General Principles
Organization
In countries where Bahá'í Societies exist as formal parts of the Student Union, the Union regulations usually require that an executive committee be elected every year by the members of the society, which is then responsible for running the society. The executive committee has officers such as Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Since this is a Bahá'í Society the elections should be carried out in accordance with the principles of Bahá'í elections (secret ballot, no electioneering or nominating).
If the Student Union has no special requirements, or no formal society structures exist at your university, then operate like a normal Bahá'í committee, electing officers and consulting. Under the current ruling of the Universal House of Justice, the executive committee must have a majority of Bahá'ís in its membership. This is to make sure that the society operates according to Bahá'í principles in order to safeguard the name of the Faith. Another safeguard is that the constitution must contain a clause that enables the Local Spiritual Assembly to disband the Bahá'í Society at any time if it contravenes Bahá'í principles in its functioning.
Planning
Planning the Bahá'í Society programme of events is undoubtedly the most important stage in the process. If this is carried out properly and good plans are made, they will also be followed up. The members of the society and/or the executive committee should consult according to the Bahá'í principles of consultation. The running of the Society and especially the way consultation is carried out can serve as a living example of the success and practicality of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. There are several points that should be borne in mind when consulting about the plan of activities:
Timing
When plans are made, consideration should be given as to when each event will take place. Plans should be made as far ahead in advance as possible. This is especially true if the university has an Introductory or Freshers Week. This is the week when all the new students are welcomed to the university. New students are looking for societies to join, so having a full programme already prepared looks more impressive. The timing of individual events is also important. Often the Introductory Week is a good time to have events because people have not yet sunk into a routine, and this is the period when they are looking for friends in their new environment. If they make friends with the Bahá'ís they are more likely to come later in the term. On the other hand, Bahá'í Society events can often suffer during Introductory Week due to the competition from bigger societies. Clearly, busy times such as exam time should be avoided. Holding events regularly means that people will be less likely to forget the Bahá'í Society and sink into a different routine. Regular firesides tend to be successful.
Be practical but bold
Plans will only be executed if they are not over ambitious. Bahá'ís must strive to excel in their field of study, and this should be taken into account when calculating the amount of free time the Society members have available to organise the events. But, on the other hand, planning must be bold. This entails careful assessment of the capabilities of the members of the Bahá'í Society, and the resources available to it. The next step is to take courageous decisions, trying out new ideas and committing oneself to a plan of action. If plans do not work then try to diagnose what is wrong, and find a solution.
Learn from other societies
Look to other societies to learn from their experience and ideas. What are their strengths and weaknesses, and what could be good for the Bahá'í Society as well? For instance, if they find social events are very useful in attracting members, maybe the Bahá'í Society should do so too. Be imaginative and creative. Just because something has always been done before in a certain way does not mean it need continue. Speaker meetings are not the only way to teach the Faith. Sometimes such activities are successful, but maybe something else can be even more successful. The next section will outline several suggestions for activities, but this is not an exhaustive list, and Bahá'í Societies should feel free to experiment with new ideas.
Bahá'í Society activities can be organised in many different ways. Before each term, make a plan of what events you would like to have, when it would be best to have them, who could conduct the events, where they could be held, and then proceed to make the arrangements.
Following now are two examples of term plans. In the first, the society wished to have a series of independent events on different subjects, giving an overall view of the principles of the Faith. Whilst in the second example, events were planned around one central theme. There are endless possibilities as to the kind of activities one can plan. A few pointers about different kinds of activities are listed below.
Model Terms
Model Term -- Plan 1
1. Deepening
The Bahá'í students meet once a week on campus with the purpose of becoming more unified, more deepened and enjoying each other's company.
2. Studies
If possible, a number of Bahá'ís all share one course from among the many that they are taking. This could enable them to teach by group example and try to correlate together this course's subject to the Bahá'í teachings.
3. Talks and Firesides
Monthly talks are organised at the university, with firesides in the intermittent fortnights, which could further explore the theme of the talks.
4. Multi-culturalism
The first monthly talk is on multi-culturalism - "A Celebration of the Diversity of Cultures". A chairperson and a panel of speakers from varying cultural backgrounds would be invited. The overall aim would be to present a positive image of cultural diversity.
5. Science and Religion
The second public meeting is a seminar on science and religion. Lecturers from the science, psychology and religious studies faculties are invited to speak. The title is "Pipettes and Pulpits - What chance of reconciliation?"
6. Advertising
Art students could be asked to help with the large posters, which are put up a week in advance of an event. Smaller posters and leaflets are also be distributed a few days before the meeting.
7. Programme
Week 0 Consult on term's activities and decide what subject the two big public meetings will be on.
Week 1 On Freshers Day, invite students to join Society and to attend the introductory meeting.
Week 2 Informal introductory discussion.
Week 4 Multi-cultural event.
Week 6 Fireside based on last meeting.
Week 8 Seminar on science and religion.
Week 9 Fireside. Planning meeting for next term.
Model Term -- Plan 2
Week 1 Students gather to deepen on quotations from the Bahá'í Writings on Bahá'í activities in universities. Consultation would follow on how to apply them here.
Week 2 Consultation with LSA and NYC to inform them and discuss the Society's plans. Information would also be gathered about the different societies at the university, particularly those with similar interests.
Week 3 Plan term's activities around the theme "Visions of the Future".
Week 4 Hold a dinner (which would be organised with the help of the local Bahá'í community). The purpose would be an introduction to the aims and plans of the Society.
Week 5 Establish contacts with other university societies. Invite speakers for forthcoming events in conjunction with these societies.
Week 6 A seminar on "The Future Vision of Non-Governmental Organisations". Speakers representing the Red Cross, Amnesty, UN, BIC, etc.
Week 7 A seminar on "The Future Vision of Religion".
Week 8 A seminar on "The Future Vision of the Environment".
Week 9 Seminar with university lecturers/professors from relevant departments to discuss the above three meetings (chaired by a Bahá'í).
Weeks 10-12 Collect the presentations made throughout the term and publish summaries in a booklet. Plan next term's activities.
Week 12 Cultural event involving the foreign students and the participants at the above "Vision" seminars, where the booklet would be distributed.
Parallel to these activities would be weekly deepenings and administrative meetings.
Publicity
Good publicity is vital for the success of an event. However good your speaker may be, little will be achieved if nobody has heard of the meeting and you are faced with an empty room. There are many ways to publicise an event:
Posters
Posters can reach a large audience with a minimal amount of effort. It is also a very acceptable way of publicising a meeting (as long as you do not break the law by sticking them in forbidden places). Unfortunately, posters often get covered up quite quickly by other posters, especially at big universities where there are many other societies who often have a bigger budget to spend on poster production. For a public meeting, start putting up posters a week or two before the event, check on them after a few days and then again on the day of the meeting. Stick up some more posters and perhaps write "Today" in a bright colour in big letters on the poster to attract attention.
To make a good poster try and apply the following rules:
The image is the core of the poster. It should fill between 60-75% of the available space. An image is noticed in just one glance which is all the poster may get, whereas text takes longer to read. It should be striking: a photographic or visual image borrowed/adapted from a book, postcard, newspaper or advertisement may provide an appropriate image.
The title (message) should be sufficiently large so that someone can see it across a room (20% of the size of the poster).
The detail of where and when the meeting is should be very small (5-10%). The title is what will attract the attention of people. Once they are interested they will come closer to read where and when the meeting will take place and any further details.
Leaflets
These are easy to make by photocopying your poster at a reduced size, or else you can make different leaflets that include more information about the Faith and the meeting publicised. You can either hand out leaflets or else leave them in different places around the university such as in the library, on tables in the cafeteria etc. Giving out leaflets often gives one the chance to start a conversation with someone and thus teach more directly.
Student newspaper/radio station
Many universities have a student newspaper or radio station, and it may be possible to advertise free of charge in either of these.
Personal contacts
Experience shows that usually a large proportion of people who turn up for a meeting are actually personal contacts of Society members. As a consequence, they are also likely to come to future meetings as well. The advantage of inviting people whom you already know is that the follow up for the meeting is automatically taken care of, since they can always turn to you with their questions.
Speaker Meetings and Panel Discussions
A "speaker meeting", where there is one main speaker, and panel discussions, where several speakers each present their views, have many features in common. They can provide Bahá'í perspectives in two ways:
(a) Directly by presenting the Bahá'í view, providing booklets and pamphlets, talking to attendants while refreshments are served and consequently establishing stronger links with new and old contacts. Inviting other organisations to provide speakers also means that affiliated members of those groups have an opportunity to hear about Bahá'í principles
(b) Indirectly by practising Bahá'í principles of consultation such that groups of differing and even opposing views can discuss and share their ideas in a harmonious and non-confrontational manner. In this respect, the purpose of the Bahá'í presence is simply to present the Bahá'í view and leave the listener free to judge its validity.
Ingredients for a successful university speaker meeting:
The Speaker
The first step when organising a meeting is to look for a suitable speaker. Ideally, the speaker should be a specialist in a field, university educated and acquainted with the mind of intelligent young people.
You can invite Bahá'ís in the community (especially academics and authors), non-Bahá'í lecturers at the university, and students to present talks. The Bahá'í Society is a good forum for young Bahá'í students to refine their presenting skills.
It is important that the Bahá'í speakers have relevant qualifications. Unless they are specialists or have bothered to truly research the field, both in terms of the Bahá'í perspective and relevant non-Bahá'í sources, they will not be able to answer questions adequately to a university audience and may appear ignorant and unrealistic compared to speakers from other organisations, who are often informed of current trends.
The Title
Once you have chosen a speaker, choose a title based on the speaker's interests.
The title should be concise, comprehensible, mildly provocative and interesting in order to attract the most people. For instance meetings with such titles as: Progressive Revelation, The Equality of Men and Women, and The Harmony of Religion and Science could be more provocatively called Only One Religion?, The Peaceful Sex?, and Is Faith Reasonable? respectively.
If necessary use a subtitle to explain in more detail what is being discussed, e.g. The Peaceful Sex? -- A seminar on the role of women in advancing civilizations.
It is probably better to emphasize the fact that the meeting is not simply a lecture but also affords the opportunity for participative discussion.
Appendix C contains a list of possible titles.
The Chairperson
A good chairperson is needed in order to ensure that the meeting does not drag on too long and that the discussion is carried out in a frank but courteous manner. She can be very useful if a crisis occurs (which often does happen), such as the speaker arriving late.
The following are some guidelines for chairpersons:
Talk to the speaker before the event begins. As well as asking them how they would like to be introduced, she needs to personally ensure that they are aware of the format of the meeting, and the maximum length of time that the talk should last (and how they will be notified when time runs out).
Explain to the audience briefly why Bahá'ís are interested in the topic of discussion. The non-confrontational nature of Bahá'í discussions should be pointed out and the audience encouraged to ask questions and make comments after the presentation.
Strictly observe the time restrictions (have a piece of paper or card ready to pass to them when time is up). This should be done courteously, but firmly.
During the discussion, if a question seems very popular or demands deeper consideration, ensure that any comments on it have been given before moving on to the next question, which may open a new area. Be ready to stop anyone who is causing an argument or seems to want to dominate the discussion.
The chairperson should remain at the front with the speakers and facing the audience at all times.
The aforementioned considerations apply both to speaker meetings and panel discussions, but each type of meeting has its strengths and weaknesses. Speaker meetings can be more direct in their message because there is only one speaker who has no competition and can talk for longer. If the speaker is good, this can be a very effective means of teaching. Speaker meetings also have the advantage that they are much easier to organize. Whereas speaker meetings are fairly familiar to most of us from the work of the Bahá'í community at large, panel discussions are more complex, and a few more details about them are elaborated below. However, panels are likely to draw numbers attending.
Panel Meetings - Special Considerations
Introduction
Panels which involve Bahá'í and non-Bahá'í speakers have a great deal of potential as Bahá'í Society activities. In addition to familiarising various non-Bahá'í organisations and people of capacity (the speakers) with the Bahá'í Faith, they may also become a great forum for discussion, a means of gaining new perspectives on important issues and developing Bahá'í thinking on them.
Purpose of Panels
Provide a forum for discussion -- The aim is to encourage the sharing of views by various organisations and groups on issues of concern to the world as viewed by Bahá'ís. This is done by ensuring that speakers and participants are well aware that the event is organised not as a debating or confrontational platform, but to provide an environment for discussion and the sharing of ideas in the most harmonious way possible. Such events occur very rarely in our divided society and may be an ideal means of introducing into the community Bahá'í ideas of consultation and elimination of prejudice, whether political, ideological, religious or cultural.
Teach the Faith -- The speakers themselves may be "people of capacity" (Universal House of Justice, Ridván 1990) who may become interested in the Faith as a result of this interaction. Teaching such individuals may be facilitated if follow-up contact is maintained.
Proclamation -- The interesting nature of such events means that they are easily and successfully advertised in the media, in libraries and through posters. Thus, good publicity can be extremely effective.
Format
Three to five qualified speakers should each give a 10-15 minute presentation of their (or their organization's) view on the topic. The length of time depends on the number of speakers but the total time for presentations should not exceed 45-60 minutes. Timing should be strictly controlled by the chairperson.
30-60 minutes should be given over to questions and discussion. Remember that this section is probably the most productive and enjoyable part of the meeting. If it is cut too short, the event appears futile and badly conducted.
A minimum of 20 minutes refreshment time is essential. This is when enquirer have an opportunity to ask individual questions and become familiar with Bahá'ís and their aims. Displays from all groups represented on the panel could be provided, if appropriate.
Speakers
When choosing speakers, consider the following points:
Balance of status -- If a very prominent speaker is invited, the others should be either equally prominent or at least comparably qualified, with notable achievements in their respective fields.
Balance in the views represented -- There is no point inviting four speakers who all have the same view. A variety of ideas must be presented and opposing views expressed in the same forum should be welcomed, provided the speakers and the audience are briefed as to the principles along which the meeting is to proceed, and the chairperson is carefully chosen. It is important that the Bahá'ís do not create an impression of affiliation with one political group but this does not imply that we should avoid inviting political organisations.
Gender balance -- Since one of the main principles of the Bahá'í Faith is the equality of women and men, it is worth trying to include at least one female Bahá'í representative (chairperson or speaker) in order to keep the balance of gender on the panel, at least as far as the Bahá'í involvement.
Chairperson -- The choice of chairperson is vital to a successful panel. They are probably the most important individuals in terms of the smooth running of the event. It is usually not a good idea to ask individuals who do not have experience in chairing, since skill and tact are crucial, especially if the discussion becomes heated or speakers get carried away.
The chairperson should explain the non-confrontational aspect of Bahá'í discussions to the speakers before the meeting.
During the question and answer part of the panel, the chairperson should ask all the speakers if they want to comment on questions asked, even if they do not indicate that they want to (some speakers are not used to being on panels or are less forthcoming and end up saying nothing the whole time).
Publicity -- Because these events tend to be much more popular than talks given by one individual, good publicity has the potential to meet with great success. This is especially true if there is a dignitary or well-known speaker on the panel.
Within a city, publicity through the media, i.e. newspapers, radio and even television may be possible. Newspapers may find press-releases about such events quite interesting. Posters in libraries and shops are useful, too. Above all, various organisations interested in the field of discussion should be invited, initially by letter and later by phone. They should be encouraged to attend, even if there is no speaker on the panel from their own organization. Where relevant, speakers should be asked to invite individuals from their own organisations.
Social Events
Never underestimate the value of social events. There are numerous cases of people who have become Bahá'ís only because they liked spending time with the Bahá'ís they met, and only later got a firm understanding of the Faith. Social events are a non-threatening environment to which one can invite even friends who have not expressed a great interest in the Faith. Their main aim is to be fun, so the number of possible activities is great. A party with food and music, a picnic, a sports event (perhaps you want to set up a Bahá'í sports team?), a cultural party where perhaps you have invited students from other countries to share their national dress, dances, songs, food etc., are some ideas. One Bahá'í Society in England started to have parties which were specifically an "alcohol-free zone", an exceedingly unusual concept in the UK where much of the social life revolves around drinking, but the parties were a great success, with many people being amazed at how they could have so much fun without drinking.
Prayer Meetings
You can hold prayer meetings just among yourselves, in order to strengthen your efforts to serve and to counteract the feelings of isolation one can often experience when one is living alone, away from one's family for the first time. Prayer meetings can also be an excellent way to collaborate with other religious societies, asking each to prepare a short devotional programme for a joint prayer meeting. It is worth remembering that collaborating with other societies is a useful way of reaching many people who would not ordinarily come to a Bahá'í event, but would come to a joint event in order to support their society.
Presentation of Books and Statements
People of Capacity
University lecturers and professors are among the "people of capacity" to which the Universal House of Justice has referred. As university students, we are in a position to reach these people. Statements such as The Promise of World Peace and The Prosperity of Humankind as well as Bahá'í books which are written on an academic level can be presented to them.
Libraries
The university library should contain some basic books about the Faith. Occasionally the university library contains only books from anti-Bahá'í sources. In the absence of any Bahá'í books these would be considered as the main source books on the subject. Appendix B contains a list of books (in English) which are suitable for a university library. A compilation of Bahá'í scripture should also be considered. If you have a large enough budget you could donate some of these books to the library. "The Babi and Baha'i Religions" by Peter Smith and "Bahá'u'lláh: King of Glory" by Hasan Balyuzi have been positively reviewed by non-Bahá'í academic journals. Therefore it would be possible to recommend that the university library themselves purchase these books and quote the book reviews in support:
Smith's "The Babi and Baha'i Religions" is described as a "reliable, academically sound, general introduction to the subject" in the Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, and "fills an important need in a thoroughly competent fashion" according to the American Historical Review. It is "a serious and significant work" (Middle East Journal) and "useful for both student and general reader" (Expository Times). The Journal of the American Oriental Society concludes by describing this book as an intelligent, readable and broadly balanced overview of the subject". "Bahá'u'lláh: King of Glory" is "the most comprehensive and informative study of the founder of the Bahá'í Faith" according to the International Journal of Middle East Studies.
References:
Poster campaigns
Posters can be used for more than just publicity for a meeting, they can be used to acquaint a large number of people with the basic principles of the Faith. If nothing else, at least a poster campaign will familiarize people with the name "Bahá'í", and create the impression in people's minds that the Bahá'í society is active and has something to say about some important issues. The following are some "tips" for poster campaigns:
Choose a number of principles and think about a short catchy phrase, perhaps a question, which will draw attention to the subject. Choose a quote, or write a short text to represent the Bahá'í view on the subject.
Design a set of posters (see Publicity section of chapter four) using the short phrase you have chosen as a main title.
All the posters should be clearly identified with the Bahá'í society, and perhaps have a common, distinctive layout so as to connect them all to each other.
Make sure to have a contact address/e-mail on the poster for anyone who may be interested in additional information. Or you could use a poster campaign to build up to a big event. For example, a Canadian Bahá'í Society put up a series of posters saying, "What has Bahá'u'lláh got to say about: unity; equality of the sexes; world government; religion; etc.?" all leading up to a meeting about the life of Bahá'u'lláh.
In general, a poster campaign will be most productive if followed up with a meeting or some other activity, which will harness the interest generated.
The Role of Bahá'í Societies in the Development of Bahá'í Studies
Specialist interests
Bahá'í Societies can become a forum for the creative development of specialist interests, providing members with many opportunities to apply the Bahá'í Faith and its principles to the study of specific issues.
Opportunities
Presenting correlative studies at Bahá'í Society meetings, exploring how an aspect of the subject you are studying can be related to Bahá'í principles.
Producing position papers to be distributed by the Society to all students
Working with other organised student groups to expand your understanding of issues, especially to obtain a grasp of important subjects from other perspectives, which we may fail to appreciate.
Forming study groups with non-Bahá'í friends and systematically exploring various issues to which we can contribute a Bahá'í viewpoint. The Bahá'í Writings can act as a focus for such groups.
Consultation and Networking
Through Bahá'í Societies you can emphasize the part played by cooperation and consultation in the development of Bahá'í studies.
You can support each other's efforts by discussing approaches and methods, and by suggesting references and other relevant material.
You can participate in Bahá'í e-mail networks, a facility of particular value to those who are the only Bahá'í students in their universities.
The Association for Bahá'í Studies can offer supportive forums appropriate for the presentation, discussion, networking and publication of such attempts at Bahá'í studies.
Added Benefits
Bahá'í studies may benefit an individual in his or her particular course of study by adding to the richness of understanding and the widening of horizons.
Bahá'í Societies can also attempt to address any prejudice towards Bahá'í studies which may exist in the community.
Developing Bahá'í Scholarship
As Bahá'ís it is important for us not to have too limited a perception of the aims, intentions and purposes of Bahá'í scholarship and its contribution to the Bahá'í world. How can we claim that Bahá'í scholarship - which involves research into Bahá'í scripture, history and doctrine, Bahá'í administration and practices, socioeconomic subjects and Bahá'í perspectives and solutions to current problems - is irrelevant and divorced from the core of the "teaching" work? Apart from loving empathy, teaching presupposes the intellectual articulation of Bahá'í perspectives. Thinking persons, intellectuals and academics also need to be "taught" or informed about the Bahá'í teachings:
The increasing support of Bahá'í scholarship by the community at large would have important consequences both internally with respect to deepening and externally with respect to teaching. It would serve to enable a greater number of individuals to be more adequately informed about their own Faith and to befittingly communicate it to others. It would also equip individuals to "defend their Faith" against hostile misrepresentations, increasingly of a detailed nature, that the undeepened Bahá'í would find extremely difficult to discuss or refute. Bahá'í scholars are needed to provide a service to the Bahá'í community. Academically trained Bahá'í scholars as well as well-deepened individuals are indispensable in the discussion and communication of research findings that clarify obscure questions and problematic issues and throw light on doctrinal, social and other matters that trouble individuals and Bahá'í communities.
The Bahá'í world, by and large, appears to mirror the outside world in focusing on business success and concrete careers. While this is admirable, it should be remembered that there are many avenues of service within the Faith and this emphasis should not necessitate a shift away from Bahá'í scholarship.
It is vitally important that Bahá'ís understand the history, nature and teachings not only of their own Faith but also that of the major world religions and various non-religious ideologies. As time passes, the Bahá'í dialogue with, for example, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Muslims, humanists, atheists, agnostics and "new age" groups will take on new dimensions and become increasingly informed. Systematically deepened, well-informed as well as expert Bahá'ís on the history and teachings of these religious traditions and secular ideologies will be needed: Bahá'ís who are capable of informed dialogue with leading intellectuals.
Secondary Bahá'í literature targeted towards the world's major religions generally has a lot to be desired though some useful work has recently been written. Factual errors are sometimes found and the apologetic stance is not always satisfactory. There is a need for secondary Bahá'í literature that will be at the standard that approaches the publications of the thinking world.
In conclusion it can be said that alarmingly few persons are involved in the area of Bahá'í scholarship. It is often misconceived as an endeavour which is boring, dull and irrelevant; this attitude radically contradicts Bahá'í scriptural guidance. If more enthusiasm and excitement could be generated in this area, then the level of deepening and understanding within the Bahá'í community and the teaching initiatives would be greatly enriched. In reality Bahá'í scholarship is amazingly stimulating and rewarding and can induce great spiritual happiness. The deeper study of the word of God and its wider implications is the essence of the spiritual life and the foundation of Bahá'í scholarship:
Some references on Bahá'í studies: