Council Meeting Recap: November and December

by Carol Lawless, Recorder

Resourceful and efficient: your council worked through two solid agendas and some good food. November saw us meet virtually for a “double-wow” MSN meeting. These are long sessions because we do so much typing and have trouble letting go of the spelling and grammar mistakes. These types of meetings cut out travel time, but they also eliminate the ability to order pizza for everyone.

In December, we made up for a lost food opportunity by celebrating the season at King’s Buffet in Guelph. We also managed to discuss some business that couldn't wait until our January meeting.

We’re excited about this year’s nominee for the Distinguished Service Chapter Award. Of course, we are every year, with such a great cast of volunteers. This prestigious award will be presented later this spring – be sure to come out to our April meeting to find out who the lucky recipient is!

Our Student Awards are underway. Since we’re lacking a coordinator this year, we are running this as a committee. Entries must be postmarked by February 29 and awards will be presented in April. If you’re a student (or know one) check out the requirements on the website. First place prize is $1000!

This year, the Toronto chapter held a Publications Competition. We were actively involved in the promotion of this event so that people in Southwestern Ontario would know about the competition and submit entries to the Toronto chapter. Judging took place in early January with some limited assistance from our chapter.

Our budget has been compiled and our treasurer continues to keep us on track. Our website job bank is in the process of being updated, general meetings were booked through to February. We are also in the process of finalizing details for the March and April meetings. Part of the planning for the April meeting involves finding a venue. Traditionally, this has been a wine and cheese, but we are exploring other options. Although the food and venue are important, they are secondary to celebrating our local accomplishments. We’re also considering options for storing STC material (aside from various basements). And last, but certainly not least, our annual Education days are in the planning stages. We expect to hold these workshops in April or May, depending on the availabilty of our speakers. Stay tuned!

About Carol Lawless

Carol has been a member of our profession since 1993 and is a senior STC member. She is a founding partner of KCA Consulting, specializing in web usability and usability testing. She's also an independent contractor, when a suitable project arises. She is our official recorder at council. Outside of the STC and work, Carol's special interest is Ancient Civilizations, and still does not tire of visiting ruins (her favourite is Delphi with Karnak a close second). In her spare time, she runs Mom's taxi and loves to read (while waiting for the next taxi run!).