Surveying Society Minutes 2005 -2006

 Meetings are held Thursdays at noon in room T19 (Tech Center). 

Fall Semester   

  Thursday September 1,  2005 

•   The meeting was brief and largely social.  Due to course conflicts, it was agreed that meetings would be held on Thursdays
•  Don mentioned the need to recruit freshman

Thursday September 15, 2005

• Haunted Forest  is to begin the 2nd week in October.  There will be a planning meeting with other campus organizations on Sunday (September 18th).  Dates to sign up were posted on the dry-erase board in T19.
• Don motioned to restart the newsletter, Prism.  Due to funding, it was not published during the 2004-2005 academic year.  Gwen volunteered to edit and compile if others wrote articles.
• Everyone was reminded that memberships are due; applications to PSLS and ACSM can be found online.  Web addresses were provided at the meeting.
• Don inquired about who was interested in attending the ACSM conference in Florida during the spring semester.  Don said he would submit the student activity fee proposal this week.
• A student activity fee proposal was submitted this week for the traverse challenge

Thursday September 22, 2005

• Dr. Seybert promoted the newsletter although there were no volunteers.  He also pointed out the need to update the web page.
• The traverse challenge was tentatively set for the spring semester, as the society will be busy with Haunted Forest until the end of October.  Most felt that November would be too cold to attract many students to the event.
• Members were reminded to renew their membership with PSLS
• The haunted hayride was again mentioned and the need for members to sign up.
• Dr. Seybert would be requiring freshman seminar students to participate as a homework assignment.
• Don discussed the T-shirt dilemma.  Although the society may receive funding from student activity fees, this is not certain.  It was agreed that more planning is required as to design and cost.  The society does not presently own any inventory.  One ongoing problem has been vendors, as Penn State now requires vendors to be licensed before they print anything using the university's name.
• The ACSM conference is April 21-26.   SAF funding was requested for five students for the following costs:

• $550.00  hotel
• $552.80 airfare
• $85 / day for car rental

• Don informed the society that the SAF committee had just formed and it could be several weeks until the budget is finalized.
• It was noted that there would be a student competition at the ACSM conference.  The event would involve finding astronomical azimuths.

Thursday October 6, 2005

• The ACSM conference is April 21-26th.  The society will pay rooms, and individuals will arrange own airfare.  Yes this is the same weekend as the LSIT. Two people definitely going.
• Members were reminded to sign up for Haunted Forest
• It was decided that the newsletter should be ready by the end of the semester.  Articles should be related to surveying and are due by the end of the month.  All articles should be emailed to Gwen.
• Fundrasiers: Dr. Sybert asked about fundraisers, suggested a 50/50 drawing each week, as was done in the past.  Don mentioned the shirts, which we need the budget to proceed with to see if we need to pre-order them.  He also said that SGA has promised him a parking pass to raffle off.

Thursday October 13, 2005

• Due to low attendance, the meeting was brief.  Don discussed why the society recieved so l;ittle from Student Activity Fee (SAF) dollars.  Since the society had made money the previous year and had money in the bank, we received very little.  On the other hand, Four Seasons received $5000 for this years ski trip.
• A last minute decision to move the Hayride disrupted the previous week's plans to set up for Haunted Forest.
• Following the meeting, those present went to the Commons to move props for Haunted Forest / Hayride.

Thursday October 20, 2005

• Due to lack of participation, new officers were elected. 
• Turnout was high, mostly new members or students considering joining.
• PSLS applications were set to be due the following Wednesday.
• Two committees were formed, one for PRISM and a second for merchandise.
• Gwen is chairing the newsletter committee.  It was agreed that Rob Appleton would contribute and that an article would be needed about the change in the program chair.
• The merchandise committee would consist of Scott, Rob, Ned, and John Geisel.  The committee was reminded that new merchandise would be needed before the end of the semester in order that it be ready for the conference.

Thursday October 27, 2005

• Meeting cancelled due to career fair and chancellor search.

Friday October 28, 2005

• Presentations by Barry Isett & Associates, Inc. and Bowman Consulting about the services their firms offer.   Both firms are seeking qualified graduates.  Presentations in conjunction with the career fair and Lambda Sigma.

Thursday November 3, 2005

• Work session at the commons to tear down and store props from the hayride / haunted forest.  A cookout was held afterwards at Don's apartment in the Nittany Woodlands, the student housing adjoining campus.

Thursday November 10, 2005

• Merchandise committee discusses t-shirts and sweatshirts.  Rob Appleton discusses research into fleeces.  The fleece order is approved for 19, with the total spent being about $750.   The total budget for merchandise is about $1500 although an exact limit has yet to be established.
• Don Bara points out that since the Society made a profit and retained $2200, SGA did not give us but $200 in Student Activity Fee funds (SAF).  This is in contrast to the 4 Seasons club, who were given $5000 for a ski trip!  We should note that SAF money is charged to all students as a part of tuition.  By spending nearly all the money on merchandise, the society will not have a balance and will be more likely to get money out of SGA, and this money is actually ours anyway.  This is important if the society  is to recieve assistance in getting to the ACSM conference in the spring.

Thursday November  17, 2005

• There was a large turnout with 20+ members present.  Pizza was served.
• An amendment to the constitution was discussed.  The proposed amendment would require members to perform community service.  The amendment would not go into effect this year in fairness to those who did not participate in Haunted Forest.  The amendment was proposed due to the large number of ghost members who never show to meetings or society events except the Surveying conferences.  It was decided that the vote would be taken electronically on ANGEL, the PSU course management system.
• Updating the plaques was discussed.  Bob Johnson volunteered to drop them off and pick them up.  Don said he would arrange for the work & get the check from SGA.
• The fleece order had been put off due to discussion among the merchandise committee about monogramming vs. embroidery and if an emblem would be used.  The society discussed the emblem in length, decided to alter the one and use it.  Names of members interested were collected by Ned.

Thursday November 23, 2005

• Thanksgiving break.  No meeting.

Thursday December 1, 2005

• Good turnout of members, pizza served
• The new amendment was approved by electronic voting.  SGA would need a copy of the updated Constitution.
• Members were required to sign up for hosting sessions at the conference in Hershey next month.
• Members were reminded to look presentable at the conference.  Collared shirts and no jeans are the expected standards.
• Merchandise orders were finalized.  Ned finished collecting information on pre-orders.  The items to be ordered from LL Bean are fleece puyllovers, rangely flannels, and twill shirts.  The clothing will be have the society emblem.
• Ned said the order would be made by next week and that he expected to collect money on the pre-orders next week.
• The end of the semester party was set to be held Friday the 2nd at Grotto Pizza.

Spring Semester

Thursday January 12, 2006

• Don noted that the Constitution needed to be updated on the web page.  Rob stated it would get done this week.
• The upcoming PSLS conference was discussed.  Don did not have a check-in time for Hershey but would be posting driving directions.  Don and Ned would take the booth to the conference.  Rob Appleton would supply extension chords.  Everyone received room assignments.  Don reminded everyone that he would be present to insure that people got to sessions and that the booth would be manned at all times.
• The LL Bean order was delayed and would not arrive until February 1^st.   However, sweatshirts and t-shirts were being printed locally and would be available at the conference for sale.  Additionally, Ned would be hunting down members who ordered clothing but had yet to pay.
• Future meetings would be held on Monday at noon for the remainder of the semester.
• Rob brought up the Traverse Challenge.  The funds were approved in the fall by the Student Activity Fee commitee for $200 in prizes.  Don agreed to have a date set in the near future.
• Pizza was served, attendance light.

Monday January 16, 2006

No meeting - School closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Monday January 23 - Wednesday January 25, 2006

• Society members attended the annual conference in Hershey held by The Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors

• PSLS paid for the rooms

• Society members assisted surveyors and other professionals in holding workshops

• The Society's booth was manned during the three days on the exhibition floor

Monday January 30, 2006

• Don thanked those present for making the conference a success

• The society sold $690 worth of merchandise, and purchased $924.28 from LL Bean

• The LL Bean order was expected to arrive within the next two weeks

• Any members who had not paid for their merchandise order were expected to pay immediately, as two emails had already been sent to this effect

• Resumes would be posted online shortly

• A community service event was scheduled for Saturday February 3rd with Habitat for Humanity

• The Traverse Challenge was given a tentative date of March 13th

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