Ok. Focus is finished for the year. Before we all forget about it:
What worked?
What didn't?
What large things could completely change?
Are there speakers we would invite back?
What would we like to see more of?

And other such notations. This sort of commentary is critical for future success.

Public Personal Reference Entry
Warning: Unedited thoughts by Alex. Feel free to skip.


So I guess this discussion never really happened - consider these notes background for when discussions start next year (or, hopefully, sooner)

What worked: small workshops, several at the same time, seems to have worked pretty well. there were a few people at each. the variety was good, though i always argue for more technical and theoretical events at least available, if not dominant. I think the technical setups that we had worked pretty well given the facilities, and Weenta's efforts were fantastic in terms of getting things to happen at all. Who's in charge of it for next year?

What didn't: scheduling of rooms, getting professors involved. The rooms thing leads me to one conclusion - the Cathedral (and, probably, most academic areas) is a pretty bad place - though available - to host this. Without the ability to post signs or information, and where the registrar will refuse to contact people to tell them that their reservations are overriden, the area won't work well. How to fix this? I'm not sure. Part of me wants to say reserve all three rooms in the union now, and just split some of them up - 2 seminars in kurtzman, 2 in ballroom, and one large one in the assembly room. This probably requires reservations now. like, over the summer for february, just to make sure. As much as I argue that the rooms aren't great for it, they'd probably work out pretty well. Certainly advertising is easier.

In terms of professors, the lack of engineering professors is partly my fault. the lack of other professors... IMO, (and this is a bigger commentary) there should be a list of large events available at the beginning of the year, so that we can always know which ones are coming up. Focus, Student Sust. Symp., some fall event (which, obviously, needs planning over the summer), etc. If we follow through with the idea of presentations during orientation and/or the first few weeks of classes, we should be able to put up a) websites where people can participate, and b) dates for these large events, for both students and professors sake. and we should be able to send a list of large events to each department at the beginning of the semester, so that every professor is aware of them, and not finding out individually for the first time from students. So that's a lot - again, notes mostly for myself in a public forum.

Large things to completely change? Rooms as noted above. I like the idea of various small events, but perhaps the idea of a teach-in is doable as well? As in, we have presentations, just replace a class that day with us and/or the professor. Makes it easier on the prof, and makes sure that students are present. Also, the idea of panels is really interesting, but you need a bunch more people both involved and knowledgeable on the topic.
I might also come up with a different incentive, though a keynote event or something might help with that. Partnering with a concert most people aren't interested in doesn't help much.

Speakers to invite back? The professors who spoke, PennFuture... I'm not sure beyond that, I think i missed some of the other external speakers. The improv event was great though - maybe have that be the only thing at the end.

More of? More topics maybe? longer time period? a keynote speaker or event in the evening to tie it all together? Just ideas, really. the first two are difficult, the last one a large amount of extra planning (though if we have the rooms, probably easier than I think).

Summarized:
-Keep the workshops
-Keep the improv
-More professors
-Union rooms
-List of large events (aided by website)
-Prior knowledge of equipment (aided by last year)
-Keynote speaker/event
-Part of general advertising