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Resource Group Chairs: Responsibilities

To help facilitate the best possible connection opportunities while maintaining a structured group experience, resource group chairs focus on the following responsibilities:

  • Host regular meetings to discuss topics of interest to the group.
    • The frequency and cadence of the meetings is determined by the group, but should be a minimum of quarterly.
    • The meeting times should be flexible and rotate so that all group members in all time zones have an opportunity to participate.
    • IMPORTANT: Contact the Executive Director to check availability BEFORE scheduling any group meetings. This ensures the group meetings don't overlap with other group meetings or CSEA events. The ED and Resource Group Chair should also be invited to all resource group meetings.
    • Group chairs should schedule the full cadence of meetings at the beginning of the year (preferably at the same time every month or bi-monthly, etc.). This will increase attendance and help with coordinating the overall MBA CSEA calendar. 
    • The meetings can be open-ended, but some facilitation is recommended to keep the group engaged and on topic. Ideas include:
      • Virtual round table discussions about topics of interest, such as current events or common challenges. The group chair (or a designated group member) determines questions in advance and facilitates the discussion. Questions can be solicited from group members in advance via a survey or email, or during the meeting.
      • Best practice sharing from group members. If a group member is doing something innovative within their institution, they might want to share this with the group. Keep in mind that if the topic is globally applicable, it might be better to ask the group member to present it as a webinar for all MBA CSEA members, or even during an upcoming conference depending on the timing. Contact the Executive Director to facilitate that process.
  • Provide regular updates about topics of discussion to the Executive Director and Resource Groups Chair. This helps ensure the organization is aware of and focused on the needs of the membership. Updates can be provided during monthly Resource Group Chair calls, or via email.
  • Actively participate in the online community that corresponds with the topic for your group, if applicable, or assign one or more group members to do so. Communities can be accessed here. You must be logged in to your member account to access the communities. To find the community for your group, select "Communities" and then "All communities." Scroll through to find the community with the same name as your Resource Group. Group chairs are encouraged to assign one or two group members to post regularly in the community to encourage engagement. Examples of posts include: news articles, best practices, etc.  Note: Communities are open to all members, not just those who are a part of your resource group. The community is not the primary source of communication for the resource group. Rather, it serves as part of the group's role in ensuring the topic is top of mind to the overall MBA CSEA membership. Notes from group meetings should be saved in the MBA CSEA file sharing resource, not within the community. 
  • Facilitate a round table or workshop for the group audience during the Global Conference, if feasible based on group topic. Work with the Executive Director with regards to the timing (which is determined by the conference committee) and structure of the sessions based on previous feedback. Assign group members to facilitate the session. Note: not all resource groups will do this. The Executive Director will communicate in the spring with the groups as needed.
  • Group members may decide to divide into subgroups based on more specific interests or to dive deeper into specific topics. This is welcomed and encouraged. Subgroups should keep the group leadership informed about topics of discussion.
  • Groups should be kept to a size that's manageable in order to facilitate individual connections. If group meetings are consistently attended by 40 or more people, it's recommended that subgroups be formed.
  • IMPORTANT: Due to GDPR (general data protection regulations), MBA CSEA must have permission to share contact information among group members. Failure to do so could result in a large fine to the organization. When members complete the Resource Group interest form, they are encouraged to provide permission to share their information. In the (rare) case where a member is not comfortable doing so, group chairs should develop workarounds. For example, calendar invites can be shared with all other group members, and then the invite can be forwarded to those who don't want their information shared (using the blind carbon copy - BCC - field).
  • If there is interest in a discussion forum that's for group members only, a LinkedIn group can be created by the Executive Director. LinkedIn is utilized by a majority of members, so this ensures inclusivity. It also allows CSEA staff to monitor who joins the group.


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