President’s Message April 2016 LGS Bulletin
Okay so the world is about to fall apart, but that’s no reason to defund education Governor.
Your current Board of Directors has been diligently working to find ways for the Society to aid the University and our community under the guidelines of our Constitutional objectives. These efforts have been geared primarily toward fundraising events. Several (mentioned below) are coming up in the next few weeks. So what are our objectives you ask?
LGS Constitution Article II – Objectives
The objectives and purposes of this Society shall be:
1. To advance Geology as a Science and profession.
2. To encourage cooperation and fellowship between all members and others interested in geological problems.
3. To foster higher standards of education and ethics among members and students.
4. To encourage public appreciation of the utility and application of geologic science.
And the Society has a special committee formed to help implement these objectives particularly for future geoscientists.
Section D: Education Outreach Committee
This committee shall consist of two or more members who will supervise continuing education programs including field trips, education outreach, any earth science community youth activity programs, and college student programs.
“Italics” below are reprints from the January 2016 LGS Bulletin
“Everyone should already have received an email announcement about the Student/Professional Meet and Greet at Deano’s Pizza” … “We have activities where our professional members can meet the students twice a year (the Bar-B-Q being the other), and I consider the Meet and Greet to be the most important, especially so with the economic downturn in the industry this year”.
“While the current situation is difficult for us, it is potentially devastating for the students. Many of them are questioning their wisdom in choosing to pursue an education for employment in an industry seemingly devoid of opportunities.”
“Most of us on the other hand have seen and survived similar downturns in the past. This is an experience of particular value to the students, and will provide the membership with an opportunity for mentoring and accomplishing an objective of the Society.”
This year LGS has teamed up with the Department of Geosciences to reinitiate and help sponsor the annual Alumni Crawfish Boil (April 30, 11:30 AM to 2 PM at the Alumni House). This has been successful in the past and hopefully will be a third venue for Student/Professional interactions into the future. If you are an alum of the University you have already received your invitation in the mail. Whether you can participate are not, you have the option to sponsor a student for the event. Profits are earmarked to go to the department, so some of the fees are designed to be fundraising.
“Secondly, this doesn’t work unless the membership makes the effort to participate.”
What is our membership? Ballpark #’s, there are over 500 currently listed. Of those about 40% do not pay dues and about 45% of the dues paying members are students. Granted many members (both dues paying and nonpaying) contribute to the cornerstone, and this helps us stay solvent. But this is just a breakeven condition, and we need to do better if we are going to meet the objectives of the Society.
“As many of us can attest, ULL is almost unique in the training it provides students to prepare them for geoscience careers in the energy industry. The University attracts top candidates to the petroleum curriculum … They need our encouragement to continue.”
Ways you can encourage the next generation is to give generously of your resources; either volunteering time or making donations and helping support your society fundraising activities. There are two fundraising events coming up soon; the Wine and Dine on April 28, and the Wax Lake Fieldtrip on May 7. Each of these activities have expenses and without membership participation they cannot attain their fundraising objectives and could potentially cost the society, further depleting our resources.
The Wine and Dine event is limited to 24 participants, and the Fieldtrip has a maximum of 30 participants with 20 needed to cover costs. This level of participation is only about 10% of the membership. Let me repeat that, “only about 10% of the membership”. Be part of the 10%.
The prices for these events are inflated slightly in an attempt to guarantee some profit which will be returned to the Department of Geosciences. So not only do you get the benefits of enjoying a very inexpensive social and/or educational activity, but you also get the satisfaction of being able to help the students that will be our future replacements in the geoscience community.
If you haven’t yet registered for one of these events, there will be sign-up sheets at the luncheon Wednesday. Please bring your checkbooks and make plans to participate. It’s for a good cause.
WR (Bill) Finley
