Preparing the Annual Report2015-2016

Annual Report (90/100 points)

The collegiate chapter's annual report, due to the Collegiate Chapters Division of AMA Support Centerreceived no later than NOON Central Time,February 17, 2016, covers the chapter's accomplishments and performance against its goals for the 2015-2016academic year.The report must adhere to the criteria and rules below.

Failure to adhere to the rules for the chapter plan and the annual report will result in penalties. The penalty can range from a deduction of points to disqualification of the chapter's entry. If chapters have any questions about the composition of the annual report, please contact the Collegiate Chapters Council Representative or the AMA Collegiate Chapters Manager.

Chapter plans and annual reports of the top AMA Collegiate Chapters for past top chapters can be found online at . Reviewing these can be helpful to understanding what makes a great chapter plan and annual report.

Note: Submission of a Case Competition solution is a requisite for consideration for International Chapter of the Year, and Top 5 Chapter recognition status.

Report Outline

Follow this outline to complete the chapter annual report:

  1. Summary

This executive summary segment should briefly outline the chapter’s activities for the year, highlighting its major accomplishments and operating philosophy.

  1. Professional Development (35 points)

Describe and evaluate programs or activities specifically designed to advance the professional skills and development of members including emphasis on examining the ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment.Be as specific as possible in stating the target market and goals of the events. Details of strategies to achieve these goals are most helpful; strategies may include, but are not limited to, speaker programs, career skills workshops (e.g., resume writing, interview skills, etiquette programs, etc.), participation in the AMA competitions (e.g., AMA case competition, sales competition, website competition, etc.),marketing research activities and AMA Certificate Programs.

  1. Community and Social Impact (15 points)

Discuss programs and activities that demonstrate the chapter’s commitment to the greater community in which it operates (e.g., the larger campus community, the local community, national philanthropies) and the social impact of these efforts. Although we encourage all altruistic and philanthropic initiatives, significantly higher points in this category will be allocated to chapters with Community and Social Impact efforts that utilize their marketing skills and how these skills contribution to society’s overall quality-of-life. Creation and social media sharing of a video in the Best Video for Community and Social Impact competition is one way chapters can use their marketing skills for social impact. Be sure to discuss if the chapter plans to mentor other AMA chapters. Please be aware that Annual Report judges are instructed to give much greater weight to community service with significant marketing and professional development elements. This includes activities that have a significant impact in the community and people’s lives.

  1. Fundraising (10 points)

Present and evaluate the fundraising programs conducted by the chapter; evaluation should include profitability analysis as well as examine the contribution of these activities to other goals/objectives (e.g., professional development, chapter cohesion, etc.) of the chapter.Chapters are encouraged to schedule events that utilize members’ marketing skills to raise funds and to discuss this in the report.

  1. Membership (10 points)

Present and analyze the chapter membership (totals) as well as the membership mix over the planning period. Assess membership trends over time and seek to explain and evaluate the chapter's membership strategies. Analysis should review efforts to recruit new members, as well as retaining members and increasing the involvement of members in chapter activities (e.g., promotions and incentives).

As AMA bylaws require, a chapter’s membership numbers must reflect that all chapter members are student members at the AMA Support Center level. If unsure of the chapter’s membership numbers please email to receive a current roster.

  1. Internal/External Communications (10 points)

This section should describe the promotional program and internal communications for the chapter and manner in which these were implemented; activities should include electronic initiatives (e.g., websites, Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, etc.). The description should also include an evaluation of efforts and successes at achieving the chapter’s communication goals; be sure to discuss activities directed toward external constituents. Especially highlight those communication strategies and tactics that engage constituents.

  1. Chapter Operations (5 points)

Describe and analyze the management strategies and activities of the collegiate chapter; these include management functions such as planning, coordinating, controlling, officer transition strategies, organizing the chapter and chapter activities. Organizational structure and officer training programs may be discussed. It is permissible to include other management functions. This section should also indicate evaluation of efforts in achieving management-oriented goals and those overall objectives as presented in the chapter plan.

A summary of financial results should be included and results should illustrate income by source, expense by major category, and beginning and ending balances.There must be consistency between the Budget in the Chapter Plan and the Financial Statement in the Annual Report;the opening figure in both documents should be the same. Major variances from the chapter plan should be explained.

  1. Presentation(5 points)

While chapters are encouraged to be creative in preparing and presenting the annual report, the most critical aspect of a report is that it conforms to professional standards in both content and layout. Take the time to proofread and edit the chapter report to avoid errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and sentence structure. Use headings effectively to guide the reader through the report. Use white space appropriately to increase the readability and attractiveness of the report. Consider the file size of the document and avoid creating a document that is too large to send via email or is too large to easily open;it must not be larger than10MB. Remember that many judges will print the plans and reports when judging so do not create a document that takes too long to print. Do not send a Zip file or link to a download website.

  1. A note about scheduling Chapter Activities

So that the report is as complete as possible, chapters should seek to plan the majority of the chapters' activities prior to the report submission date. Certainly, not all activities can be completed prior to the report date, but a majority of the activities should be completed or in evaluation phase.

  1. Other Criteria:
  1. Use metrics throughout the annual report as appropriate to communicate the chapter’s performance against the chapter plan.
  2. Consider comparing PLANNED goals/objectives against ACHIEVED or ACTUAL numbers; this will provide an opportunity to assess the chapter’s success and opportunities for chapter improvement.
  3. Chapters may use appendices to display additional material; annual reports may include multiple tables/charts/ figures on a single page, but consider how this might affect report readability. Note: Each page counts as one page of the annual report andpages must not exceed 8½” x 11” page size limit.
  4. Font size must be 10 or greater; a 12 point font is preferred.

Annual Report Rules2015-2016

  1. One (1) electronic PDF copy of the chapter Annual Report and One (1) electronic PDF copy of the chapter Annual Report verification form must be submitted via
    Wufoo at

Annual Reports and Verification formsmust be received no later than Wednesday February 17, 2106at NOON, Central Standard Time (CST). All chapters should submit by the deadline.

  1. The PDF file of the annual report and verification form should be separate files, and must be saved with the following file name sequence: Full School Name 2015– 2016Annual Report (Example: University of Northern Colorado,2015– 2016Annual Report.PDF) and (University of Northern Colorado, 2015- 2016 Annual Report Verification Form.PDF)
  2. The annual report must contain a front cover clearly identifying the full University name and school name if applicable. The front cover must include the current reporting period (2015-2016).
  3. The annual report must be prepared using 8½" x 11" format.
  4. The annual report cannot exceed twenty (20) pages in length, excluding the front cover, back cover and table of contents. However, any copy and/or artwork appearing on the inside of the cover pages will count as a page. Any title page or section divider is counted as a page. In addition, a page with copy/print on both sides (2-sided) is considered as two (2) pages.
  5. Exhibits are permitted in the text; reports may have both text and exhibits on the same page and may have more than one exhibit per page; however, chapters should decide if this approach contributes to, or detracts from, a professional presentation.
  6. Chapters may use appendices to display additional material. Chapters may put one or more tables/charts/figures on a single page, but should consider how this might affect readability. Each page will count as one page of the Annual Report andpages must not exceed the 8½” x 11” page size limit.
  7. A minimum of size 10 font must be used; a 12 point font is preferred.
  8. Consider the file size of the document. Documents may not be any larger than10 MB.
Annual Report Disqualification Errors
  1. Misrepresentation.

A chapter may be disqualified if it misrepresents its activities.

  1. Verification Form.

A chapter may be disqualified if the annual report verification form is not submitted with the annual report. By signing the verification form, faculty advisors acknowledge that they have read the report and verify its accuracy to the best of their knowledge.

  1. Membership.

Each member of the local collegiate chapter must also be a member of AMASupport Center. Request a roster by emailing before the Deadline to submit

Annual Report Penalty Errors

1. Annual Report over twenty (20) page limit. Penalty = One(1) point penalty for every page over the page limit,

2. Annual Report submitted late. Penalty =Annual reports received after the deadlinewill not be submitted into the competition. No exceptions under any circumstances!

3. File size is over limit.Penalty = Scores of zero will be assigned if judges cannot open or receive a file because it goes over the 10 MBfile size limit requirement.

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Judging Criteria Annual Report2015-2016

What Do Judges Look For In the Annual Report?

Note: Before judging the annual report, judges first turn to pages 1-4 of this document to review the rules and the required outline. Many judges review the Chapter Plan and then review the annual reports; often focusing on consistency and alignment of the plan with the report; chapters are encouraged to refer to their Chapter Plan in preparing the Annual Report.

The following items are guidelines that may be used in preparing the annual report. These guidelines have been solicited from previous judges and are not meant to change or supersede the competition rules;these are simply guidelines to show where annual reports may be improved.

  • Professional Development/Community Service/Fundraising Activities

-What is the purpose of the activity and is it well articulated?

-Do the activities show creativity and innovation?

-Are the activities well coordinated? (Are they tied together in any way?)

-Are these quality activities?

-Is there variety in these activities?

-Did the chapter participate in Marketing Week activities?

-Did the chapter participate in other (and a variety of) AMA competitions?

-Does the chapter act as a mentor chapter and has it offered assistance to other collegiate chapters?

-Who benefits from these activities (charity, fundraising, etc.)?

-Do programs recognize the needs of target markets?

-Are the programs well timed? Are programs balanced?

-How much professional interaction is involved?

-Are both successful and non-successful activities discussed?

-Is feedback collected on the activities? (Is it quantitative? How is it used?)

-How many people attended (both member and non-member attendance)?

-Is the activity (fundraiser) profitable? (Does the report show specific dollar amounts?)

-How many people participated in planning?

-Were objectives, as set forth in the chapter plan, met by the activities reported?

  • Membership

-Are the membership statistics based solely on AMA international members?

-Are the market segments recognized with total membership?

-Are membership activities aimed at target markets?

-Is the membership mix analyzed (major, age, gender, etc.)?

-Is the membership and membership mix compared against previous years?

-Is any problem of retaining members addressed?

-What is the level of involvement of the membership?

-Evaluate the level of engagement of members in light of chapter objectives

-What recruiting strategies were used?

-What is the student chapter, professional chapter, AMA International Headquarters membership?

-Were specific goals achieved?

  • Communications

-Are target markets recognized?

-Does the chapter communicate with all of its publics (e.g., members, other AMA chapters, community at large, etc.)?

-Are the techniques appropriate to target markets?

-Are communication tactics parts of an overall communication strategy?

-Are communication tactics in line with overall chapter goals?

-Are communications well planned?

-Is timing considered?

-How professional are the communications?

-Are communications innovative and creative?

-Were techniques evaluated for effectiveness?

-Were communication goals accomplished?

  • Operations

-How appropriate is the management structure for the chapter?

-Are job descriptions used?

-Are meetings regular?

-Are plans made for new officer transition?

-What type of training is given?

-Is evidence of management effectiveness shown?

-Does the annual report discuss both successes and failures?

-Are goals reported in the annual report the same as those in the chapter plan, or were goals changed to reflect performance?

  • Presentation

-Is the annual report legible and readable?

-Is it neat and professional in appearance?

-Are grammar and effective sentence structure used?

-Has the chapter proofread the annual report for spelling or grammatical errors?

-Does the chapter make good use of headings and white space?

-Are charts, graphs and tables used appropriately within the text and appendix?

-Can the electronic file be easily opened?

-Does the electronic file fit within the size limits?

  • Budget

-Is the budget used as a management tool?

-Is the budget sufficiently detailed?

  • Miscellaneous Criteria

-Are the articulated goals of the chapter plan met?

-Is there quantitative analysis of the performance of the chapter?

-Has the chapter done a good job marketing itself?

-Has the chapter met the needs of its target markets?

-How complete was the chapter plan?

-Does the annual report address all items discussed in the chapter plan?

2015-2016Annual Report Verification Form

College/University: ______
You can choose No Judging and/or Small Chapter Division, when submitting your Annual Report and AR Verification form at Wufoo

The annual report accounts for 90% (90/100 points) of the total judging criteria points allocated for the Annual Awards Program. The remaining points are allotted for the chapter plan that was submitted in the fall.

The annual report reviews and analyzes the results of chapter activities based on the objectives outlined in the chapter plan. For further details, consult Preparing the Chapter Plan Report Guidelines and Preparing the Annual Report Guidelines.

Chapter President and Faculty Advisor Verification

We verify that this is an official collegiate chapter of the American Marketing Association and that members are members of AMA Support Center. We have read this annual report and verify that it accurately depicts the chapter’s activities including both its successes and failures, during the academic year.

Printed name of President: ______Date: ______

Signature of President: ______

Printed name of Advisor: ______Date: ______

Signature of Advisor: ______

Submission Information

  • Submit one copy of your annual report and one copy of this verification form to this form at Wufoo One (1) electronic PDF copy of the chapter Annual Report and One (1) electronic PDF copy of the chapter Annual Report verification form must be submitted via
    Wufoo at
  • by Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at NOON Central Standard Time (CST).
  • Deadline is for all chapters, whether or not the chapter is competing for awards.
  • Both the Annual Report and the Verification form should be submitted as PDF files. The Annual Report must not be any larger in size than 10 MB.
  • Annual Reports received after February 17, 2016 at NOON, CST, will not be submitted into the competition.
  • Submission is now done through Wufoo

For questions, please call 312.542.9077 or email

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Instructions to Judges

Five issues seem to recur each year in the judging process; the following paragraphs attempt to clarify the handling of these concerns for both judges and collegiate chapters. A distinction must be made between rules and guidelines; guidelines are presented to help the chapter in more clearly interpreting the rules more clearly. Chapters must follow the rules; chapters may choose to follow the guidelines.

  1. Activity Quality vs. Presentation of Activity.

Is a collegiate chapter judged on its performance as a collegiate chapter or on the quality of its annual report?

From a pragmatic viewpoint, these are one and the same: a sloppy report indicates the same level of sloppiness in the execution of chapter activities. It is the chapter's responsibilityto see that the annual report does indeed reflect well on the chapter's efforts.

  1. Degree of Success Represented.

Are the activities presented in the annual report actually accomplished to the degreereported?