There’s no plague of locusts or burning bush nearby, but campus groups everywhere must deal with a mass exodus annually as members depart in favor of other clubs and activities. No group can retain every member who walks through the door, but the more members you can keep for a longer period of time, the stronger foundation you’ll have to complete bigger and better projects.

Think about it. How much time could you devote to new, exciting activities if you had a larger core of experienced members and didn’t have to waste time training new people?

Read on for tips from top campus groups, and use our diagnostic to ensure you’re doing everything possible to retain as many members as you can.

Stay on Target
Few people rush out to do community service, but at Stetson University, the Campaign for Adolescent and University Student Empowerment (CAUSE) has built a strong group of campus and community volunteers to help reach at-risk youth in and around DeLand.

Community service clubs routinely have some of the highest turnover rates among campus groups, but CAUSE overcame this retention deficit by keeping its members in direct contact with the reason they joined. “At times, we spent a lot of our energy developing the organization, meaning paperwork, meetings, fundraising, etc.,” says Matt Morton, president. “Group moral was at its lowest, so it taught us to make sure to incorporate working with teens--the reason why most members joined--into the organization-developing process.”

Morton also attributes team-bonding activities to his group’s success. Bowling, dinners, movie nights, and sporting events are good examples of activities to improve member relationships outside of normal club meetings. If members feel a connection to the group, they’re less likely to leave.

Get Them Involved
Because of the level of training and experience required, turnover in the world of student publications is disastrous. Nobody knows that better than The Sandspur, Rollins College’s student newspaper. In recent years, The Sandspur has struggled to find its identity, but with a new advisor and a growing staff, the newspaper has found its voice in the community.

According to Dean Hybl, Sandspur advisor, “The key to keeping people in an organization is to get them active immediately.” Interested students are given articles to write every week so they can feel like a contributing team member, and the paper keeps a number of editorial positions open so students can get more involved if they wish.

Even if a member doesn’t want to become an editor, Hybl says the paper encourages open dialogue between its members. “Everyone has a voice in the decision making process,” he says. “You can’t rely on a small group of people to do everything, or eventually, that small group will be all the membership you have.”

Get Comfy
Being new members of a campus group isn’t easy. Not only are there the all-too-frequent cliques that form among current members, but the group’s procedures, activities, and jargon are all unfamiliar to newcomers. In a club aimed at experiencing the finer things in life, committing a social faux pas--such as using the wrong fork at an upscale restaurant--can be especially unnerving.

Luckily, Kristen Brunelle, advisor to Beacon College’s Cultural Club, understands that some of the club’s activities can be very new and outside a student’s comfort zone. “I lead by getting my feet wet first,” she says. “I’ll ask the docent in a museum or the maitre de of a restaurant the first question. Members will see that no one is going to laugh at them and that honesty is always met with respect.”

Test Yourself
Use the following questions to determine if you’re doing everything possible to retain your members. Unless you want a group with a bad case of “flees,” test yourself and try out these tips:

1. What do you feel is the group’s most important work?
   Tip: Reiterate the mission statement, goals, or purpose of the group, and show how the group’s activities accomplish these goals.
2. How are your meetings structured?
   Tip: Keep your meetings short, convene at a convenient time in the day, and include a social element (such as ice breakers, food, etc.) so participants have something to look forward to each time.
3. Does members feel like they’re heard?
   Tip: Don’t hog all the power. Giving members responsibilities makes them feel like they’re contributing.
4. How do you keep in touch with your members?
   Tip: Students are busy people. Use e-mail, a web site, or a newsletter to keep your members informed and the group in the forefront of their minds.
5. How do you recognize individual achievement?
   Tip: Take time at the beginning of each meeting to recognize and thank those who have contributed to the group’s success. Even small contributions should be mentioned.
6. Do you personally show that you care?
   Tip: Birthday cards and thank-you notes show that your members are more than just worker bees.
7. How are long-term group members rewarded for their loyalty?
   Tip: Give incentives or establish a reward system for members who regularly contribute.
8. When was the last time your members had fun?
   Tip: If you can’t remember when it wasn’t all work, it’s time to schedule a little R&R. Plan a party at the end of the year or organize social events outside of normal club activities.