Minutes Staff Meeting 2nd June 2008

Minutes of Staff Meeting 2nd June 2008

PRESENT

Dragon Shichiroji; Annie Dunham; Philosofa Wiseman; Elborath Gelfand; Maba09 Magic Raiyan Clip; Jophiella Willis; AlienShaman Constellation; Ex Noel; StarRose Merlin; gurupurkh Thor; Arawn Spitteler; Sheena Fairey; Raiyan Clip; Caryl Meredith; Higher Enoch; Cataplexia Numbers; Naebdlo Dabu; Lor Gynoid; Top Golden; Lauritz Jarvinen; Cashmere Rozen; Kahu Akina; Rod Metall; Baji Bourjade; LadyMoon Merlin; Jane Atkey.

AGENDA

1) Title for StarRose Merlin

2) Contributing to the website

3) Website Updates

4) Returning of Objects

5) Summer Fair Event

6) Student Forum

7) Events Calendar and Listings

8) Non Active Guides

9) Mystic Academy in SL Search

10) Inviting New Members

11) Greeting Visitors

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

AGENDA ITEMS COVERED

1) Title for StarRose Merlin

StarRose Merlin has taken the role of Staff Advisor – which will also be her new title. She will continue with the great job she is doing of bringing in new faces and keeping events running with the hard work of the guides. StarRose is also putting together a new induction pack for guides.

2) Contributing to the website

Dragon reminded staff that we must always get permission from those we write about in our blogs and also get permission should we copy and paste any conversations from SL into the web pages. We need to be ensure we follow usual data protection principles and carry through the principles of the Guides code of Conduct onto the website.

http://www.mysticacademy.org/ma/node/120

Dragon intends to add a new clause to the codes of conduct to include the website. Jophiella reminded the meeting that IMs are private and against Linden’s code if published although chat does not have that restriction. Elborath said that there are some classes or discussions which are appropriate to put on the website but only with the permission of all participants. Ex remarked that she would not publish her classes. This is guide privilege. Dragon reserves the right to modify or edit content and would confer with Elborath and StarRose if this occasion arose. ACTION: Dragon/Elborath re new clause.

3) Website updates

There is a new layout for the website bringing the news items onto the home page. There are modifications to the contact page:

http://www.mysticacademy.org/ma/contact

the category field now has options so the enquiry can be funnelled to the appropriate member of staff.

4) Return of Objects

It is important before returning objects that we check through the edit dialogue who they belong to. If they belong to members or staff please IM the person concerned. Objects which should not be returned will be ‘locked down’. We are short of prims so it is necessary for Staff to return extraneous objects. ACTION: All staff

5) Summer Fair Event

The Summer Fair Event to be held on 3rd June was discussed. The event is to be conducted by Cataplexia Numbers and Yetzirah Aeon and involves a Chakra workshop from Cataplexia and singing the Chakras from Yetzirah. Cataplexia will then DJ an after event party. Cataplexia and Yetzirah are giving their time freely – there will be a tip jar for Mystic Academy. Cataplexia will use radio stream for the event. Many thanks to Cataplexia and Yetzirah.

6) Student Council

The Student Council now have a dedicated forum. Dragon put a link to this forum during the meeting on the home page. Sheena Fairey has put a student questionnaire in the forum and would like feedback from staff on the questionnaire. Sheena would like to encourage the students to become familiar with the website.

http://www.mysticacademy.org/ma/node/128

Top Golden has the idea to create an inworld questionnaire object as another delivery system for the questionnaire. ACTION: All staff/ members/Top Golden

7) Events Calendar and Listings

Dragon asked if the events should be listed only on the website or both on the website and in MA. The consensus is for both. Ex and Elborath report that the calendar is sometimes difficult to read when there are multiple events on one day. Lor suggested a note about how to zoom in on events to make them clearer. Dragon has added a prim to the side of the calendar which takes you straight to the events page on the website.

http://www.mysticacademy.org/ma/node/8

Arawn Spitteler would like to see a week to week calendar and Jophiella suggested a separate events calendar with hours instead of days for busy times. Dragon wants to keep the calendar as it is for the time being. It is proposed that placing prims on the calendar is confined to staff – StarRose is to make the calendar staff only. ACTION: StarRose

8) Non Active Guides

Elborath reported that we have 87 guides listed but very few who take classes in MA. She has sent out several notices but is now engaged in contacting each guide individually. If guides took just one class a month it would make a huge difference to the events scheduling. Some guides no longer visit MA. ACTION: Elborath.

9) Mystic Academy in SL Search

Sheena reports that when she searches ‘mystic’ in SL search/groups only the chatroom comes up. Dragon to investigate and update keywords. ACTION: Dragon

10) Inviting New Members

Annie Dunham reports that she can't invite people into MA. Free inviting of members into MA was stopped when there was a lot of griefer activity. At the moment only staff can invite new members. Dragon asked Annie to send a list of proposed new members to a guide to invite them. There is also a special board in the library to help people sign up just above the nearest library book case. Dragon intends to review this policy from time to time. Ppl can also use the staff board to contact an online guide to sign someone up.

11) Greeting Visitors

Annie Dunham pointed out that when people come here there should be a person to orient them. It is not always easy to have someone 24/7 – there was a rota in the past. Annie would like to try to fill in that role, to the fullest extent she can. ACTION: Annie

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

a) Weekends

The weekends are usually very short of classes and they are two days that get a lot of visitors to MA. Dragon reported from the stats that peak times for visitors are the beginning and the end of the day SLT times. StarRose has suggested that more of our ‘events’ could be staged at the weekends. Classes and events to be encouraged at the weekends. ACTION: All guides

b) Summer Soltice

The Summer solstice is coming up – and is on a weekend! A sturday. Elborath proposed we hold a big event on that day. The Meredith’s have already offered to do a goddess tribute and Earth Healing on that day and have scheduled it to begin 11am SLT. We need to fit other events in and have got time to really plan the day. All suggestions for activities to Elborath Gelfand please. ACTION: All Staff/Elborath