So, this is it - the much awaited for agenda. Two discussions will be happening at the same time and should be contained in the same thread, using the title "Discussion: ...". While most of the time we will be sticking to the agenda, we obviously will be allowing extra time to discussions that require it and wrapping up discussions earlier if need be. Also, we might throw in a third topic if it is not that significant, we need to gauge the reaction to us making a new staff appointment (hint, hint <G>), or we need to get it discussed as a priority. The agenda only takes us to the middle of the term as we'll then re-evaluate closer to the time on what is a priority.

So, without further ado, the agenda for the next few months:

Academy Newsletter
Start Date: 10 Oct 08 Finish Date: 24 Oct 08

In order to improve communication between the Academy and other members, a newsletter will be compiled once a month. Information will include an IC mission update for each ship (hopefully written by a cadet!) and appointments and graduations within the Academy. This is your chance to say what else you would like to see in there.

Cadet Development:
Start Date: 10 Oct 08 Finish Date: 8 Nov 08

There is concern that the Academy does not provide enough structured feedback to all of the cadets both during the mission and at the end of it. To that end, a system is going to be put in place to better facilitate this and make the Academy more of a training environment than a 3 month mission. There are, however, some questions:

1. What format should the feedback take? (i.e. should it be a word document, email, PM, etc).
2. When should the feedback occur?
3. What should be contained in the feedback?
4. Should the cadet have to say what they are going to do with the feedback?
5. Should there be a way of highlighting cadets that need extra work and cadets that are exceptional to the Academy Commandant?
6. Who is permitted to see the feedback?

STF Q&A Ship
Start Date: 25 Oct 08 Finish Date: 8 Nov 08

Given that the Q&A ship has been under used, and that WeBBspace allows for threading of notes, should the function it provides be rolled into the Academy HQ and the ship closed?

Retention
Start Date: 9 Nov 08 Finish Date: 6 Dec 08

Yes, the nasty R word. Retention is still a big factor in the Academy. 80% of those who AWOL from the Academy never post. How can we reduce this number?

Jack