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From: jsq@im4u.UUCP (John Quarterman)
Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix
Subject: Re: Women's BOF in Phoenix?
Message-ID: <1781@im4u.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 26-Apr-87 22:24:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: im4u.1781
Posted: Sun Apr 26 22:24:44 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 27-Apr-87 01:09:36 EDT
References: <148@krebs.acc.virginia.edu> <466@unmvax.UNM.EDU> <1994@utah-gr.UUCP> <557@ima.UUCP> <6954@bu-cs.BU.EDU> <8762@clyde.ATT.COM>
Reply-To: jsq@im4u.UUCP (John Quarterman)
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Organization: The Matrix
Lines: 40
Summary: BOFs don't really need a reason.

The speculations about why there will be a BOF on this subject (or most
any other) are somewhat beside the point:  BOFs don't really need a reason,
other than that somebody wants to schedule one.  They don't have to have
an agenda, either.

The only thing that is unusual about the scheduling of this particular
BOF is that it is being done in time to appear in the preprinted schedule
of the conference.  This has been done before, in the case of, for example,
the USENET BOF.  The scheduling in this case was approved by both the Program
Chair and the USENIX Board of Directors.

>And her suggestion was passed on to Peter (USENIX top person), who
>agreed that non-attendance by women (and minorities) was a definite
>problem and in turn tasked Lizzie to come up with some ideas to
>foster attendance.  She came up with several good ones (don't ask for
>a list; it'll come out in time after it is polished) and came up with
>the idea for the BOF to get MORE ideas on how to get more women to
>USENIX.

This speculation is in outline correct, but in details inaccurate,
since many other people were involved.  The board, in particular,
has been considering a number of ideas to improve the conferences,
the Association, and the community.  Two that are scheduled for
Phoenix are the BOF already mentioned and the research sessions.
These two, and others, were proposed by Liz Sommers.  Though the
latter idea has been bouncing around in some form for years, I credit
her with providing sufficient agitation to actually get it done.

Don't expect a complete list of ideas:  I don't even know what
"complete" would be; however, some of the ideas that have been
discussed will be mentioned in the minutes of the New Orleans board
meeting when they appear in ;login:.  Do expect to see other new things
tried from time to time, and feel free to suggest your own ideas, e.g.,
at the open board meeting in Phoenix.

Note that this article is my interpretation of what's been going on.
It is not a statement of position on behalf of the board.
-- 
John Quarterman, jsq@sally.utexas.edu, jsq@longway.tic.com
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