Florida now 3 sections!

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

^^^ I agree with this and feel that this made the Section 84 split a pretty good one.

The only thing about it that annoys me is the joint sectional conferences. I am (as an alum strictly, not section staff) much more likely to attend a sectional conference that I can spend a day at without traveling on the highway and/or spending a night.

Section 84's split wasn't inevitable, but wasn't too bad. Section 84 has two population centers for staff which quite reasonably could anchor separate sections. And once you put Frostburg and Western Maryland in the Baltimore section to get as close as possible to an even split, giving the Eastern Shore to the DC based section made sense. While there were a few counties that could have been shifted, once a couple of assumptions were made, most people's maps looked the same.

Well at this point, a section 85 only conference would be accessible by Metrorail/Metrobus for you and I just don't think most brothers nationwide expect that. (I don't expect Salisbury to put in a bid for the 2009 sectionals).

Randy

[emb021]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

The only thing about it that annoys me is the joint sectional conferences. I am (as an alum strictly, not section staff) much more likely to attend a sectional conference that I can spend a day at without traveling on the highway and/or spending a night.

Travel distance should never be the deciding factor for joint conferences. (it may be a deciding factor for an alumn to attend one, but the conferences are for the actives, not the alum...)

When Florida was one section, depending on where the Section Conference was, it was either a 2-3 hour drive or a 6-8 hour drive. And regardless of where the conference was, we just NEVER saw any area alum attending.

Now that we are 3 sections, having 3 separate Section Conferences is just NOT a good idea, and in fact, the next 3 years we will have joint conferences. Something I hope is extended. A section conference that can bring in 100 or so people from 10 or so chapters is going to be a MUCH better conference (better pricing, better workshops) then a section conference of maybe 30 or so people from 3-4 chapters. More section conferences in a region is also a bigger burden on the RD and staff, as the RD is required to be at all section conferences. So if there are joint conferences, that reduces the number they have to attend.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by emb021

Travel distance should never be the deciding factor for joint conferences. (it may be a deciding factor for an alumn to attend one, but the conferences are for the actives, not the alum...)

When Florida was one section, depending on where the Section Conference was, it was either a 2-3 hour drive or a 6-8 hour drive. And regardless of where the conference was, we just NEVER saw any area alum attending.

Now that we are 3 sections, having 3 separate Section Conferences is just NOT a good idea, and in fact, the next 3 years we will have joint conferences. Something I hope is extended. A section conference that can bring in 100 or so people from 10 or so chapters is going to be a MUCH better conference (better pricing, better workshops) then a section conference of maybe 30 or so people from 3-4 chapters. More section conferences in a region is also a bigger burden on the RD and staff, as the RD is required to be at all section conferences. So if there are joint conferences, that reduces the number they have to attend.

I acknowledge that the cultures of our regions and sections are different.

[PADFSUGirl2K2]

Originally Posted by emb021

Travel distance should never be the deciding factor for joint conferences. (it may be a deciding factor for an alumn to attend one, but the conferences are for the actives, not the alum...)

When Florida was one section, depending on where the Section Conference was, it was either a 2-3 hour drive or a 6-8 hour drive. And regardless of where the conference was, we just NEVER saw any area alum attending.

Now that we are 3 sections, having 3 separate Section Conferences is just NOT a good idea, and in fact, the next 3 years we will have joint conferences. Something I hope is extended. A section conference that can bring in 100 or so people from 10 or so chapters is going to be a MUCH better conference (better pricing, better workshops) then a section conference of maybe 30 or so people from 3-4 chapters. More section conferences in a region is also a bigger burden on the RD and staff, as the RD is required to be at all section conferences. So if there are joint conferences, that reduces the number they have to attend.

I definitely like this idea. I do drive everywhere and have no problem but with gas going up and I am sure will be higher by the next year for sectionals, it would be better on most people's pockets.