Email group

[joel lazarus]

Dear all,

Since Mel raised the point, I thought I'd say that I have already actually set up a google email group.
It's freeuniv...@googlegroups.com.
I suggest that everyone gets themselves onto that. You may need to set yourself up with a google account, but it's easy.

In the meantime, let's stick with the old-fashioned email chains.

VENUES
Mel, thanks so much. I agree that it's better to support a good venue offering a fair price for reasonable facilities.
Not knowing B'ham, I'd rather someone from/in B'ham organise the venue. But if no one comes forward, I'll do it based on your recommendations.

AGENDA
Muhammed, thanks for taking the lead. Your suggestions sound excellent. I like 'organic but professional'. Although, wishing to avoid any connotations of market logic, I'd probably substitute the 'professional' for efficient.
Who would be willing to form a sub-group to discuss meeting agenda? Maybe some people think we should just turn up and allow participants to fully determine the day's activities? That might be most democratic, but may take up valuable time? Anyone with greater experience of these things?

Thanks
Joel

[sherry...@btinternet.com]

Hi
I am Oxford based but regularly in Brum, and happy to co-organise. Joel, I agree with your comments, and I think we do need a structure and agenda in advance. Anyone who feels strongly can opt out, but it means we won't spend all day discussing what to discuss.

Suzette

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

---

From: joel lazarus <joel_l...@hotmail.com>

Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 20:46:16 +0000

To: <melski...@yahoo.co.uk>; <willia...@yahoo.co.uk>; <jennifer...@gmail.com>; <nearym...@hotmail.com>; <s.s.a...@aston.ac.uk>; <joyce...@blueyonder.co.uk>; <gordo...@hotmail.com>; <sherry...@btinternet.com>; <annadh...@gmail.com>; <muhamm...@gmail.com>; <freeuniv...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Email group

[Sarah A]

Hello all,

I think all the venue suggestions are very good. I've been to a number
of events at Oaklands in Handsworth, and it's a very good space indeed
for this sort of thing. I've also been to Carrs Lane Church and know
someone who works there; it is equally good. There is another
community centre in Lozells. Unfortunately, though, I'm not in
Birmingham any more and can't help with these logistics.

I think Muhammed's suggestions on the process are very useful. In
terms of the agenda, while being mindful of the need for not 'wasting
time', I'm not sure that this is yet a coherent enough group of people/
project to begin forming working groups on agendas and etc. I am also
not clear how it is related to the already quite extensive set of
notes published on the Free University Facebook page (linked to the
Bank of Ideas and the Occupy movement)...which, if it is closely
aligned, already suggests a number of well-formulated questions and
issues to be discussed. My own feeling is that time spent exploring
what we are doing is valuable time; this is going on elsewhere as well
(in other free university projects, the Social Science Centre, etc.)
and I suspect there may be some major points of convergence that
people would like to discuss. Some of the subheadings of the notes
mentioned above might be useful starting points as they are broad
enough to be exploratory but focused in terms of practices and crucial
to any free university project: why are we here, who do we want to
reach out to, critiques of the current system/conditions, what do we
want to do; and in addition, alternative imaginaries/practices/
experiences.

One thing that does not seem discussed much in these spaces is the
history of free universities, the traditions we are embedded in,
building on, diverging from, etc. Not necessarily at this meeting, but
at some point, I think this is important to discuss.

All best,
Sarah