[President Perspective] [Meet the Member] [ASCE Luncheon Fees] [Monthly Meeting]
As incoming President, I would first like to thank outgoing President Jeff van den Eikhof for his outstanding dedication to the Branch. Jeff is the creator and maintainer of our web site. This has become an invaluable tool to the Branch: we are able to distribute information quickly with special emails and the electronic newsletter, reservations for the monthly meetings have become easier for members, and the Branch has saved money by nearly eliminating the paper newsletters. Last year not only did Jeff keep the web site going, but he also admirably fulfilled all the President’s duties. It has been a pleasure being one of his officers.
This year we are blessed with an incredibly strong group of officers. They are listed on the third page of this newsletter; please take some time to find out who they are, and get to know them at the next general meeting. The officer duties have been posted on the web site. This will hopefully help members see the inner workings of the Branch . . . and will reinforce wise words for any organization: “Be Nice to the Treasurer!”
Definitely let one of us know if you are interested in being a future officer – there is always at least one opening every year. In fact, we are currently looking for more Practitioner Advisors for Cal Poly’s Student Chapter, SCE. These valuable mentors represent the Branch by coordinating their attendance at SCE’s general meetings (twice a month, 7 p.m. Wednesdays). Would you like to see the dynamic Student Chapter at work and get to know these enthusiastic future engineers? Then please consider volunteering.
This upcoming year is off to a good start. We have several interesting speakers already lined up for the general meetings and a couple of field trip ideas. Our biannual Awards Ceremony will take place during December’s general meeting. We received an exceptional five nominations for the Branch’s “Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement” Award. The December Awards Ceremony will feature short presentations on each one, and should prove to be quite educational and exciting. This promises to be a great year ahead, and I am looking forward to it.
by Valerie Beard, P.E.
Drew Descary, the new President for the Society of Civil Engineers at Cal Poly here in SLO, grew up in sunny Bakersfield, CA. He and his friends spent their free time doing what all young people do, going to the movies, cow-tipping and bowling. Drew attended private school at Garces Memorial High School where he was very active in sports including Basketball, Cross Country and Swimming. Unfortunately, during senior year, he was a victim of Valley Fever, which prevented him from attending school for about 2.5 months. No, this isn't a walk-about or self discovery journey where you need to get the heck out of Bakersfield (O.K. maybe I was the only one that thought that), it is an honest-to-goodness sickness from an inhaled fungus found in soil (for more info go to http://www.astdhpphe.org/infect/valley.html). But he recovered and soon found out that he was accepted for early admission to Cal Poly.
Why Civil Engineering you ask? Well, when he was in 6th grade and his big bro was about to go off to college, they were at dinner with their Pa and since his big bro was picking a major then he better be picking his major too. Pa asked "What'er ya good at", and son says "math and I like to build things." Pa says, "Well then you should be a Civil Engineer." Son says, "Whadda they do?" Pa says, "I dunno but they're good at math and they like to build things." And the rest, as they say, is history.
Having a bigger bro and learning from his mistakes at Poly was unfortunate for Drew. He did not complete Dormitory Passage, which includes such initiatory joys as Lighthouse Slop and Yosemite Hike and VG Stock-up and Freshmen 15. Instead, he lived at Murray Station and had a kitchen for his first year. Oh well, he'll just never know.
Drew would love to make the world a better place using the knowledge he's acquiring at Poly, and specializes in transportation and structures. He is impressed with all of the professors at Poly, and especially enjoyed CE 351, Structural Analysis. During his tenure as SCE President, Drew plans to nurse the club through Conference Detox by building funds and inspiring new membership with a goal of welcoming 500 people to SCE. Drew says if he can offer someone a chance to advance their career, learn beyond the classroom and develop their network of relationships to professionals for the low price of $34.95, who would resist? And, for just 5˘ more, they could have a great time doing it! Drew looks forward to working with the other fabulous officers, and holding the first Order of the Engineer ceremony, among other great SCE events.
When I say he will specialize in transportation, you're probably thinking roads and bridges right? Well, add airplanes to that list because Drew's other favorite class was Aero 102, Flight Ground School. He has earned his license and can be seen soaring above us all. I imagine he'll soar higher and higher at the rate he's going!
by Courtney Howard
As mentioned in last month's newsletter, the subject of fees for Branch luncheons has been a topic of lively discussion at several officers meetings over the past year or two. As you may have noticed, recent luncheons have had a fairly regular, if not predictable, rotation between three restaurants in Pismo Beach. While this has most likely been an incentive for attendance by South County and Santa Maria engineers, besides becoming mundane, it may be a disincentive for North County engineers. Most local restaurants have raised their banquet fees significantly in the past few years, and it has become increasingly difficult to avoid losing money for our monthly luncheons. Raising the fees for the branch luncheons would give us a better chance of breaking even, allowing Branch resources to be put to better use than subsidizing the luncheons. The last such fee increase was in mid 2000. Various alternatives have been discussed, including higher fees for non-members (and/or non student chapter members), raising fees uniformly for members, non-members and students, and keeping the fee structure status quo, requiring Branch dues to subsidize the luncheons for those members (and non-members) who attend the meetings.
What do you think? We would appreciate member feedback on this issue. In the coming weeks, an informal poll will be e-mailed to members to solicit input.
This month, we are pleased to have a presentation by Dean Benedix (see "Member Corner" on page 3) regarding the recently completed Drainage and Flood Control Studies approved by the County Board of Supervisors earlier this year. The County Board of Supervisors initiated the individual Drainage and Flood Control Studies for the communities of Cambria, Cayucos, Nipomo, Oceano, San Miguel, and Santa Margarita in response to flood damage that occurred during the unusually heavy rainfall of March 2001. The studies were intended to quantify the extent of drainage and flooding problems of each of these communities, to generate recommendations for solutions for the drainage problems, to identify environmental permitting requirements, to provide planning level cost estimates, and to outline a plan for funding and implementation of the proposed solutions. Please join us at on October 21st at Rosa's restaurant in Pismo Beach for this fascinating presentation.
[President Perspective] [Meet the Member] [ASCE Luncheon Fees] [Monthly Meeting]