Executive Board Descriptions

ALL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS MUST:

  • Keep in contact with all other E-board members throughout the summer
  • Attend the E-board planning retreat at the beginning of fall semester
  • Attend all E-Board meetings, bi-monthly chapter meetings, and ADPR Connection
  • Make recruiting new members a top priority
  • Represent PRSSA at the fall and spring student activities fairs
  • Introduce themselves to their professors and represent PRSSA in their classes
  • Work together as a team; stepping in where needed
  • Make PRSSA a top priority, other than classes and internships/jobs
  • Become familiar with PRSSA Constitution & Bylaws
  • Follow a proper/professional procedure for expressing grievances against other board members and advisors
  • Uphold the excellence of the Grady College and The University of Georgia

 PRESIDENT 

(Must have been a member of PRSSA for at least one year and served on a committee)

The president is the executive officer of the executive board. They have final say and are available to resolve any conflict. They should be a trusting and approachable person. 

  • Directs overall operations of the chapter by ensuring open and continuous lines of communication for the E-board
  • Maintains contact with new E-Board over the summer and winter break
  • Recommends goals, objectives, plans and programs for the benefit of the chapter
  • Presides at and oversees all membership and executive board meetings
  • Organizes professional speakers for meetings by making all necessary arrangements and providing appropriate follow-up
  • Handles arrangements for meetings, including procurement of meeting rooms for the year and inspection of room before each meeting to ensure adequate setup
  • Coordinates professional development opportunities for PRSSA members
  • Serves as the liaison between National PRSSA and UGA PRSSA
  • Is responsible for any official involvement at National Conference, if possible
  • Reviews chapter bylaws at beginning and ending of term of office
  • Reviews and/or updates each officer’s job description (with faculty advisor and e-board) at the end of spring semester
  • Maintains close contact with professional advisor
  • Initiates research, as appropriate, to determine if the chapter is meeting member needs (end-of-year survey)
  • Meets with successor to review and turn over records before the end of spring semester to ensure a smooth transition to the next year

VICE PRESIDENT 

The vice president oversees and manages all committee leads and committee members and serves as the direct liaison between committees and the executive board. The vice president also interviews all candidates for committee membership, leads recruitment initiatives, supervises the coordination of senior banquet and aligns chapter goals and objectives with committee programs. The vice president should have excellent written and verbal communication skills, delegation skills, ability to lead a team and prime organizational skills. Time management and working in a fast-paced environment are also essential.  

  • Performs the duties of chapter president if the president is absent or unable to perform his/her duties (becomes president if current president resigns or is removed from office)
  • Organizes committees
  • Organizes and appoints committees for university and community events
  • Helps committees to establish plans, goals and objectives and updates the E-Board and faculty advisor of committees’ plans, goals and objectives
  • Keeps in frequent contact with all committee heads and regularly reports to president and faculty advisor
  • Is available to attend committee meetings if needed
  • Heads committee to plan senior awards banquet (event planning committee) 
  • Responsible for facilitating and fostering a steady flow of communication between committee members, heads of committees and the executive board
  • Meets with successor to review and turn over records before the end of spring semester to ensure a smooth transition to the next year

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS 

(Must submit graphics samples)

The Public Relations Director is responsible for creating graphics and publicity for PRSSA meetings and related events. Responsible for maintaining media relations for PRSSA. Must have strong copywriting skills and communication skills as well as creativity for creating graphics. 

  • Responsible for the production and distribution of fliers and graphics for all meetings and events
  • Maintains the PRSSA bulletin board on the second floor of the Journalism building or assigns it to a committee
  • Manages public relations committee members and committee head
  • Maintains media relations on and off campus by pitching stories to UGA media, Athens media and PRSA Georgia and PRSSA publications
  • Provides information about PRSSA for Grady website, ADPR Blog and Grady’s listserv
  • Creates membership packets for fall and spring recruitment
  • Keeps in close contact with digital media director and president to ensure consistent message across platforms
  • Meets with successor to review and turn over records before the end of spring semester to ensure a smooth transition to the next year

DIRECTOR OF CONTENT 

(Must have a solid grasp of AP Style. Must submit a writing sample/ sample blog post)

This person is responsible for maintaining the PRSSA website on WordPress and running the blog. This person must be organized and effectively create a schedule for blog posts with engaging blog ideas for committee members. Must be strong at editing, working under tight deadlines and managing a team of writers. 

  • Serve on the executive board of the John E. Drewy chapter
    • Work closely with the other executive board members to lead the chapter and engage members 
  • Responsible for the UGA PRSSA website: including updating the events calendar, updating the membership and election pages, updating the executive board member page and running the blog
  • Post completed stories to the UGA PRSSA website using WordPress on a weekly basis
    • Keep in contact with the Social Media Director and the Director of Member Relations to keep messaging and photos consistent across platforms 
  • Write, edit and post biweekly meeting recaps to keep members informed on chapter meetings and advice from speakers 
    • Send these recaps to the PRSSA member GroupMe and faculty advisor for the PRSSA listserv 
  • Must be organized and able to plan out one article a week for the entire year, using a content calendar, and providing ideas, suggestions and instructions to the content committee head and committee members 
  • Manage the Content Committee, the team of writers responsible for writing content for the blog
    • Brainstorm ideas/ topics and assign articles to committee members
    • Edit committee members’ articles for cohesiveness, clarity, AP Style and tone
    • Responsible for holding committee head and committee members to turning articles in on time and giving their best work 
  • Meet with successor to review and turn over records before the end of spring semester to ensure a smooth transition for the next year

DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

This person should have meticulous organizational and interpersonal skills. They should be up to the enormous task of ensuring day to day tasks are completed efficiently. If there is a problem, they should tell the advisor and the president. 

  • Works with the president and vice president of committees to distribute tasks and coordinate with other executive board members
  • Puts together and sends a weekly update document to the executive board and advisor once a week 
  • Keeps a detailed living document detailing what is happening within the chapter, committees and with the executive board 
  • Resolved any potential challenges between executive board members 
  • Oversees the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee 
  • Meets with successor to review and turn over records before the end of spring semester to ensure a smooth transition for the next year
  • Tracks members’ points
  • Manages committee slack channels

DIRECTOR OF MEMBER RELATIONS AND FINANCE 

MEMBER RELATIONS 

The Director of Member Relations and Finance is a pivotal role responsible for fostering member engagement, managing financial operations, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the organization. This individual must possess strong organizational skills, excellent written and verbal communication abilities, and adeptness in managing both member relations and financial matters. 

  • Manages the membership process and recruitment in the beginning of each semester
    • Creates the membership google doc
    • Arranges all tabling events to increase campus awareness 
    • Presents membership/renewal information to the chapter
    • Works with the Member Relations committee head to attract new members
    • Point of contact for all members/potential members regarding membership
    • Works with the Director of Finance/the UGA Vendor’s office 
  • Manages PRSSA gmail account and relays all updates and opportunities to committee members
  • Updates the PRSSA-e-Newsletter contacts with email address of new members
    • Removes members who have graduated
  • Maintains a record of chapter members and attendance at meetings after membership closes
  • Creates and sends the weekly e-newsletter
    • Notifies members of upcoming meeting information 
    • Keep track of all internship opportunities and other announcements provided by the e-board, advisor and employers   
    • Provides a section of DEI updates and weekly blog posts 
    • Provide a PRSSA tip of the week 
  • Oversees the Member Relations Committee
    • Stays in constant communication with the committee head
    • Oversee the “Member of the Month” selection
    • Initiate biweekly Member Relations Committee meetings 
  • Writes and sends thank you notes and emails at the end of meetings 
  • Creates a spreadsheet of all Grady classes offered per semester for members and committee members to speak at and promote PRSSA
  • Contacts ADPR faculty about meetings 
  • Creates and sends out an end of year survey to the chapter
  • Meets with successor to review and turn over records before the end of spring semester to ensure a smooth transition to the next year

FINANCE

The Director Of Member Relations & Finance is in charge of all funds related to PRSSA. They manage all incoming and outgoing funds into the SAC and agency accounts. They are also responsible for reimbursing PRSSA members in a timely manner. This person must be well organized and have an eye for detail so that they can keep an accurate record of all funds and create budgets that committees must adhere to. This person must also have good communication and interpersonal skills because they will be working with Kim Landrum, as well as all staff in the business office.

  • Works with chapter president, faculty advisor and Grady administration to prepare annual budget, which is out of both the agency and SAC account
  • Provides financial reports monthly to president and faculty advisor (report includes budget, spending and balances in all accounts)
  • Collects fees for special events and fundraisers
  • Attends SAC meeting with the president and faculty advisor at the beginning of fall semester
  • Keeps accurate financial records by making timely deposits and by keeping record of all incoming and outgoing money
  • Contact the business office every couple of months for the funds left in the account
  • Disburses chapter funds with the approval of faculty advisor
  • Prepares check for National dues with faculty advisor
  • Reimburses members for PRSSA expenses
  • Meet with the head of the fundraising or outreach committee at the beginning of each semester and plan out fundraising events for the entire semester (percentage nights, selling merchandise, t-shirts, etc.)
  • Reads and understands what the SAC account can and cannot be used for
  • Meets with successor to review and turn over records before the end of spring semester to ensure a smooth transition to the next year

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR 

(Must provide a sample social media post and video with captions.)

The digital media director is responsible for maintaining, updating and improving all online and digital platforms including all social media accounts. The SMD is responsible for leading the social media committee. Working alongside a committee head, the SMD delegates content submission schedules, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram posts. Upon receiving submissions the SMD is responsible for editing and posting all content in a timely manner. This position is a very large time commitment so applicants need to be prepared to dedicate ample time to this role. 

  • Manage all social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn)
  • Upload timely photos and informational graphics to social media platforms
  • Create promotional content during membership recruitment periods
  • Communicate with President and Internal Communication Director about important dates and events
  • Generate social media content schedule for all social media platforms
  • Head the social media committee and committee head and delegate tasks
  • Produce video content for social media use

Director of DEI & Outreach 

The Director of DEI & Outreach is responsible for facilitating meaningful outreach initiatives, increasing DEI presence within the PRSSA Drewry chapter and advocating for the chapter within national PRSA/PRSSA activities. This person must have initiative and be willing to advocate for PRSSA in a variety of settings. Additionally, this person must be confident in cultivating meaningful partnerships with external stakeholders.

  • Facilitate meaningful community outreach initiatives with the Athens community, including collaborations or partnerships that support mutual goals and initiatives.
  • Offering PRSSA’s services to local nonprofits, small businesses/organizations and on campus organizations.
  • Increase DEI presence through inter-committee collaboration by recruiting more male and POC identifying members from across the UGA campus.
  • Advocate for diverse representation among guest speakers and presenters, ensuring a wide range of perspectives and voices.
  • Strengthen the DEI section of the newsletter and coordinate social media posts highlighting holidays and important dates relevant to diversity and inclusion.
  • Foster a leadership pipeline for future outreach and DEI committee heads and directors, providing mentorship, training, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Collaborate with the executive team to integrate DEI principles into all aspects of the organization’s activities, policies, and decision-making processes.
  • Apply for scholarships and grants to support attendance at conferences and events focused on DEI, such as the PRSA Georgia Conference.
  • Maintain relationships with external partners and sponsors to secure funding and resources for DEI initiatives and programming.
  • Lead the DEI Panel initiative, working closely with the committee head and collaborating with relevant stakeholders to organize and execute the event.
  • Oversees the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee Head and committee.

Director of Strategic Communications

The Director of Strategic Communications is a key leadership role within PRSSA, responsible for maintaining a cohesive brand image and coordinating communication efforts across various platforms. This position collaborates closely with the President and other executive board members to ensure consistent messaging that aligns with the organization’s mission and goals.

BRAND MANAGEMENT

  • Work in conjunction with the PRSSA President and other directors to develop unified messaging that supports the organization’s mission, guest speakers, department, and college.
  • Provide support in maintaining consistent messaging across all platforms, including printed materials, website content, social media channels, and promotional materials for events such as career fairs.
  • Assist in the development of an overall digital strategy for the chapter and specific events, focusing on effective communication and engagement tactics.
  • Coordinate messaging and branding efforts across external communication roles, including social media, content creation, and public relations.
  • Collaborate with the Directors of Content, Social Media and Public Relations to ensure content is relevant, timely, and aligns with strategic communication goals.
  • Coordinate with relevant committees to develop promotional materials and messaging strategies that effectively communicate event details and objectives.
  • Monitor and analyze communication metrics to assess the effectiveness of messaging strategies and identify areas for improvement.
  • Provide regular reports and updates to the executive board on communication performance and recommendations for optimization.

WORKSHOP PLANNING

  • Collaborate with the President to identify workshop topics that align with member interests and professional development needs.
  • Assist in planning and coordinating professionalism and skill-based workshops, ensuring they meet the expectations and objectives of the membership.
  • Work closely with the Directors of Content, Public Relations, and Social Media to integrate workshop content into overall communication strategies.