Executive Message

It has been a pleasure working with Penny Colton the CSEG Director of Educational Services. The dedication and hard work that she puts into her CSEC volunteer activities is truly commendable, and a bit intimidating for me, as she will be a hard act to follow. I have also been very impressed by the dedication and quality of all the other members of the Executive . It will not be easy to measure up to the high standards that have set.

In Section 5 of the CSEG bylaws, the duties of the Director of Educational Services are described thusly:

"The Director of Educational Services shall be responsible for arranging the technical and the continuing education programs of the Society including the technical luncheons and the Continuing Education Committee; shall have authority to appoint such assistants as he may require; shall perform other duties as directed by the Executive Committee."

According to the CSEG operating procedures the Director of Educational Services is also responsible for the Convention Technical Committee, the Scholarship committee, and the Outreach committee. Fortunately the four committees under the nominal purview of the Director of Education have excellent leadership and operate pretty much autonomously of the Executive. I see my role with these committees as one of support. I will attend their meetings occasionally, always be available for support and counsel, and take their concerns to the Executive when required.

The Convention committees capably handle the continuing education courses associated with the Convention. The Continuing Education Committee under the direction of chairman Bill Nickerson began a highly successful initiative last year with the establishment of the DoodleTrain education week. Plans for another DoodleTrain are falling into place and it is hoped it will be a permanent annual event. The job of Educational director is also greatly assisted by the SEC as they provide a spring and fall distinguished lecturer and also the distinguished instructor short course (DISC).

With the SEG supplying two speakers and the Convention technical committee organizing a keynote speaker for the Convention, it is up to the Director of Educational Services to find seven more speakers each year for our ten monthly technical luncheons. Penny asked for volunteers to assist us with the luncheons and to my surprise we now have many helpers for duties like: table drops, distribution and pickup of evaluation forms, sound checks, and input on the best technical luncheon speaker of the year. I see the most important duty for our informal luncheon committee as helping us find excellent speakers with topics that are highly relevant to the CSEG membership. I am also interested in suggestions for future speakers from all members of the CSEG. Any feedback from the membership as to how we could improve our technical luncheons would be most welcome.