2006 November 28 SEDS-USA Exec Transcript

From SEDSWiki

lizeeb3 (7:56:41 PM) has entered the room.
Invitation result for buddy Jedi8798 : Jedi8798 is unavailable.
Nyeerrmm (7:56:47 PM) has entered the room.
dandersonn43 (7:56:49 PM) has entered the room.
rramadas009 (7:56:50 PM) has entered the room.
rmmlg08 (7:56:52 PM) has entered the room.
dandersonn43 (7:56:56 PM): Hey
rmmlg08 (7:57:00 PM): hi
lizeeb3 (7:57:01 PM): Hi everyone!
Nyeerrmm (7:57:04 PM): howdy
dandersonn43 (7:57:08 PM): Liz, Brian.
Nyeerrmm (7:57:46 PM): how is everyone
lizeeb3 (7:58:01 PM): great.  anyone do anything fun over thanksgiving?
dandersonn43 (7:58:03 PM): Alright.
Nyeerrmm (7:58:14 PM): i did nothing... which was fun
lizeeb3 (7:58:34 PM): nice
RolandBolser (7:58:51 PM) has been invited.
RolandBolser (7:58:56 PM) has entered the room.
dandersonn43 (7:58:58 PM): Ryan, Tohan.
rramadas009 (7:59:28 PM): rohan*
rramadas009 (7:59:29 PM): haha
dandersonn43 (7:59:33 PM): Right
RolandBolser (7:59:35 PM): jake here
dandersonn43 (7:59:42 PM): Hey Jake.
Jedi8798 (7:59:44 PM) has entered the room.
dandersonn43 (7:59:48 PM): Josh
Jedi8798 (7:59:52 PM): with 30 seconds to spare... boooya
Viridis321 (8:00:17 PM) has entered the room.
dandersonn43 (8:00:24 PM): Damion.
Viridis321 (8:00:34 PM): how's it going Dan
Viridis321 (8:00:35 PM): ?
dandersonn43 (8:00:50 PM): Alright.
lizeeb3 (8:01:02 PM): good to hear
Viridis321 (8:01:05 PM): yep yep
lizeeb3 (8:02:42 PM): ok lets wait 3 more minutes
Viridis321 (8:02:53 PM): k
Jedi8798 (8:04:36 PM): rgr that
lizeeb3 (8:05:49 PM): Alright
lizeeb3 (8:06:06 PM): Ryan has something he needs to talk about before we start with the agenda
dandersonn43 (8:06:20 PM): ?
rmmlg08 (8:06:27 PM): ok, so at the conference we had a web session
rmmlg08 (8:06:40 PM): and got some decent ideas of revamps
rmmlg08 (8:06:47 PM): so if you guys can go to new.seds.org
rmmlg08 (8:06:54 PM): basc updates are as follows:
rmmlg08 (8:07:03 PM): 1.) sidebar collapsable
rmmlg08 (8:07:35 PM): 2.) format of homepage/member page changed so that main page is more general for people to find out about seds and members page has news stuff
rmmlg08 (8:07:50 PM): 3.) menubar changes when you log in rather than depending on which page you are viewing
Jedi8798 (8:09:01 PM): Would you like comments/problems e-mailed or now?
rmmlg08 (8:09:21 PM): well we can gow through some basic ones now
rmmlg08 (8:09:34 PM): to see if other have additions to comments
Nyeerrmm (8:10:29 PM): well, like we discussed earlier, i'd like an outreach section, with contact list and a link to the wiki, primarily
Jedi8798 (8:10:31 PM): A) collapsible sidebar isnt working for me B) almost all of the page is empty space C) we might as well kill the blue top bar if the only content is the date D) might want to move the search and login options to the right side
rmmlg08 (8:11:41 PM): why right side
Jedi8798 (8:11:50 PM): so there's something there
Jedi8798 (8:11:54 PM): and the options are more visible
Jedi8798 (8:12:08 PM): it also 'centers' the content you are displaying
Jedi8798 (8:12:18 PM): directing more viewer attention to the central information
rmmlg08 (8:12:33 PM): ok, so I was attempting to make sure that as much was visible on one page as possible
lizeeb3 (8:12:57 PM): yeah, I think that is important too, so nothing is cut off
rmmlg08 (8:12:59 PM): the seds events will be filled in (and this is something you guys can help out with)
rmmlg08 (8:13:29 PM): I guess the concern with moving the search and login over is that I would ahve to on all pages
rmmlg08 (8:13:42 PM): and on many pages there is enough content that this would make the main viewing page too small
lizeeb3 (8:14:21 PM): any other comments on the website?
rmmlg08 (8:14:26 PM): and what are you using for a browser
Jedi8798 (8:14:33 PM): internet explorer
rmmlg08 (8:14:37 PM): since I have the collsapsible bar working in firefox and ie
Viridis321 (8:14:37 PM): I was using firefox and it looked ok
dandersonn43 (8:14:42 PM): Mozilla(not firefox)
Nyeerrmm (8:14:44 PM): ff on linux
rramadas009 (8:14:51 PM): same
RolandBolser (8:15:00 PM): fox
rmmlg08 (8:15:05 PM): do you have some kind of scripblocker on
Jedi8798 (8:15:19 PM): yeah, on a public access computer
rmmlg08 (8:15:20 PM): (to be honest, I had forgotten to check ie until you mentioned a problem)
Jedi8798 (8:15:25 PM): lol
Jedi8798 (8:15:28 PM): most of the world uses it 
rmmlg08 (8:15:29 PM): hmm...they are probably blocking scripts then
Jedi8798 (8:15:39 PM): should make sure to check netscape as well
Jedi8798 (8:15:43 PM): browser*
rmmlg08 (8:16:07 PM): hmm...will need to find netscape somewhere
Jedi8798 (8:16:18 PM): I know they suck, IE and Netscape
Jedi8798 (8:16:30 PM): but those are what almost all of the general population will be using
rramadas009 (8:16:38 PM): works fine on my netscape as well
Jedi8798 (8:16:40 PM): especially the older population (like people trying to fund us)
Jedi8798 (8:16:43 PM): cool
rmmlg08 (8:17:07 PM): k
rmmlg08 (8:17:14 PM): I sometimes forget to check ie
rmmlg08 (8:17:23 PM): so let me know if anything ever looks funny in it
rmmlg08 (8:17:32 PM): (that is a general statement)
Viridis321 (8:17:37 PM): will do
Jedi8798 (8:17:40 PM): rgr that
rmmlg08 (8:17:48 PM): on a related note, check conferences.php
rmmlg08 (8:17:57 PM): I sent an email out to it, but just to reiterate
rmmlg08 (8:18:10 PM): once I get it a little more finalized, I will send out to seds-chapters
Jedi8798 (8:18:41 PM): k
lizeeb3 (8:18:41 PM): cool
Jedi8798 (8:18:55 PM): bloody hell
dandersonn43 (8:18:58 PM): ?
Jedi8798 (8:19:12 PM): is it active content? this computer wont load it at all
rmmlg08 (8:19:46 PM): what won't load
rmmlg08 (8:19:53 PM): conferences page?
Jedi8798 (8:20:05 PM): yeah
Viridis321 (8:20:16 PM): yeah, I had problems with it too in firefox
rmmlg08 (8:20:18 PM): it's straight up text
Jedi8798 (8:20:30 PM): well it wont load in ie for some reason for me...
Jedi8798 (8:20:34 PM): I get a white page
rmmlg08 (8:20:36 PM): oh
rmmlg08 (8:20:37 PM): sorry
rmmlg08 (8:20:46 PM): it's only on new.seds.org right now
Jedi8798 (8:21:01 PM): yeah thats what I am on
rmmlg08 (8:21:09 PM): since I left it in the format of the new page
rmmlg08 (8:21:10 PM): hmm
Jedi8798 (8:21:18 PM): new.seds.org/
Jedi8798 (8:21:22 PM): conferences.php
rmmlg08 (8:21:40 PM): have you scrolled all the way to the bottom
rmmlg08 (8:21:52 PM): oh, I see
rmmlg08 (8:21:55 PM): that's interesting
Jedi8798 (8:21:58 PM): there's nothing there period. I view sourced
rmmlg08 (8:23:01 PM): yeah, I'm actually getting the same thing in ie
rmmlg08 (8:23:04 PM): will look into
Jedi8798 (8:23:09 PM): k
lizeeb3 (8:23:27 PM): alright, we should be moving on
lizeeb3 (8:23:44 PM): anything else about the website at this point?
rmmlg08 (8:23:45 PM): will send an email out once it is fixed
rmmlg08 (8:23:50 PM): that is all from me
lizeeb3 (8:23:53 PM): awesome
dandersonn43 (8:23:56 PM): all white.
dandersonn43 (8:24:11 PM): Mozilla, not firefox is my browser.
lizeeb3 (8:24:13 PM): Josh, would you like to talk about the business cards now?
Jedi8798 (8:24:53 PM): sure
Jedi8798 (8:25:25 PM): ok basically I double checked all the prices on the sources I use, and it will be $4 per 100 cards per person
Viridis321 (8:25:39 PM): not bad at all
lizeeb3 (8:25:45 PM): yeah thats a great price
Jedi8798 (8:26:01 PM): yeah when you buy in batches of 1000 cards at a time, and are dividing it between 10 people
Jedi8798 (8:26:05 PM): its nice  
Jedi8798 (8:26:33 PM): is that price ok with people? if so I will run off a preliminary batch of 100 cards per person and try to send em out over christmas break
Viridis321 (8:26:43 PM): sounds good
Nyeerrmm (8:26:46 PM): sounds pretty nice to me
rmmlg08 (8:26:46 PM): yeah
dandersonn43 (8:26:51 PM): Yes it is.
lizeeb3 (8:26:54 PM): yeah.  thanks for doing this
Jedi8798 (8:26:59 PM): though that price doesnt include postage, so feel free to donate an extra dollar if you want  
dandersonn43 (8:27:20 PM): /me nods
Viridis321 (8:27:26 PM): no problemo
lizeeb3 (8:27:50 PM): the cards will be *very* useful at conferences
Jedi8798 (8:27:54 PM): allright, if there are no complaints, thats all on that end, Liz?
lizeeb3 (8:28:03 PM): Ok great.
lizeeb3 (8:28:20 PM): Let's move onto goals
lizeeb3 (8:28:40 PM): First, any questions about the gantt chart I sent out?
RolandBolser (8:28:46 PM): nope
rramadas009 (8:28:55 PM): no
Jedi8798 (8:29:23 PM): nope, seems pretty straightforward
lizeeb3 (8:29:41 PM): thats good to hear
lizeeb3 (8:30:38 PM): Damion is going to go first
Viridis321 (8:31:22 PM): One of my first priorities is to work with Ryan and get all of the individual chapters to send a monthly update on projects, conferences, ideas, etc
Viridis321 (8:31:43 PM): they would then be posted on the website under a "Chapter's Project" link
Viridis321 (8:32:08 PM): the first CoC meeting is this Thursday, and those will be every other thursday
Viridis321 (8:32:15 PM): hopefully you all got that email
Viridis321 (8:32:35 PM): I'd like to increase the number of active people on the SEDS-announce list
Viridis321 (8:33:07 PM): and one of the goals that I really want to work on is getting some of the older chapters that seemed to fall out, back into the spotlight
Viridis321 (8:33:28 PM): see where they're at, whether they still exist, and just try to get them involved
Viridis321 (8:33:50 PM): under that umbrella, I have a few schools in mind that I would like to see about getting new chapters started at
Viridis321 (8:33:55 PM): and I think that's it
Viridis321 (8:34:17 PM): any thoughts, suggestions, criticisms, etc?
Jedi8798 (8:34:39 PM): Do you have general goals for the Council of Chapters itself as a body?
Jedi8798 (8:35:07 PM): and goals on attendance etc? last year CoC didnt get much done, mostly due to attendance. 
Viridis321 (8:36:03 PM): yeah, for the first few meetings I want to get all of the updates on chapter projects
Viridis321 (8:36:20 PM): see what they're doing and set a deadline for the first "chapter update"
lizeeb3 (8:37:14 PM): yeah
lizeeb3 (8:37:18 PM): give them deadline
Viridis321 (8:37:21 PM): as far as attendance, that's why I hope to increase the membership for SEDS-announce
Viridis321 (8:37:35 PM): the deadline will probably sometime mid-end January
rmmlg08 (8:38:00 PM): if we can think of some kind of incentive for coming to more meetings, that may help
Jedi8798 (8:38:10 PM): Cool. Would advise trying to have a working agenda before each meeting like Liz is doing. A CoC fully based on just chapter reports wont get people excited about attending
lizeeb3 (8:38:11 PM): also, make sure they know what Nationals is doing
rmmlg08 (8:38:11 PM): (nothing is coming to mind right now to me)
Viridis321 (8:38:23 PM): will do
lizeeb3 (8:38:35 PM): awesome
lizeeb3 (8:39:00 PM): other suggestions for Damion?
RolandBolser (8:39:06 PM): I have a question
RolandBolser (8:39:20 PM): what are these Council meetings like in nature
lizeeb3 (8:39:46 PM): they are supposed to be an open discussion
lizeeb3 (8:39:55 PM): between chapter representatives
lizeeb3 (8:40:21 PM): Damion will moderate and lead the discussion
Viridis321 (8:40:25 PM): for the most part, I planned to keep the trend, and just keep the meeting going in specific directions
Jedi8798 (8:41:00 PM): yeah
Jedi8798 (8:41:04 PM): a specific agenda
Jedi8798 (8:41:08 PM): and goals for each meeting would help
Viridis321 (8:41:24 PM): yep yep
RolandBolser (8:42:04 PM): have you tried asking for plans of what each group is going to do over hte year
Viridis321 (8:42:46 PM): not yet, but that will be included in the "chapter updates" for each month
Viridis321 (8:43:14 PM): that will include what they're doing now, what they plan to do, things they might need help with, etc
lizeeb3 (8:44:52 PM): sounds good
lizeeb3 (8:45:10 PM): ok, let's get to the next position
Viridis321 (8:45:13 PM): I'll send an outline out of what I would like out of them in a few weeks
Viridis321 (8:45:16 PM): sry continue
rramadas009 (8:45:50 PM): okay, i will go next
rramadas009 (8:46:14 PM): i have two primary goals/projects i want to achieve this year for high school affairs
rramadas009 (8:46:58 PM): one thing i have noticed is that at the high school level, most students are oriented towards bio/medical/engineering fields for the most part
RolandBolser (8:47:27 PM): hmm
rramadas009 (8:47:35 PM): and one key aspect that plays into that is the fact that most high school clubs that belong to national organizations are bio/medical/engineering related
rramadas009 (8:48:20 PM): so, the first project i want to undertake is getting in contact with high schools in my region (bay area) and then perhaps expanding later to start astronomy club at their respective schools
rramadas009 (8:48:44 PM): these clubs would then become SEDS chapters... i think a primary way to stimulate interest at the high school level is the sense of national affiliation
RolandBolser (8:49:00 PM): agreed
rramadas009 (8:49:22 PM): my second goal is related and i was talking to james about it a couple of weeks ago
rramadas009 (8:49:57 PM): basically, i want to start some type of national project which could be completed with the collaboration of both university and high school level students
rramadas009 (8:50:55 PM): one thing that expansion into high school chapters provides is basically the fact that 
rramadas009 (8:50:55 PM): I think high school students are very willing to contribute time/effort if they feel that what they are doing is "meaningful" in some large sense
rramadas009 (8:51:26 PM): basically, this means that high schools would be more willing to add astronomy clubs/SEDS chapters if they could see such projects being done
rramadas009 (8:51:45 PM): That's basically it
rramadas009 (8:52:10 PM): sorry.. a bit wordy
rramadas009 (8:52:11 PM): heh
Jedi8798 (8:52:13 PM): np
RolandBolser (8:52:30 PM): brian, we talked about this as well and I think this is where education and outreach can really become focused
Jedi8798 (8:53:18 PM): Have you put thought into what that project will entail? and are you planning on having it be more of a mentorship project, where one HS and one college pair with eachother? or a more mishmash of many chapters all working on same?
rramadas009 (8:53:41 PM): well, i was thinking more along the lines of a mentorship in terms of a university assisting a high school
rramadas009 (8:53:52 PM): i want to avoid it being a mishmash so that direct connection is felt
Jedi8798 (8:54:20 PM): agreed
lizeeb3 (8:54:21 PM): yes
Viridis321 (8:54:42 PM): good point
lizeeb3 (8:56:25 PM): other suggestions?
lizeeb3 (8:57:26 PM): Brian, you're up
Nyeerrmm (8:58:03 PM): ok, my main goals for this semester are to:
1. Contact the outreach chair at each chapter individually
lizeeb3 (8:58:08 PM): (this needs to be the last one since I have a design meeting at 9:15)
Nyeerrmm (8:58:51 PM): 2. Compile a list of those contacts to make available online (with permission of course), for people to be able to find help in their own area easily
Nyeerrmm (8:59:48 PM): and finally
3. Work for chapter cooperation through the use of the wiki, and maybe a forum or email list
Nyeerrmm (9:00:15 PM): if everything goes well, id like to try something bigger, but im going to concentrate on these first, to simply create a dialog for the future
lizeeb3 (9:00:50 PM): that's a good idea, then progress
Nyeerrmm (9:01:21 PM): i've started, i plan on really pressing with emails, etc after SEC next week
Nyeerrmm (9:02:37 PM): Guish there with you guys at UIUC has been very helpful
lizeeb3 (9:03:14 PM): good
lizeeb3 (9:03:20 PM): they've mentioned it
lizeeb3 (9:03:59 PM): I hate to cut the meeting off but I need to get back to the lab
Nyeerrmm (9:04:10 PM): its that time of the year
dandersonn43 (9:04:12 PM): Evening.
lizeeb3 (9:04:18 PM): everyone who didn't go yet will have first priority next week
dandersonn43 (9:04:21 PM): Oh.
Jedi8798 (9:04:25 PM): rgr
Viridis321 (9:04:27 PM): that it is...have a good nite everyone
Jedi8798 (9:04:30 PM): night all
RolandBolser (9:04:34 PM): peace out yal

2006-2007 SEDS-USA Meetings

Exec Board Minutes: 11/14 | 11/21 | 11/28 | 12/05 | 12/12 | 12/19 | 1/02 | 1/16 | 1/23 | 1/30

Exec Board Transcripts: 11/14 | 11/21 | 11/28 | 12/05 | 12/12 | 12/19 | 1/02 | 1/16 | 1/23 | 1/30 | 2/06 | 2/13 | 2/20 | 2/27 | 3/06 | 3/13 | 3/20 | 3/27 | 4/03 | 4/10 | 4/17 | 5/01 | 5/08 | 5/22 | 5/29 | 6/05 | 6/12 | 6/19 | 6/26 | 7/03 | 7/10 | 7/17 | 7/24 | 7/31 | 8/07 | 8/14 | 8/21 | 8/28 | 9/11 | 9/18 | 9/25 | 10/02 | 10/09 | 10/16 | 10/23 | 10/30 | 11/06

Council of Chapters Minutes:

Council of Chapters Transcripts:02/08 | 02/22 | 03/29