CEI

• CEI Structure
• At the beginning of the year, the first thing we do in terms of CEI is complete the Chapter Activity Outline, which is basically a planning and goal-creation tool for all CEI activity throughout the year. It is available on pse.org. This helps us plan out all of the chapter's activities for the year and apply it all to CEI categories, thus setting our CEI point goal. Throughout the year, we compare our current activity in each category to its respective goal to track our progress.

• Secondly, at the beginning of the year, the VP of Communication (or possibly Administration in your case) will split up responsibility for selected CEI categories. For example, the VP of Personnel (or HR) is the one to write the report for Recruitment Plan and Revised Recruitment Plan. Also, the VP of Public Relations knows he/she is responsible for writing reports for press releases and media recognition. Although these people may write the reports, it is still the responsibility of the CEI administrator to communicate with these people, ensuring thorough reports are completed on time.

• Project reports
• In terms of reports for projects (sales, market research, service, etc.), we have an extensive process to ensure these reports are as polished as possible, since they amount to a substantial portion of the award criteria for the National Awards Program.

• First, at the end of a project, the VP of Communication will contact the project manager and send him/her the necessary information. This includes a report template, the report criteria from the CEI Guide, and a report guidelines sheet to help the project manager write the report.

• Since each report is due 30 days from the end of the project, we follow a strict timeline in which reports need to be written. Project managers are usually given 10 days to write a report. Upon sending it to the VP of Communication, he/she will review the report for grammar, spelling, and most importantly, meeting all necessary criteria.
• We have a CEI Committee, which is a group of chapter members trained on CEI who assist the VP in reviewing the reports.
• For reports that may be used for the National Awards Program, the report is also reviewed by other members of the executive board.
• We have also implemented a system in which selected alumni review reports considered for the National Awards Program.

• Smaller reports
• Smaller reports, such as those in categories A-4, D-2, and F-9, are also a great way to increase your point total. To increase points in these categories, we follow a few guidelines:
• Create a template to make it easier to write reports. For A-4 reports, creating a template for members to fill in information about their professional program or event will make it quick and easy to write the reports.
• Constantly communicate with chapter members about their ability to write the reports. For reports such as D-2: Internships, ask members at the end of the summer to collect an internship letter from their respective employers.
• Offer rewards and incentives to members for writing reports.

• Keeping Track of Reports
• Keep a log of all the reports you send to National HQ. Creating an excel spreadsheet similar to the CEI Grid sent by National HQ is an easy way to do this.
• When your chapter's CEI Grid is sent to you every 15 days, compare your sent reports to the reports that National HQ has in their sheet. Report any discrepancies or errors to HQ.

• Communication
• Being successful in achieving your CEI goals is all about organization and planning. Make sure your chapter plans its year to achieve your CEI goals, and stay organized and on track in reporting your points.
• Write down key CEI due dates at the beginning of the year. Many reports are worth several thousand points and should not be forgotten.
• Ask National HQ any questions you have. They are always willing to help and assist you with any CEI-related problems.