Alternative Breaks

Board Position Descriptions

Alternative Breaks doesn't just happen. We need a committed and active board to lead this organization through a successful year of service, education, and reflection. Board members aid in the selection and development of sites for spring and fall trips, select and train site leaders and participants, and plan and participate in fundraisers and other Alternative Breaks events. This is an internship-like leadership experience that takes a good deal of time and effort, but offers infinite learning and an incredible pay off when the experiences of AB come together.

Position descriptions are subject to change and do not include all responsibilities of each board member. Other duties may be assigned throughout the year.

Site Coordinators (2-3) Site coordinators plan 2-4 trips (securing housing, partner organizations for service and education, payments for these elements, etc.) and serve as liaisons from the board to site leaders. Site coordinators meet weekly with site leaders to share relevant logistical information and facilitate leadership development in their peers. Responsibilities of ALL site coordinators are as follows:

Plan 2-4 trips and work with 4-8 site leaders
Research possible new and high quality sites and issues during the summer
Assist in interviewing, selecting, and pairing site leaders
Communicate with site leaders
- Facilitate weekly meetings with site leaders
- Share AB policies, expectations, and components as well as trip logistics and schedule
- Ensure that site leaders communicate with sites, meet deadlines, and communicate necessary information to groups
- Train site leaders in small group facilitation
Keep records for all AB trips assigned to you

In addition to the overall site coordinator responsibilities, each site coordinator is responsible for one of these roles:

Leadership Development Site Coordinator (1) The Leadership Development SC takes the lead planning and running both the fall and spring site leader retreats. Additionally, the Leadership Development SC creates the meeting agendas for all site coordinator meetings to communicate between board members and site leaders.

Responsibilities:

Coordination of the overnight site leader retreat in October including reservations, planning the program and training
Coordination of site leader training provided by BreakAway on campus in January including reserving the venue and planning the program
Commitment to strengthening and deepening the leadership within the program - strong site leaders are the backbone of a strong AB program!

Education Site Coordinator (1) The Education SC is responsible for facilitating education plans for each experience and for helping site coordinators make plans for pre and post trip engagement. The Education SC is also responsible for creating educational materials for participants and site leaders.

Responsibilities:

Work closely with Site Coordinators to write and approve education plans for each experience
Helping site coordinators and site leaders plan and facilitate pre and post trip engagement
Helps to write participant and site leader packets to be used before and during the experience

Reflection Site Coordinator (1) The Reflection SC is responsible for working with other Site Coordinators to bring the important of reflection to large group events. If you care about thinking creatively about how to reflect on your experiences, this could be the position for you!

Responsibilities:

Work closely with the Leadership Development SC to build understanding of the importance of reflection and education in meetings and throughout the trip through specific training on site leader retreats and weekly SC Meeting agendas
Help to plan reflection for reorientation

Travel Site Coordinators (1) The Travel SCs make sure everyone gets where they need to be - booking rental vans and working with our travel agency to book flights. These two also organize group departures from and arrivals to Xavier. If you have strong organizational skills and enjoy interacting professionally with XUAB partners and solving logic puzzles this could be where you belong!

Responsibilities:

Make and monitor all flight reservations for all trips including as participants drop and add
Arrange local van rentals, airport van rentals, logistics, and the departure and arrival schedules for all trips

Risk Management Site Coordinators (1) The Risk Management SCs keep everyone safe and make sure AB is in line with Xavier's policies - ensuring AB's ongoing and future success. These two prepare and collect waivers and appropriate forms from all participants, and work with many offices on Xavier's campus including Risk Management, XU Police, and the Center for International Education. If you are highly organized and enjoy learning the ins-and-outs of Xavier this is a great option for you.

Responsibilities:

Gather the appropriate forms for site leader retreat in October and board retreat in August/September
Create, disperse, collect, and organize the appropriate Medical and Assumption of Risk forms for participants and leaders
Meet with Risk Management to plan and coordinate van training, insurance, and waiver process
Work with Center for International Education and the Education Abroad Advisory Committee to meet requirements for AB's international trips

Fall Assessment and Innovation Site Coordinator (1) The Fall Assessment and Innovation SC is responsible for planning Fall break experiences that focus on educating and helping participants further understand the transformation that can happen during an AB experience. Along with planning experiences, this position is also in charge of generating feedback from participants that can create a positive change in future AB experiences. If you love listening to people's experiences and have a special place in your heart for Fall AB, this could be a great fit for you! *Note that this position is part of AB board from January-November.

Responsibilities:

Plan 3-4 trips throughout Spring semester and the summer prior to fall break
Create pre and post experience surveys for Fall and Spring experiences
Analyze results from Evaluation and Assessment of experiences

Internal Controls makes sure that AB continues its long legacy of successful student leadership. IC is responsible for managing the organization responsibly and sustainably, and creating a sense of an Alternative Breaks community on Xavier's campus. IC meets bi-weekly outside of board meetings, usually for less than an hour.

Fundraising Chair (1) The Fundraising Chair is responsible for managing AB's fundraising for the year: facilitating the Adopt-a-Breaker process, working with local businesses, and tracking fundraising and points goals of individual trips. AB fundraises over 60% of our budget in order to ensure that this program is affordable and accessible to all students. If you like working with numbers and can enjoy some time in excel, this could be a great place for you.

Responsibilities:

Brainstorm, research, and provide large and small group fundraising opportunities for Alternative Breaks to reach estimated budget
Maintain the Adopt-A-Breaker and Alumni Adopt-a-Breaker program
Track fundraising rewards point system

Financial Chair (1) The Financial Chair oversees the budget used for all activities from campus events to housing on each experience while tracking both expenses and revenues. With that, the Financial Chair creates the budget with the AB Chair ana also collaborates with Site Leaders to create individual budgets for each trip. If you want a chance to step out and try out both your excel and leadership skills, this position is for you!

Responsibilities:

Create and maintain AB budget
Update financial records for all AB experiences including the master budget
Complete EngageXu check requestions, travel advances, reimbursements, and other paperwork
Receive all AB personal payment from participants
Communicate with board on financial procedures and payment updates

Membership Chair (1)

The Membership Chair organizes and facilitates the Site Leader and Participant application processes and manages the placement of alternates throughout the year. Additionally, the Membership Chair helps run the evaluation and internal processes and maintains AB's social media presence throughout the year. If you are passionate about thinking about the big picture of all AB participants - where we are and where we could be better - membership might be your place!

Responsibilities:

Publicize board, site leader, and participant application process
Update, publish and manage online participant applications and participant placement
Work with Special Events Chair and other board members to help create a sense of an Alternative Breaks community on Xavier's campus

Special Events Chair (1) The Special Events Chair facilitates the planning of the many AB events for board, site leaders, and participants including Kick-Off and Send-Off events, Week of Welcome and Club Day, and Board's dinner with Fr. Graham. If you love planning a day from start to finish, engaging new ABers, seeking (food!) donations, and can bring excitement to groups of up to 200 people this might be the best fit for you!

Responsibilities:

Organize Fall and Spring Break Kick-Off and Send-Off Events
Plan and organize staffing of Fall and Winter Week of Welcome and Club Day tabling, and other tabling throughout the year
Plan and Organize "Alternative Breaks Week" in February (usually 2-3 weeks before spring break)