[Rfu-station] WRFU meeting notes: 2008-08-05

[Andrew Ó Baoill]

Below are the notes from last Tuesday's WRFU meeting. Thanks to  
Stephen Fonzo for preparing them. Before the meeting notes, a summary  
of important volunteer needs at WRFU:
* We need volunteers to lead training sessions in late August and  
early September. All members will be re-training, so we need to run at  
least 8 sessions, each with two instructors (one tech / one  
regulations and station structures). Can you volunteer to lead at  
least one session? Training for trainers will be provided.
* We need volunteers for outreach: C-U Days at Douglass Park tomorrow,  
Farmers' Market on upcoming Saturdays (23 and 30 August, and 13  
September), Quad Day (Sun 24 August).
* Remember that all members must volunteer with at least one working  
group - that's how we stay on air as a voiunteer-run station. Most  
working groups will meet after our meeting Saturday 16th.

In attendance:
Brian Mertz - Chilled Beats (Wed 10pm)
Nicole - VISTA/IMC (outreach and development)
Stephen - VISTA/IMC (training)
Mike - Extensions (Mon 11pm)
Fred - Sonic Asylum (Fri 8pm)
William Jones - Community member
Tom Garza - 11th Indian (Wed 6pm)
Andrew - A Critical Ear (Thur 6pm)
Ray - The Show (Fri 10pm)

1) Station membership renewal:
- All dues and renewal forms are due by Tuesday, September 2nd (RFU  
meeting, 8pm) to maintain membership in RFU.  This applies to shows  
that are renewing, not new members or newly forming shows/programming  
groups.
- RFU needs a report or update from the Membership working group.
- Membership renewals must be done in person sometime by 9/2.  Between  
now and then there is another station meeting on Saturday, 8/16 at 1pm.
Question: How will this work, and who will be designated to collect  
dues/forms?
Answer: There will be dates for in-person meetings throughout the last  
week of August.  Nicole Pion and Stephen Fonzo will be in the IMC  
Production Room every day that week from 10am to 5pm; additionally,  
volunteers from the station have agreed to staff the building from  
5-9pm that Wednesday, 8/27 (Fred 5-7pm, Brian 7-10pm).  After filling  
out the forms in person, and signing a list to confirm renewal, the  
forms and dues will be placed in the IMC Drop Box, addressed to WRFU.
- Refresher on dues: IMC Membership - donation on a sliding scale from  
$25-50 annually based on ability to pay, with option for lower  
payments based on low income; RFU membership - $18 annual dues with  
option for donating to the Tower Fund, to build a new broadcast tower  
for extended range.
- Renewing members will be given new IMC brochures.

2) Re-training (to coincide with station-wide renewals):
- Retraining will consist of 60-90 minute sessions covering a) station  
and FCC rules, b) WRFU and IMC group structure and concensus, and c)  
technical operation and use of studio equipment.
- This is required for all WRFU members as a refresher course and so  
that airshifters will be able to train new members.
- Sessions will consist of groups of 5 rotated between 2 instructors,  
one in-studio and one in the IMC library.
- To cover all membership (approximately 25 programming groups), there  
will need to be around 8 sessions.
- The retraining deadline, by which all members must be retrained, is  
set for 9/15.
- To do this successfully, RFU needs a core group to start as the  
first trainers.  We are calling on volunteers to help with the  
retraining.

3) Working groups:
- There are 5 WRFU working groups: Membership (covering scheduling and  
training); Finance; Outreach; Tech; and Automation.
- Membership renewal forms will ask all members to select one or more  
working group(s) in which they would like to be active.
- Members will be signed up for the appropriate mailing lists.
- RFU will schedule meeting times for the working groups so that new  
members (who join at the beginning of the school year) know how and  
when to be involved without confusion.
- The idea was proposed that working groups should meet after the  
monthly Saturday RFU station meetings.

4) Fundraising:
- RFU still needs money; the Finance working group should begin  
working on raising funds.
- The current totals are ~$6000 for the new tower and ~$4000 for  
equipment.  Another $7000-8000 is needed.
- Tech should investigate tower costs and alternatives.

5) Programming around the upcoming national election:
- Other IMCs around the country (e.g. CO and MN) may have audio  
coverage of the DNC and RNC, as well as live webstreams and WORT  
(Madison, WI).
- Automation should try to incorporate these broadcasts into RFU  
automation.
- Downloads are also available at IndyMedia Radio and www.radio4all.net.

6) Outreach:
- RFU still needs volunteers to tend the station's table at the Urbana  
Farmer's Market on Saturdays.  Upcoming Saturdays include 8/23 and 8/30.
- The IMC will have a table in Douglass Park this Friday evening (8/8  
- 5:30-9pm) and Saturday (8/9 - 10am-5pm); more volunteers are needed.

7) Equipment Log:
- Brian Mertz proposed that the station adopt the use of a studio  
equipment log that all airshifers be required to sign if there were no  
equipment issues/malfunction/damage during a show.  This will be added  
to training.

8) Facilitators at upcoming RFU meetings:
- The station needs volunteers to facilitate the next two meetings  
(8/16 and 9/2).

9) Ray Morales' Fundraising event, 8/22:
- Social event/party/fundraiser will feature Krukid and local artists,  
and remote broadcast.
- Ray has full access to automation from any Internet connection and  
is willing to train on remote broadcasting.

Andrew

Andrew Ó Baoill
Station Manager
WRFU-LP, Urbana 104.5FM
http://www.wrfu.net andrew at funferal.org
admin/voicemail: (217) 278 3933  x25
(217) 344-2536 (studio)