CONvergence Convention Committee Meeting Notes
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Future meeting dates (subject to change)
Sunday 10/16/16 Member Advocate Election
Location DoubleTree Bloomington
Sunday 11/6/16 (TENTATIVE)
Location DoubleTree Bloomington
To be confirmed
Saturday 1/21/17 Board Election
Sunday 2/12/17
Saturday 3/18/17 Member Advocate Self nomination deadline
Sunday 4/2/17 Member Advocate Election
Saturday 5/6/17
Sunday 6/4/17
Saturday 6/17/17
Friday 7/7/17 Open meeting
Saturday 7/29/17 Post Mortem and Volunteer Party
Board Announcements
Division name change
We are changing the divisional name Membership Communications to Communications & External Relations. Please remember and communicate to department and community members that the Communications & External Relations does not handle all of our communications and to please use the website contact us or direct department email addresses when possible.
New Procedures, Structure/Definitions and Forms
We have added procedures, structure/definition, and forms to several items within the CONvergence Convention Committee, and will be added more as the cycle continues as needed. This was done to make it easier for new members to step into roles by reducing the variations in communications and procedures between departments. This is not done to disrupt the individual department structure, and departments should continue to train their volunteers as needed. If you have suggestions for improvement, please email Directors at [email protected]
Budget submission form
We will be sending all department heads a new form for submitting the department request budget. Budget submissions deadline has not changed.
Ask back procedure
We have received a request to eliminate the current ask back procedure in favor of a procedure that allows for a multiple year commitment in order to plan, budget, and achieve long term goals. In order to better facilitate this we have developed the following procedure with scheduled reviews for performance and goal management. Please review the following and send any questions or comments to [email protected]
As we are past the dates set in the procedure, the first year will be the 2018 con cycle, starting with the January 2017 Board of Directors Election, which will include the Division of Activities and the Division of Communications & External Relations.
CONvergence Convention Committee Divisional Management Structure and Retention Procedure
At the start of a directors three year term, the Divisional Director and Department Heads will meet to discuss department needs and set long term goals for the duration of the directors three year term. The Director will then assess divisional needs and select Department Heads. Department Heads will be asked to make a commitment of up to three years in order to facilitate long term goals. Department Heads will then assess department needs and select their Subheads and Specialists, who can commit to up to three years.
At anytime Department Head, Sub-head, or Specialists can step down or commit to a shorter term. If an issue arises during the three year term involving Department Heads, Subheads, or Specialists; a review meeting will be held and performance plan will be created. If the performance plan is not fulfilled, the Department Head, Subhead, or Specialist will be asked to step down. If immediate remove is warranted, the reasons will be documented and communicated to the individual to be removed.
Annually at the completion of every convention cycle the Divisional Director and Department Heads will meet and review divisional needs and goals and make adjustments as needed. If a Divisional Director steps down or is removed, and a new Director is appointed, a meeting will be held to review department needs and goals with current Department Heads. The appointed Director may make changes as needed.
If a department is moved from one division to another, the new division Director may make changes as needed.
Timeline
- January annual meeting
- Board Election
- August 16th
- Director term starts
- September 1st
- Divisional Director and Department Head meeting must be held by this date, but may be held at any time after the Board Election.
- September 15th
- Department Heads commit to their volunteer term by this date. Director to communicate currently listed Subheads and Specialists to Department Heads.
- October 1st
- Department Heads select and confirm their staffing needs, with Subheads and Specialist committing to their volunteer term by this date. Additional Subheads and Specialists may be added throughout the cycle as needed. Subheads and Specialists must be communicated to the director in order for volunteers to be added to the CONvergence Convention Committee List and Google group.
- August 16th, the following two cycles
- Annual Division review to reevaluate goals and divisional needs.
New Departments
Book Swap has been made into a department in the Activities division. Department head is Nessa Feilan, email is [email protected]
Allocations has been made into a department in the Hospitality division. Email is [email protected] If your department need sleeping rooms held, please have your requirements into Allocations no later than January 5th. Please indicate which hotel, type of room, and count in your request.
Transportation resources and scheduling has been added to the Accessibility & Inclusion department in the Facilities division and may be made into a department after the 2017 convention cycle.
Archives department in the Administration division and will be tasked with organizing electronic files only at this time. Physical archiving will be worked on at a later date. If you would like to work on this please contact Liz at [email protected] with the subject line Archives department.
New Taskforce
A Youth Programing Taskforce is being created and will be asked to review current youth programing, assess needs, research possible events, fan groups, organizations, and programs that may be able to provide additional programing for our youth membership. This taskforce will create a list of suggestions and resources for CONvergence departments to use for future planning. The Taskforce will run the duration of one convention cycle and will be reevaluated for need at the end of the 2017 cycle.
If you would like to be considered for the Youth Programing Taskforce please send your name to Margaret at [email protected] with the subject Youth Programing Taskforce.
New Committee
A Partner Search Committee has been created and will be asked to create a partner request to join form and a review process for any event, fan group, organizations, or business that may wish to become a partner with Convergence Events, Inc. The Partner Search Committee will be working with Jonathan Palmer, Director of Communications & External Relations as their board liaison, and will submit reviews and suggestions to the Board of Directors.
If you would like to be considered for the Partner Search Committee please submit your name to the Board of Directors at [email protected] with the subject Partner Search Committee.
In addition it has been decided that committees, with the exception of the CONvergence Convention Committee (commonly known as Concom), will be reviewed and approved every three years by the Board of Directors. Committee members may step down from and new member can be added to the committee at any time, with new members being approved by the Board of Directors.
Director backups
In order to assist in communication and time sensitive issues we are reminding you that every director has a backup that may be contacted if you are unable to contact your director. This is especially useful during CONvergence as time is often a factor. For this cycle the Director backups are as follows
Thomas director of Systems is backed up by Liz director of Administration
Liz director of Administration is backed up by Thomas director of Systems
Ishmael director of Hospitality is backed up by Nadim director of Facilities
Nadim director of Facilities is backed up by Ishmael director of Hospitality
Margaret director of Activities is backed up by Jonathan director of Communications & External Relations
Amy director of Productions is backed up by Margaret director of Activities
Jonathan director of Communications & External Relations is backed up by Amy Director of Productions
If you are unable to get a response from either your director or their backup then contact directors at [email protected]
Communication chain
In addition to the director back ups we are reminding you of the email response times and escalation chain. We ask that all Convention Committee members please try to abide by these response times to avoid placing undue burden on your fellow members. We acknowledge that there may be incidents during the cycle where a quick turnaround is needed. Please include the departments director in the initial email chain and tag the beginning of subject line with TIME SENSITIVE.
If you email a department or individual in a department and do not receive a response within 72 hours, please try again.
If you do not receive a response after 48 hours on the second email, please email their director.
If you do not receive a response from their director within 24 hours, please email the director back up.
If you do not receive a response at this point from anyone within 24 hours, please email the Board of Directors.
Member Advocates Election
The next Member Advocate Election will be held at the October CONvergence Convention Committee meeting. Please send your self nominations into [email protected] before the end of the day (September 25th).
NOTE: The deadline for self nomination has been extended to 11:59 PM CST September 30, 2016.
Board of Directors Election
The Board of Directors Election will be held at our annual January meeting. Board positions up for election are Activities and Communication & External Relations. Please send your self nomination into [email protected] by November 15th, 11:59 PM CST
Department Announcements
Please submit your written announcement to [email protected] with the subject line Meeting Notes by Tuesday September 27th, in order for them to be included in the meeting notes.
Activities
Programming
Brainstorming (sunday 10/23/2016 at 1pm – 5pm
- Programming found a Dell laptop power cord/adaptor. It was left in Atrium 5 at the close of CVG 2016. Contact Operations about claiming it.
- The CONvergence 2017 Programming Brainstorming will be held Sunday, October 23, 2016 from 1pm-5pm in the DoubleTree hotel. Consult hotel signs upon arrival for rooms.
Administration
Volunteers
Facilities
Logistics
As always I like to remind departments that space is limited in lock up and in the pods. We try to accommodate everyone’s needs the best we can. As I always ask at the beginning of the con year please talk with the Logistics team before about your storage needs before starting those large projects that may need to be stored after con. We really do want to accommodate all of our con comm members. I can do that better if I can plan for it.
Please if you are doing program or have a special project that may be constructed of site please consider the following:
- Where will your project be stored before con.
- If you will require or need the logistics team help moving, if so how is it being packaged up for moving to save from breakage.
- If there is any clean up involved have you made arrangements for disposal.
Me and my team are here to help get you moved in and out of the hotel in the as quickly and efficiently as possible.
With everyone’s help you have made our job easier besides we love to touch you stuff.
Resume
First, THANK YOU to everyone that worked with us in the 2016 convention cycle. Together we made the party extraordinary and it was a privilege and pleasure to work with you! We look forward to working with all of you again this year!
Second, the Resume timeline for 2017 (the same as previous years):
October Con-Com: We’ll announce which Gurus are connected with which Departments.
By November Con-Com: All Departments should have electronic copies of last year’s Resume documents emailed to them.
The Resume Deadline remains the April(2017) Con-com and the May Con-Com(2017) continues to be the Final Sign-off date.
Hospitality
Communications & External Relations
Productions
Systems
Finance
Reimbursement deadline – 9/30/2016
IT
Technical needs
Member Advocates
” Need reasonable accommodations at CONvergence Committee (ConCom) meetings or Convergence Events open meetings?
Do not hesitate to contact the CONvergence Accessibility & Inclusion department via this form.
Examples of such accommodations might include (but are not limited to):
- Accessible seating
- Assistance with the meeting sign in form
- ASL interpretation
- Text transcription
Your message will be treated with respect and dignity. Any requests will be kept confidential, unless we specifically request to release details to a CONvergence department co-head for the purpose of fulfilling your accommodations request.”
Future Visioning Committee
The Future Visioning Committee has distributed the results from the Membership Survey, but the files appear to have some alignment issues. We will be fixing this and re-distributing them, but the data won’t be changing. We will also be working on a better summary/reformatting to be put on the Convergence Events website.
If you have any questions about the results of the survey or would like to submit questions for consideration for the 2017 survey, you are welcome to email the Committee at [email protected].
Partners
JOFShop
JoF Shop is a monthly workshops series that allows participants to engage in collaboration and to share ideas and learn from each other, discussing issues related to the running of geeky conventions. The philosophy behind JOF is that, regardless of level and length of conrunning experience, everyone has something to learn and everyone has something to share.
JoF Shop will be running a three month series on documentation in October, November and January. The first session is Sunday October 30 1-4pm and will focus on discussions of best practices and considerations in drafting department and convention documentation, different ways to approach the need for documentation and various formatting styles. The November and January meetings will be work days to review and share the documentation being drafted and in use by those in attendance. The meetings will be held at the Geek Partnership Society Event Horizon Space, 1121 Jackson St. NE Minneapolis.
JoF Shop Twin Cities is also establishing a mail group to use for scheduling and development of new workshop topics. If you would like to be added to this group, please contact Lauren Sindt or send an e-mail to [email protected].
GPS
September 25, 2016 announcements at concom
There’s more news that will be included in the notes to the concom, but here are the highlights
Program News
Project Lighthouse
Thu Sep 29 | 6:30pm – 9pm | Project Lighthouse Open House
This program happens because of CVG support. We have money that we want to spend on kids to get them excited about science and learning. We need everyone’s help to spread the word by liking and sharing the event on Facebook (link will be included in the notes), Tweet it, get it out there.
“Come to this informational meeting to find out more about our educational grants program and how to take advantage of it. There will be representatives from program providers giving demonstrations of what they present to kids and answer questions. Beverages and snacks will be provided.
It will be in the Main Hall (room 107) at Event Horizon. Doors open 6:30pm. Program starts at 7pm.
Space Camp Scholarship – Submission window will open October 1 and keep in mind it closes Dec. 15. Please help spread the word. Link will be included in notes
Writing Contest – Reminder writers and graphic artists, and to anyone helping to promote this: The GPS Writing Contest submission window will be opening January 1, 2017. Keep this in mind for planning your work.
Fundraising News
Pirate Cruise Fundraiser – St. Croix Boat & Packet Co. Stillwater, MN. Date is TBD, but when we have it set online ticket sales will go live and we’ll be selling in person at concom meetings and GPS events/spaces.
Auction Donations Accepted Year Round – Have stuff you want to give to auction for 2017 CVG?
Donate any time. We’ve also got an upcoming auction at Anime Fusion this month. We accept donations at concoms, and can make arrangements to take them at the center. Please complete our Donation Online Submission Form to make arrangements.
THIS MONTH’S EVENTS
Sat Oct 8 | 6pm – 9pm | GPS Movie Night – October
The hints and links will be in the notes, but I can tell you in person the titles for October. As a reminder to help us stay in compliance with our license please don’t broadcast this on social media. The titles are.
- Prometheus
- Alien
Upcoming for GPS
Mark your Calendars
- Nov 5 | Gallery Opening for Patty Scmitt photography, Remember Cynnthia Verbrugge’s stained glass art gallery show? Here’s another community artist showing with the GPS Arts Initiative.
- Nov 17 | 7p – 9p | GPS Open Meeting – Come find out about the rest of the year and what CONvergence helps to support
Reminders:
- Communications for any convention-related business between your department and GPS should go to [email protected].
- Site request link for Event Horizon in the Waterbury is:
http://tinyurl.com/sitescheduling. - Have an item you’d like promoted in the GPS Newsletter like department meetings or trainings, volunteer needs, donation needs? Email your info to [email protected].