DataBus, Volume 40, No. 6-Annual CEDPA Conference SIG Meeting Announcement

DataBus - Vol 40 No 6: October-November, 2000

Annual CEDPA Conference SIG Meeting Announcement

Mike Caskey, Stanislaus County Office of Education

The annual CEDPA Conference SIG meeting will be held in the Santa Rosa Room West at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, November 16, 2000.

The meeting shouldn't take more than 45 minutes. However, this meeting could go a long way toward deciding the fate of CEDPA SIG meetings.

Over the years, there have been SIGs for various constituencies among the CEDPA membership, including SIG-Micro, SYSNET, and MIS Managers. The purpose of these SIGs was to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas relating to topics of common interest. Occasionally, vendors would showcase new products relevant to the K12 venue at the SIG meetings. Also, in preparation for the meetings, agendas were developed and distributed via mail to potentially interested parties.

In recent years, the SIGs have not tried to target those specific groups, but rather to provide a general forum for all California K12 Technologists. The format of these meetings has been more free form. The attendees have developed and prioritized the agenda as the first item of business. The attendees then proceed through the agenda. Also, vendors have been asked to not participate in these SIG meetings. The announcements for these meetings have been via e-mail to the CEDPA membership and via limited phone calling to potential participants located in the general area of the SIG meeting. The locations have been selected in an attempt to provide SIG attendance opportunities across as much of the State as possible.

At the Conference SIG meeting, we will discuss the viability of continuing the SIG meetings. Should they be continued? If so, should SIGs be continued in their present form? Should CEDPA sponsor a 1 or 2 day "mini" conference, including vendor participation, instead of the SIG meetings? What ideas do you have regarding SIGs?

Don't miss this opportunity to express your opinion on the future of CEDPA SIGs. CEDPA is your organization. Please let the Board of Directors know how CEDPA can better serve you.