This guide helps Community Supporters work through the entire Campus Connect process, start to finish, using the current “Tracker Status” as a cue for what step is needed next and what to do.
The full process from application to site launch typically takes 6 weeks:
- 1–2 weeks for vetting, orientation, and initial setup
- 1–2 weeks for site and budget preparation
- 1–2 weeks for final steps before launch
Organizers are encouraged to launch their sites at least a few weeks before their event date. When you see an event coming up that isn’t WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They’re one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Scheduled yet, or if a tracker has been stuck in one status for a while, check the tracker notes and try to help move things forward.
Needs Vetting
1. Create an ‘Event Application Vetting’ issue in GitHub.
- Title: [Campus Connect] {Event Name}
- Set the Event Type to Campus Connect.
- Set the GitHubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/ issue to In Progress.
- Add the URLs of the GitHub issue and the Help Scout email as a private note in the tracker.
2. Begin vetting the event.
- Check for conflicting events, including another event at the same campus, or conflicting city-wide events.
- Use the Campus Connect Vetting Template to continue vetting.
- Paste all private notes into the Tracker (not in public channels or GitHub).
A vetting agent is being rolled out to handle the first pass of this step automatically; it checks for conflicts, writes its findings as a private note, and moves the tracker to Needs Action so a Supporter can make the final call. Until that’s fully live, continue vetting manually using the steps above.
Once vetting is complete, move the tracker to Needs Action for a decision.
Needs Action
This is where a Supporter reviews the vetting notes and decides what happens next.
If approved: Mark the GitHub issue as Complete. Set the tracker to Needs Orientation, save, and continue to next steps.
If you need more info before deciding: Set the Tracker status to Needs More Info, and add a note stating who you contacted, what you requested, and the reply deadline you gave them. To request details from the applicant, you can use WPCC: Request for more information as a template, but please edit it so it’s relevant.
If declining, please double-check with a Program ManagerProgram Manager Program Managers (formerly Super Deputies) are Program Supporters who can perform extra tasks on WordCamp.org like creating new sites and publishing WordCamps to the schedule. before doing so. Once confirmed, set the tracker to Declined.
Needs Orientation
For experienced organizers: If the applicant has organized at least three WordPress meetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., one WordCamp, or one other Campus Connect, update the status directly to Approved For Pre-Planning.
For newer organizers, send an email using WPCC: Schedule Orientation — this saved reply covers both options, which the organizer can choose between:
- Schedule an orientation call.
- Take the self-guided orientation course.
Once they’ve either completed the call, or replied letting us know they’ve finished the course, check their WordPress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ profile to confirm the course is listed as completed. Once confirmed, update the tracker with how it went and change the status to Approved For Pre-Planning if the organizer is good to move forward.
Note: The ‘WordPress Campus Connect: Schedule Orientation’ saved reply can be used.
Needs More Info
Use this status when we’re missing something from the organizer that we need before we can move forward, for example, follow-up questions on their application, or a missing WordPress.org username.
Add a note to the tracker stating who you contacted, what you requested, and the reply deadline you gave them.
To request the info, you can use the WPCC: Request for more information saved reply as a starting point, but edit it so it’s relevant.
If a tracker is stuck in this status, check the notes to see when follow-up is expected, and follow up again if needed. Once you hear back, move the tracker on to whichever status makes sense.
On Hold
Use this status when the event itself needs to pause, for reasons unrelated to a specific missing piece of information; for example, the organizer needs to postpone, or there’s a scheduling conflict being worked out.
Add a note explaining why the tracker is on hold and what needs to happen before it can move forward again.
On Hold can be set from any Campus Connect status, and returned to any Campus Connect status. It’s the right choice any time a tracker needs to pause for a reason that isn’t simply “waiting on the organizer to send us something” (that’s Needs More Info instead).
If a tracker is stuck in this status, check the notes to see what the tracker is waiting on, and follow up if needed.
Approved For Pre-Planning
Agreement
Applicants now accept the WordPress Event Organizer Agreement as a required checkbox when they submit the Campus Connect application. That checkbox satisfies the agreement requirement, so there’s no need to separately send it via HelloSign for Campus Connect trackers.
What happens automatically
When a tracker moves into this status, an email goes to the organizer (with support@wordcamp.org in copy), a temporary admin notice appears on the post, that same note plus a timestamp is appended to “Add Private Note,” and the Create Site action fires. The resulting site URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org still needs to be added manually.
- Confirm which email address the organizer wants to use to organize their event and manage the event website. Send the WordPress Campus Connect: Confirm Email Address. If they have a school-affiliated or .edu address, we recommend that one. Otherwise, they can use a dedicated event address (which we can create for them) or their personal email.
- If they’d like a dedicated event email created, ask a Program Manager to set one up.
- Add the confirmed email address to the Tracker.
- Make sure an event time zone is set as well.
Site setup
- Confirm name, year, and URL prior to setup if there’s any uncertainty, so we won’t need to change it later.
- Once the site is created, add the site URL to the tracker.
- Assign the organizer as the Author of the tracker.
- Assign a mentorEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. if applicable, or set to wordcamp.org.
- Add a note saying you’ve confirmed the site and email are set up.
- Email the organizer to let them know their site and email are ready. Use the WordPress Campus Connect: Site setup complete saved reply. Replace the site and email placeholders before sending.
Budget
In this stage, the organizer is creating their budget. Answer any questions they ask in #campusconnect SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ or email, and proactively reach out if they seem stuck.
- When a budget is submitted, review it.
- If you’re unsure about budget-related items, please reach out to a Program Manager. Otherwise, approve if within $300 per campus.
- Add approval notes to the Tracker.
- If a live budget call is planned, add notes to the tracker; otherwise continue once everything checks out.
If you need to go back and forth with the organizer on the budget, there’s no need to change the tracker status. Handle it by email while staying in Approved For Pre-Planning, and add a note once it’s resolved.
Once the budget is approved, email the organizer to let them know. Use the ‘WordPress Campus Connect: Budget approved‘ saved reply.
Listing & scheduling
- When the WordCamp Listing is filled out, check the listing details once more.
- Update Tracker WordCamp Scheduled.
- Reply to the organizer letting them know they can launch their site when ready. Use the ‘WordPress Campus Connect: Event Added to the Official Schedule‘ saved reply.
WordCamp Scheduled
Continue monitoring budget, mentoring, and updates. The tracker will automatically move to WordCamp Closed after the event end date.
WordCamp Closed
If this is a newly closed event, confirm the debrief email and attendee survey have been sent (Campus Connect version, not WordCamp version).
Declined
We decided not to run this event. See notes.
(Reminder: always double-check with a Program Manager before setting a tracker to this status.)
Cancelled
If an organizer or the foundation has decided to cancel an event, set it to Cancelled and complete any of these cancellation procedures that may apply to this event.
If the organizer need to postpone an event that has not been published yet, add a note saying why it was postponed and when it was originally scheduled, and replace or remove the old dates. Set to On Hold.
If you encounter a Cancelled status, it means the organizer withdrew, or the event will not proceed.
