Asha-Madison meeting minutes of 8 Aug 2001

Present: Param, Ravi R, Sai, Subbu, Charu, Arvind, Manoj, Faisal

- Midwest conference:
    - Minnesota folks have volunteered to moderate some sessions, need
      more moderators
    - Conference name? Manthan? Do we need a name? 
    - Agenda:
         - Minnesota thinks there is too much admin stuff on 1st morning
         - Param: what is the process for determining the agenda? Why
           not send it to chapter mailing lists? Sai/Subbu: informal list
           already exists on which agenda is being circulated, conference
           call will finalize agenda by Aug 15
         - Subbu: can invite Ben Manski (UW Greens) for globalization talk
         - MU room booked
         - Minnesota: 15 people(!) want to come (12 on Fri night)
         - On-line registration form needs to be done soon
         - Catering: ask MU for rates (cookies/coffee)
         - Acco: arrange for max 35?

- Projects:
     - GIRD: need to revise proposal after talking to B C Sharma
     - Vivekananda: money arrived (letter in Anita's name came to Asha-Madison)
     - Muskaan: need to do FCRA follow-up
     - AID-Minnesota: need to read their Apne-Aap project proposal
     - asha-projects: Bhaskar (Berkeley) has a summary, need to read and
       update info for Madison projects

- Concert:
     - Applying for funding, ASM: $1600, MCC: $1700
     - tentative Sep date

- New people in Fall:
     - Pitch to IGSA, SAIVA, ISA ...

- Arundhati's letter:
     - Subbu informed us of a project in the Narmada Valley
       which Arundhati had forwarded
     - Jeevanshalas run by NBA in MP
     - 1 school is facing a problem due to drought
     - Due to NBA support, cannot accept foreign funds
     - Options:
          - can send to Asha-India (no need for FCRA crap)
          - individual contributions through relatives in India
     - Need to read and discuss project