Meeting Notes: 4 February 2009

Meetings are every other Wednesday at 5:00pm in Taylor 107. We have several events set up for this semester, so be sure to come to the meetings to keep on top of things.

We already have a date for our Spring Open Mic Night! It will be Friday Feb. 20th Has Beans @ 7:30. Come out and share your writing, someone else’s writing or show off some musical talent.

We will be hosting a movie night as part of the Humanities Film Series. We are set to host a showing of The Color of Paradise on Tues. April 21st @7:30pm in Ayers 106.

Booksale. Tentatively the week of Feb. 23rd: Tues., Wed., and Thurs. from 10:00am to 1:00pm. We are looking to see whether we can get a table in the BMU. If not, we will be in Taylor somewhere. We need people to sit (especially on Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30 to 1:45). Also, bring your books to the meeting on Wednesday so we can see how many we have.

Student Faculty Reading. This year we are hosting a Creative writing theme. We need to find out who’s doing what. If you have a class with Rob Davidson, Jeanne Clark, or any other creative writing teacher, ask them what they’re working on. We need to find someone soon.

Graduation. Let Michelle know if you need a chord or sash for graduation this semester.

Initiation. There are a lot of new members that have joined this last year, so we will be having our initiation ceremony either at the end of our student/faculty reading or as its own separate event. We aren’t sure yet.

Meeting Notes: 13 November 2008

Hey English folk! Another short and productive meeting… the best kind

• We have a date for Open Mic Night! Friday, 12/5 at Has Beans, 7:30ish.  Come out the week after (12/12) to support Geoff’s CD release (he supports us it’s only fair). We even landed a date for our Open Mic Night NEXT SEMESTER. How awesome is that? If you’re still around on 2/20, come be part of the show
• T-shirt/book tote orders have been finalized; if you have not placed an order, you will get the same designs/styles that we are purchasing to sell to the public. Sorry.
• While the Graffiti wall was a good idea, and I was super stoked about it, the plan has been dropped due to lack of interest on the side of the Town Hall Students.

Next meeting is December 4, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. in Taylor 107.

Meeting Notes: 30 October 2008

It was another fairly short meeting, but we got a lot covered; thank you to all who came and contributed.

• The Open Mic Night has been moved from November 14th to December 5th. Come out and enjoy a great night with us.
• On a happy note, Geoff’s CD release is at Has Beans on Friday, December 12th. Come show your support for a project long coming.
• National Novel Writing Month is underway, but we have been unable to get enough support and energy to host an event of our own. Don’t let this stop you! Write stuff anyway, out of pure love for the activity.
• Town Hall was amazing. We have some brilliant students on our campus who are looking to make changes on many levels; one of these levels is artistic. There is an interest among some students to bring graffiti to the foreground as an art form, since it is frowned upon by most as mere vandalism and delinquent shenannigans. In an effort to bridge the gap between the artistic communities on campus (writers vs. sculptors vs. painters vs. actors, etc),  a suggestion was made that the Sigma Tau board in Taylor Hall be temporarily papered over with butcher paper and used as a space for this medium. Christina and Jen will be taking this idea to Aiping, who was in on the initial conversation at Town Hall. Of course restrictions will be set and consequences weighed. As there have been no outright objections to the plan, we will be getting this underway soon, hopefully. On November 14th, the Free Speech Area will be occupied by the results of the impact work discussions that took place at Town Hall. It is our hopes that a temporary graffiti wall will be made available, and that the butcher paper can be displayed as part of the show. Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions, and additional ideas.
• We have started taking orders for t-shirts and book totes! You can choose any color shirt you want, and if you would also like a tote, there are three different styles to choose from. Sigma Tau Delta will cover $5 of your order. Come to our next meeting to specify your order; otherwise, you will get the same style shirt/tote that we will be ordering to sell.
• The next meeting is November 11 at 5 p.m. in Taylor 107. See you there!

Meeting Notes: 16 October 2008

Hello, everyone! There was a much better turnout at the meeting this week; thank you to all who attended.

• Tomorrow (10/17), the Literary students are hosting guest speaker Amanda Wood. She will be in Taylor 107 at 1 pm.
• While we are still working on the details for our own Open Mic Night, EGSC is holding theirs tonight: 7p.m. at the 1078 Gallery
• Our Open Mic Night is still tentatively scheduled for November 14th (11/14) at Has Beans, but we are looking at the possibility of a change. We’ll keep you posted.
• Movie Nights: the first two weeks have not gone over as spectacularly as planned. We did not even show the first two movies, actually. There have been some conflicting events, apparently; in any case, the next two movies are most definitely going to be shown. For next Wednesday (10/22), we will be showing the 1999 version of The Haunting. The following Wednesday (10/29), we will show Tank Girl. Movies are shown in Holt 352, as close to 7 pm as possible. Come out and watch good movies in great company. Tell your friends. IT’S FREE!!
• NEW MEMBERS: Geoff needs your membership fee ($37) in check form by the end of October. Please 
• November is National Novel Writers’ Month!!  Interested participants make a pledge to write 50,000 words over the course of the month. Sigma Tau Delta is considering holding a kickoff event, or even a workshop sometime in November, to provide an outlet for all writers (not just novel writers). We are also playing with the idea of having local authors come to speak about writing. Lynn Houston has already pledged to do her 50,000 words, so whatever event we decide to hold, we would be requesting her participation.
• T-Shirts AND TOTES!!! Yep, you read correctly. The print shop that does our shirts also does bookbags. How perfect is that?! Anyway, we’re looking at doing half of our order in t-shirt form, and the other half in tote form. There’s a few different ways we could do this, but that’s one of the ideas. The T-shirt designs will be the simple yet classy “Sigma Tau Delta, English Honor Society” design on the front, and Michelle’s list of Hard Literary Truths on the back. The cost to make each shirt is $6, but throwing in the bags into the mix might change this. We’ll have more details next meeting. Also, we are looking at the possibility of each person getting to pick their own colors for their shirt. COME TO THE NEXT MEETING FOR MORE DETAILS.
• Bible as Literature has made it into the class schedule for Spring 2009!!!! It counts as an English class as well as a Religious Studies class. It will be offered on TR from 12:30 – 1:45. Please, please, please enroll. If you are even the tiniest bit interested, enroll. The more people who sign up, the more likely the class will “make.” A lot of us have been waiting for this class for a while, so… support us.

That’s all this week, lovelies. Tune in for the next update on October 30th… better yet, attend the meeting!! 

Meeting Notes: 2 October 2008

Hello everyone!

We had a short meeting this week – the fact that there was only SEVEN of us there seemed to speed things along. Just saying.

1. The Banned Books raffle is done. Michelle will pull a winner on Monday, and we will notify the winner by email, and post it on our board.
2. We are going to be holding movie nights on Wednesdays at 7:00pm in Holt 352 this month, showing good movies that have been made from even better books. The schedule is as follows:
   • 10/8: Fight Club – we will also be giving away the book and the movie
   • 10/15: White Oleander
   • 10/22: The Haunting
   • 10/29: Tank Girl
3. We have ideas for t-shirts! We will be voting on colors and designs via email in the recent future. Coloring that has been proposed is light gray with burgundy writing. As far as designs, we have Michelle’s list of “Ten Hard Truths About the Literary Life,” and a couple suggestions that were proposed last year. The options will be sent out over email when the time to vote comes. If you have any more ideas for shirts, send them to Michelle.
4. Finally, good news!! Bible as Literature has made it into the class roster!! It will be taught by John Traver in the Spring semester. SIGN UP FOR THIS CLASS. The times he has to work with are MWF at 3 p.m., TR at 12:30 p.m., and TR at 8 a.m.; not primo times, we know, but… that’s what we’ve got. It’s going to be fun, interesting, and maybe even a little controversial… what more could you ask for???

That’s all for this week, gang!! Next meeting will be October 16 at 5 p.m. in Taylor 107. You should come

Meeting Notes: 18 September 2008

• The book sale did really well. We sold over 200 books in three days and made $112. Which gives us money!! And what to do with the money….
• How bout T-shirts? Last semester we had awesome shirts designed by Michelle (who’s already working on a new list!)  Feel free to bring designs for new shirts (words, pictures) to our next meeting (October 2nd)
• Books in Common has started. It’s a community program promoting unity and the sharing of ideas. The “book in common” is Three Cups of Tea.  The kickoff has already taken place, but it’s not too late to buy the book, and attend reading group discussions, which are held in Common Grounds, in the basement of the BMU.
• Banned Book Week!! September 27th to October 4th is banned book week, when literature lovers read banned books… on purpose. We’re trying to put together a raffle where we give away the top 10 most banned books. This will be a free event, aimed more towards publicity for the group and spreading the love of reading. To further this goal, we will be hosting a Banned Book Swap on the 4th of October at 2 pm. The location is still in progress, but we’re looking at Empire Tea & Coffee (The traincar on the corner of 6th and Orange). To find the list of banned books in order to participate in the swap, (or read on your own), check out the American Library Association’s website (www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.cfm). The list includes the title of the book any why it’s banned. Also, starting the 29th, Michelle will use the Word of the Day portion of the Sigma Tau Delta board (posted in the PAC-side stairwell of Taylor Hall) to advertise a new banned book everyday, listing the book and its author.
• We’re planning an Open Mic Night! We’re aiming for November 14th, but this date will of course be dependent on the venue which decides to support the event (we’re looking at Has Beans, but… our contact is no longer available, so we’ll see).
• We’re looking at hosting a movie series through the month of October honoring good movies that have been inspired by books. The movies will be shown on Wednesday Nights at 7pm. (location TBA, but probably in Ayres Hall). The first movie will be Fight Club (it’s a popular one, and will be a good starter for getting the word out). Also on the list of possibilities is White Oleander and The Innocents, which is inspired by Henry James’s Turn of the Screw.

We have a lot going on, and we have a lot of awesome ideas circulating for future events, so don’t be afraid to pitch ideas!! The next meeting is Thursday, October 2nd at 5 pm in Taylor 107. Please come with T-shirt ideas!

Have a good week 

Meeting Notes: 4 September 2009

Welcome back everyone!

• We’re starting off this semester with a book sale. The table will be set up in the Free Speech Area all next week (September 8–11). If you would like to contribute books to the cause, or sign up to man the table for an hour, get hold of our president, Michelle.
• The table will also be used to recruit new members to our shnazzy club; spread the word.
• We still have shirts to sell from last semester! Members, your shirt is $5.50; non-members can get theirs for $10. They are available from Geoff Baker’s office, which is located in Siskiyou 133.
• To get Sigma Tau Delta more involved in the world outside the English department, we will be announcing—and hopefully attending—community activities. Coming up is “Books in Common,” a city-wide effort to read a common book. The kickoff event will be on Thursday, September 18th at 6:30 in downtown City Plaza. The reading group starts Tuesday, September 23rd at 4:30pm in Common Grounds, downstairs in the BMU. The first book to be read will be “Three Cups of Tea”. THIS IS A FREE EVENT!!
• It’s a while until our Open Mic Night, but start getting the word out there that one exists. The more people we have in attendance, the better this event works as a fundraiser. Dr. John Traver is helping us out by offering extra credit to his students for attending and reading poetry they’ve had to memorize; he’ll probably do something, too, seeing as it’s gone over so well the last couple times.

That’s it for now! Our next meeting will be Thursday, September 18th at 5 pm in Taylor 107. See you there!

Meeting Notes: 27 March 2008

• Our bake/book/shirt sale is going really well (mostly due to the bake sale)
• Student Faculty Reading, April 4th in Trinity 100 from 5 – 7pm. “She Said, She Said”: Lynn Houston and Amanda Runyan will be debating the finer points of Chick Lit.
  • If you are available before 5 pm and wouldn’t mind assisting in the set-up, contact Shelli.
• Ashland information. If you aren’t on the list for Ashland and need to be, email Shelli.
• We have an Open Mic Night scheduled for May 9th at Has Beans, starting at 7:30.
• Next meeting: 4/11, 5pm in Taylor 107

Meeting Notes: 6 March 2008

• T-shirt sales to non-members for $10 each are doing well; we may be getting more. For the few members who have not yet picked up your t-shirt: They are being held ransom for $.75 cents in Geoff Baker’s office. Just kidding. But they do cost $.75 cents. And the box is in Baker’s office…
• We will be setting up and (wo)manning tables in upstairs Taylor March 24th – 27th. Contact Shelli to sign up for a sitting time.
• Open Mic Night was (obviously) a no-go on the 22nd. We are waiting to hear back from Has Beans for Friday, May 9th.
• We are still planning on having a Bake Sale, and possibly a Book Sale. Get stuff together.
• Ashland planning has been hindered, but we will be getting back on track shortly. We are going to be in Ashland from May 27th to May 29th. Jen will be looking up the shows playing during that time so we can hold a vote to pick a few, hopefully including a Shakespeare play. Shelli will look into the group rates for tickets. And Jen will be looking into inns / cheapish hotels hopefully closer to downtown. Not doing the 30 minute walk downtown thing again. We will hopefully have some info at the next meeting.
• The Student/Faculty reading is on April 4th in Trinity 100 from 5 pm to 7pm. Lynn Houston and Amanda Runyan will be holding a debate about issues of Chick Lit.
• HFA Symposium is on April 30th; more information to come.
• Next meeting: March 27th at 5 pm.

Meeting Notes: 11 December 2007

• Bible as Literature (ENG 355) is a “go” for Spring of 2009. Let’s all thank John Traver for being so enthusiastic for taking it on.
• We have been offered a position as co-sponsor for the Kalachakra Mandala that will be created downstairs in the BMU. Opening ceremony is Monday, January 28 (the first day of Spring semester). The closing ceremony will be held March 1. The Tibetan monk who served as a personal assistant to the Dahli Lhama will be in the BMU everyday from Jan 28 – Mar 1 creating the mandala. Sigma Tau Delta will be (wo)manning a table to direct people to the various events and monks who will be present for discussions, etc. If you have further questions, you may ask Jennifer White, or send Shelli or I an email, and we will get the information you are looking for.
• The votes on the shirts are in! On the back we have “10 ways to find an English major in the wild,” and on the front we will have Sigma Tau Delta, CSU Chico (or something to that degree). The shirts will be maroon with white lettering. There was a suggestion to make additional shirts to sell to Emglish students as a fundraiser (without the organization’s design on front).
• We are planning a tentative Open Mic Night at Has Beans for NEXT SEMESTER on March 7th (the week preceding the week before spring break). We hope to have a few of these events, as the recent one went so well. Thank you for all of you who came out to read, sing, perform, or just watch. Thanks very much for the support!
• There is a Grad Workshop Reading TONIGHT December 12, 2007. The ENGL 620 students will be in BMU 210 reading their stuff beginning at 7 pm.
• Watershed issues are for sale NOW for $5 a piece. The reading will take place tomorrow night, December 13th at 7:30 pm in TRIN 100
• Ashland (May 2008): Melanie Mello will still be taking on the duty of planning coordinator for the trip (Thanks Mema!) I, personally, cannot wait to go back to Lithia Park.

Thanks again for a great semester! Keep checking your inbox for an update as to when the first Sigma Tau Delta meeting of the new semester will be. Good luck on finals, and have a great break!