Administrative Manager
The duties of the administrative manager are basically to answer the mail and answer the
phone.
Most of the mail and phone calls fall into predictable patterns: requests
for information on the VSC or VSC events, bills, new memberships and membership
renewals, and miscellaneous questions about vegetarianism. Any call or piece of
mail that you cannot answer, you should refer to the President or another
responsible board member. Use common sense to make sure that all mail and all
calls are answered; if you refer it to someone else and suspect that it has not
been dealt with, follow up.
The P. O. box (in Cherry Creek, Denver) needs to be checked at least once per
week. Phone messages should be checked at least daily. If you are
out of town, contact the President or other responsible board member to arrange
for dealing with these duties.
Answer the mail and phone as follows:
(a) General requests. Send VSC info packets to people who
request general information on the VSC by e-mail, phone, or regular mail. The
standard packet is a copy of the current newsletter and a copy of one each of
our pamphlets.
(b) Specific VSC events. Answer by phone, usually, questions
about specific VSC events. Refer to the newsletter or the VSC web site for
details about events.
(c) Questions about vegetarianism. Answer routine questions
about vegetarianism or vegetarian-related topics by either mail or phone. These
can concern topics such as catering, cooking classes, children, pregnancy and
vegetarianism, protein, fats, vacations and restaurants, non leather items
purchases, interviews to kids doing term papers and essays, requests for
speakers, farmers markets and co-ops, organic food, etc.; keeping up to speed on
these issues is very helpful. If you don't know how to answer a question, ask
the President, another knowledgeable or responsible board member, or simply tell
the person "we don't know." There are some standard materials we have
which deal with some of these questions.
(d) Membership information. Send membership info (new
memberships, renewals, or changes of address) to the appropriate people.
Send checks to the Treasurer, send membership data such as name and address to
the membership coordinator. For new members, send out the new members'
first newsletter, if they haven't already gotten it (no need to do this for
renewals, though). Keep paper copies of all memberships received (as a
backup).
Occasionally, someone other than you may receive a membership (e. g., someone
hands a membership form to a board member at an event). Treat this just as
if you had received it, or double-check to make sure that everything has gotten
to the proper people (Treasurer, membership coordinator), and double-check to
make sure that new members receive their first newsletter.
(e) VSC Bills. If there is an urgent or past due bill and the
Treasurer is not available (out of town, on vacation, etc.), alert the President
or another responsible board member. Use common sense to avoid having bills
unpaid.
(f) Newsletters or literature from other groups. The VSC
sends its newsletter to many different groups, and some of them
reciprocate by sending us their newsletters. Usually such
materials should be forwarded to the Newsletter Editor (because of
possible news value).
(g) Copier. The Secretary has custody of a copying machine. Use
this to make copies of material to answer people's questions, etc. Maintain the
copier as necessary but if it needs major repairs, talk to someone on the
Executive Committee first.
(h) Literature. Get newsletters and pamphlets you need for
sending packets as follows: get newsletters from the circulation manager and
pamphlets from the merchandise manager.
(i) Your expenses. Send your own expenses (with receipts) to the
Treasurer for reimbursement.
