[ale] LUG at SPSU

[jrtroberts]

I have spoken to students and faculty at SPSU about a LUG.  Apparently 
there was one there a couple of years ago, but it fizzled out.  I would 
like to get it started again.  From my experience at Lanier Tech I have 
some ideas, but I believe that the students at SPSU being more technical 
they will demand a higher level of expertise from their LUG.  Along that 
train of reasoning I wanted to start a discussion with the ALE group 
about some organizational ideas.

I currently know little about the way it functioned in the past.  All I 
know is that there was a server that Juniors and Seniors were given 
access to.  That seems like a very limiting and potentially stagnating 
policy to me.  People of all ages and class rank should have an equal 
opportunity to play with Linux in any way they feel, as long as it is 
not destructive to any other members or people.

To get the LUG started a member of the IEEE at SPSU suggested I become a 
member and then apply for the open computer chair position, or whatever 
it called.  Essentially I would be in charge of all IEEE activities 
relating to computers or the computer science and IT departments.  
Through this position I would be able to start a new LUG.

Like the Lanier Tech LUG, I believe that setting up the SPSU LUG as a 
satellite of the ALE LUG would be a great move.  SPSU is close enough to 
the Atlanta that some collaboration can occur.
Also convincing the IT department at SPSU to allow for a virtual chair 
at the ALE meetings should be easier than it has been at Lanier Tech.

One of the things I would like to approach the college with is setting 
up a VPS of some sort on campus.  This would allow members to have their 
own Virtual servers to play with.  They can each have a different use.  
And maybe to save resources by requiring minimally 3-5 LUG members to 
start a VPS sessions with a clearly defined plan of action.

Another option would be to see if SPSU has a Linux Lab.  If not then 
push to have one started not just for the LUG, but for general 
education.  The LUG could offer free classes or raise money by offering 
very cheap classes in Linux.

And like I orchestrated at Lanier Tech, Regular Linux fests and Install 
fests would be great to get people involved.  Also Linux troubleshooting 
teams.  Maybe having people on a rotating schedule, I do not know if it 
should be mandatory for membership to be on the rotation, but it sure 
would be fun to do.

And finally some kind of community outreach program that will help to 
keep the LUG alive after I graduate in 3-4 years.

Any thoughts and encouragement will be greatly appreciated.

Joshua