So you are now sure you want to start an OM team at your college or university. You have all the experience, the drive, and energy to try to start the program. Great! Now what?

I am sure you have asked yourself that question. I know first hand how difficult it can be. Here is a start. Before you begin, you must address the following concerns:

Program vs. Team

At this early point in the team process, one of the most important decisions must be made. Is this OM team going to be a one-shot deal, or is OM at your school going to become a program available to OMers for years to come? I would automatically suggest that you try to form a program instead of a team. The advantages are numerous. With my bias in mind, let us look carefully at both types of groups.

For this section, a "team" will represent a group of OMers from a college getting together with the intent of forming a team for one year for certain. A "team" approach has certain advantages over forming a program.

FORMING A TEAM

1. It can be easier in the short run.

Many Universities or Colleges have ridiculous policies for becoming an "official" campus student organization. Sometimes the paperwork for requesting funds is even worse. At my school (Bowling Green State University), we had to elect at least seven officers, write an extensive constitution, attend two separate workshops, and have all this done in advance of the school year. The only way to get money was to turn in a proposed budget the school year BEFORE you competed. It would have been impossible for me to set up an official organization that first year of competition.

2. It is easier to back out of competing.

Other OMers are not sure if they are going to be able to do OM until winter break or later. Others have serious doubts that they can raise the money to go. In cases like these, a one-time team might be easier to manage.

A "Program" can be defined as a set infrastructure which OMers can use again and again to start, fund and run a team (or teams). "Programs" can have many manifestations: an independent club, a part of another campus organization, or part of a college or department within a university/college. While a "program" may be a little bit more difficult to start, once it is started, it has many advantages over the "team:"

FORMING A PROGRAM

1. It will be easier in the long run.

...and maybe in the short run, too. By setting up a program, teams of the future have a much better starting point than the first teams at the school did. Keeping records of fundraising, membership, and travel arrangements can make future trips much easier. Bowling Green State University was involved in Division IV years before I resurrected OM at the school. There was no program, and I still have no idea how that team began or made it to World. Scott Mulkey wrote to me about his Division IV program. He is team captain for Georgia Southern University's OM team. Georgia Southern has become a mainstay in Division IV OM, at least in part due to the fact that they have a strong program. For the past 6 years, they have been funded partially by the University. They have a consistent plan for raising money each year, and they are very organized. Many one-time teams have a heavy load fall on the shoulders of one or two individuals who started the team. A program helps alleviate much of that individual pressure and allows the team to concentrate more on OM and less on begging for money.

2. It lends legitimacy to the program.

If you find that your school can not or will not pay for any part of your OM experience, you will have a MUCH better chance at getting funds from various booster organizations, departments, clubs, OM associations and other groups if you are a legitimate "campus organization."

3. You will have more team visibility.

By becoming an official organization, you are eligible for much more of what the school has to offer. For example, your program can have a booth at the "activities fair" (nearly every school I know has some sort of fair or conference for incoming students to introduce these students to the groups available to them on campus). Your team will most likely have a listing with other organizations in material sent to prospective students. Being "official" may even entitle you to web space on the college or university's internet server.

4. You will have personal satisfaction.

Imagine starting an OM team at your school, and having the initial program you set up last far after you graduate. Talk about personal gratification!

Also with a program, you can have roles for OMers and OMer supporters who want to be involved, but can't be on the team. You can have an OM club which does things to promote creativity. For example, send some members to judge at the local regional competition, volunteer coach for a day, do little creative things on campus, sponsor a creativity week...there are many things a group of OMers could do which would promote creativity and the program in the community which don't involve being on the team.

Starting a Program

There are many different ways to start a program. It is important to note that whether you are starting a team or a program, you must have some sort of official affiliation in order to use the university/college name without violating copyright laws. An independent organization would be ideal, but it is not always feasible, especially during the first year.

Other possibilities include approaching an appropriate college or department. Michele McLeod, who competed with the University of Arkansas School of Engineering's team, says that department was happy to help her structure team out:

They were glad to do so because it enabled the school to show that their school supports the creative process and an extracurricular program in addition to the regular course work.

Still another possibility is having your program be a part of another, larger program. Any organization to which a team member belongs and which supports creativity can be a possibility. Honors groups, engineering societies, theater groups, music or even business organizations all have an interest in creativity.

My team was part of the Honors Society, a group dedicated to "advanced students" which was open to all students at the university. It was the easiest, quickest solution to our affiliation problem. A structure or technical team might want to consider affiliation within the College of Engineering, for example. One must use caution when associating with a parent organization - what does the Classics team do if the program is part of the College of Engineering? Will the Department fund a performance team?

Scott Mulkey from Georgia Southern University wrote something I can really agree with: "Our organization is a separate entity. It has been proposed that we be advised by the honors program at our school, but I shot that down as quickly as possible. OM is meant for everyone. The best way to achieve that is to stay separate."

Going to World Finals

It is also important to consider whether or not you can go to World at all. Find out the dates and see if it is feasible. Money can be raised, team members can be found, but if World lies right in the last week of classes, you may have trouble filling the roster and even going yourself.
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