There are some programs you may want to try early in the school year. Consider a kick-off event in the summer prior to the first semester of the school year. This way, students can make associations with your group, and have something to look forward to the minute they walk on campus. Ideally, a social event works well because it gets the group together and allows everyone to meet each other. This can take place in various states depending on where your group members live during the summer. Send out flyers early and get on the phone as students tend to slow down in the summer! This would reinforce the friendly, communal atmosphere you want to create.
At the beginning of the year, hold an "informational meeting" to tell everyone what KESHER is all about. This is the right time to find out what kinds of events and programs people want. (See Appendix 9 for a survey form on assessing group interests). It is also a good time to get people involved on special committees or with specific projects—even things as simple as making phone calls, which can be done from home. You might want to have a service committee which helps lead services and puts together creative ones, a programming committee to help plan events, and a networking committee (see section on publicity). Being directly involved gives people a sense of responsibility and at the same time a sense of ownership, so that they feel it is "their" group and happily make a stronger commitment because of it. This opening meeting is also a great time to ask for volunteers to help lead services or participate in the High Holy Days (if your chavurah is responsible for a Reform minyan).
Hold the meeting in your Hillel office or your chavurah’s office if you have one. This will make sure students know where the office is and allow them to feel comfortable just stopping by when they have a chance.
While an informational meeting is probably the best time to get people involved at the ground level, do not limit group leadership to this circle. There are probably many more people who want to be involved, but may have been unable to attend the first meeting. Also be extra careful not to exclude first-year students who may truly hold the key to your chavurah’s future. Ask people to help at services, and keep the committees open. Allow people to flow in at any time during the year, and don’t hesitate to call and ask someone to do a particular job or task. Delegation is key, perhaps even mandatory so that you do not "lose it"!
For all programs