Committee responsible: Membership Committee
*Membership Committee determines which state/district currently uses program membership; and the process and procedure used to establish the program membership.
*Survey states/district to determine the pros and cons of program membership.
*President will assist Membership Chair in surveying other TRIO regional associations to determine extent of program membership use.
*Membership Committee will make recommendations either pro or con for the implementation of program membership.
Time Line: Surveys are completed by fall MEAEOPP Board Meeting.
Measure of Success: Recommendations are presented to the Board.
Final Outcome: MEAEOPP Board either accepts or rejects the use of program memberships.

1). Explore the feasibility of awarding Continuing Education Units (C.E.U’s) for professional development opportunities.
2). Develop mechanisms to identify a pool of professional resources.
3). Develop collaborative partnerships with other regional and/or national educational organizations for professional development.

Committee Responsible: Professional Leadership Committee - Current committee that could provide access to this goal.
*Since in most State/District association the President-Elect Chairs the conference Committee it is suggested that the President-Elect of each State/District serve on the Emerging Leaders & Professional Development Committee. This will allow for uniformity in terms of professional development at the state/district annual conferences.
*It is further suggested that The Mideastern Beacon (Quarterly newsletter of MEAEOPP) be utilized as a vehicle to share information and publish research articles. With regard to this McNair students should be encourage to publish their research in the newsletter.
*Develop collaborative relationship with other organizations providing professional development for TRIO personnel e.g. ASPIRE.
*Develop a professional development training group (MEAEOPP Academy) to develop professional development curriculum and provide training or other professional development opportunities for the membership.

Establish the committee: Members to have some level of expertise, and to include MEAEOPP WebMaster. Needs to canvass the states to determine perceived needs at the state level (design survey). Address these and other needs (as defined by the committee and/or directed by the MEAEOPP Board) as possible, on an ongoing basis.
1). Develop partnerships to promote the use of advanced technologies.
Strategy: Investigate companies, determine resources—keep focused on needs (not just bells & whistles). Could include presentations, grants, in-kind gifts, donations of equipment/software.
Timeline: 2-4 months to establish relationships; ongoing development.
Measuring success: Committee evaluation, recommendation to Board. Feedback from Board to help determine new goals and implementation.
Final outcome: Better prepared students and staff, with necessary resources.

2). Explore and expand the options of the MEAEOPP WebPage.
Strategy: Include more information (regional publications, scholarship forms, etc., to download), perhaps online submission of registrations (if credit card payment becomes a possibility), membership applications, etc. Encourage/assist states in designing websites (possibly offer space on this site), links to all state organizations.
Timeline: 2 months to investigate, implement; ongoing development.
Measuring success: hit counter, evaluative surveys, email link to WebMaster.
Final outcome: increased dissemination of information in a more effective manner.

3). Establish a MEAEOPP ListServ.
Strategy: Find host, identify manager, determine functions available/desirable (e.g., participants add or delete selves). Allyn Kostecki (TRIO ListServe) as resource. Blackboard as a resource for discussions, chats?
Timeline: 1 month to research; ongoing development.
Measuring success: ListServe established and advertised; participants using in increasing numbers, frequency.
Final outcome: Better communication across the region, access to professional resources.

1. Create a database with the names and addresses of TRIO Alumni in each state and district within the MEAEOPP region.
2. Conduct surveys with TRIO directors tracking alumni in areas of level of education and current employment.
3. Create state and district alumni chapters.
4. Nominate alumni for TRIO Achievers award on national, regional, and state levels.
5. Establish state and district alumni chairs.
Timeline: An on-going update will be needed in order to be successful.
Committees:

TRIO Achievers Committee
Membership Committee
State Presidents
Publication Committee
Emerging Leaders Institute

1. Create a workshop on Governmental Relations to be among the workshops at the MEAEOPP Conference yearly. Each year, the Board would select a model program from one of the states in the region (West Virginia-2002) to present the workshop.
2. Each state will create a fact sheet describing their programs and successes for distribution to state and federal legislators.
3. Make legislative training part of the Board training both at the regional and state level.
4. Invite a state legislative representative to each state conference to give an update.

Timelines:
Strategy #1- At the MEAEOPP Conference annually beginning this year
Strategy #2- By the Policy Seminar annually beginning this year
Strategy #3- By the end of November annually beginning this year
Strategy #4- By the end of November annually beginning this year

Measures:
1. All states will report on their successes at the February Board meeting each year.
2. The state reports will indicate they have been implemented.
3. The president's report at the June meeting will indicate it has occurred.
4. The report of the state conference will indicate who was invited.

50% success rate in year 1
75% success rate in year 2
100% success rate in year 3

Outcomes:
1. Institutionalizing government relations.
2. Better informed membership and state and national representatives.
3. Increased funding by state and federal government.

1. Expand MEAEOPP philosophy for inclusion (of all regional personnel) so that greater participation is realized by the region
2. Create a publication committee that would generate a quarterly report and/or newsletter available via hard copy and the web so that progress made within the region would insure that programs are current in regards to progress made in the region
•Have Program directors embrace philosophy of getting staff involved in state, hence regional activities and processes.
3. Use MEAEOPP web site more effectively
•Make greater use of teleconferencing to present regional information to the states and District
•Expand the ELI Professional Development paradigm so those components are acted upon and measurable during the ELIs’ two-year matriculation.
•Increase the use of technology in the region, i.e., distance learning and chat rooms so that members can have a platform to offer suggestions and verify information as it relates to state and District programs in the region
•Send token of appreciation, i.e., electronic birthday cards etc.
•Strategy outcomes will be measured via responses from MEAEOPP membership
•Timelines will be ongoing