FiCom January 30 Retreat

Present: Ananda, Daniel, Julia, Jackie, Madeleine, Frances, Zilong, James, Luke

Minutes Before meeting w/ COCA


 * Regarding funding “deadline”


 * Why have this deadline? It just confuses people – they can still submit requests any time
 * This is for groups which need to submit many requests throughout the semester
 * This motivates them to submit early
 * We still can't guarantee money
 * This is just to encourage people to submit requests ASAP
 * This also reinforces the idea that we might run out of money
 * Will this psuedo-deadline just cause confusion? People who don't listen won't listen anyway
 * Neither FiCom nor the CLA have been telling signers to submit requests ASAP
 * FiCom goes out of our way to help signers understand things; sometimes it just can't be taught
 * Why can't we just say that “you're more likely to get your money if you ask for it up front”?
 * Students are more likely to listen to a deadline
 * Do we want to change the deadline?
 * Are we going to be sending people the wrong message? i.e. that there is a deadline and that you can't get money after it?
 * The deadline is for initial funding
 * This idea also goes along with the zeroing out of accounts
 * Why can't we tell them this?
 * Because then FiCom will get slammed with requests the day after
 * How does anybody want to change this?
 * Will very strong and clear language work to get signers to submit requests up front?
 * Maybe we do need to rephrase this
 * What about saying “before this month” for the zeroing out of accounts?
 * We picked the day that was after spring break, but after midway through the semester
 * Suggestion that this February deadline is a bad idea
 * We do need to have some incentive in place
 * Isn't “we're going to run out of money” a good incentive?
 * The people who aren't listening will assume we are still doing rolling funding, the people who are will get the entire idea
 * What is the purpose of this deadline?
 * To get big requests ahead of time
 * To let student groups have the important things up front
 * We keep changing our policies
 * We're trying to find something that works
 * Why don't we post online exactly how much money FiCom has left in its account?
 * We're going to be getting money back in when we zero out accounts
 * This is FiCom's job to keep track of, not something signers need to deal with
 * Tabled for now, but we have to decide before Signer Seminar
 * What about the money on cafe cards?
 * That's not FiCom; that's Sodexo


 * COCA Agenda


 * Signer Seminar is very important to talk with them about
 * Spring funding policies
 * Communication


 * FiCom will be doing officer elections on Monday


 * Jackie might not be here. Does anybody else want to be the Financial Director? Nope


 * Spring funding policies – FiCom members, try to explain this policy to somebody who doesn't know anything about FiCom's policies, or to another signer, and get an opinion
 * Need to know what COCA's spring funding policies are; make sure they work with FiCom's policies
 * Signer Seminar – workshops


 * Event Planning Logistics (performers, instructors) run by CLA
 * Group Dynamics
 * Trips &amp; Risk Management
 * Introduction For New Signers
 * COCA Event Planning?
 * Hampedia
 * Seasoned Signers
 * Are we missing anything?


 * Need to make a handout for Signer Seminar – who wants to do this?


 * Which handout? The one-page or so about Hampedia, how to do things, pointing signers towards resources, etc
 * Also example copies of the forms (RFP, etc) need to go with this
 * James will talk to Pam and try to draft this for Monday's meeting


 * Signer Seminar Powerpoint being sent to FiCom members
 * There have been problems with fund transfers


 * Some have been messy and need to be rewritten – Daniel will go to the CLA to do this


 * To talk to COCA about


 * Where did the extra money from the end of last semester go?


 * Ananda met with Dawn about the 720 account


 * Going to ask COCD to chip in for the ramp that was built with that money


 * Also ask COCA about 777


 * Also ask them to look into less expensive options for Hampshire Halloween and Spring Jam


 * Was the $15,000 to COCA not written?


 * That report might not be up to date, but we will follow up with the CLA about this
 * COCA only has a couple thousand in their account right now – Jackie has the exact budget


 * Let's also talk to COCA about their ideas on fundraising


 * What about donations during events? This can be tricky depending where the money is going


 * What time do we want today's meeting to end?


 * We have to discuss signer sem; spring funding; what is up with 777; why do they have so little money in their account; general communications
 * Let's say 5:30


 * COCA event request form – can they have a drop-down menu for the student group names?


 * If it's just three students requesting, have them list is as “COCA” and the students list their names
 * Also can they add a section for groups and offices they are collaborating with?


 * Somebody who isn't graduating right now should start learning how to use Zoho and make forms, get it to send out emails, etc – Ananda will help people with this
 * The FiCom posters are here – they say the wrong time for Wednesday!


 * Why are Wednesday meetings only 1 hour?
 * Ananda can't make the 2nd hour
 * We have a lot of work to get through
 * We won't waste any time if we have less of it
 * We're trying to move towards 2 hrs/wk
 * This isn't very realistic

COCA arrives! 4:05PM (Sam, Leanna, Melissa; Frances and Julia are also COCA members)


 * Review of agenda


 * COCA adds Spring Jam, fundraising, and donations to the agenda


 * Signer Seminar


 * Overview
 * The CLA event planning workshop was only useful in certain ways in the past
 * Will ask if COCA can run a second workshop focusing on the other points of event planning
 * COCA will send FiCom their Powerpoint slides for Signer Seminar
 * Is Signer Seminar coming out of FiCom's or COCA's budget?
 * It should be coming out of the CLA's budget


 * Spring Funding Policies


 * Any questions about FiCom's decision?
 * They like the idea, the only question is – will FiCom take any money out of this account?
 * No; certainly not without talking to/asking COCA
 * COCA is basing funding decisions not just off the money in their account, but the money in that separate FiCom account
 * Changes in the spring
 * FiCom isn't quite sure; will let COCA know in the next week
 * What are COCA's changes?
 * Official funding guidelines of COCA! - no real major changes, just that they finally exist in a cohesive document
 * Talks about the “weekly target”
 * COCA's weekly calendar is on Hampedia
 * COCA will talk about adding in language so that COCA will follow SAF guidelines – figured this was implied, but would be best for the sake of the signers to actually say this


 * Donations


 * A lot of people are trying to raise money for their event at the events – this gets confusing at COCA
 * It is a bit strange for COCA to fund an event which the purpose of is to raise money to give to charity
 * How can student groups raise money, even if they have to get seed money from their own pocket?
 * This obviously needs to happen, FiCom is working on figuring out how this is possible
 * Are they any rules in Hampshire that say that you can't fundraise?


 * Fundraising


 * FiCom has been talking about doing pilot projects with a couple groups
 * These conversations get really difficult really quickly; what kind of fundraising is acceptable, how can FiCom police it?


 * Spring Semester changes


 * COCA has mandated any extra food from events to go to the Airport Lounge


 * Sodexo


 * Have been using their first refusal rights
 * When is Sodexo's contract coming up for review? Not any time soon


 * Fundraising


 * Does COCA think FiCom implementing fundraising policies would help?
 * Yes
 * Would making groups fundraise mean that less things would happen?
 * This would only be for the few most expensive things
 * What about matching funding?
 * FiCom has been discussing that
 * Keep in communication between FiCom and COCA about this


 * Donations for outside organizations – i.e. charities


 * The SAF can't be used to give to charities
 * Compromising?
 * What if COCA said we'll cover fixed costs (I..e PubS, media services, space, etc) – get Hampshire performers, etc, at events that want to raise money for charities
 * The events would happen even if they didn't have the donations part
 * The student body is still getting an event, whether or not there is a donations table
 * Thought of if donations are suggested, COCA will put less money towards the funding of the event


 * Why is there only $2,700 in the COCA account?


 * They are trying to figure it out
 * COCA had outstanding obligations from events that were approved from the COCA budget
 * Talk to FiCom about this later
 * The fund transfer to COCA has been written, and accounts are zeroed


 * COCA has approved events, but not yet written up fund transfers due to the confusion with zeroing accounts


 * They will do this sometime in the upcoming week


 * How much money was spent on Hampshire Halloween?


 * There were some cost saves
 * Also, there were a lot of transports – too many, most of them were Hampshire students
 * Need to figure out a better way to keep track of the water and make sure there is somewhere to refill it
 * Insurance will not allow for the “drunk tank” anymore
 * The music from Hampshire Halloween could be heard in Belchertown!
 * COCA is going to talk to the Amherst Police Dept before Hampshire Halloween next year
 * The amount of money spent on Hampshire Halloween will be reported to FiCom within the next week
 * Regading the missing light: the insurance company already said that they would not pay for it
 * COCA is working on this, and will let FiCom know as soon as they know anything


 * Drag Ball?


 * QCA signers came in to COCA
 * Students want COCA, FiCom, etc, to start showing their faces at events
 * Is COCA planning on funding closed events ever?
 * No. Closed meetings make sense; COCA would have to rewrite their bylaws, their entire mission is to fund public events
 * Groups can still have closed events, COCA just won't pay for them


 * FiCom is introducing a Community Liaison; maybe COCA can put in a position like this?
 * Spring Jam


 * COCA has started writing their budget
 * Spring Jam looks cheaper than Hampshire Halloween – possibly only about 2/3 the budget COCA originally thought
 * COCA is not going to sacrifice the quality of the event
 * Push to not have Spring Jam on Accepted Students Day


 * Council


 * There are only 3 Council members left for next semester as of yet
 * This means that they don't have quorum
 * Could they run elections?
 * So long as FiCom and COCA communicate, we shouldn't need to go through Council for much of anything


 * SafeCom


 * Wants to submit a proposal to FiCom &amp; COCA to mandate EMTs at events of over 100 people
 * How would this fit in with the Business Office?
 * This might mean FiCom or COCA writing checks
 * This turns into things like stipends
 * Workstudy students can't get paid from non-workstudy
 * Could PubS pay EMTs? They're technically not part of Hampshire now


 * Communication


 * We can only meet in person so often – how often do we want to do this, and who do we want to have meet?
 * COCA Financial Director should be meeting with a FiCom officer frequently
 * There are two people on both committees
 * Spring Semester's way of funding should be very helpful for this


 * Pcards


 * Planning to announce at Signer Seminar that this is open
 * FiCom probation list is explained


 * FiCom is trying to get Zoho to do more


 * COCA is trying to make a new account for student events which are not going through a student group
 * FiCom will change the drop-down menu for COCA to be student groups


 * Meeting adjourned 5:11PM