Priorities:San Francisco State University Student Priorities
YouTube project pitch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnvr9VqG9v4
Contents
Strategy #1: Build an Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship Community Organization
Background
Throughout the history of San Francisco State there has been no active and sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship community organization. This is a fundamental building block to making innovation and entrepreneurship accessible to all students in any lasting capacity outside the classroom. A student-led organization has power on campus to request space, request funding, host events, and bring students together.
Some organizations, faculty, and students on campus try to tap into the innovation and entrepreneurship space. This community will serve as the connecting point to bring these organizations, faculty, and students already working in this space together.
Structure
This organization will be run by a student committee, incorporating planned collaboration with student government (ASI). A board of faculty advisors from multiple colleges across the university will help the organization have impact and gain insight. In its initial phase, formal structure for student governance will not be necessary however the need elected positions may arise in the future. Regardless, this organization will always be run by a comittee of students
Online presence is key and will be our primary way of communicating with our community – we will have on online home base. This allows more constant communication, activity, and collaboration while providing a platform to organize in person events within the constraints of not having a dedicated physical space. Additionally, this method appeals to the ‘commuter’ aspect of a large portion of our student body. Furthermore, an online community creates momentum that can remain active across many semesters.
Tactics
Strategy #1 can start now and is aimed to be achievable in the Fall 2014 semester.
- Formalize Mission and Vision (October 2014)
- Found Facebook page (October 2014)
- Promote involvement through online advertising, in person flyering, and classroom visits (October 2014)
- Meet with leaders of other similar or possibly related organizations to collaborate (October 2014)
- Form a faculty board of advisors (November/December 2014)
- Formalize a connection with student government [ASI] (November/December 2014)
- Pilot a hackathon/maker event to lead into Strategy #2 (November 2014)
- Pilot social/guest speaker events (November/December 2014)
Strategy #2: Host A Monthly Hackathon (Or Other Maker Event)
Background
Creating a online home base increases the importance of consistent in person events. Strategy #2 focuses on programatic implementation of events to create consistency and availability for all students on campus. This is born out of the understanding that one of the single most important aspects of building a community is social ties formed through in person interaction (Why Do People Join and Stay Part Of a Community (and How to Support Them)). Additionally, these events create higher visability on campus.
Several of the events implemented here will be beta tested in Strategy #1. However, Strategy #2 comes with its own new set of event possibilities to be piloted.
Structure
A student-led events sub-committe will be formed within the main organization to create a team specifically focused on events.
Tactics
Strategy #2 is aimed at the Spring 2015 and Fall 2015 semesters.
- Secure connection with ASI as a funding source
- Explore alternate funding sources on campus
- Explore sponsorships both on event bases and general
- Formalize a monthly hackathon/maker event
- Formalize a monthly social event
- Pilot new social and maker event ideas
Strategy #3: Found a Maker Space
Strategy #3 is aimed 2-3 years from the Fall 2014 semester.
The online home base will remain vibrant and constant in person events will continue. As the community grows and awareness of innovation and entrepreneurship becomes more prominent, a need will arise for a more permanent in person meeting place where students can meet and collaborate with each other freely, without the structure of a dedicated event. This will be the only way to grow innovation and entrepreneurship presence on campus because it will offer a place for impromptu collaboration, have constant availability to host events of all kinds, and be a resource for interested students to walk-in to experience.
Strategy #4: Innovation and Entrepreneurship Resources in Every College
Strategy #4 is aimed 2-3 years from the Fall 2014 semester.
Increased faculty involvement and organizational presence on campus will create a demand for more innovation and entrepreneurship courses in more colleges. By this point a space for student run ad-hoc innovation and entrepreneurship activities exists. Students will desire to bridge this with their in-class experience to make their classes more hands-on, creative, and innovation oriented. Colleges across the University will rise to fill this need by making at least 3 hands-on, creative, and innovation oriented courses per semester for each academic interest.
Related Links
http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/San_Francisco_State_University
http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Sean_Bolton
Related links
