Continuity is important. Try to establish a regular time and stay with it for the whole year. Chapter members need to have this as a regular slot in their schedules.
Each chapter should evaluate its campus in terms of classes, social events, clubs, and other patterns that would conflict with the meeting time.
Consider the following questions:
- Are Tuesday or Thursday evenings heavily scheduled with night classes?
– Do students tend to go home on weekends?
– Is this a commuter campus where students are rarely around campus in the evenings?
– What are the heavy study nights or hours?
– When do the residence hall staff typically call their meetings?
– Are there regular church functions on Wednesday evenings?
– Do students work mainly in the afternoon or evening?
– Do students rely on public transportation or have their own cars?
– Would students be willing to come back for an evening meeting or would an early morning or afternoon meeting between classes be most convenient?
One residential campus found that for several years Friday at 6:00 pm was a good time, right after dinner and before other social activities began. Several commuter campuses find the noon hour or late afternoon to be best. Another residental school held their meetings at 9:30 pm on Thursdays – after evening classes and the point at which many students were ready for a break from the library. For many "old-time" chapters, Thursdays at 7:00 pm has been almost sacred (sometimes for 20 years or more)! You may need to re-evaluate your meeting time every few years (campus patterns do change).
There will be no perfect meeting time. But if chapter members become accustomed to a particular night of the week being "InterVarsity" night they can seek to clear their schedules of social activities, studies, and even classes.
