Tsubasacon Volunteer Policy

The successful operation of the Tsubasacon convention requires an amount of manpower not completely accounted for by the number of staff hired for the planning stages.  Because of this, volunteer help is necessary in order to ensure the functioning of the convention's events and security.  Volunteers will be expected to perform whatever job that has been given to them to the best of their ability.

Volunteer Duties

The following is a list of responsibilities that Volunteers may be asked to perform during the course of being a Tsubasacon Volunteer:

• Assist with the setup and tear-down of rooms and events
• Assist with the setup and tear-down of the Vendor Room (special permission necessary)
• Assist with the registration process at the front desk
• Assist with Vendor Relations duties
• Assist with Security duties
• Assist with Viewing Room maintenance
• Assist with Events, Panels, and Workshops
• Assist as a "gopher" for Tsubasacon's Department Heads and Staff
• Assist with any other duty or responsibility as needed at the discretion of the Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteer Subordination

Volunteers will be under the direct leadership of Tsubasacon's Volunteer Coordinator (VC).  If a Volunteer is assigned to a particular room or department, the Volunteer will also be under the leadership of that room or department's head.  The Volunteer Coordinator, and therefore the Volunteers, are subordinate to Tsubasacon's Convention Operations (Con Ops) and Administration.

Becoming a Volunteer

To become a Tsubasacon Volunteer, each prospective individual must go through the following process.

Filling Out the Application

Prospective Volunteers must fill out the online application for becoming a Tsubasacon Volunteer.  Once the application has been submitted, a Tsubasacon staff member will notify the applicant that their application has been received, and will be reminded of the next application deadline.

Application Deadlines and Selection

When an application deadline passes, all applications submitted prior to the deadline will be reviewed for acceptance as a Tsubasacon Volunteer.  Applicants will be notified after the review process as to whether 1.) they have been selected to be a Tsubasacon Volunteer, 2.) their application will be held until the next deadline period has elapsed, 3.) they have not been preliminarily accepted as a Volunteer, but may be asked to help at the convention in the event of a shortage, or 4.) their application has been denied outright.

Pre-Convention Check-In and Training

In order to ensure that the Volunteer Coordinator and all Volunteers are on the same page, a pre-convention check-in will be utilized to make sure all contact, arrival, and availability information is correct at a time closer to the convention.  Also, if it is deemed to be prudent, a training or informational regimen may be provided to each Volunteer to follow in order to orient them to the convention, what to expect, and expectations.

Age Restrictions

Because of liability concerns, selection preference will be given to applicants who are 18 years old or over.  All applicants will be expected to bring a photo ID to the convention which indicates the applicant's age (Military or University picture ID's without a birth date will not be accepted).

Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering for the Tsubasacon convention has several advantages.  Please see each benefit for exact details and criteria.  Additional benefits may be added during the course of the pre-convention planning phases.  In the event of a change in benefits, prospective Volunteers will be notified of the alteration.

Admission Reimbursement

Volunteers will be reimbursed the cost of their admission at a rate of $2.00 per hour of volunteered time, up to a maximum of fifteen (15) hours or $30.00.  Volunteers will be expected to utilize an hour log which will keep track of all volunteered time at the convention.  Hours may be "signed off" on (confirmed by) either the Volunteer Coordinator, the Head of the department or room to which the Volunteer was assigned to, Con Ops, or an Administrator.  The Volunteer may seek reimbursement when either his/her hour log has been completed (fifteen hours have been confirmed) or at the end of the convention, whichever occurs first.  If a Volunteer is unable to accrue fifteen hours over the course of the weekend, a pro-rated amount will be given to the Volunteer at the conclusion of the convention.  Reimbursement will be handled by the Volunteer Coordinator.

Independent Contracting

Volunteers will not be given a rigid daily schedule to abide by while working for the convention.  Instead, Volunteers will select from various blocks of time during which they will be asked to volunteer, or specific duties to perform for the convention.  Volunteers may select these time blocks at any time of the day, consecutively or otherwise.  Time blocks may consist of an implicit list of events and times, or be subject to impromptu scheduling at the discretion of the Volunteer Coordinator.

Expectations of Volunteers

Volunteers are expected to meet a certain standard when working with Tsubasacon.  Each of the following guidelines will be expected out of Tsubasacon Volunteers.

Accountability

One issue that plagues volunteer programs that must be addressed is location accountability.  In certain cases, Volunteers may need to be reassigned to a more important location or task.  The prospect of tracking every Volunteer in the convention center is made easier by knowing which room or staff member a Volunteer is assigned to at a given time.  Volunteers are expected to remain at their assigned location or task until the time of completion.  If a Volunteer is found not to be at a particular location or task, with no extenuating circumstances causing their absence, the Volunteer may not receive hours for that particular job.  Repeat offenses may be subject to release of responsibilities from Tsubasacon's Volunteer program and pro-rated benefits.

Tsubasacon Staff Pipeline

Tsubasacon traditionally chooses outstanding Volunteers to become Staff members for future conventions.  For those wishing to become Tsubasacon Staff members, the Volunteer Program is the best way to demonstrate your hard work, dedication, and desire to become part of the Tsubasacon team.

Additional Information