WP-ORG Advisor Meeting Minutes

9/28/2001  6:00 PM

9/29/2001  9:00 AM

Austin, TX.

 

 

Note taker: Dian Welle

 

 

 

 

 

In attendance

Fred Black

Ditus Bolanos

Dick Breakiron

Dempsey Darrow

Warren Hearnes

Mike Lyman

Jack Price

Megan Price

Dian Welle

Bill Welter

Paul Werner

Invited guests in attendance:

John Calabro:  Association Of Graduates

 

Agenda

 

v      Special Inclusion – Navy lists

v      Financial Items

v      Review of services provided

Dick Breakiron

Jack Price

All

 

v      Technology

v      Committee Reports

Werner/Bolanos/Lyman/M. Price

Committee heads

 

v      WP-ORG Future Fund Drives

Jack Price/Bill MacLean (pending invitation acceptance)

 

v      AOG/WP-ORG Relations

Dick Breakiron

 

v      Board positions review

Bolanos

 

v      review 501: DOs vs DON'Ts

v      Long range training plan for employees

J. Price/Bolanos

All

 

Additional Information

Dan Welle 9/28    --- “Bat” Lang 9/29

 

Observers:

 

 

CALL TO ORDER :  9/28/01  1810

 

Welcome to those attending by Dick Breakiron. 

Introduction to packets provided to Attendees. Each person has a notebook, agenda, pen, and other items deemed useful for the meeting.  

 

First order of business: 

Dick Breakiron moves that Dian Welle Be reimbursed for Notebooks, pens, paper, sheet protectors, and other equipment made available to attendees out of pocket for the meeting - $100 -  APPROVED, UNANIMOUS  

 

 

v     Navy Lists

Dick Breakiron

 

 

 

Discussion: 

·         The USNA-NET lists which have been with us for three years, have left WP-ORG and moved to other servers

·         and to a new domain. 

·         Public letter of anger was sent by the moderator.   

·         Archives – What becomes of them?

·         Abandoned domain.

·         History of Navy lists and involved moderator.

·         What becomes of the Navy parents who wish to remain?

 

 

Conclusions:

RESOLVED UNANIMOUS:

Ø       Letter on abandoned domain to our members from Dick Breakiron addressing Navy departure.

Ø       No further communication necessary. 

Ø       Copy of all lists are maintained on WP-ORG for historical purposes and not accessible to outside.

Ø       Navy list inactivated.

Ø       Documentation on history of Navy parent lists and involvement with key persons.

Ø       Support of any Navy parents who wish to remain will be continued. 

 

 

 

Action items:  

Documentation of Navy list history

Letter on abandoned website

 

Person responsible:

Jack

Dick

 

Deadline:

ASAP

Upon return from meeting

 

 

v     Financial Items                      (not to include FD10)

Jack Price

 

 

Discussion:

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS PROVIDED:

·         Expense sheet

·         Balances on Accounts

·         Inflows/outflows

 

Donations are now 100% deductible

Taxes filed – through end of year 2000  This year’s to be filed by 11/30

 

With 501(C)(3) There was necessary documentation changes.

·         Now QuickBooks filing system

·         Doris Shuman CPA set up the QuickBooks and set up the accounts.  Does year-end set-up.  Jerry Mealer does actual filing at end of year.

·         Must declare Unrelated Business Income (UBI) Vs. Donations

·         Virtual websites must be tightened.  Only a few regular paying

 

Discussion -- Yearly vs. Bi-yearly donations. 

·         Is yearly donation schedule better for WP-ORG and our members? 

·         Brief discussion regarding yearly dues vs. donation. 

·         Bi-yearly schedule has been successful.

·         Few complaints. 

 

 

Conclusions: 

Ø       RESOLVED UNANIMOUS:  WP-ORG will remain on a bi-yearly donation schedule.

Ø       Movement to accept Treasurers report Welle – Second  Darrow – Unanimous approval -  so moved

Discussion:

 

Dick excused Dian and Megan from the meeting and then proposed a salary increase for them but did not recommend a percentage.  Dempsey recommended a 12.5% amounts being in keeping with the salaries in the Austin area.  During the discussion, a bonus was also discussed.  After discussion, the 12.5% salary increase was approved to be effective 1 Jan 02 depending on availability of funds and a Christmas bonus was also approved, the amount to be dependent on the availability of funds from Fund Drive 10.  Jack and ditus abstained from the vote.  All others voted yes.  The motion was carried.

 

Action items: 

VIRTUAL WEB TIGHTENING

Person responsible:

Jack Price

Deadline:

Continuing

 

 

v     Review of services provided

All

 

  • Areas needing attention
  • Evaluate services are not used by members and slowly remove them over time.

·         Investigate what services are not being provided that members would like.

 

 

 

 

Discussion:

Listservs – Purging old unused lists vs. not  

Credit Card Sites – Class reunions.  Megan doing well getting them up.  Being well received.  Money coming in.

Jobbank listservs – Ditus states atrophy is a problem. 

·         New ideas

o        Improve Advertisement

o        Rewrite (Facelift to list/page)

o        Fund drive message to increase interest for Jobbank.

·         Eulogies

o        Travis was to build.  -- Travis AWOL

o        Code needs to be translated – ditus has little time

o        Rewrite of interface

 

 

Conclusions:

LISTSERVS

Ø       RESOLVED.  Must purge unused lists, but maintain archives for historical purposes.

EULOGIES – For now, will have to go on back burner until more time and/or help to accomplish

 

 

 

Action items:

Person responsible:

Deadline:

 

Ø       SAVE ARCHIVES FOR UNUSED LISTS AND NUKE OLD LISTS

Ditus/Megan

ASAP

 

Adjourn 9/28/01  2150 until Saturday 9/29/01 0800

 

Call to order 9/29/01 0822


v    
  • Server location: keep at Bolanos house / co-locate in IO / better home for the servers
  • Colocation; yes/no, how much
  • Comprehensive long term plan for retiring servers, migrating to rack  mount servers for new ones (if feasible and cost effective) and migrating  o Linux from SunOS (if necessary).
  • Aspects of AAR from last fund drive and put into writing goals/plan for next fund drive.
  • Plan/timeline to go back and review all web pages for troubleshooting and simplification
  • Network security and how various measures can be implemented to tighten security without dramatically affecting functionality (e.g. too many telnet ports open).
  • Identify any/all areas that require a person to be physically present to perform a task

Ø       migration to some form of remote control.  (reboot network devices and servers). 

Ø       Identify the procedures for this so it does not cause damage.

 

 

 
Technology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion:

 

  • Server location: keep at Bolanos house / co-locate in IO / better home for the servers

Conclusions:

    1. Regarding co-location - possibly one server at IO com
    2. possible server to be Athena (?)  no prices avail. At meeting.
    3. Discussion on possibly not relocating at IO, but rather having said server back up at Megans house. 

Ø       Not resolved

 

Discussion:

 


·         Topology Review

1.       LINK TO TOPOLOGY

2.      Proposed www and virtual-hosts 

 

 

 


·         Aspects of AAR from last fund drive and put into writing goals/plan for next fund drive.

Bill organized and tracked results.

·         RESULTS –FD9

·         RESULTS – FD8

 

Conclusions: 

1.       A review of these should help us plan for all future fundraisers.  Advisors asked to review and comment after beginning of FD10.

 

 


  • Network security and how various measures can be implemented to tighten security without dramatically affecting functionality (e.g. too many telnet ports open).

 

Conclusions:

1.       Security is better, and could be better still.   Paul demonstrated how easily access to email messages could be gained through our servers.

2.       Buffer for attacks now archived for troubleshooting

 

 

 

 

 

  • Change Aphrodite to Raid system (approx. $3000) 
  • Oracle must be moved.

Conclusions:

1.       FD10 Allocation to be made regarding Raid and Oracle changes

 

 


  • Identify any/all areas that require a person to be physically present to perform a task

Ø       migration to some form of remote control.  (Reboot network devices and servers). 

Identify the procedures for this so it does not cause damage.

 

Paul Werner demonstrated the capabilities of switches for ability for Paul to troubleshoot from a distance for Diagnosis and repair.   Focus is to make everything remote control so that fixes can be done from any qualified person regardless of location.   This will result in a far better ability to prevent downtime, and allow for proper server shut-down and bringing of said servers back online in order, to prevent failures.

 

Conclusions:

·         Paul to continue work on switches for remote control of servers.  Focus is to make everything 99% remote control.

·         Working on ability to reboot routers from a distance.  “APC Master Switch”

·         Load balancer to go at top level on topography.  It takes on the load from another machine if that machine is failing

Ø       Proposed architecture

 

 

Action items:

Person responsible:

Deadline:

 

Discussion on possibly not relocating at IO, but rather having said server back up at Megans house.  – Jack proposes budget be drawn

 

Jack

NO DEADLINE

 

Security is better, and could be better still.   -  Paul, ditus, warren, Mike to work on individual pieces to make the system more secure.

Paul, ditus, Warren, Mike

ONGOING

 

FD10 Allocation to be made regarding Raid and Oracle changes

Jack

NOW


 

 

 


 

BREAK FOR TOUR OF SERVER ROOM  1210

 

LUNCH DURING MEETING --  CALL TO ORDER 1345

v     Committee Reports

Executive/Administrative                NO REPORT

Dick Breakiron

 

Finance and Fund Raising

SEE PREVIOUS ENTRIES IN MINUTES

Jack Price

Moderator Training – SEE DISCUSSION

Bill Welter

Parents – SEE DISCUSSION

Dian Welle

 

 
 

 

 

 


Newsletter and Publications

NO REPORT

Dick Breakiron

Web Design and Content

NO REPORT

Dian Welle

Technology

NO REPORT

Howard – no longer head

M. Price

 

 
All committee heads

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion:

 

Moderator Training -  No discussion on any formal training, however.

·         Welter – there is a direct connection between the volume on a list and the giving from that class. 

·         Challenge to go out to moderators regarding FD10 giving.

 

Parents: 

·         Parent committee formed.  Lost three members recently due to Navy leaving. 

·         Parent committee has established a Mission Statement

·         Parent committee to address needs of the parents and bring to Advisor.

·         We still have a poor representation on our lists considering the number of potential members as related to cadet numbers.  We must find a way to reach the parents properly.  Will discuss with committee and bring back to Advisors. 

 

Conclusions:

 

 

Action items:

 

Person responsible:

 

Deadline:

 

Challenge to moderators regarding FD10

Welter

ASAP

 

v     WP-ORG Fund Drives

Jack Price/Bill MacLean

 

 

Ø       How 

Ø       When 

9 Oct

Kickoff Has been postponed twice.  Will not be postponed again.

 

Discussion: FD PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED IN TECHNOLOGY SECTION. 

 

Conclusions:

 

Action items:

Person responsible:

Deadline:

 

KICKOFF MESSAGE

Dick Breakiron

9 Oct

 


v     AOG/WP-ORG Relations

John Calabro

 

 

Ø       Current

Ø       Future

Discussion:

 

·         Observations:  After observing the WP-ORG Advisors in action, John gained a better understanding of the strong traits and method of working together.

·         One of WP-ORG’s  strong traits is the technical strengths, and ability to work without a committee structure that causes delays in acting on needs.

·         AOG’s strong suit is an ability to communicate and work through geography.

·         There will be a new AOG turnover on Jan. 1.

·         Both organizations could gain strength through a partnership in some areas.  A goal would be a transparency of the organizations in our work. 

·         “Push Forum”

Supe's Listserv:

A joint AOG/WP-ORG developed Listserv, which contains the current e-mail address of every USMA Grad who has an e-mail address.  All listserv messages are authored by the Supe or a Supe designated author.  The single purpose of the listserv is to present the Supe's position on any topic the Supe selects.  Message direction is one way: Supe > Grads. There will be NO Grad > Supe messages on the Supe's Listserv.All discussion of Supe's message content will be on OTHER listservs  (Class, wp-forum etc).  Maintenance of the Supe's

·         Mutual assistance with parent issues. 

 

 

Conclusions:

1.       Possible outservices from one organization to the other.

2.       “Push Forum”  Listserv will be accomplished as stated in AOG/WP-ORG MOU

3.       Mutual assistance with parent issues.  Friends of West Point/WP-ORG Parent lists could mutually benefit each other.  We need access to the parents on R-day and PPW.  AOG needs access to our parent connection. 

4.       Need an M.O.U. between the organizations

5.       The WP-FORUM has been a point of contention.  Dempsey needs to make it clear that without this venue, grads would take the discussions elsewhere.  Dempsey to speak at the next Class support meeting.

 

 

Action items:

Person responsible:

Deadline:

 

MOU to be drafted between AOG and WP-ORG

John

none

 

Dian to go to West Point to share the AOG table to help pull in parents to both Friends of West Point, and the WP-ORG parent lists.  One other parent to assist Dian.  Suggested Cathi Rafalski.  Dian Will ask her. 

Dian

Plebe Parent Weekend

 

“Push Forum”  Listserv will be accomplished as stated in AOG/WP-ORG MOU

Bill Welter

none


 

v     Board positions review

Ø      elections / term limits /responsibilities

Bolanos

 

 

 

Discussion:

 

Ditus stated he asked for this to be put on the agenda in the event that a discussion in this area was needed.  No discussion brought to the table.  Discussion ended.

 

 

 

Conclusions:

 

 

 

Action items:

Person responsible:

Deadline:

 

None

None

none

 

 

 

 

 

v     Review 501: DOs vs DON'Ts

v     Do we need a disclaimer?

Ø      DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT

http://www.arl.org/info/frn/copy/osp.html

COPIES AVAILABLE AT MEETING.

Price

 

 

 

Discussion:

 

 

 

Conclusions:

 

·         Jack suggested that if we had not read the DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT, to do so. 

·         We cannot engage in ANY political activity.

 

 

Action items:

Person responsible:

Deadline:

 

None

None

None

 

ADJOURN 9/29 1900 HOURS