2023/11/08 SIG Meeting

This is the first occurence of fortnightly SIG meetings, separate from Committee meetings. The aim is to discuss issues that affect SIGs, individual SIG problems & event updates, and any updates with budgeting/funding.

Attendees:

• Committee (Fergus (pres.), Ali (vp.), Sophie (treasurer), Yuto (graphic des.))
• QuantSIG (Alex, Sachin)
• CloudSIG (Juin)
• Tardis Project (Aria)
• GameDevSig (Krzysztof)
• Project Share (Vojtech)
• TypeSig (Amy)
• SIGINT (Jacob in place of Lorian)

Consolidated TODOs:

• SIGs to request any additional funds apart from the base 300 (exceptions for TypeSig [500] and SIGINT [1500] for conferences) through Fergus (who will contact Neil)
• SIGs to put down email addresses in Discord #sigs to view funding spreadsheet that Sophie owns
• SIGs to draft up and send to Fergus (Discord/email) their target demographics, average attendee numbers, and what kind of things companies can get out of you
• GameDevSig to draft up an event idea by end of this week for a late-semester that Vincent can advertise in-class.
• QuantSIG to refresh posters and put them up for more visibility.
• Fergus to think about the AGM-style event ("Re-freshers event" in January) for SIG showcase. Potentially raise with Committee.
• Fergus to ask School about use of lockers for SIGs or alternatively making the cupboard more accessible out-of-hours.
• Ali/Fergus to sort out November and January STMU speakers, for which Tardis (Aria) is available to do a talk.
• Yuto to distribute CompSoc brand logos in color and monochrome.
• Yuto to draft up several mini-logo designs and placement on graphics, and optionally send out poll to SIGs if cannot decide.
• Yuto to create a SIG showcase poster and/or a graphic for the TV screen (likely 16:9).
• Adam or other interested members to overhaul website and include more things in SIG section, make meeting minutes more visible, update sponsor logos, potentially add event images.

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Funding

• Problem: Neil has brought up that it is too many SIGs for him to fund
  • Solution: Fergus will be meeting Neil weekly anyway. Fergus to formalise a "contract" thing for SIGs, so SIGs can request through Fergus and the School can get guarantees that it will be used for the requested SIG only
• CompSoc Funds:
  • Base funding for SIG doubled from 150 to 300 GBP
  • Exceptions for SIGINT (annual 1500) and TypeSig (500)
• Additional funds from the school (re: proposal above):
  • Contact Sophie with formalised request just like for society funds
    • Put down any hypothetical fund requests as definites as the paperwork requires this
• Sophie owns read-only spreadsheet of funds
  • TODO: SIGs to put down email addresses to view spreadsheet

Commercialisation of CompSoc

• Vision: Selling CompSoc through the School of Informatics. Pursuade companies to purchase the sponsorship package for CompSoc & SIG.
• SIGs
  • TODO: SIGs to write target demographics
  • TODO: SIGs to write average attendee numbers
  • TODO: SIGs to write what kind of things companies can get out of you
• Timeframe
  • Anytime from next semester to next academic year
  • SIGs should prepare this academic year already -- making sure your SIG doesn't die (finding committee)

AGM-style event for SIGs

• Problem: Many SIGs likely will have successor problems (bar TypeSig & Tardis who have an idea).
• Proposed solution: AGM-style event for SIGs. Students write manifestos, SIGs look over it.
• Proposed solution: Lots of SIGs this year (likely first time), so maybe a SIG Fair. "Re-freshers event".

Meeting Rooms

• Payment now required for G.07.
  • TypeSig has had to pay 275 GBP (cheap for venue of that size, but still).
  • HTB & PwnEd likely will be able to pay up -- harder for smaller SIGs

Branding

• Problem: CompSoc logo has to be on SIG graphics. However CompSoc logo color clashes (red vs blue on TypeSig). Logo size is also large and less legibile at small sizes

  • Proposed solution:
    • TODO: Yuto to distribute original logo and monochrome logo
    • TOOD: Yuto to propose several favicon / small logo / heart and get SIGs to poll
    • TODO: Yuto to formalise positions of logo on branding
    • Small logos/graphics should be for just general PR like insta/posters, but for conference posters or sponsorship decks, it should be full CompSoc logo.
      • This is to prevent situations like PwnEd last year where CompSoc logo was nowhere to be seen

• Problem: SIG visibility and gathering members

  • Proposed Solution: Poster for showcasing SIGs. Use TV in lower ground floor of AT.
  • TODO: Fergus to check how to get access to the TV.
  • Problem: Lots of SIG, likely crowded on a single poster or TV screen.
    • Proposed solution: Link to website or LinkTree.
  • Problem: Website SIG section is barebones and website in general is not very used
    • Proposed solution: Overhaul website
    • TODO: Adam (or other interested members) to rehaul website to make SIGs section contain brief sentences like "we run events every Sunday".
    • TODO: Adam (or other interested members) to increase visibility of meeting minutes
    • TODO: Adam to add company logos to sponsorship section
    • Maybe start adding event photos to the News section?

SIG-specific points

GameDevSig

• Problem: On the verge of death in terms of finding next committee next year & getting consistent attendees
  • Solution: Sell it more as a side hobby instead of a daunting game project (such as game jams like how SIGINT do weekend CTFs, connect with other SIGs/societies to launch collab events)
• RockStar Games confirmed for 7th of February
• Problem: Target audience slightly unclear - the interested people seem busy
  • Solution: Target first years
    • TODO: GameDevSig to draft an event proposal (single sentence & date) by 12 November & CompSoc will get Vincent to market during lectures
    • (Perhaps a Haskell GameJam to target first years after the FP competition)

QuantSIG

• Problem: Event attendee decreasing: Second one only approx. 15-16 attendees.
• Proposed solution: Take down posters and re-design and set them up with different colours for eye-catch.
• No updates with EUTIC since last time.

Project Share

• Problem: Can we get lockers in AT for Project Share & other SIGs?
• Status of those lockers unsure, cupboard could be a viable alternative
  • TODO: Fergus to get School involved to get proper cupboard

Tardis Project

• Available to do a talk about Tardis infrastructure
• Likely January STMU

CloudSIG

• First event with Guest speaker around 20 attendees
• Next one 29 November