Winter Break Update #03

Happy New Year, peeps!

Lots of C4 communication and activity have occurred over this past week, and I am so excited to get back to school and rock the house with you guys this semester! Here's this week's update:

1. Weekly Meeting Time. Thursdays 9pm. Sundays 8pm will be backup/follow-up only when needed since more people are unavailable on that day and time.

2. Calendar. I have posted a Google Doc link of the calendar outline draft below. It is not complete, for it is missing some initiatives and other WU programming dates. Please ADD to it as is relevant our group. I will distribute it via Google Cal, iCal, and hardcopy at our first meeting, January 21 (Welcome Back/pre-Activities Fair Meeting). Please use the draft as a good overview for now. 

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ap8s6fYNrzZ5dDlOU0Ffc2c4ODd1akVFQVMwVFdZZWc&hl=en

2. SU Legislation Update

- We will be completing the first draft for the executive committee legislation by this Sunday, Jan 10. Once we return to school, we will present and propose this to all of Connect 4 for discussion and voting (possibly at our Jan 21 meeting, since the official first meeting, Jan 28, will be more of an info session for new members). 

- Chase confirmed with me that SU Senate may tentatively vote on the legislation at the February 3 Senate meeting should we remain on schedule.

3. Connect 4 Retreat! I spoke with Camille and Lexi today, and they expressed the valid point that we, as a group, do not yet know how we, as individuals, add to the "diversity" of our group. Therefore, Lexi has taken the initiative to help organize a C4 retreat-like event for us! Details will come as we get closer to school, but the tentative date is Jan 31 (before events, etc get rolling). If you are interested in helping to organize this, please contact Lexi at amklein@wustl.edu. 

4. Need More Players! Andreas is well-underway with making this initiative super dynamic. We discussed it this past week, and updates will come soon, but if you have not already filled out the Interest Form for it, please do so here: 

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dEhFTUtQa2tjeVdQT3hzOTFrQnhJdWc6MA

Also, join the Need More Players Initiatives page on The Creative Catalysts Network! http://thecatalysts.ning.com/group/needmoreplayers

This is all for now, I think. Can't wait to see you guys soon!!

De

Compassion Works

I found this online and thought the impact that this one group/community had was pretty darn impactful. What if students at WashU connected to have this kind of united impact for our local communities in need. That would be amazing.



Compassion from Dustin Bankord on Vimeo.

We "Need More Players!" in Connect 4!

We are looking for a core group of committed students who would be interested in joining us in the Need More Players initiative, and we want you!

Image by "Mark" from Flickr.

Need More Players is a new initiative in Connect 4 led by member, Andreas Mitchell, that seeks to bring students together through spontaneous game playing around campus. We crash popular places like the DUC, Whispers, Sofoho, etc with a group of people, start playing a game and have people join in! The core group for NMP would do the following: - Be down to play whenever we "Need More Players!" - Help us identify prime locations, games, and times to play. - Help us Rally others for games prior to and during game-play. - Help us identify other cool peeps who would want to be a part of the core group. - HAVE FUN!

Click the link below to visit the form! 
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEhFTUtQa2tjeVdQT3hzOTFrQnhJdWc6MA

C4 Winter Break Update #2

We're only a few days away from the new year, and I am so excited about the things that are underway for our group this upcoming semester! I've been able to reach most of you about initiatives... and life, lol... but for those of you who I haven't yet, expect an email or FB posts and stuff from me soon. :)

Here's this week's update:

MEETING TIME| THURSDAYS @ 9PM OR SUNDAYS @ 8PM?

Most have responded, and thus far everyone except one person is able to meet Thursdays at 9pm. If there are no strong objections or consistent conflicts going on at this time throughout next semester, I would like to finalize this as our weekly meeting time. 

Please express concerns now! The second and only other really common availability is Sunday at 8pm, but three people have conflicts. 

ACTIVITIES FAIR| JANUARY 27, 4:30-6:30PM IN THE AC. (put it in your cals!) 

We are signed up!!! We will have sign ups for shifts as we get closer to the date, but if you are leading a C4 initiative, please start thinking about any handouts/mkt materials that would be needed so that we can get the PR team and members creating them! :D

THE CREATIVE CATALYSTS NETWORK| JOIN TODAY!

I have been busy this break working on things, and one is a new networking site for creative/innovative WU students to share/launch initiatives/projects/ideas for causes that affect us on and off campus. It is called The Creative Catalysts Network, and I would like to invite all of you to join! There is already a C4 page on it as well as the Need More Players initiative that Andreas will be leading, so check it out, add your initiatives/ideas, and enjoy!

The page can be visited at http://thecatalysts.ning.com.

 

ADDRESSING ASSAULT ON CAMPUS| CONTACT WANDA

I hope that you all received and read the email that Wanda sent this past week about addressing assault on campus. If not, it's attached. Please let her know if you are interested in helping her and other students address this on campus, AND (personal plug) to help get more students involved, create an Initiatives page for it on The Catalysts! 

SU LEGISLATION TEAM| ANSWER AND ADDRESS QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS 

Remember that the date for posing and addressing concerns on the Google doc is January 3, followed by January 10 for the first draft. Please refer to the initial legislation email for more info. 

INITIATIVES| COMMUNICATE AND PLAN

I have contacted most of you about the projects/ and initiatives that you have agreed to lead this semester. Please use this break to hash out some core details, goals, and plans before we return to school. I will be Skyping and Waving with some of you soon, so I look forward to that! If others have issues and causes that you would like help working on that deal with an area of diversity/dialogue/awareness/understanding on campus, please let me know. C4 is a great place to address these things, and we have many resources for helping to bring about change on campus, so let's do it!

I hope that you guys have fabulous New Years! 

TTYL,

De

SU Legislation, Winter Break Update

SU Legislation, Winter Break Update

Connect 4 Legislation Meeting (12/11/09)

Purpose: Connect 4 to be established as an Executive Committee of SU

[page 1] Benefits and Expressed Concerns

[page 2] Proposal and Legislation Statutes

[page 3] TO DO list and Timeline

Benefit of Higher SU Recognition

Financial security

Power of programming (more publicity, and various campus outlets, more participation from the general student body)

Have more to gain from working with executives of what is going on on campus

More legitimacy for programming by becoming a part of the exec branch

Institutionalization in SU will allow Connect 4 to more stabilized.

More student and administrative cooperation on diversity policies

Allows direct involvement in and support of groups and new initiatives like WUFUSED that share similar goals. Such groups could be subsumed underneath the “Department of Connect 4” if group leaders desire.

Expressed Concerns of SU Merger

Confusion to the role of what the role of C4 will be

Bureaucracy fears with dealing with SU

Connect 4 constantly transitioning into different levels and roles on campus

Instability of SU

•  
  Not necessarily true

      Senate is very strong

      SU Senate has been the most stable than they have ever been

      Execs change on a yearly basis

To Define within the Proposal and Legislation

      Purpose and Goals

      Address the need on campus

      Create a statute for the occurrence of C4 getting “demoted” as an Executive Committee

Address appointment/ voting of Exec. Board 

How are we going to integrate/ address WU/FUSED and other initiatives on campus (should we or shouldn’t we) “Connect 4 should have the power to create task forces”

Task Forces:  entities forming under the umbrella of C4, makes it very legitimate for people to see maybe re-name it (initiative)

      Issue based task forces and Operation/Programming/ Activities

      Incorporation and working with Orientation

      Ehi thinks it’s a bad idea: too much beaurocracy

Advisors/ not advisiors

Create a constitution

Say exactly what we would be doing (facilitation of programming, ***proposing policy initiatives)

•  
  •  
    • Have a legitimate presentation that would address a lot of Senate/Treasury Concerns

Some Proposals

Connect 4 will maintain its current staff and administrative advisors.

Connect 4 will maintain two (2) presidents, external and internal.

Connect 4 members will nominate Connect 4 external and internal presidents. The elected SU President will confirm the appointment of the external president (as a formality).

The Connect 4 External President will host a diversity affairs role in SU, but will be able to uphold other roles within SU.

Connect 4 members will be allowed to share roles within the SU Legislative body.

   Connect 4 will be allocated a yearly budget, instead of semesterly.

Chase: concerns with double roles in SU (Perhaps no Connect 4 President can share a second role in Exec Council, maybe legislative branch as well).

Question from Ehi: Will the purpose of Connect 4 be to Connect other groups or to do things autonomously to bring students in? Do BOTH!

TO DO

Write legislation over winter break.

Have proposal done by the first Connect 4 meeting. Have legislation by early-mid February.

Set a date whereby C4 members read proposal and have answers.

Have VP of Programming advising.

Confirm with Treasury and Senate.

Decide structure and desires of group.

Decide: should we continue to keep the name “Connect 4?”

Timeline

January 3- Have structural, name, logistical concerns and questions addressed.

January 10- Have first Legislation and Proposal drafts.

January 18, 10pm- Meet again. 

from Wanda, Addressing Assault on Campus

from Wanda, Addressing Assault on Campus

Hi Connect4ians! It's your former co-pres:

I'm sure you all have heard about the

assault<http://www.studlife.com/uncategorized/2009/12/21/washington-university-student-found-beaten-in-off-campus-apartment/>that

- Hide quoted text -

took place this past weekend. I recently sent an email to a few

students who may be interested in action planning to respond to what

happened (see below). I'm emailing you all because Connect 4 is about

action. If any of you all would be interested in getting involved in an

initiative to respond to this past weekend's assault, please email me @

wandalyn.savala@gmail.com. Also, if you know of anyone who would be

interested, please have them contact me.

 After the assault this past weekend, I forward the story to "Shark Fu,"

> the blogger that runs angryblackbitch.com. Shark Fu is a Saint Louisian

> deeply concerned about issues of women's rights, sexuality, gender equality,

> etc. After I sent the story, she asked if I could reach out to campus

> organizations and students who would be willingly to communicate with her on

> this issue and/or start a plan of action.

>

>  I want to be involved in the movement to ensure that an assault like this

> never happens again, but since I will be abroad next semester, I can only

> play so much of a role in any response to this incident. The other night, I

> asked De if she knew of anyone who may be interested in taking action in

> response to this event, and she mentioned that you all were concerned about

> women's issues on campus. I am emailing to see if you all had any ideas in

> mind that could be developed as a response to the assault and/or a broader

> effort to raise awareness and better ensure the safety of our community.

>

>  Of course, as seniors, none of you really have the time to develop and

> implement a plan of action. And as a study abroad student, I would not be

> able to take as active a role in action planning as I'd like. However, we

> can get ideas together and forward them to groups like C.O.R.E, M.O.R.E,

C4 Winter Break Update #1

C4 Winter Break Update #1

Hey guys!

I hope that despite the weather (esp on the east coast) that you guys are enjoying your winterbreaks thus far. I will be writing you all weekly to check in and update you on Connect 4 initiatives, both as a group and individually (for those of you leading initiatives). This is primarily so that we can unitedly utilize this break to stay in communication and prepare adequately for next semester. 

This week's update is an overview, but please fill the whenisgood!!!

1. Meeting Time. I finalized my academic schedule last week (complex process), and I unfortunately will not be able to meet on Wednesday nights next semester. I have pasted awhenisgood.net cal to see what other dates/times will be best to meet. 

http://whenisgood.net/C4weeklymeeting

Please fill this by NEXT Sunday so that we can change the meeting time with Event Services.

2. SU Legislation. Many of us will be working on this over break. Attached is the current outline (with the timeline) and notes from the Reading Week meeting for it. As always, please express any concerns/suggestions (after reading) or any interests in getting involved.

3. Connect 4 Initiatives! Below is a list of various Connect 4 endeavors that we've committed to, as well as a list of other ideas that we could still consider. If you are leading something, I will contact you individually.

4. Calendar for Next Semester. I will be working to solidify this for our group and will try to have it in Google Cal, iCal, and hardcopy before our first meeting. 

Current Initiatives 

Roundtables (2)- we need topics! 

Soapbox, if we decide to continue it

Operation Understanding WU, Lexi and Camille

Need More Players, Andreas

Racial Profiling, De 

The Stories Project, De (would LOVE and APPRECIATE a PARTNER!)

"Student Plate," Kyle

PreOrientation- Ezelle 

Areas to Address On Campus- need leaders if interested

Greek Life and Diversity Awareness

MultiCultural Potluck and/or Festival (event)

STL Cultural and Food Excursions (ongoing)

MC Weekend 

Religion (with the new Danforth Center for Religion and Politics)

Collaborations with WUSLAM, PRIDE, CORE

OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MAY HAVE INTERESTS IN!