How should the Exec interact with Societies?

So, I’m currently sat with Simon Patterson on a train to Doncaster, en route to Sheffield and eventually Sheffield Hallam University, all for the BFFS (British Federation of Film Societies) Student Cinema Conference. This, is of course, a trip on behalf of the Abertay Film Society – unfortunately it’s President wasn’t able to make it and so I feel the time is right for a blog I’ve been meaning to write. Where should the Executive be helping Societies and their Committee’s along the way…
First, a recap – Societies, their organisation and operation are the responsibility of the Vice President, however there are some responsibilities that are a bit more spread – for example the constitution of a society must be approved by the Executive as a whole. Further every society’s constitution states that the only entity that can control a society above and beyond it’s committee is the Executive Committee.

That’s the situation by the book, in practice the Vice President will direct societies on behalf of the Exec on most non-contentious matters. The Vice President however is one person and they are both entitled too and best off delegating their responsibilities. The prime example for this year is passing the setting up of mini-sites and online membership to myself from Simon Patterson.

So what this post really boils down too is at what level should a society expect Committee help and who in the Committee should be expected to provide said help. The answer is mostly everything from mostly everyone but to give a few examples.

General Running: So I could never suggest that the Executive Committee should be responsible for all societies day to day running. Even with all 8 this would be an impossible feat however as a technological University in the 21st Century. It makes sense that we take the parts of society running that are hard or undesirable and explain them – this could form online Q&A, guides or tutorials even instructional videos – but it should happen and not just the basics or “101 How to make a Society good enough.”  

The Students’ Association has lots to take advantage of that societies just aren’t told about currently – things like discretionary funding are oft forgotten in favour of fundraising and indeed fundraising is great and has its place but Societies aren’t meant to be an administrative nightmare full of balancing books and communicating with those holding the money. Sometimes we just need to step in. The great thing about this is that everyone can chip in – year round, the exec often includes ex-society presidents who will either know the problems or the solutions and are well placed to write about them, if it came down to acting the whole committee could get involved.

AGM’s, Election’s etc – I think this one is obvious – an AGM or by-election is a minefield of regulations and grey areas that few people have the mindset to willingly traverse. The Executive Commitee, again as a whole, should be well versed with these regulations anyway and capable to help. I’m pleased to say that I acted as Returning Officer for the Games Development Society AGM and helped organise the Games Interest Group AGM from start to finish this year, everything from getting the Agenda out early enough and writing up the minutes to organising the catering at the end of it all.

Of course, there is people on the Executive Committee who haven’t joined a society never mind ran one, so it would fall to the Vice President to ensure the Officers are capable of taking on this challenge.
It may seem rich of me to say right at the end of my first term of office but it’s been a recent realisation of mine in a lot of ways that societies could use this closer help and it’s something I hope to spread further next year, my first idea is to lead the way by having a weekly society q&a session via twitter, not that I don’t answer questions all the time, this will hopefully just encourage people to open up about where they’re struggling.

Comments? More Suggestions you know where to drop them!