A Monkey’s

Bid Session Guide

Everything You Need to Know

About Attending Award Bid
Sessions at IACURH 2008
Image: http://monkeyinfinity.com/yotm/images/uploads/goofy_monkey.jpg
1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Introduction to Award Bid Sessions 2
Before Attending Each Bid Sessions 3
What to Bring to Each Bid Session 4
Bid Session Procedures and Guidelines 5
Voting 7
Laptop Computer Use Guidelines 9
Frequently Asked Questions 10
Bid Evaluation Forms 11
Sample Satisfactory Completed Form 12
Sample Unsatisfactory Completed Form 13
Advisor of the Year Form 14
NRHH Chapter of the Year Form 16
Resident Assistant of the Year Form 19
Student of the Year Form 22
2

Introduction to Award Bid Sessions

What is a ‘Bid Session’?
A Bid Session is an organized meeting during the IACURH conference when
RBD representatives from each IACURH member school come together to select
award winners in six (6) different categories. Generally, three (3) Bid Sessions take
place at one time. As a result, most schools divide the Bid Session categories between
their NCC, RHA President and NRHH President, so that their school is represented
and able to vote in each session. If your school does not have enough representatives
to attend all three sessions at one time, there is an option to proxy your vote (see: Vot-
ing). At least one trained member of the IACURH Executive Board facilitates each ses-
sion.

At IACURH 2008, four awards will be decided by the RBD (two of the awards normally
decided by the RBD were not bid for). Thus, we will have two bid sessions: 1) NRHH
Chapter of the Year and Student of the Year (in different rooms) and 2) Advisor of the
Year and RA of the Year (in different rooms).

What six (6) categories will the RBD vote on?

Advisor of the Year
OCM Distinguished Service Award (No bids submitted for IACURH 08)
NRHH Chapter of the Year
Resident Advisor/Assistant (RA) of the Year
Student of the Year
School of the Year (No bids submitted for IACURH 08)

Where do I find information on the nominees in these categories?

Nominations are submitted by member schools in the form of a bid (a packet
that describes why the nominee is deserving of the award). Bids are posted on the IA-
CURH website by the AD-CT at http://iacurh.nacurh.org. All school representatives
(NCCs, RHA Presidents, and NRHH Presidents) are expected to review each bid prior
to the start of the IACURH conference.

Who attends bid sessions?

Bid sessions are attended by at least one representative from each school.
Representatives may be: NCCs, RHA Presidents, and NRHH Presidents. We ask that
you not send another member of your conference delegation to represent your school
at bid sessions. If you do not have an NCC, RHA President AND NRHH President at
the conference, you may submit a vote prior to the start of the bid session for any ses-
sion that you will not have a representative attending (See: Voting). Advisors and dele-
gates may attend, but they must sit in the back of the room and will not be permitted to
participate.
3

Before Attending Each Session

Checklist:

Download bids from the website (http://iacurh.nacurh.org)

Assign bid categories to NCC, RHA President, and NRHH President

for review

Read each bid

Complete a Bid Evaluation Form for each bid (See: Bid Evaluation
Forms).

Have a meeting of your NCC, RHA President, and NRHH Presi-

dent to discuss your thoughts on each category and the
nominees. This allows you to come up with more questions
and discussion points when you attend the bid sessions at the
conference.

Ensure that you have prepared a copy of each bid to bring with you
to the bid sessions to reference. You are expected to bring a
printed copy of each bid OR download the bid onto a laptop that
you may use during the session (See: Computer Use Guide-
lines).

Each bid session representative from your school is expected to come

prepared to participate in discussion prior to voting. Your school MAY
NOT VOTE if your representative comes unprepared having not com-
pleted the bid evaluation forms. The bid session facilitator will ask to see
all completed forms at the start of the session. It is an expectation that the
person representing your school in the session should have read each bid
in the category and completed one evaluation form per bid.
4

What to Bring to Each Bid Session

Checklist:

Copy of each bid in the category as reference (paper copy or .PDF

file on a laptop).
Completed Bid Evaluation Forms (one per bid) and knowledge
of each bid in the category (See: Bid Evaluation Forms)

OCM notepad paper (provided by OCM at the start of the confer-

ence) for use as ballot

Paper and Pen to take additional notes

Questions and comments for each bid to provide feedback for

schools with nominees

A positive attitude and preparedness to be alert and particpate

What NOT to bring:

Bias. Remember that you are selecting the winner of each award based
on the bids and the bid session presentations. You are making important
decisions on behalf of the IACURH region. All bias for or against any
schools or persons should be left at the door. You are expected to
vote for the person or school that you believe is most deserving of the
award based on the award criteria and purpose. Please remember that
these are IACURH regional awards.
5

Bid Session Procedures and Guidelines

Bid Session Procedure:

The following process will be followed in each bid session:

1.Facilitators check for completion of Bid Evaluation Forms and compile a list of
schools with voting rights. Facilitator will read the list of schools with voting rights.
2. General explanation of the award criteria by the facilitator – not to exceed one min-
ute.
3. Question and Answer (Q&A) for each bid – not to exceed three (3) minutes per bid.
We will go through each bid individually.
4. Pro/Con Session for each bid – not to exceed ten (10) minutes per bid. We will go
through each bid individually.
5. General Discussion for bids – not to exceed ten (10) minutes total. We will discuss
all bids at the same time and every bid must be discussed.
6. Closing statement by the bid presenters – not to exceed two (2) minutes per bid.
Each bid presenter will give a separate closing statement.
7. The session facilitator will take a ballot vote of all schools with voting rights. At that
time the facilitator will leave the room to count the votes.
8. The facilitator will return to the room and inform the group of one of two things: (1)
there is a clear majority and a winner has been selected, or (2) there is not a clear ma-
jority and the group will enter back into discussion.

Note: The times allocated are the suggested standard. The bid session participants
have the discretion to shorten and extend the time. However, facilitators do not have
the authority to deny requests.

Rules/Guidelines for Speaking in Bid Sessions:

Bidding Schools:
• Schools sponsoring bids shall be allowed only to answer questions during
Q&A. Bidding schools may NOT ask other bidding schools questions.
• Bidding schools shall be allowed to stay in the room during the bidding proc-
ess, however, schools sponsoring bids shall be prohibited from entering
into pro/con.
• Schools sponsoring bids shall be allowed to enter discussion but are prohib-
ited from discussing their school’s bid.
• Bidding schools are allowed to make a statement during closing.
• Only one (1) person from each bidding school shall have speaking rights.
Each bidding school is allowed to have one additional person sit in with them
at the bid session as a note taker, but the note taker will not have speaking
rights
6
RBD School Representatives:
• During Q&A, schools can only ask a question when they are called on by the
facilitator.
• In pro/con, schools will speak upon the facilitators’ request. For example, the
facilitator will say “Pro” and at that point a school will state a pro. Any non- bid-
ding school can speak, but only one at a time.
• During Pro/Con, opinion statements are prohibited. All statements must
be fact from the bid or Q&A.
• Schools must be called on to speak during discussion. Opinion statements are
permitted during discussion.
• No school shall speak after discussion is closed.
• Comments made out of turn will be interrupted by the session facilitator and
shall be disregarded by the RBD.

Rules/Guidelines for Observers

Delegates/Conference Staff:
• Observers are welcome but are not permitted to sit at the table/in the cir-
cle.
• Observers cannot speak at all during the bid session. This also means
are not permitted to pass notes to RBD members.
• If an observer leaves the room during a bid session, they will not be per-
mitted to re-enter (this is true of all voting representatives as well).

Advisors:
• Advisors may hand in proxy votes (this is NOT recommended).
• Advisors are welcome in bid sessions by are not permitted to sit at the ta-
ble.
• Advisors cannot speak at all during the bid session. This also means they
are not permitted to pass notes to RBD members.
• If an advisor leaves the room during a bid session, they will not be permit-
ted to re-enter (this is true of all voting representatives as well).

Please Note: If you have any questions about the appropriateness of how a bid
session is run, please do not hesitate to ask your facilitator during the session in
order to correct any mistakes. Other questions/comments regarding the appro-
priateness of bid sessions should be brought to the attention of your AD-NRHH
as soon as possible.
7

Voting

Who gets to vote?:

In order to vote in a bid session, the school representative must
bring a completed “Bid Evaluation Form” for each nominee in the
category. The session facilitator will request to see the completed forms
at the start of the bid session and will keep a list of all schools with voting
rights. Any school that attends a session without the completed forms will
not be permitted to vote for the award recipient in that category. Each
school that has completed the necessary forms will be allowed one (1)
vote.

How voting is conducted:

1. After each nominated school has given their closing statements, the
session facilitator will request that voting schools take out a piece of
their OCM notepad (provided by OCM at the start of the conference) for
use as a ballot. The voting member should then write their school
name and then the school name of whom they are voting. You will be
asked to circle the name of the school that you are voting for.

Below is an example of a completed ballot:

OCM Paper Ballot

Your
school University of NACURH

Name of the
University of IA- school you are
CURH voting for
(circled)
8
2. The facilitator(s) will collect the ballots and then leave the room to
count the votes.
Note: while the facilitators are out of the room, you are expected to re-
frain from discussing the bids, how you voted, or anything else pertaining
to the session.

3. The facilitator(s) will re-enter the room and announce 1 of 2 things:

1) There is a majority vote. This means that there has been a 50%
+1 vote in favor of one nominee and thus, there is a winner.
2) There is not a majority vote and you will need to enter back into
discussion. In the case that there are 3 or more nominees in that
category, the facilitator will cut the nominees down to the two or
three with the most votes during the last count.

4. In the case of a majority vote, the bid session will end. In the case
that there is not a clear majority, the facilitator will ask the group to
enter back into five (5) minutes of discussion followed by another
vote. This process will continue until there is a majority vote.\

5. If, after five (5) votes, there is still no clear winner, the IACURH direc-
torship will select the winner.

What if my school does not have enough representatives to

attend all three (3) bid sessions at once?
In the case that a school does not have enough people in order to
send someone to each bid session, they are permitted to submit a proxy
ballot. Proxy ballots must be collected prior to the start of a bid session
with the completed Bid Evaluation Forms. They are only valid for the first
vote count. If there is a second vote taken, the proxy ballots are voided.
9

Laptop Computer Use Guidelines:

At IACURH, you will be permitted to bring laptops into the award bid ses-
sions. Allowing for this is intended to help cut down on the use of paper
and printing costs by those schools who choose to download the bids
onto laptops to reference during bid sessions. Below are a few guidelines
that all laptop users will be expected to follow during bid sessions.

Please remember, using a laptop during the sessions is a privilege,

not a right.
• Bids should be saved to the computer’s hard drive or a jump
drive prior to the start of the session
• Computer users may not connect to the Internet or use any
computer based communication tools (ie: AIM, MSN Messenger,
etc.)
• The bid(s) in discussion and a word document (for notes) should
be the only windows open during the session
• Typing shall be limited to note-taking
• Full attention should be given to the speaker
• Be respectful of the presenters and one another
• Bid session facilitators have the right to ask that laptops be
turned off if the above guidelines are not adhered to.
• Come prepared with a fully charged battery. There is no guaran-
tee of electrical outlets in the sessions.

Members of the RBD are also asked to help hold one another account-
able for these expectations during award bid sessions.
10

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What happens if I speak out of turn?!

If you speak out of turn the facilitator will interrupt you and the RBD will be
asked to disregard your comment. If what you said has the potential to alter the vot-
ing of the RBD, the facilitator will report you to the AD-NRHH, Director, and Regional
Advisor. We take bidding very seriously, so it’s important for you to respect this rule
and only speak when appropriate.

What does 50% + 1 mean?

A bid cannot win simply because it got more votes than any other. It has to have
what is called a “simple majority”. Essentially, if there are 20 schools present, 11 of
the 20 (50% +1) have to vote for a bid to be declared the winner. Also for clarification,
a simple majority of 21 schools is also 11 votes.

What if the bid session keeps coming up in a tie?!

Sometimes a bid session will result in a tie or won’t have a simple majority the
first time the RBD votes. As a result, when votes are being tabulated you will be
asked to stay in the room until the facilitator returns and gives permission for you to
leave. While the facilitator is gone, it is important to refrain from discussing bids in
that session. If a session does not reach a simple majority on the first vote, bids with
the lowest votes will be dropped and the top two or three bids will be re-opened for
discussion. After 5 consecutive votes without a simple majority, the responsibility of
selecting a winner will fall on the directorship.

After the bid session, can I talk about how I voted?

It is in your best interest to refrain from talking about how you voted with anyone
outside of your school’s RBD. It’s a courtesy to the schools bidding to not share and it
prevents rumors from starting about which bid won.

What happens if something isn’t managed correctly?

If you are worried that something went poorly or incorrectly in a bid session,
please bring your concern to either the session facilitator or the AD-NRHH.

Can I leave the room to get a drink or use the restroom during a session?
NO! Nobody can leave while a bid session is in progress – this includes while
votes are being tabulated. If you insist on leaving, you will not be allowed to re-enter.

What if the bid(s) in a session are flat-out terrible?

You do have the discretion of voting ‘no confidence’ which means you do not
support any of the nominees for the award.

Have any other questions? Contact your AD-NRHH!

ia_rad@nacurh.org
11

Bid Feedback Forms

Note: In order to vote in bid sessions, you must complete one form per
bid in the category prior to the start of the bid session.

Beyond this page are the four different forms corresponding with the four
categories that you will be judging at the IACURH conference. Please
review the criteria at the beginning of each form and have it handy as
you read bids and complete your Bid Evaluation Forms.

Additionally, you will find a sample satisfactory form and an unsatisfac-

tory form. Please review those pages, as they are intended to help you
fill out the forms in order to secure your vote in each session.

Please ensure that you are completing the correct form for each bid
category.
12

Good Example of a Bid Evaluation Form

You may have to magnify this page to see it, but...

NOTICE THAT:
• All pages of the form are complete
• Each question was answered individually of the next
• All sections contain some response or feedback
• Pros and Cons are fact (not opinion) taken from the bid
• Thoughts for discussion are noted and contain some opinions

This completed form clearly demonstrates that the person has read
the bid and is prepared to participate in the award bid session.
13

Bad Example of a Bid Evaluation Form

You may have to magnify this page to see it, but...

Notice That:
• Each question was not answered individually of the next
• Not all sections contain some response or feedback
• Pros and Cons are not facts taken from the bid
• Responses do not demonstrate knowledge of the bid

The manner in which this form was completed does not demon-
strate the that individual has knowledge of the bid and is prepared
to participate in the award bid session.
 IACURH Advisor of the Year Award Bid Evaluation Form
Before you read the bids, please read the following information about selection
of the bid. Refer to these items/criteria as you read the bid.
Purpose
The IACURH Advisor of the Year Award recognizes outstanding advising in IACURH by any advi-
sor of a residence hall student leadership group within a year.

Eligibility
Only year specific information will be considered; in other words, bid content should reflect ac-
complishments from IACURH Conference to IACURH Conference.

Required Criteria
This award has no specific required criteria beyond keeping the purpose of the bid in mind.

Suggested Criteria
• Campus, regional, and national involvement (i.e. Regional Board, Conference Staff, etc.)
• Recognition received through awards: campus, regional, and national.
Participation in conferences: attendance, presenting program, etc.

**Please Note: Items listed under the heading “Suggested Criteria” are not required in order to be consid-
ered for this award.

You must completely fill out the following information in order to obtain vot-
ing rights in the decision of this award winner.
Note: In the case of this Bid Category, much of the information below is NOT REQUIRED for consid-
eration of this award. The list below is provided to help voting members of the RBD organize thoughts
and observations regarding the bid.

Candidate Name: _________________________________________________________________________

School: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Campus Involvement:

Regional Involvement:

National Involvement:
Recognition through Awards:

Participation in conferences:

Miscellaneous:

Meets Policy Requirements: Yes No N/A

Questions regarding the Bid

1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pros (facts that make the bid strong)
1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cons (facts that make the bid weak)

1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes for Discussion:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IACURH NRHH Chapter of the Year Award Bid Evaluation Form
Before you read the bids, please read the following information about selection
of the bid. Refer to these items/criteria as you read the bid.
Purpose
The NRHH Outstanding Chapter of the year award is the highest honor an IACURH NRHH Chap-
ter can attain. The award recognizes outstanding achievements of an NRHH Chapter on the cam-
pus, regional, and national levels.

Eligibility
Nomination shall come from member chapters that are in good standing. Only year-specific in-
formation will be considered; in other words, bid content should reflect accomplishments from
IACURH Conference to IACURH Conference.

Required Criteria
Chapter’s Constitution included in appendix

Suggested Criteria
Goals and objectives, and how these were met.
What is the purpose of the chapter?
What were the goals and objectives?
How were the goals and objectives accomplished?
Membership Selection Process
Participation in reinforcing the purpose of NRHH.
What recognition activities was the chapter involved with?
What new ways did the chapter recognize others?
Submitted OTMs to the region?
Regional recipients?
National recipients?
What awards has the chapter received?
Programming and Leadership experience
What programs did the chapter participate in?
What leadership opportunities does the chapter provide?
Regional & National involvement
Communication with AD-NRHHs and the National NRHH Board, other chapters, Na-
tional Office?
Conference attendance?
NRHH program presentations?
Letters of support
Chapter President
Chapter Advisor
RHA President
Director of Housing

**Please Note: Items listed under the heading “Suggested Criteria” are not required in order to be consid-
ered for this award.
You must completely fill out the following information in order to obtain vot-
ing rights in the decision of this award winner.
Note: In the case of this Bid Category, much of the information below is NOT REQUIRED for consid-
eration of this award. The list below is provided to help voting members of the RBD organize thoughts
and observations regarding the bid.

Candidate Name: _________________________________________________________________________

School: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Goals and Objectives and How Those Were Met:

Member Selection Process:

Recognition Projects/Activities the Chapter was Involved In:

Use of the “Of the Month” (OTM) submission service:

Number of Regional and National OTM Submissions and Winners:

Awards or Recognition Received by the Chapter:

Programs that the Chapter Provided and/or Participated In:

Leadership Opportunities Provided by the Chapter:

Campus Involvement and Correspondence:

Regional Involvement and Correspondence:

National Involvement and Correspondence:

Conference Attendance:
Letters of Support:

Miscellaneous:

Meets Policy Requirements: Yes No N/A

Questions regarding the Bid

1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pros (facts that make the bid strong)
1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cons (facts that make the bid weak)

1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes for Discussion:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IACURH Resident Assistant of the Year Award Bid Evaluation Form
Before you read the bids, please read the following information about selection
of the bid. Refer to these items/criteria as you read the bid.
Purpose
Recognizes outstanding service to IACURH by an individual who has been directly affiliated with
the organization through service as a Resident Advisor/Assistant.

Eligibility
Only year specific information will be considered; in other words, bid content should reflect ac-
complishments from IACURH Conference to IACURH Conference.

Required Criteria
This award has no specific required criteria beyond keeping the purpose of the bid in mind.

Suggested Criteria
Service to campus, region, and nation.
Recognition through awards: campus, regional, and national service.
Participation in campus, regional, and national service and conferences addressing spirit at-
tendance and participation in programs.
What is the RA’s job description, and how has he/she gone above and beyond that of a nor-
mal RA?
How has the RA affected his/her residents?
How has the RA affected his/her residence life program?

**Please Note: Items listed under the heading “Suggested Criteria” are not required in order to be consid-
ered for this award.

You must completely fill out the following information in order to obtain vot-
ing rights in the decision of this award winner.
Note: In the case of this Bid Category, much of the information below is NOT REQUIRED for consid-
eration of this award. The list below is provided to help voting members of the RBD organize thoughts
and observations regarding the bid.

Candidate Name: _________________________________________________________________________

School: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Campus Involvement:

Regional Involvement:
National Involvement:

Recognition through Awards:

Participation in Campus, Regional, and National Services:

Participation in Conferences:

RA Job Description/has candidate gone above expectations:

Affect of RA on Residents:

Affect of RA on Residence Life Program:

Miscellaneous:

Meets Policy Requirements: Yes No N/A

Questions regarding the Bid

1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pros (facts that make the bid strong)
1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cons (facts that make the bid weak)
1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes for Discussion:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 IACURH Student of the Year Award Bid Evaluation Form
Before you read the bids, please read the following information about selection
of the bid. Refer to these items/criteria as you read the bid.
Purpose
Recognizes outstanding service to IACURH by an individual who has been directly affiliated with
the organization.

Eligibility
Only year specific information will be considered; in other words, bid content should reflect ac-
complishments from IACURH Conference to IACURH Conference.

Required Criteria
Letter of good standing from the Dean of Students or Registrar of the recipient’s host institu-
tion.

Suggested Criteria
Service to campus housing organizations.
Recognition through awards: campus, regional and national services.
Participation in campus, regional and national services.
Participation in conferences: spirit, attendance, and participation in meetings and programs.

**Please Note: Items listed under the heading “Suggested Criteria” are not required in order to be consid-
ered for this award.

You must completely fill out the following information in order to obtain vot-
ing rights in the decision of this award winner.
Note: In the case of this Bid Category, much of the information below is NOT REQUIRED for consid-
eration of this award. The list below is provided to help voting members of the RBD organize thoughts
and observations regarding the bid.

Candidate Name: _________________________________________________________________________

School: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Campus Involvement:

Regional Involvement:

National Involvement:
Recognition through Awards:

Participation in campus, regional, and national services:

Participation in conferences:

Miscellaneous:

Meets Policy Requirements: Yes No N/A

Questions regarding the Bid

1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pros (facts that make the bid strong)
1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cons (facts that make the bid weak)

1)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes for Discussion:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________