Candidates' Day Checklist

These department personnel have the following responsibilities with regard to planning the department's annual Candidates' Day.

Chairman (Anselmo Lastra)

At a faculty lunch in the fall, select a date for Candidates' Day that takes into account other scheduled events.
On Friday, begin the proceedings with the "Welcome, Introductions, and Departmental Overview"

Analyze feedback from the previous year to help in planning the program for this year.
Plan agenda. Coordinate with faculty on who will speak when.
Request for single slide for presentations from faculty (to be sent to Alan Forrest).
In the week prior to Candidates' Day, send out e-mail message to the faculty mailing alias, telling faculty where and at what times they need to be in various locations.
Match up faculty and candidates to go to lunch in small groups on Friday (using list supplied by Graduate Student Services Manager).

Coordinate meeting of everyone involved in planning Candidates' Day to go over checklist and final arrangements. Schedule meeting a week to two weeks prior to Candidates' Day.
Prepare and send invitations to candidates to attend Candidates' Day. The invitations are to be signed by the chairman. The invitations contain specific contractual wording governing the candidates' visit to UNC.
Coordinate with candidates on travel arrangements. Contact travel agency and shuttle services.
Make reservations for candidates at Carolina Inn.
Contact traffic office or Carolina Inn and reserve parking spaces for visitors who live within driving distance. Get account number from accounting staff and arrange direct billing.
Provide list of candidates' names to (1) accounting staff, (2) Computer Services staff, (3) faculty, (4) CSSA president(s), and (5) Research Support and Communications team.
Prepare information packets for candidates. Deliver them to the check-in desk at the Carolina Inn by 12:00 p.m. on the day prior to Candidates' Day.
Coordinate getting nametags made for candidates.

Check the department calendar ahead of time for possible class conflicts in Room 011.
Assist Associate Chair with agenda. Distribute agenda to faculty, Graduate Student Services Manager, and others.

Ask several current students to be on the panel, "Why I'm Still Glad I came to UNC," on Friday afternoon. Moderate the panel. Choose students who represent a variety of research areas and make sure there is a mixture of newer students and students who have been in the department a while.
Organize Thursday evening activities involving current students and candidates.
Organize dinner and Friday night party with current grad students and candidates.
Organize lunch and social activities on Saturday afternoon involving current students and candidates. The lunch will be invitation-only for the current students. Select current students who represent a variety of research areas.
Reserve campus tour slot for candidates on Saturday morning.
Deliver candidates to the campus tour guide on Saturday morning to begin their campus tour.

Communications Manager (Kelli Gaskill)

Coordinate handouts for the visitors packets (research handouts, demo schedule, floorplans) If we are doing research handouts, work with researchers to update their 2-pagers prior to Candidates' Day. Set out packets of handouts on Friday morning for candidates to pick up.
Coordinate photography of faculty and current students talking to candidates during breaks and receptions. Either take photos personally or ask another staff member to do so.

Event Planning

Coordinate and plan demos, if applicable, working with both graduate students and faculty.
Create and post signs to facilitate demo set up, candidates' ability to locate demos, and traffic flow.
Tell demo presenters to coordinate any equipment moving and establishment of network connections with Computer Services staff.
Remind lab coordinators and managers to coordinate getting their labs tidied up in preparation for the building tour.
Create feedback sheets; make a plan for how to collect these; and give the sheet to Assistant to Chairmen for duplication and distribution.

Plan food for breakfast, breaks, and reception.
Coordinate with Computer Services for the set up of the lower lobby for meals, request extra trash cans for the lower lobby.
Prepare sign-up sheets for research project meetings and demos.
Coordinate set up of food for breakfast, breaks, and reception; recruit staff to help.
Coordinate lunch for staff on Friday of Candidates' Day.

Coordinate with housekeeping staff to make sure that they give the building an especially thorough cleaning, particularly in Room 011 and the lower lobby.
Do a walkthrough of the building on the afternoon prior to Candidates' Day to spot any potential problems that need fixing.

Organize the Computer Services efforts for Candidates' Day.
Make sure the person on call on Friday evening and Saturday morning is close at hand in case of emergency.
Provide Student Services Manager with an information sheet for the candidates, telling how to log in to our systems and how to access the Tarheel wireless network during their visit. Provide the list by Wednesday of the week before Candidates' Day.
Get a list of candidates' email addresses from Student Services Manager and set up a mail list (e.g., "f03visit") for easy communication with all candidates.
Set up system for printing in SN 019 for candidates.
Set up building access cards and temporary accounts for all candidates.
Set security system to unlock interior stair and hallway doors until 9:30 p.m. on Friday and between 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Provide and test a laptop with a second monitor in SN011 to display countdown timer.
Delete the candidates' key cards and temporary accounts on the first weekday following Candidates' Day.
Make sure all audio-visual equipment and any other necessary equipment in Room 011 is working properly.
Make sure main machine room is in good shape for building tour, along with halls, lobbies, etc.
Carry boxes of candidate information packets from Sitterson to Carolina Inn on Thursday.
Set up tables and chairs in lower lobby as needed for breaks and receptions.
Set up extra trash cans in lower lobby.

Coordinate with own research assistants about presenting posters of their research on Friday afternoon.
Attend breakfast on Friday in the lower lobby and talk with candidates.
Attend the welcome session Friday morning to be introduced by the Chairman.
Take a group of candidates to lunch at a local restaurant (choose restaurant and make reservations if needed) and on a tour of Sitterson Hall immediately following lunch.
Wear name badges while candidates are visiting.
Arrange to have breakfast with one or more candidates on Saturday morning at the Carolina Inn.