Here are minutes of the Paterno Fellows Student Advisory Board meeting April 20 at 5:45-7:00 pm. (The Board consists of Danielle Mackintosh, Nathan Hollister, Brian Prewitt, Doug Smith, Caitlin Ogram, Olivia Hoover, Christine Theberge, and Laura Dzwonczyk.)
A. Announcements
- Selzer thanked members of the Advisory Board for their contributions. All agreed to serve once again next year; we will also add two incoming freshmen.– Selzer mentioned the Paalem Project dramatization coming up over the weekend.
- Selzer congratulated ABoard members who had won Discovery Grants.
B. Reports
- Caitlin Ogram indicated that the Sustainability Fair is on life support. She will investigate a couple of possible additional leads, but right now it looks like their is insufficient interest among Fellows to ensure a successful event. It could well be that there is so much sustainability stuff going on that the opportunity is not great.
- Danielle Mackintosh has investigated the possibility of PF involvement in THON. Since LAUC has a developing presence in THON, we decided to cooperate with LAUC efforts.
- Nathan Hollister has investigated the feasibility of an informal mentoring or “buddy” system that would link upperclass PFs with incoming freshmen who are PF aspirants. He recommended that we cooperate with efforts by LAUC for a similar system for LA students, and the group agreed to that recommendation. He and new LAUC president Lauren Perrotti will be developing the idea along with other LAUC members; he and Lauren have also discussed a modification to the sign-up form that would accommodate students involved in the PF program.
- Olivia Hoover indicated that it was full speed ahead as far as participation in Homecoming next fall. Olivia has a handful of co-conspirators who will work together to get the Paterno Fellows a presence in the parade. She has taken care to ensure that PFs are not intruding on LAUC plans.
C. Next Year
The Advisory Board discussed at length plans for next year’s PF events. Conclusions:
- The year will begin with an August or early September event for incoming freshmen PF aspirants. (Since the meeting Jack Selzer met with the Rock Ethics Institute and the Center for Democratic Deliberation, and they will likely put together an interesting Town Hall / debate event involving issues of “food ethics” during the first or second week of classes.)
- The group decided to continue the Recognition Event in early January.
- In addition, the Paterno Fellows should have one significant cultural event in the fall semester (equivalent to the “Color Purple event this year), another high profile event that does not involve the arts (e.g., the Rock/CDD event in the fall will be one of these; the Recognition Event will be another), a set of “stress reliever” smaller events, and some volunteer opportunities (e.g., the 5K Race for Special Olympics, participation in the Day of Caring, etc.). The group will stay in touch by email over the summer so that a full slate of activities can be announced early next fall. On May 8, Jack Selzer will gather possible ideas when the Artists Series offering are unveiled for 2011-12.
D. Communications
- The group discussed ways of improving communications within the Paterno Fellows Program. In the coming year, Fellows can look for improvements in our Facebook presence, in our regular listserve communications, and in our blogging activities.