Staff Meeting Notes 4/3/16

 
Welcome to the penultimate staff meeting of the 20125-16 academic year at Wes!
One meeting remains: where we will elect our next board of Dir.
Nearing the end of the academic year—thank you to everyone!
Upgrades:
– Carpet is done! Thanks to the handful of folks that helped with that huge task. Take
good care of the carpet!
– Studios are back together and functional. The new board is in and we are working out
the kinks—keep reporting any observations or questions about the board as you come
across them.
– Microphone levels are low. We asked Charles to bump it up. Make sure to look out for
your levels and don’t be afraid to increase it; just takes some getting used to.
– Output from the board to the headphones isn’t the same as it used to? Some people
are not hearing themselves on the headphones.
– Two mics in the air-studio have been set differently, but now they are set back to a
new, better setting. This might fix the headphone issue.
– Some people weren’t able to get sound from the studio A PC, but the foobar volume
was all the way down to 0. It is back up to a normal volume but be aware of that volume
bar in case this happens again!
– Make sure to not let the board go into the red because the digital board lends itself
more easily to distortion.
– Thanks also for the patience as we coordinated a whole bunch.
New Upgrades:
– Upgrades still in the work: We moved Rick out of Studio B into the board room, making
more room for performers in Studio B. Trying to get the automation computer out of
Studio B. Improved network access to the shared drive. We want to get a riser in Studio
B for bands or performers to make it more of a performance space. Keeping the layout
of the studio the same but getting new countertops. More sound insulation in these
studios. But we have gotten over the hump with the carpet installation! Still need help
reassembling library.
(BM has been trying to get caught up on admin this week)
– Thinking of adding a new program for automation into Studio A
– Trying to get a new countertop in the air-studio.
– New rack for CD players. New swivel mount touch screen monitor.
– Trying to get the new touch screen monitor all set-up, replacing the dry-erase signups.
Abby is writing instructions for how to use the touch-screen. We will be able to access
the account outside the studio if we have a gmail account (we are using a Google
Calendar). You can make reservations right from your computer or smartphone.
Studio B:
Have moved Rick’s work station from studio B to Board room to make room for
performances.
Upgrading network hardware and automation computer.
Moving all of that into a caged rack.
Hopeful for improved network and internet speeds.
Moving live music gear and mixer into studio B.
Perhaps a small stage eventually?
Sound insulation for both studios, curtain between studios, better window blinds in
studio A.
Listening stations and a new computer in library.
New board:
Don’t be afraid to bring that volume up on the mic. LISTEN – And pay attention to
audio mix.
Have heard shows where the host is quieter than cohost, callers, and guests. Others
where it is fine.
Let us know your observations and recommendations for the board.
Who killed the studio B monitors? – In box for 3 years – within days, one of the
woofers was dead – WTF?? $200 in the garbage. Hopefully, we can fix them. Only took
3 or 4 days for this to break. Please have some respect for our equipment and treat it
nicely.
Ariana – Events:
– Record fair is next Sunday! We have a lot of volunteers but we need one more DJ to
spin vinyl from 3-4pm.
– We need volunteers this week to setup boxes for the record fair and to put up flyers
around Middletown and around campus.
– Invite your friends to the Facebook event! We are lacking in attendance! Put $50 in
paid Facebook advertising last week. Please click that you are going on Facebook.
– Send an email to the staff about the Facebook page.
Sylvia Ryerson Prison Radio Reform events – Zazie announcing this event. April 18th
from 6-8pm. We have a flyer. The event is in the CFA and we have a promo ready in
the station. About how radio interacts with mass incarceration. Please promote this
great event! Trying to create a radio program with incarcerated people, and this talk will
cover this new program. If you are interested, please attend!
Hannah – Absentee policy:
– You are responsible for filling your time slot. You are responsible for finding coverage,
not just sending out an email. Make sure there is a person in the studio during your time
or you have prerecorded your show or you have talked to Hannah. She needs at least
48 hours to figure out a plan. It is not okay to let an old prerecorded episode of your
show air without finding proper coverage. This is a warning—we need to start taking this
much more seriously.
– Hannah has drafted a scary first-warning email. After the first offense, we will be taking
harsher disciplinary action.
– Ben M says it is a tool not for DJs use. It is there for the Program Director, the board,
and Ben M, and we will use it as a last case scenario. We NEED live DJs. Not showing
up for your show is one of the worst infractions you can make.
Parking Lot:
– The lot has been getting very full and it is hard for employees to park there. We are
trying to get signs that designate Wesleyan and WESU-specific spots. We have 4
reserved spots for WESU staff. Trying to get a sticker to put inside your
vehicle—working on a design.
Ethan – Pledge Drive – starting with mailing this week:
– Spring pledge drive is starting soon! On air pitching won’t happen until 4/18. We will
send out an email when it is appropriate to start pitching on-air. But it’s always okay to
tell people to donate to WESU!
– The goal is $20,000 for this pledge drive. It might go down depending on how much
we raise at the record fair, but we also may not be able to do this. More info to come.
– Pledge forms/ packets, new promos, and more to come.
Board Elections:
– Stump speeches/instructions from the candidates who submitted letters of intent.
– Abby running for Tech Director, Chris running for Music Director. They are running
unopposed.
– They have to make speeches. They are both elected! Democracy in action!
Pitches for new board election! We have elections next meeting.
– Each board member explains their position.
– Submit a letter of intent before the next meeting, 5/7. Must be printed and put on the
bulletin board in the station and sent out to the email listserv. Email board if you have
more questions; come talk to us!
– President, Vice President, and one Music Director are only for students. Every other
position is open to community members, as well!
– Sub-music directors are not on the board, but they are important positions for anyone
to fill. If you are interested in being a sub-music directors, talk to Nick or Chris right
after the meeting.
Community members on board:
– Possible reinstating of the Community Liaison position. It is a full voting position. Their
job is to advocate on behalf of community volunteers during board meetings and to
convey information back to community members. If you are interested in this position,
talk to Ben M.
– Also talking about bring back a summer board of directors. Possibly 3 positions to
maintain the station and our flow of music into the station. Will also handle disciplinary
issues. Board members would work independently.
Future programming:
– We are feeling out our options to remove an hour of morning edition in the fall.
Currently five hours of Morning Edition—getting rid of this! Open to suggestions for new
programming, possibly syndicated or live.
– Ken suggests a locally produced weekly morning show. It would take a lot of coordination
(a full production team) but is definitely looking into. Might be more realistic to look for a new
syndicated program first before going through this route. Please share your thoughts with
us!
Staff Recertification:
– Dave Bauer suggested this via email. Possible recertification every 5 years. Tracking
equipment and policy changes. However, upgrades are not fully complete at this time.
– Hannah moves to table this discussion but asking for people to write updated studio
instructions.
– Ben M tables the tabling.
– Is there any problem with the station that recertification will solve? Maybe it would help
keep everybody current. We will discuss this more as a board.