OK for me Sutanu Ghose On Friday 04 Jul 2003 11:41 am, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Dear members, > > These last few months attempts have been made to ensure that LUG meetings > are held on a specific date of every month. However, we have been unable to > get hold of a permanent meeting venue that could seat the members and > provide some of the required facilities. > > The current practice of paying for a meeting venue is not without problems. > We are unable to get hold of the meeting venue if number of attending > members are not as expected. Also, money is being wasted needlessly on > chairs hired when the turnout is low. > > The provisional imposition of Cover Charges for meetings was a bold step > (something I personal consider to be in the right direction, other things > being equal). But ever since it was put in place, the attendance have been > progressively dropping with each meeting. > > This is a clear indication that the Kolkata LUG is not yet ready to pay for > its expenses. The meeting cover charges of 25 - 50/- has been an obvious > entry barrier to meeting attendance. > > If the attendance is too low (as was in the case of the June meeting with > only 4 members turning up), then we run short of funds to pay for the venue > and seating arrangements. This is clearly a vicious cirlce and we need to > break out of it. > > I have the following proposals to make: > > PROPOSALS > ========== > > [1] Scrap all cover charges for LUG meetings (we can review this decision > at the end of a 6 months time-frame) > > [2] Getting hold of a venue where we don't have to pay for just to it use > > [3] There will be no more hiring of chairs etc. > > [4] Shifting of meeting day to Friday late afternoon/evening > > The point - #4 is of particular importance. The weekends being off-days at > many places, it is difficult to access them, as the office and class IV > stuff are mostly on hoiidays. > > I have had discussions with Jadavpur University and they are open to the > idea of LUG using their facilities free of any charges or obligations as > long as it is held on any of the weekdays. > > I've been told that it'll be v difficult to get the place on a Saturday, as > non-teach stuff are not present. I'm still trying to see if it is possible > to get the place on a Saturday, but chances are slim. > > The benefits of holding the meetings at JU CSE Dept are many: > > [1] a permanent venue with large seating capacity and meeting most of the > requirements in terms of equipment (e.g. OHP is easily available) [2] > well-known place and easily commutable location. > [3] participation JU CSE dept students and profs, hence possibly a better > technical environment. [4] possibility of easily holding our larger events > at JU campus (this is a distinct possible that I've discussed with the JU > Pro VC Dr Thakur) > > I know, a Friday late-afternoon/evening slot is tad difficult for many > people. Yet, I urge the members to carefully consider this proposal. As of > now, the LUG is facing a NO-GO situation. > > We need to turn-around, and doing so will need us to change the way we > think and function. Try to take in consideration the larger benefits and > the overall impact to the LUG rather than individual problems. > > While on the topic, I'll also like to communicate to the members that I > have recieved offers of sponsorship from commercial vendors. But this will > only happen when the meeting turnout is steady and a little more than they > seem to be these days. > > The sponsorship(s) will allow us to hire a LCD projector (in case we can't > get one sponsored) that will add to our presentations. > > I'm asking for a quick vote on this as I need to communicate our position > to several persons involved in the decision-making on the side of JU. > > Thanks > --Indranil Das Gupta.
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