CONvergence Convention Committee Meeting Notes

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Divisional Changes:

Data Transmission to Membership Communications:

After working with and receiving feedback from the members in the Data Transmissions Division, we have change that Divisions name to Membership Communications.

We would also like to welcome Jonathan Palmer as Director of the Membership Communications Division. After reviewing the recommendations of the interview committee, the Board of Directors decided to appoint Jonathan for this appointment term that end on August 15, 2016.

Hospitality and Member Experience to Facilities/Hospitality:

After receiving feedback, receiving input from the division, and reviewing the departments and divisions, the Board has decided to split the HoME Division into two Divisions: Facilities and Hospitality.

The Two Divisions will include the departments listed below:
Facilities

  • Dock
  • First Advisors
  • Hotel
  • Decor
  • Nerf Herders
  • Resume

Hospitality

  • F2E2
  • Connie’s Space Lounge
  • Consuite
  • Operations
  • Guest of Honor
  • Parties
  • Smokers Paradise
  • Teen Room

Ishmael Williams will continue to be the Director of the Hospitality Division and the Facilities Division will be up for election in 2016.

Department Changes:

Name Changes:

The Guest Department will now be the Guest of Honor Department.

Departments Splits:

The Resume team will now be its own Department.

The Volunteer Den team will now be its own Department. Mobile Vol Den and Massage will be subset of this department

New Departments:

Accessibility
New Department in the Systems Division
Includes ASL
Partners
New Department in the Administration Division

Divisional Director Backups:

Liz Hernandez backs up Thomas Keeley
Thomas Keeley backs up Ishmael Williams
Ishmael Williams backs up Liz Hernandez
Margaret Eastman backs up Amy Mills
Amy Mills backs up Margaret Eastman

Convergence Events Officers for 2015-­2016:

President: Ishmael Williams
Vice-President:Margaret Eastman
Secretary: Liz Hernandez
Treasurer: Thomas Keeley

Convention Committee:

A specialist is a peer of the Subheads in the department, they answer to the Heads. They are not in the chain of command. They have a very specific/specialized function within a department. They are expected to put in the hours and expectations of the level of subhead.

All Heads, Subheads, and Specialists will ne approved by divisional directors. The Heads will submit the new subheads or specialists via the web form.

Division/Convention Committee Meetings:

Divisional Meetings:

Divisional Meetings are generally held two hours before the Convention Committee Meetings, but please check with your Divisional Director for the exact start times.

All ConCom members in a division are invited to the Divisional Meetings. (Heads, Sub-Heads, and Specialists.)

Beginning with the October Meetings, provided we are able to obtain the space, we will be holding joint Divisional Meetings. There will be two divisions meeting together and the divisions will rotate each month.

Convention Committee (ConCom) Meetings:

The ConCom Meetings at 2pm are no longer closed to those not on the Convention Committee. However, please keep in mind that this is still our ConCom working meeting. If you decide to invite others to these meeting please ask them to keep this in mind.

We will continue to hold Open Meetings for all members to attend and we intend to continue

Scaling Committee

  • We agree that this is needed not only to address growth to “10,000
    attendees” but also address the items that haven’t scaled from growth
    already experienced.
  • We will be forming a committee, during the 2016 cycle to do so.
    • Five to Ten members – reviewed and re-appointed annually
    • Limit of one former director (0 or 1)
    • Limit of one current director (0 or 1)
    • The rest of the positions should be made up by members of the ConCom and other CONvergence Volunteers
    • Leadership of the committee to be decided by the committee, but former and current directors are disqualified from leading.
    • Recommendations are to be presented to the Board for consideration. The board is not compelled to accept the recommendations. However, we feel the board should be strongly urged to accept them unless there are good and compelling reasons not to.
    • Tasked to compile, evaluate, and help implement items that will secure the ongoing growth of the convention and community in a proactive way.

We are now requesting self-nominations for Scaling Committee candidates through November 15th. 2015. The Board of Directors will appoint members to this committee by December 7th, 2015. Please submit self-nominations via email to [email protected].

Member Advocates:

  • This cannot be a department in the divisional structure or it is subject to influence by the board and invalidates part of the function
  • Need to answer/suggest to the board as a whole, not to an individual or it is subject to influence by one person and
    invalidates part of the function.
  • Needs to be answerable to the ConCom to be accountable and effective
  • 18 month cycle
  • One elected every six months by the ConCom
  • Makes reports to the board (in person or in email) as needed to advocate issues – If in person, they need to let the board know what issues they are bringing before the meeting so we can be ready to discuss them
  • The recommendations of the Member Advocate will be as a ‘nonbinding arbitration’. The board will take the recommendations and work to find applicable solutions
  • Volunteers will submit their information to the board
  • The board will NOT select candidates, all volunteers for the position will be presented to the ConCom for election
  • In the case of a tie, the board will make a decisions between the two tied volunteers
  • This will be presented at the September ConCom meeting, and the first election will be at the October ConCom Meeting.
  • Term limits will not be enforced; the ConCom will have a right to choose their Advocates.
  • Elections will be done by show of hands
  • Elections of an Advocate will be October and April
  • There will be a total of three Member Advocates

For the first election of the Member Advocates, there will be three spots open:

  • One for a 6 month term
  • One for a 12 month term
  • One for an 18 month term

We are now requesting self-nominations for Member Advocate candidates. Please indicate which term position you are seeking. Please submit self-nominations via email to [email protected] by 2 PM on the day of the October ConCom Meeting.

Board of Directors Elections:

Held Sunday, January 17, 2016 also our annual membership meeting.

Board of Director seats up for Election in 2016:

Membership Communications

Term: 8/16/2016-8/15/2017
Departments:

  • Advertising
  • Creative Services
  • Web Team
  • Social Media
  • Publications
  • Photography

Productions

Term: 8/16/2016-8/15/2019
Departments:

  • Ceremonies
  • CVG-TV & Video
  • MainStage (including Green Room)
  • Masquerade
  • Harmonic Convergence

Systems

Term: 8/16/2016-8/15/2019
Departments:

  • IT (Including Web Master)
  • Finance
  • Meeting Childcare
  • Accessibility

Facilities

Term: 8/16/2016-8/15/2019
Departments:

  • Dock
  • First Advisors
  • Hotel
  • Decor
  • Nerf Herders
  • Resume

We are now accepting self-nominations for Board of Directors candidates through 11:59 PM Central Time on Sunday, November 15, 2015. Please indicate which position you are seeking. Please send self-nominations to [email protected] and/or [email protected]

Meeting Space Request for the Waterbury:

Space at the Waterbury is still available to our departments to use.

If your department needs space for 3 hours or less:
Please book space through the GPS Facility Request form:
http://tinyurl.com/sitescheduling

If your department needs space for more than 3 hours:
Your Divisional Director must approve the request to book space first, then the department may book space using the GPS Facility Request Form. (link above).

Departments do not need budget for the use of this space as central cost devoted to meeting space

Action Items:

Pre-­Convention Volunteer Hours

The Board is working on a policy to codify the tracking of pre-convention hours for volunteers who are not part of the convention committee, and the granting of time and a half or double time for at-con tasks. Margaret Eastman, Director of Activities is drafting the policy. If your department does either or both of the above, please see Margaret during the working portion of the September convention committee meeting. We are seeking your input on how these volunteer hours currently work, and suggestions on how they might work in future.

Volunteer Perks Program

What works? What Doesn’t?
Does the Uber Hours need to increase? If so, what should it be? (It is currently 25 hours).

If you have further feedback on this subject please email [email protected]

Department Announcements

Activities:

Programming
Programming has welcomed Jody Wurl as a new Co-Head, but we are still looking for at least one additional Co-Head. Anyone is welcome to volunteer for the position though we are especially interested in someone under 25 years of age to aid us in connecting to the new generation of geeks. If you wish to throw your name in the ring or have any questions concerning the duties of a Programming Co-Head, please email [email protected].

Programming’s annual Panel Brainstorming session will be held at Crowne Plaza (5401 Green Valley Drive, Bloomington) on Oct. 10 from 1-5pm. As this conflicts with JOFCon, FallCon, and at least one other event, JOFCon organizers have generously offered use of their space after hours at the DoubleTree – Park Place to all who wish to attend. As the time and room are yet to be determined, please email Programming at [email protected] to request details when we have them or watch for the announcement on the web site or social media.

If you are unable to attend either the DoubleTree or JOFCon sessions, you are welcome and encouraged to submit any and all Programming panel or performance ideas using the form on the main CONvergence web site:
http://www.convergence-con.org/get-involved/panels/panel-suggestion-form/

Programming has volunteered to take point on building a team to map as much of the usable hotel space as we can get access to in order to craft a “hotel master” layout document that we intend to make available to everyone. If you have interest in being on the layout team or would like to request an item to detail (e.g. outlet count/placement), please email [email protected].

Facilities:

Resume
DoubleTree Resume Gurus for the 2016 cycles include: Jennifer Hummel, Theresa Bennett and Kathy Peck.

We’re going back to the traditional way of sending and gathering Resume information. We’ll once again email the Department-specific Resume documents from the 2015 cycle to each Department by the November Con-Com.
The Resume Deadline remains the April Con-com and the May Con- Com continues to be the Final Sign-off date.

Hospitality:

Operations
Operations and The Board have been working to draft a series of new member conduct policies in order to provide clarity and to codify many of the things that have long been in place but never documented. It expected that a version of the proposed policy language will be sent to the members of the convention committee before the October ConCom. There will be a defined period during which everyone can send any comments and suggestions that they may have, after which the policies will be finalized. The goal is to have these policies finalized and to begin communicating them to the membership by the end of 2015

Member Communications:

Photography
Photography will be taking a picture of every ConCom member before the end of the May meeting. This is for internal use only, will not be published etc. It will be used for Ops and Volunteers to show who they need to look for at in a department and for ongoing record keeping.

For example:

Systems:

Finance
Reminder: The deadline for submitting reimbursements for the 2015 convention cycle is Wednesday, September 30th.

Partners:

JOFCon

A quick reminder that JOFCon is coming up in only a couple of weeks, on October 9-11, 2015. We’re excited to say that we’re expecting convention organizers from all around the world, including two of the major organizers from Finland for the Helsinki Worldcon in 2017.

Rates will go up October 1st to the at the door rates, so you can get your membership for the whole weekend right now for $50. It’ll be $60 at the door.

We are going to have day memberships available at $25 a day.

For more information check out http://jofconmsp2015.blogspot.com/

GPS

Site requests: http://tinyurl.com/sitescheduling

Monday, September 21 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.| GPS Arts Initiative – Figure Drawing Salon

Thu. Sep 24 | 6:00 pm | Haunted House Volunteer Meeting
Haunted House performances are Fri/Sat/Sun Oct 23, 24, 25 (Sensory friendly)

Thu. Oct 1 | 6:00pm – 8:30pm | Project Lighthouse Info Night

Sat. Oct 3 | 9:30a – 6p | Scavenger Hunt

Fri. Oct. 9 | Edutainment Video Discussion – Water

Sat. Oct 10 6:30pm start | GPS Movie Night – cosplay and fundraiser for breast cancer research – Mad Max Fury Road and Tank Girl

Fundraising News
Thank you to all who donated to the GGGS. Great stuff, lots of auction inventory. Last year we did just over $1,200. This year we did just over $1,800.

We are starting up membership drive for 2015 officially on Sep 26 and going until goal is reached- goal is adding 200 supporting members for 2015

June 4, 2016 | 5pm start | Pirate Cruise Fundraiser – St. Croix Boat & Packet Co. Stillwater, MN.

http://m.bpt.me/event/2277328

Auction Donations Are Being Accepted – We’ve got our upcoming auction at Anime Fusion. We’ll be taking donations and can make arrangements to take them at the center. If you plan on delivering your donation to a convention, we’ll be taking them Friday and Saturday at Anime Fusion. Do you have items you want to donate? Please complete the Donation Online Submission Form so we can arrange delivery and have the bid sheet for your item ready.

Reminder that funds raised go to supporting our mission, including the Space Camp Scholarship and our educational grants program, Project Lighthouse.

Upcoming for GPS
Mark your Calendars

  • Tue. Nov 17 | 7pm -­ 9pm | GPS Open Meeting
  • Pride planning meetings start fall, need a contact person. Emails [email protected]

Communications for convention business should go to [email protected].

Below is a current calendar listing of upcoming meetings, events, and deadlines.
Wednesday, September 30th 11:59PM
Deadline for submitting reimbursements requests for the 2015 convention cycle to Finance. [email protected]

October ConCom Meeting: 10/17/2015 (tentative)
No Access to the Storage units until this date unless there is an emergency or you have made prior arrangements. Questions?
Contact [email protected]

Budgets are generally due by the October ConCom Meeting. The deadline will be updated once the date has been confirmed. Please submit Departmental budget requests to your Director.

Election for the three Member Advocate positions. Self-nominations due by 2 PM on day of meeting.

Sunday, November 15th 11:59PM
Deadline for self-nominations for the Board Positions up for Election. Send to [email protected] and/or [email protected]
The following Board seats are up for Election

  • Productions
  • Systems
  • Facilities
  • Membership Communications
    (Special One Year Term 8/16/16-8/15/17)

Deadline for self-nomination for the Scaling Committee positions. Send to [email protected] and/or [email protected]

November ConCom Meeting 11/8/2015 (tentative)
Approved Department Budgets should be provided and communicated to the Departments by this Meeting.

Monday, December 7th
Board of Director will appoint Scaling Committee Members by this date.

Thursday, December 31st
Logistics would like to have any unused or no longer wanted equipment removed from the storage unit by this date. Please work with your Director on what to do with equipment your department no longer needs or wants. If possible, we would like to repurpose or recycle these items. Please plan on making arrangements to discuss with your Director and schedule time at the storage unit before the end of the calendar year. Questions? Contact your Director and/or [email protected]

Sunday, January 17, 2016
Annual Meeting and Elections

List of 2016 Convention Committee Meetings. All are tentative unless stated otherwise.

  • Sun, 9/20/2015 (Confirmed, Location: DoubleTree)
  • Sat, 10/17/2015
  • Sun, 11/8/2015
  • Sun, 1/17/2016
  • Sun, 2/21/2016
  • Sat, 3/19/2016
  • Sun, 4/17/2016
  • Sat, 5/14/2016
  • Sun, 6/5/2016
  • Sat, 6/18/2016
  • Sat, 7/16/2016 (Post Mortem and Volunteer Party)