The success of a university local unit depends on the local unit’s leaders, their goals, and their plans for reaching those goals.

Creating a strong leadership team

What are the benefits of ATPE leadership for college students?

• Networking with potential employers at ATPE events.
• Valuable leadership experience.
• Inside knowledge about your future profession.
• A head start on being an active participant in your profession.
• The ability to actively contribute to and guide your professional association.
• Demonstrated initiative and responsibility when listed on a résumé.

How can university leaders learn more about ATPE?

• Explore Leader Central and other sections of the ATPE website.
• Talk to their regional membership specialist.
• Talk with other leaders at the ATPE Summit.
• Visit with leaders at region meetings.

How can your sponsor help you?

Your local unit sponsor will support you by:

• Ensuring your local unit complies with school regulations.
• Serving as a liaison between your local unit and the ATPE state office.
• Assisting in maintaining local unit bank accounts.
• Providing ATPE materials to local unit officers and other education students.
• Mentoring ATPE local unit officers and members.

Set goals and make plans

Start your local unit’s year with an executive officers’ meeting. During this meeting, you should:

• Create or review the local unit budget. Budget for local unit meetings and activities, membership campaign needs, and the costs of attending the ATPE Summit, ATPE at the Capitol during legislative years, and region meetings.
• Define your local unit’s goals. Set specific goals for membership recruitment.
• Schedule local unit meetings.
  • Keep starting times and locations consistent to encourage member attendance.
  • Rely on your ATPE regional membership specialist as a resource.
  • Work with education professors. Some allow local units to use class time for meetings. Others give extra credit for meeting attendance.
• Plan to attend state- and region-level ATPE events. (Some ATPE regions assist university local units in attending state events. Contact your region president to see if assistance is available.)
• Plan school and community activities for your local unit.
• Conduct elections in the spring. Officer lists are due June 1 each year.

Local unit finances

Treasurers and sponsors should work closely to keep accurate records. The sponsor should open the local unit’s bank account using an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Call (800) 777-ATPE for an EIN. If your university/college requires that you use a sub-account with the institution, please notify the ATPE office.

Consider setting a local unit dues amount (the suggested amount is $5). Please note: The state office does not collect local unit dues on behalf of university local units.