EGSA Meeting Minutes – September 8th, 2016

Thursday at 4pm works for everyone as a permanent meeting date.

Item #1: motion to make every Thurs at 4PM the permanent EGSA time for the semester
Item #2: record that Joseph Taylor is the treasurer, and Jake Asplund is not the treasurer
Discussion topics: Honey Sales, old bottles are still floating around and BUGSS – at UI this year.

Volunteer for BUGSS Council needed (involves organizing rides, etc):

Dave Crowder is WSU coordinator. Currently aiming for Spring. Abbigail volunteered as bug council representative.
Insect Feed with Dr. Zack: Involves feeding people food which contains insects.
CAHNRS Fall Festival: Next week! The festival is a showcase for the university community

FALL:

Overview of student events for new students. Everyone formerly introduced themselves to each other. Introductions (as necessary).

SPRING:

Insect Expo
Flagship event, huge event with lots of outreach especially to children.
Insect Cinema Cult Classic
Needs to be organized with Dr. Sheppard
Staff Appreciation Lunch
Student Choice Speaker

Start making nominations:

Google document created for potential invitees
CAHNRS Fall Fest plans and discussion. Date: Sept 15 (4-6PM)
Would like three volunteers at a minimum throughout the event.
Items provided: a table in the shade

Items needed:

Volunteer sign-ups
Displays from Dr. Zack (ask permission)
Karol will get permission
Live arthropods
Dr. Zack has tarantulas and roaches.

We could still use funding to purchase live arthropods. Use funding to potentially print out fact sheets, purchase edible insects. If anyone has any live insects feel free to volunteer it. Potentially obtain a display cage

Flag and tablecloth
Display Hive (Megan?) Megan will need help to set-up observation hive (Emily?) Currently the observation hive is very large, proposed we use single frame observation hive instead.
Departmental van: Karol will reserve van for transporting items.

How was honey extractions?

Was a success! What should be the pre-established way to plan the date next year? This event is usually a mad dash, is hard to have pre-planned. Should aim for it to not be the first day of school, rather have it later on in the first week of school. Connect with Megan a week or two before school starts to set a date.

What are the next steps (labeling? selling?): Buy bottles. Dr. Sheppard will have information on how much honey and when.

Bottling and labeling: Doesn’t need a special date, volunteers are appreciated.
Selling: will need an official event. Lighty café could be a potential partner.
Decide on a date for selling (closer to holidays helped sales). Impose a limit on amount of honey that can be bought (~20 bottles/person).

Faculty retreat report from Emily:

Interest in the Herma’s memorial. A number of faculty are very interested in donating.
Need ideas from students of what they would like to see. Send Jake any ideas.
Need a deadline (End of this semester?), Have idea consolidated within 1 month (~October 6^th)
Ask Dr. Walsh if he would like to be an advisor.
They also offered to donate images for our calendar.

GPSA funding report by Eli/Karol–we were awarded money!

Money is awarded in two portions: non-competitive and competitive. Came up with great ideas and need to spend the money now.

Funded Ideas:

$250 Beneficial insects calendar (potentially still make insexsy calender?)
$200 Insect display
$125 Moscow-Pullman farmers market (sell beneficial insect seed mix)

Decide which projects we will move forward with by October 6^th. Merchandise committee could work on calendar and seed mix.

Adrian/Robert-

Form document (google doc) and create committees.

If interested in events listed below email Rachel Olsson:

Outreach opportunity for Lacrosse middle school kids: May involve a tour of Pullman labs and visit to Lacrosse before their February science night.
Outreach for Pullman Cub Scouts
Thurs Oct 20, 7:15PM: share knowledge and allow children to learn about bugs.
Lincoln Middle School Science Club- October 31, 2016. Rachel and Megan have agreed to give a one hour presentation about insects. Anyone else interested in joining contact either of them.
Creatures of the Night: Most likely weekend before Halloween