The advisor of a conference delegation can play an important role in assisting residence hall leaders getting the most out of a conference. Here are a few suggestions of things you can do in preparing your group:

1. Assist in organizing a delegation. Work with residence hall leaders in planning strategies to recruit students to attend the conference. It's a good idea to have students who have attended previous conferences talk to student groups to share their experiences. As the conference approaches, your assistance my be needed in requesting approval from professors for students to miss classes or change exams.

2. Insuring that conference information is communicated. Your NCC will be receiving a variety of mailings from the conference office. Make sure the information from these mailings is communicated to the delegation. Double check deadline dates, registration instructions and other important information with your NCC so that all of the administrative necessities are taken care of on time and in the correct manner.

3. Helping students assess their personal and organizational needs. Before your delegation leaves for the conference, spend time with them in assessing how they, as individuals and as a group, can get the most out of the conference. Brainstorm with them on goals to be accomplished through the conference. For example, if the students are interested in Alcohol Awareness Programming, this needs to be identified before the conference so the delegates can begin to think about specific questions they would like answered. The pre-planning will give the students a head start on looking for conference programs that can help them in their work on campus.

4. Planning conference program attendance. Once you get to the conference, take some time to review the conference program with your delegation. Based on the needs the students identified, you can provide some direction in terms of which conference programs would be most appropriate for meeting those needs. By planning which students will attend particular sessions, you can help students to maximize their conference dollar by having at least one person in attendance at as many of the programs as possible.

5. Processing what's happening at the conference. It's a good idea to periodically meet with your delegation during the conference to see how things are going. This is an excellent time to immediately discuss implementing program ideas on your home campus. You can also take this opportunity to change program attendance plans as a result of emerging interests or new ideas picked up during the conference. Once you are home after the conference, make a point to get the delegation back together to talk about the conference programs. Putting ideas in writing and figuring out what your school is going to do with these ideas is important if the conference is going to have a meaningful impact on the residence halls.

6. Spreading the word. Make sure delegates spend some time sharing their experiences and ideas with other students who did not attend the conference. This may not be practical right after the conference due to finals or school being closed, but make some plans for the fall term for delegates to make a presentation to the total organization about what happened at a NACURH. Their ideas and excitement can go a long way in helping the organization to establish some goals and begin working on implementing all of those ideas from other schools. As an advisor, you can have a positive impact on what students retain from a conference through your active involvement in NACURH.

7. Your NCC. Be sure to give your NCC a lot of encouragement and support. After all the work he/she has done to get your school's delegation ready and to the conference, he/she needs a pat on the back. Make sure he/she and the delegation realize that the NCC is more than just someone who gets everyone to a great conference, but that he/she has the responsibility of representing your school during business meetings. It's a serious responsibility that should be recognized. One thing you may want to watch for is a possible power struggle between your NCC and Residence Hall Government president. It's not unusual for a president to want to take charge. Make sure everyone realizes that the NCC is in charge at conferences. This is their show and they have worked hard to get there!