communication).
 Encourage chapter members to contact technical communication faculty who teach courses in their
areas of expertise and offer to do a classroom presentation, a workshop, or an informal Q&A session.

 Find out which member of the technical communication faculty typically teaches the portfolio course
for seniors and encourage chapter members to volunteer to conduct portfolio and resume reviews,
mock interviews, etc.
Notes:
1
If your chapter has an Active Member initiative, make educational outreach of this nature a point-earning activity.
2
With the move to online portfolios in lieu of or in addition to traditional portfolios, this outreach activity becomes appropriate for
SIGs as well as geographic communities (particularly the Academic SIG).
Mentoring Programs
The objective of a mentoring program is to pair interested students (mentees) and subject matter experts
in the field (mentors). Mentees consult with their mentors on technical communication projects of various
sizes or scope, based on the pair’s agreed upon time commitment to the project.
Forming a student mentoring program is a true win-win situation, both personally and organizationally.
Student mentees get the benefit of real-world coaching and subject matter expertise from practicing
professionals, and often a good start on job search and placement. Professional mentors get the
gratification of helping the technical communicators of tomorrow launch their careers, and often even
some reverse mentoring on the latest research and technologies of our profession.
From an organizational standpoint, student mentoring programs benefit student chapters by helping them
recruit new student members (we recommend making a student STC membership a requirement to be
eligible for a mentoring program) and giving them access to a network of professionals from which to find
volunteer speakers for student chapter meetings or workshops.
Student mentoring programs are a tremendous boon to a community. The mentor pool typically includes
several of your community leaders, and many of the activities in which community leaders are typically
involved (newsletter editing, web site administration, public relations) are ideally suited for mentor-mentee
projects. The mentor gets talented volunteer assistance on an important project or responsibility; the
mentee gets an extremely valuable portfolio item (sometimes even meeting an academic requirement for
one of their classes).
For an example of a recognized mentoring program, see the Orlando Central Florida chapter’s
presentation, STC Student Mentoring Programs: Investing in the Future (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership
Resources > STC Student Mentoring Programs: Investing in the Future). To obtain their reference
guide for student mentoring programs, including an extensive “toolkit” with descriptions of successful
student mentoring programs, program guidelines, mentor/mentee activities, and all the necessary
administrative forms, send an email to mentorship@stc-orlando.org or mentorship2@stc-orlando.org.
The Academic SIG has an initiative to pair student members with professional practitioners in the SIG for
virtual mentoring relationships that span two academic terms. The virtual mentors would typically be
faculty members, but generally not on the faculty of the university where the student member and chapter
reside. (This is because a confidential mentoring relationship should not pair a mentee with a supervisor
or professor who has authority over the mentee, whether it be in the form of a performance appraisal on
the job or the grade book in a college course).
The pairing of student members with Academic SIG members (as well as with members of other SIGs or
remote geographic chapters) will be coordinated by the Academic SIG and administered centrally by the
STC office using an online application process called MentorBoard. When the virtual mentor and mentee

are paired based on mutual interests and areas of expertise, they can participate in many of the same
activities as face-to-face mentor/mentee pairs; the face-to-face element can even be introduced using
Skype, smart phones, and the like.
TCBOK-Specific Virtual Mentoring with SMEs
The Technical Communication Body of Knowledge (TCBOK) is a wiki-based information resource portal
with articles on a range of topics on the profession contributed by technical communicators. The goal of
the TCBOK is to organize, make accessible, and connect the information necessary to train for and
practice within the profession of technical and scientific communication. The TCBOK serves as both an
information resource and an opportunity to contribute new content.
Registered users can author new content, add to or edit existing content, and comment on pages. The
TCBOK has a five-year history and, as an evolving collection of information resources, it is continually
updated with new information on the profession. To access the TCBOK, go to http://stcbok.editme.com/.
In the spring of 2013, the Academic SIG piloted a virtual mentoring program pairing interested
professionals in the technical communication field and college students working on projects to create
content for the TCBOK. The TCBOK leadership identified topic areas that needed development within the
TCBOK. Mentors and mentees were paired to work on projects related to creating content for the TCBOK.
TCBOK-Specific Virtual Mentoring with SMEs in SIGs
A successful pilot program pairing technical communication students at Appalachian State University with
SME mentors from a number of SIGs to coach them on research and writing projects for the TCBOK was
conducted in the spring semester of 2013. Guided by their SMEs on how and where best to research their
subjects, how to outline and structure their reports, and benefitting from a professional critique of their
drafts, the students turned out better work and received higher grades than they otherwise would have—
not to mention a true gem of a portfolio item (a pubs credit in the online Technical Communication Body
of Knowledge of the world’s largest professional organization for technical communicators). The professor
gained eight volunteer assistants who significantly enriched her students’ learning experience. The SMEs
had the satisfaction both of helping their student mentees and also contributing to a vital Society initiative.
The Society doubly benefitted: increasing the engagement (and likely retention) of these student
members and accelerating the important TCBOK project.
Honor Societies
The Society sponsors two honorary societies for students. Sigma Tau Chi (STX) recognizes students in
baccalaureate or graduate programs, while Alpha Sigma (AS) recognizes those in two-year or certificate
programs. Both societies recognize students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above,
are active members, and demonstrate a potential for significant contribution to the profession.
For more information about these societies, go to the Sigma Tau Chi and Alpha Sigma Honor Societies
page (stc.org > Membership > Awards > Sigma Tau Chi and Alpha Sigma Honor Societies).
Employment Services in Student Chapters
To help student members prepare for the job market as technical communication professionals, a student
chapter employment committee can do any or all of the following activities:

 Help student members make contacts in a nearby chapter or in a SIG, where students can make
valuable contacts by participating.
 Tap into the job listings by becoming student members of the nearest geographic chapter.
 Develop a student-specific job bank that lists entry-level job and internship opportunities.
 Arrange on-site visits that allow students to spend a day with technical communication professionals
at work.
 Co-sponsor a high school technical writing competition with a geographic chapter or the Technical
Editing SIG.
 Assign a member to publish a list of positions available and get other members to contribute to the
list.
 Help research or update community employment reference tools, such as networking guides, job
search tools, and listings of agencies and job boards.
 Cultivate relationships with employers who sponsor internships.
 Invite speakers who can provide employment-related presentations or contacts for members.
 Publicize success stories and highlight successful candidates’ techniques for finding work.
 Help members arrange to conduct informational interviews with working technical communication
professionals.
 Suggest that members contribute newsletter articles on topics that interest them and use those
articles as portfolio pieces.
Consistent with the policies of the sponsoring college or university, student chapters might want to keep a
record of their student members and the professional jobs they move on to (perhaps even build an
informal alumni organization). Doing so builds a network of contacts who can mentor students and speak
about employment.

Awards and Recognition
Community Honors
Communities have many different ways that they honor members and volunteers. This section contains
some suggestions for ways you can honor your members.
Active Member Recognition
Some communities have active-member recognition programs. These programs strive to acknowledge
the participation of members.
An active-member program can track participation through:
 Meeting attendance
 Volunteer hours
You can also recognize members through:
 Special shirts that identify members as active members
 Prizes to the top participants in your community
Volunteer Recognition
Recognize your community volunteers! See the Recognizing Volunteers section on page 51 for more
information.
Member of the Year Award
Community presidents and managers can choose a Member of the Year (or similar award), usually at the
close of the program year. Consider those members who have helped you most during the year but who
might not currently be eligible for other awards. The winner of this award can be a member of your
leadership team, or someone outside of the leadership team who went above and beyond the call of duty.
Present the winner with a certificate or plaque.
Other Awards
Your community can create its own awards, based on special criteria. Some examples of other awards
include Committee of the Year, Rookie Volunteer of the Year, John_Smith Award (where John Smith is
the name of a member who made significant contributions to your community), or President’s
Achievement Award. Use your imagination!
Society Honors
The Society awards two honors for significant contributions to the Society and to the technical
communication profession. For more information about Society honors, go to the Honors page (stc.org >
Membership > Honors).

Associate Fellow
An Associate Fellow is a Senior Member who has been formally recognized by the Society for having
attained distinction in the field of technical communication.
Associate Fellows have accomplished one or more of the following:
 Been responsible for important work in the field of technical communication.
 Done notable original work that has contributed to the advancement of technical communication.
 Made significant contributions to the Society and helped to tell the Society’s powerful story.
Applications for Associate Fellow are typically submitted to the STC office in late October of each year,
and candidates are notified early the following year. The Associate Fellow application can take some time
to complete, so make sure to allow enough time to complete the application before the deadline.
This honor is awarded at the Honors Banquet at the Summit.
Fellow
The rank of Fellow is the highest honor a member can receive and may be awarded only to Associate
Fellows who have continued to excel in the field of technical communication. Fellows contribute to the
profession and the Society at the highest level, as indicated by their publications, presentations, awards,
mentoring, leadership, and community service.
Fellows apply for this award themselves (they are contacted by the Fellows committee). Applications for
Fellow are typically submitted to the STC office in late October each year, and candidates are notified
early the following year.
This honor is awarded at the Honors Banquet at the Summit.
Society Awards
For more information about Society awards, go to the STC Awards page (stc.org > Membership >
Awards).
DCSA/DSSA/DSAS
The Distinguished Community Service Awards recognize the hard work and commitment of community
leaders. The three awards—the Distinguished Chapter Service Award, Distinguished SIG Service Award,
and Distinguished Service Award for Students—recognize an individual’s exemplary effort, energy, and
dedication to their community and its activities.
The Distinguished Community Service Award is the highest level of recognition that a member can
receive for service to their community. Honorees are nominated by leaders of their community.
Applications are typically submitted to the STC office in October of each year. Make sure to begin thinking
about nominees from your community early enough to meet the submission deadline.
The Society provides awardees a certificate that can be framed or made into a plaque and presented at a
chapter event.
Winners are also recognized at the Summit in various ways and in Society publications.

Community Achievement Award
The Community Achievement Award (CAA) recognizes a community’s outstanding accomplishments in
achieving the Society's goals through a wide range of programs and activities.
The CAA provides three award levels: Merit, Excellence, and Distinction, with Distinction being the
highest level. All CAA award winners are recognized at Leadership Day at the Summit. In addition,
Excellence and Distinction winners are awarded at the Honors Banquet at the Summit.
The CAA application is typically submitted to the STC office in late January for the prior year’s
achievements. Applications are evaluated by the CAA Evaluation Committee. The application can take
some time to complete, so make sure to begin collecting information about your community’s
achievements well ahead of the submission deadline.
Pacesetter Award
The Community Pacesetter Award recognizes innovative and successful community initiatives.
Unlike the Society’s Community Achievement Award, which recognizes communities for consistent
strength in many varied activities, the Pacesetter Award recognizes the successful implementation of a
single beneficial innovation that could be implemented by other communities.
Applications for the Pacesetter Award are typically submitted to the STC office in March, for an innovative
activity completed the prior year.
The Community Pacesetter Award is recognized at Leadership Day at the Summit, as well as awarded at
the Honors Banquet at the Summit.
Community of the Year and Most-Improved Community
Winners of these awards are selected by the CAA Evaluation Committee. The winners are chosen from
the CAA award applications using a set of specific criteria. Winners of these awards are announced at the
Honors banquet at the Summit, while the CAA and Pacesetter awards are publicized in advance.
President’s Award
The President’s Award honors those who have made distinguished contributions to the profession of
technical communication or the Society. The President’s Award is awarded solely at the discretion of the
Society President.
The STC President announces the names of the recipients during the opening session of the Summit.
Frank R. Smith Award
The Frank R. Smith outstanding journal article award recognizes the authors of exceptional articles that
appeared in Technical Communication during a calendar year. Since 1966, the Society has paid tribute to
the authors whose contributions have made Technical Communication one of the most highly respected
journals devoted to the arts and sciences of technical communication.
Jay R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching
The Jay R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching honors true academic mentorship; a record of
successful students, defined as those who are involved in the Society, and actively working in the
profession; involvement in student activities outside of the classroom; innovation and creativity in

teaching, and involvement in research that leads to changes in the way technical communication is
taught.
Ken Rainey Award for Excellence in Research
The Ken Rainey Award honors research that has made positive, significant contributions to technical
communication practice and teaching. It rewards a lifetime of quality research in the field, a single high-
quality empirical study, or a set of related high-quality studies.
Sigma Tau Chi and Alpha Sigma Honor Societies
See the Honor Societies section on page 58.
Society Scholarships
Marion Norby Scholarship
The Marion Norby Scholarship is awarded to women who are interested in studying for a degree or
attending a continuing education or training course in technical writing, editing, graphical design, interface
design, and Web design. Applicants must be working full- or part-time for the US federal government as a
secretary or administrative assistant.
For more information, go to the Marian Norby Scholarship page (stc.org > Membership > Scholarship).

Diversifying Your Community’s
Revenues
Setting Operational and Financial Goals
Your community should strive to
 Drive value for members through programs and services
 Cover general operating expenses, program and meeting expenses, and contingency expenses
 Build and/or maintain reserves
 Become financially self-sustaining
Most communities have overhead or operational expenses that do not generate revenue. These might
include
 Web site
 Employment database
 Newsletter
 Software
 Supplies
 Scholarships
 Recognition
 Leadership support for the Summit
Revenue-generating programs might or might not fully pay for themselves plus cover overhead expenses.
Traditional revenue-generating programs may include:
 Programs
 Meetings
 Workshops
 Competitions
 Local conferences
In addition, community funding from the Society can help to cover expenses.
Sometimes, expenses outweigh revenues, leaving you with a deficit. With adequate reserves, your
community can cover an occasional deficit. However, if you have a deficit every year, your reserves
eventually will run out.
Ideally, your community’s revenues should outweigh expenses, leaving you with a surplus. This ensures
that you are able to fully cover all programs and overhead expenses, as well as build and maintain
adequate reserves.

But what if your traditional sources of revenue are falling short? This section gives you some ideas for
increasing your community’s revenues.
Developing Alternative Sources of Revenue
Alternative sources of revenue include:
 Donations and charitable contributions
 Sponsorships
 Advertising
 Grants
 Corporate matching gifts
 Corporate volunteer grants
 Click-through partnerships
Alternative Revenue Sources: Some Considerations
Donations and Charitable Contributions
 Contributions are an excellent way for members to support both their community and the Society.
 Donors may be able to enjoy tax benefits based on the value of their gifts.
 Gifts may consist of cash or in-kind goods and services.
 Gifts may be used for specific or general purposes.
 You may collect an unlimited number of donations.
 There is no dollar limit on individual donations and contributions.
If you receive individual donations of $75 or more, contact the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Society
for assistance. The CFO will help you determine whether any reporting requirements apply, plus will help
you complete any required reporting.
Developing a sponsorship program is a large task, but some communities have done so successfully by
looking at what other communities have done. For more information about forming a sponsorship
program for your community, see the Northeast Ohio chapter’s web site at
http://www.neostc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=26 and contact the
sponsorship chair if you have questions.
Incentives for Sponsorships and Advertising
In general, sponsorships promote a brand or company, while advertising promotes a product or service.
Communities can collect funds from an unlimited number of sponsors and advertisers. There is no dollar
limit on individual sponsorships, ads, or sponsorship/advertising packages.
If you receive more than $1,000 in either sponsorships or advertising, contact the Society CFO for
assistance. The CFO will help you determine whether any special taxes apply, plus will help you complete
any required tax filings.

Corporate Matching Gifts
Some corporations allow their employees to request matching gifts for donations the employees make to
non-profit organizations. Encourage your members to investigate their company’s matching gift programs
and contribute to your community!
Corporate Volunteer Grants
Some corporations award grants to organizations with which their employees volunteer. Encourage your
volunteers to apply for volunteer grants, if their company awards these.
These programs might require validation of the employee’s volunteer hours, so make sure you can track
this information.
Keep It Local
As a Society, we need to guard against donor fatigue, or unintentionally turning off contributors by hitting
them with multiple requests from multiple sources. A great strategy for avoiding this is to keep it local.
Specifically, you should seek sponsorships, advertising, donations, and contributions from local
companies and establishments that are unique to your geographic area. They will appreciate – and your
local economy will benefit from – the support and additional business your community will bring them.
You also can seek sponsorships, advertising, donations, and contributions from the local office or outlet of
a national or international company. However, you should request sponsorships and donations from the
headquarters of a national or international company only if it is located in your geographic area.

Samples and Templates
Meeting Announcement
Society for Technical Communication Schedules a
Contractors’ and Consultants’ Roundtable
What is this about?
 Techniques for marketing independent practices
 How tax laws affect independents
 Ethical issues independents face
 Business trends affecting independents in the years
ahead
 Business planning for independents
Explore these issues and others in a “Progression” on contracting
and consulting.
Each table is facilitated by an experienced independent
consultant, including some from outside our field.
When is it? April 7, 20xx --- 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Where? Hilton Inn & Towers, 2334 Smith Avenue
Take I-8855 to the Smith Avenue exit (exit 10). At the end of the
exit ramp, go west approximately one-half mile to Smith Avenue.
The Hilton is immediately to your left.
Register by March 27. For more information, contact Firstname
Lastname, program manager, at (555) 555-5555 or
firstname@domainname.com.

Meeting Evaluation
STC Name Chapter or SIG May 20xx Meeting
Qualitative Feedback
Describe the presentation in a few words:
What is the most valuable thing you learned in this presentation?
Least valuable?
The best thing about this presentation was:
If you were to change one thing about this presentation, it would be:
Quantitative Feedback
On a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high), please evaluate the following:
1. Your knowledge of the subject before this presentation 1 2 3 4 5
2. Your knowledge of the subject after this presentation 1 2 3 4 5
3. Applicability of this presentation to your job 1 2 3 4 5
4. How likely you are to use this information on the job 1 2 3 4 5
5. Overall value of this presentation 1 2 3 4 5
6. Convenience of the meeting facilities 1 2 3 4 5
7. Conduciveness of the facilities to a meeting 1 2 3 4 5
8. Food 1 2 3 4 5
Demographics
How did you hear about this meeting?
Are you an STC member? Yes No
How many years have you been working in the field?

Message to Presenter
Send an email to your presenter to confirm arrangements similar to the following:
Dear <Presenter>,
Thank you for accepting our invitation to speak on <topic> at the <date> meeting of the
<CommunityName> of the Society for Technical Communication (STC). Your presentation will take place
at the following time and location:
Wednesday, May 17, 20xx
6:00 PM
Dun and Bradstreet Software Building
As a speaker, you are our guest. To help you prepare your presentation, I have attached a brief fact sheet
about the <CommunityName> members.
Please send me a brief outline of your presentation, a 75-word description, and a 75-word biography by
January 28. These materials will help us develop publicity for the event, which will be sent to STC
members and local publications in the next few weeks. We will also announce the event in our newsletter
and on our web site.
Please contact me if I can be of any help as you prepare your presentation. I would be glad to review your
session outlines, visuals, and handouts to help you tailor the presentation to this audience.
Thanks again for accepting the invitation to speak to the members of the <CommunityName>. We look
forward to your presentation.
Best regards,
Firstname Lastname, Program Manager
STC Community
(555) 555-5555
firstname_email@domainname.com

Community Profile
The following is an example of a profile that could be used to provide background information for a
speaker.
STC Community Name
About the Society for Technical Communication (STC)
STC is the world’s largest professional organization for people involved in communicating technical
information (technical writers, editors, illustrators, instructional designers and managers of technical
communication departments, as well as consultants, researchers, educators, and students in the field).
STC promotes the profession through its more than 150 chapters and special interest groups, and its
publications, meetings, conferences, competitions, and research programs.
About Our Meetings
Our meetings focus on current developments in technical communication and related fields through
interactive, workshop-like sessions and lively panel discussions. They tend to be more like training
courses than academic conferences. Please prepare instructional and informational materials, but do not
prepare a formal paper.
Membership Profile
Education: Nearly 100 percent have bachelor’s degrees—about two-thirds in English or technical
communication, about one-fourth in science, engineering, or computer science, and about one-twelfth in
journalism. About one-half have had some graduate education, and many have master’s degrees.
Experience: Average is five to ten years in the field.
Job Profiles: Nearly all working members develop one or more of these types of publications:
documentation for software users, marketing collateral, training materials, and scientific reports. Most
members are writers, but several are team leaders and managers.
Many members work on just one project for several months, while others work simultaneously on several
smaller projects. Members write online documents, although some printed documents are still prepared.
Our members tend to work for high-tech firms, but some members work in academia.
About one-fourth of the members work as independent contractors. Typical employers include Unisys,
IBM, Hayes, DCA, Southern Bell, and Lanier. Employment is growing in environmental firms, although
that still represents a small part of our work. Our yearly conference also attracts STC members from
nearby states.
We have student members from X Tech and Y University, which have undergraduate and graduate
programs. Many students are in their 30s, and are seeking to change professions or receive further
training in the field.
Preferred Presentation Formats
Practical. Members prefer information they can immediately apply on the job. Members appreciate well-
researched and cited information, but practicality is the overriding concern.
Interactive. Presentations should be one-third to one-half lecture, and two-thirds to one-half hands-on
practice of the skills presented.
Mixed level. Members like intermediate and advanced presentations. However, the experience level of
the audience varies widely so please include basic information, identifying it as such.
Handouts and visuals. These are most successful when they are not duplicates of one another, yet work
together.

Membership Survey
This survey is oriented toward chapters planning face-to-face meetings but can be modified for
communities planning online meetings.
Name (optional) _______________________________________________________
As a new STC community, in order to organize our activities to meet the needs of our members, we are
striving to involve as many people as possible in the decision-making process. Please let us know your
preferences by completing this brief survey.
Meetings
Are you interested in attending community meetings?
 Yes
 No
How often do you think the community should hold meetings?
 Once a month
 Every other month
 Quarterly
 Other __________________________________________
What type of meeting do you think would attract the most members?
 Informal “get-together” discussions
 Business-style meeting with a presentation/program
 Meal served at meeting with a presentation/program
If you would like a meal served at the meeting, how much would you be willing to spend?
 $15-20
 $25-30
 More than $30
What location would be most convenient for you? __________________________________
How far would you be willing to travel? __________________________________________
If you know of any available locations, please list them. ______________________________
Participation
Would you be willing to participate in any of the following areas? Check any of interest.
 Help organize programs and presentations
 Help recruit members
 Help with administrative duties (meeting notes and notices, mailings, and so on)
 Help with employment services
 Locate meeting sites
 Develop the community web site
 Write articles or take photographs for the newsletter
 Other (please list): ____________________________________________
Presentations and Programs
Although we have already lined up our first few speakers, we would like a better idea from you—the
members—on the types and scope of programs you would like to see in the future.

Which of the following programs would you like to see? Check any that apply.
 Computer issues and products
 General topics in communication
 Good management practices
 eNetworking and job hunting
 Technical writing and editing
 Other, general or technical (please list): _______________________________
Presentations and programs can take several different forms; check those that most interest you.
 Single speakers
 Panel of speakers
 Progression
 Webinar
 Other
Many of us have special talents and expertise that could benefit our group. Would you be willing to share
any of your knowledge with our membership in the form of a presentation or participate as a member of a
panel discussion? If so, please suggest a topic or topics: _______________________
Suggestions or comments: __________________________________________________________

Templates
 US Chapter Bylaws Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For Chapter
Leaders > US Chapter Bylaws Template)
 International Chapter Bylaws Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For
Chapter Leaders > International Chapter Bylaws Template)
 Student Chapter Bylaws Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For Chapter
Leaders > Student Chapter Bylaws Template)
 International Affiliation Agreement (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For Chapter
Leaders > International Affiliation Agreement)
 International Affiliation Agreement Summary (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For
Chapter Leaders > International Affiliation Agreement Summary)
 Chapter Wistleblower Policy Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For
Chapter Leaders > Chapter Wistleblower Policy Template)
 Chapter Document Retention Policy Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources >
For Chapter Leaders > Chapter Document Retention Policy Template)
 Chapter Conflict of Interest Policy Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For
Chapter Leaders > Chapter Conflict of Interest Policy Template)
 Chapter Petition Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For All > Chapter
Petition Template)
 Strategic Planning Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For All > Strategic
Planning Template)
 Sponsorship Options (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For All > Sponsorship
Options)
 Membership Call Prospect Script (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Membership
Resources > Membership Call Prospect Script)
 Reminder to Renew Email Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources >
Membership Resources > Reminder to Renew Email Template)
 New Member Welcome Email Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources >
Membership Resources > New Member Welcome Email Template)
 Chapter Event Coupons Template (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Membership
Resources > Chapter Event Coupons Template)

Links and Resources
The links and resources contained in this section take you to useful information found on the STC web
site.
Society Bylaws
 Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For All >
STC Bylaws)
Policies
 Approval of New SIGs Policy (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Community
Policies > Approval of New SIGs Policy)
 Selection of SIG Manager Policy (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Community
Policies > Selection of SIG Manager Policy)
Documents
 22 Ways the Office Supports Communities (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For
All > 22 Ways Office Supports Communities)
 Chapter Leaders Getting Started (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For Chapter
Leaders > Chapter Leaders Getting Started)
 SIG Leaders: Getting Started (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For SIG Leaders >
SIG Leaders: Getting Started)
 Joining STC (stc.org > Membership > Join or Renew Now)
 STC Leadership Calendar (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For All > STC
Leadership Calendar)
 Legal Aspects of Running an STC Community by Kathryn Burton (stc.org > MySTC >
Leadership Resources > For All > Legal Aspects of Running an STC Community)
 Running a Community: Minimum Legal and Financial Requirements (stc.org > MySTC >
Leadership Resources > Running a Community: Minimum Legal and Financial
Requirements)
 The CAA, A Ready Made Guide to Community Planning by Jeanette Rogers and Victoria Koster-
Lenhardt (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For All > The CAA, A Ready Made
Guide to Community Planning)
 STC Membership Brochure (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Membership
Resources > STC Membership Brochure)
 SIG Brochure (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For SIG Leaders > SIG Brochure)
 How to Download Your Membership Roster (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources >
Membership Resources > How to Download Your Membership Roster)
 Membership Committee Resource Guide (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources >
Membership Resources > Membership Committee Resource Guide)
 New Member Recruitment Guide (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Membership
Resources > New Member Recruitment Guide)
 Membership Upgrade Change Form (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources >
Membership Resources > Membership Upgrade Change Form)
 Treasurers’ Manual (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Community Finances >
Treasurers’ Manual)

 Treasurer Quick Guide (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Community Finances >
Treasurer Quick Guide)
 2013 Budget Form (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Community Finances >
2013 Budget Form)
 2012 Financial Report and Bank Reconciliation Report (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership
Resources > Community Finances > 2012 Financial Report and Bank Reconciliation
Report)
 SIG & SIG Member Reimbursement Form (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources >
Community Finances > SIG & SIG Member Reimbursement Form)
 LR Web Seminar Community Funding and Budget Sample Plan (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership
Resources > Community Finances > LR Web Seminar Community Funding and Budget
Sample Plan)
 Retaining and Recruiting STC Members Webinar Slides (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership
Resources > Membership Resources > Retaining and Recruiting STC Members Webinar)
Links
 SIG Leaders’ Wiki (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > For SIG Leaders > SIG
Leaders’ Wiki)
 Filing the 990-N (stc.org > MySTC > Leadership Resources > Community Finances > Filing
the 990-N)
 STC Logo page (stc.org > MySTC > STC Logos)
Archived Leadership Webinars
All of the following webinars are available on the Leadership Resources web page (stc.org > MySTC >
Leadership Resources > Archived Leadership Webinars).
 2013 Community Budgeting and Funding
 Community Finances: Sustainable Programming
 CAA & Community Planning
 Community Achievement Award
 Attracting and Keeping Volunteers
 Community Funding and Budgeting
 Legal Aspects of Running an STC Community
 Communications Liftoff: Rocketing Your Community to the Stars
 Generating Revenue for Community and Update On Taxes
 A Year in the Life of a Community Treasurer

Glossary
Terms and Usage
Correct term Definition
Society for Technical Communication Legal name of the association
STC Acronym for the name
the Society Short form for the legal name
Society-level The Board, the Staff, and committees that serve
the entire Society and report to the Board
Community-level The chapter president or SIG manager, the
administrative council, and committees that serve
the particular chapter or SIG
STC Board of Directors, STC Board The STC Board of Directors is responsible for
leadership and oversight of STC activities.
STC office The paid staff who administer STC. The staff works
with Society and community leaders worldwide to
ensure successful operation within STC’s bylaws,
policies, and procedures. The staff reports to the
STC executive director, who reports to the STC
Board of Directors.

Contact Information
Office Staff
For a complete list of the office staff, see the Staff Directory web page (stc.org > About > Leadership >
Staff Directory).
Board of Directors
For a list of the current Board of Directors, see the Board of Directors web page (stc.org > About >
Leadership > Board of Directors).
Community Affairs Committee
To see a list of the current members of the Community Affairs Committee (CAC), see the Community
Affairs Committee (CAC) web page (stc.org > About > Leadership > Committees > Community
Affairs Committee).

Revision History
The Leadership Community Resource (LCR) reviews and updates this handbook continually and it is
distributed via the STC web site. New versions are fully reviewed and approved by the Community
Advocacy Committee (CAC), which includes Board members and the LCR manager, Community
Relations Manager, and SIG Advocate. The STC office keeps the master files for the STC Community
Handbook.
Date Changes to Previous Version
May 2008 Original Version
October 2008 May 2008 version completely rewritten with
updated information for chapters, SIGs and
student chapters
April 2013 October 2008 version rearranged and edited
with new and updated information throughout.

STC Community Handbook

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STC Community Handbook