Thanks for a wonderful first conference call meeting of the Asha-RDI team. On Sunday, October 7, Neeraj, Sandhya, Devesh, Sreeram and myself met via conference call to:
a) break the ice with each other
b) discuss strategic long-term initiatives
c) discuss tactical short-term activities
d) streamline operating procedures
It was a successful meeting. The following are some of the minutes:
1) We decided to have regular monthly conference calls (first Sunday of every month at 12 noon EST) using a Telebridge. Everyone rotates in reserving the telebridge. Yash to reserve it for November 4 Sunday call.
2) We decided to appoint one person on a rotation basis every 3 months to correspond with RDI (point of contact). This person will get an update from RDI every 2 weeks on what is happening there. As we go along getting more information (however small or unimportant it may be), we work with RDI in making things work in a better way. This way we can involve ourselves much better at a personal level. The point of contact should relay all the information he/she gets to everyone immediately, so that when the next point of contact resumes his duties, he/she knows exactly what the status is.
Neeraj has taken up the responsibility to do this for the first 3 months, starting next month (Is Sandhya going to be introducing us to RDI or was that plan not pursued??).
3) We will have regular conference calls with Asha-DC (and WAH committee when necessary). Asha-DC has a project meeting once every month. One of us (possibly the point of contact) will join Asha-DC's meeting every month to discuss RDI updates. This way, the supporting chapter (DC) is always kept updated on progress at RDI.
Possibilities of setting up a new mailing list for formal communication with DC and WAH may also be explored.
4) The Asha-RDI team should look into working with the "Uttarnchal Association of North America". Devesh knows some people there and can use his contacts for further networking about our project.
5) Bring out regular updates about our project publicly, both individiually and at a mass level to get more traction and possible sources of unexpected help. SKI can possibly help us by including regular updates about the RDI project on his regular Asha Star emails on asha-wide.
6) Move the web site of Asha-RDI to another web location. Options: Use Asha-DC's space, or see if space can be allocated for this project on ashanet seperately. Yash to contact SKI if any separate chunk of space can be allocated to Star projects individually on ashanet (not part of the supporting chapter space). SKI, any idea about this?
7) Everyone fills out a spreadsheet on Asha-RDI's Files section, filling in details about contact information. The file has been uploaded (contact_info.xls). Please feel free to update information in there.
8) Get well-versed with whatever knowledge we have about RDI and its operations currently so that when we go full steam into communications with RDI, we know what they are talking about.
Thats about all that I remember. If anyone thinks I have missed out some points, please feel free to add.
Hope this brings some order to our functioning.
Lets get moving quickly!
