Executive Officers
President
Vice-President
Secretary

Organizational Groups
Membership Group 
Internet Group
Events Group
Newsletter Group

SIPA Event Checklist
Email information to database
Inform the press
At the event
Post Event

Crowd Control

Objectives, Responsibilities & Challenges

SIPA's mission is to provide a forum for individuals interested in meeting visiting Indian businessmen, professionals and bureaucrats and to facilitate information dissemination and networking within the professional Indian community. SIPA volunteers contribute in various ways towards these goals. As a volunteer, you may take up responsibilities for any aspect of SIPA's functioning ranging from organizational skills required for seminars and focus groups to web expertise for enhancing SIPA's presence on the Information Superhighway. Promoting SIPA's role and activities is a challenging and rewarding experience.

Executive Officers

SIPA operating officers are responsible meet once a month along with one or more representatives from each of the SIPA organizational groups to discuss upcoming events, finances, status of different group activities, new directions, mail received by SIPA etc.

President

Objective
To define and set the direction for SIPA and ensure the effective co-ordination of volunteer activities.

Responsibilities
Attract new and enthusiastic volunteers and provide them specific SIPA tasks.
Deliver introductory address/vote of thanks at SIPA meetings.
Co-ordinate the efforts of all SIPA volunteers.
Ensure that atleast 6-8 SIPA meeting are held each year.
Collect and distribute SIPA mail among volunteers.
Co-ordinate monthly meetings of volunteers.
Provide greater visibility for SIPA through magazine articles and correspondence.

Vice-President

Objective
To ensure growth of the organization by raising funds and spreading the word about SIPA at higher levels (press, US-India business council, C&L, F&W, Indian Consulate, Indian Embassy, TiE etc.).

Responsibilities
Raise funds through new and innovative means such as corporate sponsorship and special events.
Attract corporate members through personal contacts and at SIPA meetings.
Introduce speakers and deliver vote of thanks at meetings.
Assist other SIPA volunteers perform their tasks and ensure the smooth functioning of SIPA meetings.

Secretary

Objective
Co-ordinate and execute all behind the scenes SIPA activities (such as SIPA bank account, postal database, Tax returns, Meeting Insurance, payments for domain, reimbursements for expenses incurred by volunteers etc).

Responsibilities
File annual tax returns for SIPA.
Maintain and monitor SIPA bank account and update account book.
Collect and deposit checks and cash.
Prepare mailing labels for newsletter and mailing labels for those who wish to purchase them.
Make the following payments each year
a. Insurance. b. SIPA Interment Domain. c. Reimbursement for expenses incurred by SIPA volunteers.

Organizational Groups

Membership Group

Objective
Attract new SIPA members by spreading the word about SIPA and its activities (particularly among newcomers to the silicon valley).

Responsibilities
Collect membership and entry fees at SIPA events.
Make sure you are at the site of the meeting atleast 20-30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
Ensure that atleast 60-75 copies of the membership form are brought to each meeting.
Circulate sign-up sheet at SIPA meetings. This sign up sheet must request the following information (Name, email, membership information)
Ensure that the email addresses of those on the sign-up sheet get added to the SIPA email database.
Every 2-3 months check with postal database admin. for a list of expired memberships. Then ensure that a postage paid envelope along with a letter requesting people to renew membership is sent out to them.

Internet Group

Objective
To ensure smooth functioning of the SIPA domain on the internet. To develop, maintain and constantly improve the SIPA home page. In short, to ensure that SIPA is on the cutting edge of the information superhighway!

Responsibilities
Maintain/update the different SIPA email databases - general, paid, unpaid etc.
Serve as chief spokesman for all queries that come to the contact email address.
Distribute job openings to jobs email database and meeting announcements to the "general" email database. The meeting announcements must also be posted relevant newsgroups like the soc.culture.indian newsgroup.
Provide information about upcoming events and past events via the home page. (meeting dates, meeting minutes, topic of talk etc.).
Provide useful links from the SIPA home page.
Develop innovative means to improve the home page.

Events Group

Objective
To facilitate the availability of the Oak Room in HP.

Responsibilities
To be at the Oak Room atleast 30 before the start of the SIPA meeting.
To assist SIPA meeting coordinators to finalize a date/time for SIPA meetings.
To try and arrange for a back-up in the event of being unavailable on the day of the event.

Newsletter Group

Objective
To produce an informative, professional newsletter.

Responsibilities
Publish four SIPA newsletters (one every quarter) each year.
To gather material for the newsletter.
Print one copy and pass on to Rainbow Printing with information on number of copies, time frame and postage stamps.
Mail the newsletter and make payments to Rainbow Printing. Rainbow Printing 510-651-3901 (Contact: Monojit)
Form an editorial board to assist in the newsletter production.

SIPA Event Checklist

Given below is the entire checklist of items that one must cover to ensure a successful SIPA event.

Schedule Event
Contact speaker(s).
Get background information from speaker.
Decide on topic of the talk after discussion with speaker.
Put together write up for home page, press, email database, meeting notice card.
Decide on convenient date based on speaker availability and Oak room availability.

Email information to database
One week in advance and reminder on the week of the event
Ensure that home page is updated with information on upcoming event

Inform the press
India Post. (Narayan Keshavan)
India West. Richard Springer Phone: 510-652-5053 email: [email protected]
India Currents (deadline-20th of each month). Arvind Kumar 408-274-6966(phone); 408-274-2733(fax) email: [email protected]
Remind them a day prior to the event, so they can send in a reporter.

At the event
Prepare to introduce the speaker.
Ensure that volunteers bring in membership forms/cards and are prepared to collect cash at the door.
Pass around sign up sheet.
Ask for a volunteer to write minutes of the meeting at the end of introductory speech.

Post Event
Ensure that sign up sheet gets added to email database.
Send thank you letter to speaker(s).
Ensure distribution of minutes to email database.
Work with Webmaster to ensure that minutes are added to the home page.

Crowd Control At SIPA Events

The following are the procedures to assist SIPA volunteers manage the crowd at SIPA events. Layout of tables used as a service station for admitting guests. One table will be available for servicing the current SIPA members. Another table will be available for servicing the non-members. Note: Each one of these tables should be located on opposite sides of the door to allow for a clear distinction between the Member's line and the Non-member's line.

Six SIPA volunteers will assume the responsibility of managing the crowd and must be present half an hour prior to the event. Volunteers will be responsible for greeting the guests at the main door and directing them to either the Member's table or the Non-member's table. Each one of them will be provided with the list of current members.

Two Volunteers will be responsible for servicing the current members. Each one of them will be provided with the list of current members.
Verify the guest's membership status. If valid, then provide the guest with a membership card that contains the guest's name and the expiration date. Check mark the guest's name on the list to indicate that a membership card has already been furnished to this member. Otherwise, try to get the guest to extend his/her membership and collect the dues. If he/she does not wish to re-new he/she can pay $5.00 and attend.
Two Volunteers will be responsible for collecting admission fees from non-members and for signing up new members.
If a guest is only interested in attending the seminar and not in becoming a SIPA member, collect the admission fee of $5 from the guest.
If the guest is interested in becoming a SIPA member, collect the dues, note the guest's name in the New Member List, hand the guest a membership form, and inform the guest that he/she can fill out the form and return it during the 15 minute break in the Seminar. The membership card can also be collected at this time.