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Hello, fellow East Bay members. I hope you are surviving the recent
economic unpleasantness. Nationally, we appear to have averted a
complete financial disaster. However, things are still a bit dice-y
in the Bay Area.
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Chapter Stats
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- We now have 76 members, up from 71 at the end of the membership
drive in March. A warm welcome to our new and relocated members.
- Our cash position has taken a slight dip to $11,000. In accordance
with the necessity to contribute to covering the national society's
shortfall, we are returning $5000 to headquarters.
- The remaining $6000 will be used to fund programs for our members
through the end of 2010. This is the zero-based budget that the
staff has approved as the minimum amount we need to keep the chapter
going through the end of next year.
- Regrettably, we are no longer able to offer free meetings for
program-only attendees. We have re-instituted the $10 charge.
- How can you help? The most important contribution you can make
is to attend meetings. Currently, we lose money on most meetings.
If you value the opportunity to network with your peers, hear
great speakers and perhaps pick up a lead on that next job, please
show your support by joining us at our monthly get-togethers.
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Looking For Officers
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- We will hold elections for our 2010 Chapter Officers in November.
They will take office in January. The current slate is as follows:
- President: Adrienne Tange
- Treasurer: Joe Humbert
- V.P. Programs: Gwaltney Mountford
- V. P. Arrangements: Jeanie Egbert
- Secretary: Open
- We are also looking for a volunteer for the role of Hospitality
Chair.
- I will continue on staff as Past President. In addition, I
plan to take on a new role addressing the issue of communications
for all of the STC Chapters in the Bay Area.
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Publicity
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- Many thanks to Judy
Herr for setting up an STC table at the recent LISA
Globalization conference in Berkeley.
- If you have a similar opportunity
to publicize the Society and the chapter, please contact any staff
member. We can supply you with materials, including professionally
printed copies of our updated chapter brochure which is online
at
http://www.ebstc.org/ChapterResources/ebstc_brochure_2009.pdf
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Upcoming Programs
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- At our October meeting, Scott Prentice
will show us what is new in Abobe AIR Help. Scott has been the
driving force behind developing this cross-platform user assistance.
He has demonstrated his progress at the last two national conventions.
His presentations have been highly praised. Don't miss the chance
to catch up on the latest developments in this exciting new technology.
- At our November meeting, Lu Rehling,
will talk about some of the more unusual career paths taken by
the graduates of the San Francisco Sate technical writing program.
- In January, we are tentatively scheduling a DITA information
architecture seminar with Linda Urban.
This is planned as a follow-up to our very successful August DITA
workshop. Twenty-eight intrepid students installed the Open Toolkit
and created DITA content under the guidance of Anna
vanRaaphorst and Dick Johnson.
Anna and Dick, creators of the OT User Guide, graciously
donated their expertise. Gina Gotsill,
Chapter Secretary, handled the site arrangements.
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Touchstone Competition
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- The 2009-10 Touchstone competition is now accepting entries
in the following categories: technical publications, technical
art, and online technical communication.
Touchstone, the Northern California Technical Communication Competition,
is co-sponsored by the Bay Area chapters. Proceeds help support
chapter activities and are the sole support of the STC Kenneth
Gordon Scholarship. The Gordon Scholarship provides grants to
students enrolled in technical communication programs in Northern
California.
Touchstone seeks to advance the profession of technical communication
by recognizing outstanding work and by providing useful feedback
to entrants. Entries that win the highest level awards in Touchstone
go on to the STC international technical communication competition.
Winning an award in an STC competition can bring recognition from
professional peers and increased visibility with employers and
clients.
Whether your entry wins an award or not, Touchstone's experienced
judges will provide feedback to help you improve your work. Many
entrants regard this feedback as the most valuable return on their
entry fee investment.
The deadline for entries is Saturday,
September 26, 2009.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony on January 16, 2010 at
the Highlands Country Club in the Berkeley/Oakland hills.
To enter, go to http://www.stc-touchstone.org.
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Stay Connected
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We have several ways that we communicate with our members. Are
you connected?
- The Yahoo! Groups discussion board is available to our members.
This is a forum for you to share your ideas and concerns. To sign
up, click the East
Bay STC Network link in the upper right corner of the ebstc.org
website.
- President-Elect Adrienne Tange has started a linkedin group
for the East Bay STC. News and announcements can be posted and
shared here. Find the group at
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1996708
- Late-breaking news and reminders are delivered to your e-mail
inbox through our announcements list. If you are not receiving
regular notices, contact Jeanie Egbert at jeaniee@flamingocomm.com
so that she can add you to the list.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Ann
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