The first rule for setting up and working with an advisory is to know that their advice is needed and should be valued. An advisory ensures that advice is received from segments of the community that usually have no voice in policy making. The purpose of the advisory should be established immediately. Familiarization with holidays, vacations, budgeting periods, and other events that will affect the advisory should then take place. Once the basic purpose of and the context in which the advisory must operate has been agreed on, membership becomes an issue. It is essential that care be given to the kinds of people that should be on an advisory. The process of developing membership is continuous; as people agree to serve, a sense of what other kinds of people are needed is developed. After membership selection is completed, the firs meeting should be planned. The agenda for the first and subsequent meetings should be worked out in advance with several members and then checked for acceptance with the whole group at the beginning of the meeting. Hopefully, by the end of the first meeting the group will have (1) shared a common understanding of their mission; (2) selected a temporary chairman; (3) reached agreement on how often, when, and where to meet; and (4) settled on an agenda or process for creating an agenda for the following meeting. (RC)