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Speaker Signup Pool

Get speaking slots faster by joining the Speaker Signup Pool — when a scheduled speaker declines, the slot gets filled quickly, often automatically.

Note: This feature is in BETA. The Speaker Signup Pool is only available for clubs using Algorithm Mode (not Volunteer Signup Mode).

What Problem Does This Solve?

When speakers decline assignments, VPEs must scramble to find replacements through phone calls and emails. Meanwhile, prepared speakers often wait weeks for their turn. The Speaker Signup Pool bridges this gap by letting members register their availability so open slots are filled quickly and fairly.

  • Faster backfill — Open slots get filled in minutes instead of hours of outreach
  • Fair rotation — Pool assignments follow fairness rules based on speaking history
  • Less VPE work — The system handles notifications and assignments
  • Member empowerment — Prepared speakers can proactively signal readiness

How It Works

Joining the Pool

  1. Go to your Dashboard
  2. Find the Speaker Signup Pool section
  3. Click Join Speaker Pool

That's it — one click, no preference selection. Your club's officers choose how the pool works (Auto-Assign or Manual mode), so you don't need to configure anything.

The dashboard will show contextual text about how your club's pool operates so you know what to expect when a slot opens.

What Happens When a Speaker Declines

When a scheduled speaker declines their role, an inline modal appears on the schedule page asking how they want to handle it.

The declining speaker can name a replacement. If they check "I have a replacement" in the modal, they can search for a club member by name and select them. The named replacement gets a notification email and has a window to accept:

  • Standard: 24-hour window
  • If the meeting is same-day: 4-hour window

If the replacement doesn't respond in time, the system clears the replacement request and notifies the VPE and Toastmaster so an officer can handle the slot manually. It does not automatically assign from the pool or re-trigger pool notifications.

If no replacement is named, the process depends on your club's mode:

Auto-Assign Mode

When a speaker declines, the system immediately assigns the top eligible pool member. The new speaker is notified and the slot is confirmed automatically.

Manual Mode

When a speaker declines in Manual mode, the slot is posted to the pool. All eligible pool members receive an email about the open slot. Pool members get a 12-hour exclusive window to claim it before it opens to everyone.

How Priority Works

When multiple pool members are eligible, assignment follows this order:

  1. Never spoken — Members without any prior Speaker role completions get highest priority
  2. Longest gap — Among experienced speakers, those with the longest time since their last speech get priority

Who Gets Skipped

Pool members are excluded from a particular slot if they:

  • Have an absence marked for that meeting date
  • Are already assigned to any role in that meeting
  • Are restricted (declined after a previous auto-assignment)
  • Are inactive members

The 12-Hour Exclusive Window (Manual Mode)

Pool members get a 12-hour head start to claim a slot before it opens to everyone.

Exception: If the meeting is less than 12 hours away, no exclusive window applies — anyone can claim immediately.

Important Rules

One-Time Use

Pool membership is one-time use. Once you're assigned from the pool, you're removed and must re-join if you want another opportunity.

One Chance Policy

If you're auto-assigned from the pool and then decline that assignment, you'll be restricted from rejoining the pool. An officer must clear your restriction before you can rejoin. This prevents members from selectively choosing preferred dates.

Leaving the Pool

You can leave the pool anytime from your Dashboard. If you leave and want to rejoin later, you can — unless you previously declined an auto-assignment.

Tips

  • Join when you're prepared — The pool works best when you're genuinely ready to speak on short notice
  • Name a replacement if you have one — If you know someone who can take your slot, use the replacement option when declining. It's faster than waiting for the pool to process
  • Check your dashboard — Your pool status and any restrictions are visible on your dashboard

Troubleshooting

I can't see the Speaker Signup Pool on my dashboard

  • Your club may not have the Speaker Signup Pool enabled. Ask an officer to enable it in Schedule Options.
  • The pool is only available for clubs using Algorithm Mode, not Volunteer Signup Mode.

I was restricted from the pool

  • This happens when you decline an assignment you received through auto-assign. Ask an officer to clear your restriction from the Manage Speaker Pool page.

A named replacement's deadline passed but nothing seems to have happened

  • Replacement timeouts are processed the next time someone loads the schedule page, with a 5-minute cooldown between checks. If the deadline just passed, wait a few minutes and reload the schedule page.

No one from the pool was assigned

  • If the pool is empty or no members are eligible (due to absences, existing assignments, or restrictions), the slot remains open for anyone to claim or for the VPE to fill manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as Fast Track Pool? No. The Fast Track Pool is a separate, unrelated feature used during schedule creation to prioritize new speakers. The Speaker Signup Pool only activates when a speaker declines an existing assignment.

Does this replace normal rotation? No. The pool only activates when someone declines. Regular schedule creation still uses the standard fairness algorithm.

Can officers see pool members? Yes. Officers can view all pool members and restriction status from the Manage Speaker Pool page, and can remove members or clear restrictions.

What if I'm already assigned to another role? You'll be skipped for that meeting's speaker slot to prevent cascading declines.

What notifications are sent? Auto-assigned members receive an assignment confirmation email. When the pool is notified (Manual mode), all eligible members receive an email with a claim link. VPE and Toastmaster are also notified per club settings.