Student Services

Student Life General Information
Student Government Association
Student Clubs
Leadership
Code of Conduct

Advantages of a Retreat vs. a Regular Meeting

• Eliminates daily distractions
• Provides extended discussion
• Creates shared experiences
• Fosters informality
• Maximizes participation
• Motivational impact

Planning a Retreat

When planning a retreat, there are a number of things that need to be considered:

• What do you want to accomplish? (new member orientation, team building, goal setting, problem-solving, etc.)
• What is your budget? Keep the following in mind:
  • Location (member's home, camp, hotel)
  • Recreation (plan for some "free time")
  • Transportation
  • Equipment (notebooks, handouts, TV/VCR)
  • Food and beverages
  • Length of retreat (one day, overnight, weekend)
• Who should attend? (all members, only officers, advisor)
• What is on the agenda? (Distribute agendas ahead of time so members are prepared and know what to expect.)
• Who will do what? Form a committee to plan the retreat and divide up the tasks. For example:
  • Reserve location, coordinate transportation
  • Set-up/clean-up crews
  • Purchase food or make food arrangements
  • Recreation/Game coordinator
  • Cooking crews
  • Workshop facilitators (outside people)

Time Line for Planning a Retreat

1. At least two months in advance, you should:
   • Decide on the exact date and make sure that there are no major conflicts
   • Reserve your retreat site
   • Inform all retreat participants
   • Appoint committee heads to be in charge of particular parts of the retreat



2. At least one month in advance, you should:
   • Determine the format of the retreat
   • Contact any outside resource people/presenters
   • Have any liability or health forms completed (check with the Student Life Office for questions)



3. Two weeks in advance you should:
   • Send letters to members, giving them necessary information (costs, travel arrangements, what to bring, etc.)
   • Duplicate agendas, maps and any other handouts needed
   • Round up any equipment or visual aid you might need
   • Make final arrangements for meals if you're providing your own (shopping list, who shops, etc.)



4. One week in advance you should:
   • Contact the retreat site to finalize arrangements
   • Have the final committee meetings and be sure all people in charge know what they are responsible for
   • Make a checklist of who is to bring what



5. The day before the retreat you should:
   • Check with committee heads for last-minute problems
   • Rest, so that you will be fresh and enthusiastic for the retreat!

Back