ECEGSA Meeting Minutes – January 19, 2015
Location: MCLD 418
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Attendance: Ahmed, Tanzil, Shreya, Arvind, Michelle
Regrets: Felix
Meeting minutes from Dec 8, Dec 16 and Jan 9: Approved (confirmed)
Meeting minutes from Jan 16:
– discussed changing some details about the Think! Engineering event
– want to balance conciseness and clarity with appropriate level of detail
– Michelle to write a revision and send out again for comments
Think! Engineering event email
Points of discussion:
– first priority is doing what’s best overall for students
– concerns about students confusing this event with our upcoming Networking Night
– believe that most students will know about the event without our email anyway
– if our email will have little effect on attendance of the Think! event, maybe best to just send it
– us sending the email shows our support of the event
– would be polite to reply IEEE in some way
– a reply to IEEE student branch that we chose not to forward their invitation may inadvertently create conflict between our organizations by making this into a bigger issue than it is
– we are in a conflict of interest position because of our own networking event
– considered forwarding to the department or replying to IEEE student branch recommending to forward to department (a more impartial body)
– involving the department could again inadvertently create conflict where it is not necessary
– this issue is not that big and has already taken more time than it deserves
Decision:
– should we forward the IEEE email? – voted no by majority
– should we reply to the IEEE in some way? – decision postponed
Snowshoeing
– decided on Hollyburn, unless there is not enough drivers, then Grouse
– Grouse we can reach by transit which is convenient for planning, but costs $10 each way for the trolley and we have to pick up snowshoes elsewhere
– we will charge $5 per person, unless it’s Grouse then it will have to be $10 to cover the additional trolley cost
– Shreya to forward email to Michelle to send out
– Michelle (and possibly others) to be available at afternoon social to collect money
Ping Pong
– things are more or less in order
– Arvind to forward email to Michelle
Workshops
– things are more or less in order
– Arvind to forward email to Michelle
Chinese New Year
– no update this week
Networking night
Sponsors:
– MDA is interested – to follow up with email
– Fortinet – check for payment tomorrow, need to follow up with email
– NZ technologies – waiting on response, signs are positive
– Cadex – Shreya to talk to this week
– Pulse – Michelle to contact tomorrow
– Net App (number 106 on list) – Michelle to contact
– Statoil – Ahmed filled out online form, has received some response
– Michelle to fill out other online forms
– start inviting organizations (eg BCTIA) and individuals? – some has already been done, but continue
– start phone calls, try to get contact info from them and then email package
– for calls, prioritize big names and those with vancouver offices, those with and phone numbers
– each person to call 5 companies before next meeting, pick whichever ones we want
Panel:
– John Madden is not available for panel
– Bill Tam is a Maybe – Ahmed to follow up with Andre
– Philippe Kruchten maybe – Ahmed to follow up
– Andre is a yes, if needed
– Guy Lemieux – another possibility to ask
– Zahra Amadian or Mazana Armstrong – Ahmed to check with Andre first, if yes then Michelle to contact Mazana first (more industry experience)
Square Up vs. PayPal:
– will companies be ok with unfamiliar system? – concerns about security
– have to send link, all stuff is through email
– PayPal is more popular
– still can pay by cheque anyway, so if people aren’t comfortable they can do that
– no upfront cost until we have transactions
– still not sure about transfer to future execs
– relatively easy and fast to set up
– will companies have credit cards? – probably
– would be good for attendees (but maybe not as important for sponsors)
– decision: will get it set-up and use if possible, if not no big deal (because no up-front fees)
Volunteers:
– have 13 volunteers, varying availability
– several categories: one exec person to head up each one (Ahmed to oversee everything)
– have volunteers reporting to each of the heads directly
– divide duties for before and during event so we each have as even as possible load both before and during the event
– organization of volunteer responsibilities will be put in Google Drive – Ahmed to do (organize low level tasks, sort volunteers)
– Ahmed – general overseeing
– Tanzil – finances
– remaining positions: pick at next week’s meetings
Advertising:
– posters
– social media
– email lists – Materials Engineering, GSS, ECESS, ours
– optionally go to SFU, BCIT, etc if we need more attendees, but not a priority
Printing:
– volunteers to do design (no need to hire someone)
Signature wall:
– printing should not be an issue – get some quotes and details next week
– where to hang? – will have to confirm dimensions, get a solution for how to hang, etc
Photography:
– look among volunteers we already have
– maybe send general email out if no one responds
– will fall under someone’s jobs next week
ECESS pool table
– the ECESS is buying a new table and want some money from us for pool cues and balls
Points of dicussion:
– do we have access to use? – no, not easily at least
– could we take the old one?
– do we have room in our lounge? – would likely have to choose between Pool and Ping Pong
– not sure when they want to do it – could wait until end of the year when we know what money we have left in our budget
– we have many other things we could spend money on in the lounge that people would appreciate more than a pool table
– could tell them we will consider it at the end of the term, but don’t want toif it will end up being no anyway
Decision:
– will reply no because we don’t have it in our budget
Furniture for Grad Lounge
– discuss at end of term, when we know budget better
Afternoon social
– start paying for treats when there are gaps, as we have it in the budget to do so
Money from GSS
– need to get on top of this if we want it for Chinese New Year
– might be able to get more from GSS than originally offered – talk to Sima or Saquib
Money for networking night
– we have $7000 so far
– if we order at least $6000 in food and beverages, the venue fee is waived
– AV is extra
– we are in good shape
Invite NSERC?
– not sure, find out what has been done is previous years
MBE
– reminder: meeting tomorrow at 1 pm
Sun Run
– emailed Darla, waiting to hear back (to see what reimbursement will be even if we have no practice sessions)
– Pooneh might be able to get us a volunteer for practice sessions
– hopefully a volunteer can take care of practice sessions, then we would just have to deal with the money
Sima attending an ECEGSA meeting
– she was trying to get involved, wait and see if she follows up
– things are busy now so it’s not a great time, maybe after networking night we can follow up with her to see if she still wants to come
Email about access to old ECEGSA exams
– as far as we know, we have no old exams
iGSN event
– we’ve been invited to contribute money and/or time to an Interdisciplinary Grad Student Network (iGSN) event
– maybe just money?
– Michelle and Ahmed will go to meeting on Wednesday to find out more