Sydney Linux Users Group (SLUG)

As a users group, SLUG is dependent upon its thriving community. There are many ways in which you can participate in the SLUG community.

Members

Popular ways to participate in the SLUG community include:

• join as a paid member (not compulsory)
• attend meetings
• speak at meetings
• help out at meetings and other events
• participate on the mailing lists and IRC channel

Benefits on participating in SLUG include:

• get help on any problems/questions that you may have
• take part in fun and interesting activities and events, and learn new things along the way
• improve your skills and learn new things from our diverse and skilled membership
• help others with their problems, and impart your own knowledge to benefit all
• find new friends, job opportunities and business contacts
• be happy that you're contributing to a global community of Linux and FOSS users!

Got an interesting idea? Raise it on the Activities mailing list for the community to discuss. Most types of community participation do not require involvement by the Committee, but in some cases the Committee may be able to help out. Don't expect the Committee to do everything! It's not a community if you don't contribute!

Committee

The SLUG Committee is responsible for the smooth management of the SLUG community. The Committee positions are as follows:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• three Ordinary Members

The Committee's main responsibility is to organise and run the monthly SLUG meeting. A typical meeting for Committee members might consist of the following:

• organising to have speakers
• putting out an announcement at least a week in advance of the meeting
• booking a reservation at the restaurant for dinner after the meeting
• purchasing refreshments for the intermission
• arriving early to set up before the meeting, and leaving late to pack up afterwards
• signing up new members
• opening the meetings as 'the face of SLUG'
• organising and enforcing the meeting programme
• making sure that talks are recorded, and release forms are signed
• organising for and setting up refreshments during the intermission
• moderating SLUGlets
• leading everyone to the restaurant for dinner, and organising payment afterwards

The Committee also holds their own monthly meeting to discuss and plan for the following month. This is curently held a week after the SLUG meeting, on a Sunday afternoon.

Day-to-day activities include the following:

• being receptive to questions and comments
• ensuring the smooth running of SLUG online properties (Web site, wiki mailing lists, etc.)
• moderation of mailing lists and IRC channels
• keeping members informed of any important news or events

All of these responsibilities are shared amongst Committee members, but many (like mailing list moderation) may be delegated to volunteers. Regardless, it is the responsibility of the Committee to ensure that these are done.

Interested in joining the SLUG Committee? The Committee is determined by election, held during the AGM at the March meeting. Only paid members (holding a membership card) may vote. If you wish to be a candidate, make sure that you are willing and capable to take part in the above-mentioned tasks. The Committee can facilitate other activities (with promotions, contacts, funding, etc.), but these are secondary to their core functions. If you have an idea, you might be better served by working from outside of the Committee, and hence avoiding the administrative burden of being a Committee member.