Producing a Schedule of Events for the Term
By creating a schedule of events at the start of each term/semester, the Jewish student organisation can give members the chance to plan their attendance, think about bringing friends along, and make informed decisions about what to go to and what to skip. Furthermore, by being one of the first organisations on campus to set dates, the Jewish student group can force other groups to fit in with the group's plans. Finally, taking a term-long perspective of what events to organise, and when to organise them, allows the student organisation to think about what students will enjoy, whether there is enough variety in the term/semester, whether the order of events is sensible, and such like.
Different students are different, and want different things. The need for balance means that a variety of events need to be organised because people want different things from each other, and might get bored if events are always the same. So, don't only offer religious speakers if you have secular members, don't only offer parties if you have students who might want to study, and so forth. Note that balance doesn't mean that you have to offer equal amounts of everything - some students might need the Jewish organisation more than others, and these students should have more events aimed at them than others do.
Flow and the Calendar
Events ought to be placed chronologically in a way that makes sense. This means that you need to think about topics, type of event, and size of event when creating a schedule for a term. When thinking about when to schedule events, start by placing in the events that you have to include - things such as a ceremony for Yom HaShoah or a Purim party. Try as you might to change things, these events need to be scheduled on certain days, or at least near to the days. Then include the events that it only really makes sense to hold at certain times - such as a big party in a term full of exams that can only be some time before, or after, the exams. The next step in thinking about flow is to consider the way events are spaced throughout the term - don't put two huge parties in the same week, and don't leave huge gaps when there are no events. Lastly, consider the type and content of events, and make sure that things are well-spaced and in the right logical order. Don't have a talk about the Yom Kippur War before your talk about the Six Day War if you can help it, and so on.
Try using the same time every week for certain events. This allows students to attend as a matter of habit, instead of having to think each week about whether or not they want to come. By scheduling a lecture series for say, every Tuesday evening, you are able to allow students to avoid even thinking about doing anything else on Tuesday evenings. Scheduling regular events is also beneficial because they are easy to organise - you can just give responsibility to somebody, arrange for the same person to go to the same place at the same time each week, and so on. Be very careful when scheduling regular events though - at the same time that you allow some students to easily attend as a matter of habit, you will also prevent other interested students from ever attending. Carefully research whether times that you are considering using are good for most students, and think carefully before introducing regular scheduling. Consider using a two weekly format - for example try having one set of events every second Tuesday night, and another every second Wednesday night, in different weeks.
Quality vs Quantity
Don't take on more than you can handle. It is better to organise a few good events than a lot of bad events. Consider how many people you have helping to organise events, what their commitment levels are like, and only then start to think about how many events to schedule. It is always possible to get more people to help, but don't com mitt to running events before you have willing volunteers. Remember that a bad event can scare people away - pushing them away from Jewish life in a negative way. Focus on a few large events with a 'higher quality' and publicity effort than most other events, one or two regularly scheduled events, and a few smaller events in one term, if you have a big team of volunteers to help out. Smaller student groups need to limit themselves severely - and might only organise two or three things in one term.
When to Start Scheduling
Start planning scheduling for a term as early as possible in advance. A good rule of thumb might be to start four months before term in a very large student group, and two months before term starts in a small student group.
Print and Distribute
If possible, create and distribute a copy of your term's schedule as term starts to your members and other interested students. Print it, e-mail it, put it on the Internet - just make sure that students know as early as possible what you are offering. That way they can make sure they are there, and you don't waste your time.