Cain, Virginia J.H.

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Provenance, Journal of the Society of Georgia ArchivistsVolume 7Number 3 Souvenir Issue Article 11January 1989The ABCs of SGA: Or 'Committee Work at itsBest'Virginia J.H. CainEmory UniversityFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/provenancePart of the Archival Science CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. It has been accepted for inclusion inProvenance, Journal of the Society of Georgia Archivists by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. For moreinformation, please contact digitalcommons@kennesaw.edu.Recommended CitationCain, Virginia J.H., "The ABCs of SGA: Or 'Committee Work at its Best'," Provenance, Journal of the Society of Georgia Archivists 7 no. 3(1989) .Available at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/provenance/vol7/iss3/1160 Society of Georgia Archivists The ABCs of SGA: Or 'Committee Work at Its Best' Virginia J. H Cain {First . presented in a longer form at the 1988 spring SGA meeting in Athens, Georgia, 8 April 1988. Special thanks to Jane Powers Weldon for editing the text} A Every committee is Appointed by the board; it needs Active members so it can Act as an Advocate. B A committee may be provided for in an organization's Bylaws. In SGA, Both chair and members serve By appointment; they all have a Big job. c Every committee needs a Charge and Commitment and Communication among members and the whole organization. D A committee makes Decisions and needs a Dedicated chairman who can Delegate. 20 Years in Celebration 61 E· Serving on a committee requires Energy ; the Experience is Educational. Most committee work does finally reach a definite End. F Though members don't get paid, committee work isn't Free. Members sometimes have fun and love the word "Finar when paired with "report". G Going to other people or other sources during the information-Gathering phase is a Great way to Get to know other SGA members and repositories. H Knowing How to do their work Helps prevent committee Horror stories so that committee service is an Honor. I Committees should not be Inactive: Involvement and Interaction produce good committee Information. J A committee and its members must Jump right in and believe that late-night work is Jolly. K Knowledge of all Kinds of facts and figures helps a committee produce a pleasing Ka.leidoscppe of a report 62 Society of Georgia Archivists L Every committee needs a Leader and welcomes a certain amount of good Luck. M Committees help a group Maintain status, Motivate its Members, and Move to be effective. Completing a committee assignment should not require a Miracle. N Good committees work with Nice people and produce New ideas to report to the Newsletter. 0 Good committees work by an Order or plan. A committee is a great vehicle for Outreach to other Organizations. p SGA members who Participate in committee work need Purpose, Priorities, and Plans. Q A committee answers Questions and needs a Quiet place to meet It may feel its work is as difficult as the Quest for the Holy Grail! R Members must give and Receive Respect so that the organization gets a Return on their work. All committees must deal with Reality as well as ideals and goals. 20 Years in Celebration 63 s A Strong committee can contribute to the Stability of an organization. The Size of the committee is important to its Success. T Every committee must Try its hardest, even when things are Toughest It will get the most accomplished by working Together. u The work of a successful committee might be Unbelievable; the experience of working with a committee might be Unforgettable, but we hope that the experience won't be totally Unnerving. v Committee success thrives on the Vitality of the organization and the Vigor of individual members, but it keeps chairs and members Very busy and the organization Visible. w It's important to think seriously about Who should serve, Why their contributions will be useful, Where and When the committee will meet, and What it will report. x A committee should strive for eXcellence, require eXpertise of its members, and know when to make its eXit y SGA needs Your ideas for projects and Your support. We don't want an invitation to appointment to Yield the response •Yuck"! 64 Society of Georgia Archivists z So help us Zero in on other groups we might reach and projects we might Zip right into, so our whole organization-committees and all-won't lack for Zest! Virginia J. H Cain is processing archivist in Special Collections, R. W. Woodruff Library, Emory University. She has held a number of SGA offices and served on numerous SGA committees. Spring Meeting participants enjoy the Georgia Agrirama in Tifton, 13 May 1982 L-R: Kaye L. Minchew, Sheryl Vogt, Myron House, Minnie Clayton, Virginia Cain, and G. David Anderson. Photograph by Glen McAninch. 

The ABCs of SGA: Or \u27Committee Work at its Best\u27

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The ABCs of SGA: Or \u27Committee Work at its Best\u27

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