Minutes of the Board meeting 2006/Feb/08

[Federico Mena Quintero <federico ximian com>]

Since I suck, I didn't send these minutes until today.  Apologies for
the tardiness.

GNOME Foundation Board Meeting, 2006/02/08
==========================================

Attendance:

	Quim (guest starring)

	Anne
	Dave (chairing; see below)
	Federico (minutes)
	Jeff
	Jonathan
	Vincent

No attendance:

	Luis (regrets)

Quim's status report on GUADEC
==============================

Slower than we thought, but going the right way.

Change of location was a good decision; people very helpful.

Infrastructure is on its way.

We need sponsorship.

Quim is confident that he can get sponsorship in Spain.  Needs help
from the Foundation to get sponsorship from companies.

Call for papers is open and announced.

	Dave asks - is there a way for people to make submissions
	without first registering in the web page?  Answer: page says
	they can email Quim.

Logo contest is ongoing.

The sponsorship money would be for travel and accomodation, printed
materials.  Venue and basic costs are already covered.

Quim is concerned about how we will manage the money, accounting,
etc.

	Idea from Anne: could the University pay for some of the
	printing in exchange for having their logo on that material?


Positions with the Board
========================

Federico doesn't have time to chair the Board all the time.

Dave will chair; he has been keeping track of a lot of stuff anyway.
Anne will vice-chair; that's the position for when the chairman is not available.

Federico will be secretary.

Federico will be the point of contact / technical liaison for the
members of the Advisory Board.  JRB, as treasurer, will keep track of
Advisory Board fees from the various members.

Jeff will be our press spokeperson.  Anne can talk to the Scandinavian
press; in general we try to find the closest person that can respond
to each press inquiry.

For reference:

Chairman:
  - Prepares an agenda and sends it 2 days before the board meeting
  - Makes sure that meeting details are available (phone number, 
    asterisk server, etc.)
  - Leads the meeting, following the agenda, makes sure we don't get
    tied in knots.

Secretary:
  - Takes minutes of board and advisory board meetings
  - Sends them out in final version within a week of the meeting
    [*cough cough gasp*]
  - Takes note of actions since the preceeding meeting, which weren't on 
    any agenda, and includes them in the following minutes

Treasurer:
  - Monthly report on financial situation (cash, receivables, 
    outstanding bills, expenditures, income)
  - Interact with accountant


Advisory Board
==============

We will recommend that member companies have two people representing
them:  a technical contact and a decision-making contact.


Logo guidelines
===============

Dom says he's interested in taking over this.


Foundation hire
===============

Administrative person.  JRB to finish the job description.


GUADEC 2007
===========

Anne agreed to polish the call we sent out last year; sent it to
board-list.  This is a list of technical requirements for the
conference.

Let's lose the requirement for a hall for 1000 people; that's what
kept many universities from applying.

Last proposal from Spain which can be used as a sample:
http://desdeamericaconamor.org/blog/files/guadec06_at_barcelona-1.sxw


Boston Usenix June 2006
=======================

Miniconf or just a stand?  Decided to take this on the mailing list.


Anne's draft program
====================

People to read it; send comments.  This is about information which
newcomers to GNOME need to know about us.


Foundations meeting at FOSDEM
=============================

To be discussed in the mailing list.


ACTIONS
=======

- Jeff to organize and contact people in various countries and regions
  to act as local press contacts.

- JRB to finish the job description for our administrative person by
  Wednesday Feb. 15.  Federico to poke him to see that it is done.


Next meeting
============

Next week, to pick up the things for which we didn't have time this
week.


THANKS
======

Thanks to Red Hat and Novell for hosting the Board's conference calls
for several years.