Annual Chapter Plan 2012-13 EnvironMentors Program Season Section I: Mission/Vision 1) EnvironMentors mission is “to mentor and motivate high school students who are underrepresented in the sciences as they plan and conduct environmental research and acquire skills that will allow them to build careers and become more active stewards of their communities and the environment.” In general terms, how would you articulate your chapter’s local mission? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 2) How would you articulate you chapter’s vision or overall impact that you seek to make through your EM program? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 3) What are the overall goals you hope to achieve through your 2012-13 EnvironMentors program? For you students: ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ For your mentors: ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ For your university/college (internal or external): __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ For your partners (high school or college access partners): __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 4) On average how many hours a week will be committed to your EM chapter? Chapter Director: _______________ Chapter Coordinator(s): _____________ Lead Student Liaison: _________________ 5) Based on last year's student completion number and taking into account your program abilities this year, and this year’s 60% student retention target, what is the targeted range of students you plan to recruit for the 2012-2013 year? __________________________________________________________________________
6) How do you plan to train and support your mentors throughout this year? Do you plan to
have any incentive events or acknowledgements? ____________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 7) How do you intend to support or strengthen student experimental research at your chapter this year? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 8) What college access activities do you plan to do in your 2012-13 program season? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 9) What field trips or environmental experiences do you plan to do in your 2012-2013 program? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 10) What chapter strengths and successes from past years do you hope to build on, and incorporate in your 2012-13 program? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 11) What new program strategies, activities, partnerships, and/or new college/university resources will you incorporate into your 2012-13 program to support your chapter goals? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 12) What challenges do you foresee to meeting your program goals/objectives? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 13) How will you engage your dean to support your EnvironMentors chapter? __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
2
Section II: Chapter Contingency Plan The following situations are common challenges that occur during the program season. In order to best prepare you for unexpected events, please draft a strategy of how your chapter would handle the following situations: EM coordinator leaves during the program season: _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ Lack of funding to support your program this year: _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ New university dean or administrator that is not familiar with EnvironMentors: _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ Student(s) has expressed fear of program expectations and wants to leave the program: _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ Mentor(s) has expressed fear of program expectations and wants to leave the program: _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________
3
Section III: Chapter Challenges Strategies Based on previous years’ challenges and the new core requirements, chapters are encouraged to create chapter strengthening plans to act as a strategic guide to troubleshoot challenges in their upcoming year. Chapter strengthening plans are specific to each chapter and its unique culture, and will act as a living document that will be reviewed and amended as necessary throughout the year during monthly calls with the national office. Fill in the suggested chapter challenges or write in chapter specific ones that will apply to your chapter this year. Chapter Challenge Example: Mentor time commitment
Top Solutions Assess mentor time commitments during mentor recruitment, flexible studentmentor meeting times, mentor incentives, group student-mentor meetings, or 2:1 mentor to student ratio.
Mentor’s have little time to commit to meeting with students
Students have little time commitment to mentors or other activities take priority
Student-Mentor Pairing is Not a Good Fit
Efficient use of StudentMentor Time
Improving Student - EM Chapter Staff Communications
4
Notes Last year flexible meeting times worked for some but others rarely ended up meeting with their students. This year there should be more guidance during meetings.
Dealing with student remediation in core skills to complete the project
Low Parental Involvement
Low Faculty/University Engagement
Transportation Issues
Coordinator Time Restraints
5
6