Attendees: Veronica, Nikhil, Vikas, Vanita, Shanmuga, Neelakshi, Kabir (minute taker), Ram, Radhika, Jerry, Pradeep, Sonia, Sucharita (chair), Radha.

1. We all introduced ourselves to new member Ram Balakrishnan, who will graduate from IST in May 2002

2. Basant Mela

- Reflection on the Mela planned for next Friday at 4p.m., as a special Asha meeting. All volunteers are encouraged to attend.

- Since Nat was not present we were unable to figure out the exact amount raised. The amount is most likely somewhere between $3400 and $3800. We did spend $1751.23, overshooting our budget by about $500.

- Unedited video clips from the dance performance will be shown Sunday starting at 6:15pm - Room 254. Newhouse II. It was decided that the edited video be sold for $9.95 to all interested, including the performers themselves and other volunteers of the Mela. Radha and a friend will compile the video.

- Radha and Vanita will send thank you notes to some individuals who were extremely helpful, including Smita Rane, Kalapana Bahu, and others.

3. Penny Boxes - we raised $145 from the final round of penny boxes as part of Change for Change. There were a few boxes without names. T-Shirts will be given out at the movie screening next Friday, after the special reflection meeting.

4. Newsletter- Jerry will head the newsletter effort, the first edition of which will come out Fall 2002.

5. Projects

- After Jerry briefly presented the case for sending money to an education project for those affected by events in Gujarat, it was agreed that Veronica and Vikas of the Projects Committee will look for such projects. Others are also encouraged to do so.

- The Projects Committee will also look beyond the states we are committed to and find projects among the BIMARU states.

- The Committee will come up with a list of projects by September 2002, a couple of months before the next funding period starting December 1 2002.

- Follow-Up/Evaluation: While we are yet to schedule annual visits for projects like Ananya (which now has an FCRA number and can get funding from abroad), there was some discussion on what to do between annual visits in order to address shortcomings regarding follow-up. Sucharita asked how we can make the connection with projects between annual visits. Radha mentioned that we should not appear as if the projects are answerable to us yet try and draw out answers for some important questions, from practical issues, issues regarding the philosophy of the administrators, to issues of pedagogy and content of education provided. Two concrete ideas were presented:

a. Nikhil suggested that we use the newsletter as an excuse to ask pointed questions. People who donate money are often interested in answers to some of the question, especially those that go beyond practical issues of classroom sizes, etc. We can always ask for answers to such questions, statements by the administrators, statements by teachers, as something we can provide the donors to solicit more funds.

b. Radha suggested we use the Asha Fellows program to make more site visits. Following Vanita's concern that answers to questions need not always be the truth, actual site visits and external evaluations will be necessary.

6. SIF - Guha will present his program and ideas to Asha next Friday the 26th after the Mela reflection and movie screening.

7. Website - Radha's friend Krishna Kumar has come up with the splash page of a new Asha Syracuse website, which everyone liked. He will design an entire new site which will be launched in the space provided by SU in Fall 2002.

8. Talk Group - it was decided that the Talk Group and other Asha volunteers will meet over the summer to plan a talk. Jerry has the list of suggestions for speakers from Asha volunteers.

9. Fundraising -A possible schedule for next year will be: Fall- Talks, Change for Change, and a small Fall Festival with Garbha, etc. Spring - Basant Mela, Change for Change. Though Veronica and Radha thought that a Fall Festival will be additional strain on volunteers, especially since their energies will be needed for the Basant Mela which we plan to make our annual event, Vanita thought that a small Fall Festival could be organized. This Festival could be in collaboration with SIA (Shanmuga heard from SIA that they plan to host one or two Fall events) or entirely an Asha event. Vanita and the Fundraising Group will investigate the costs associated with putting something like this up, including the DJ, Music System, etc. Shanmuga reported that the Underground was booked for Nov. 9 and could be used for such an event. Given some doubts over the success of events like Basant, Shanmuga suggested that we should also consider inviting a big name artist, someone like Hariprasad Chaurasia who was invited at Cornell and helped them raise $18000!

10. Plans for next year will be further discussed at the end of the year party which will take place either at Radha's place or at 415 or at Ianashram, probably the weekend of the 17th of May.

Next meeting next Friday the 26th at 4 pm to revisit Basant.