IEEE SoutheastCon 2003

William LaBelle and Don Hill

Jamaica, the third largest of the Greater Antilles and some 550 miles south of Florida is the land of coffee, sugar, resorts, reggae music and ‘No Problem Mon’ was host to the annual Region 3 SoutheastCon. This year’s conference was held at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios.

The main attraction at SoutheastCon, as with previous years, was the student competitions: hardware, software, technical paper presentations, t-shirts, and web-site. For the non-student, there was a technical paper presentations and Region 3 annual EXCOM meeting.

The conference was also a venue to thank and honor hard working volunteers and students for their work this past year.

Region 3 Activities

The most significant item to come out of the Region 3 Committee is the possibility of assessing $2 per person. The assessment is being considered to fund Region 3 activities noting:

  1. Flat funding from other IEEE sources (RAB allotment to Region) for many years (> 10).
    Note that the RAB allotment to sections has increased several times including this year (or next depending on the boundary).
  2. Increasing costs
  3. Two years of deficit spending with predicted continuation in the future (without further cutting of expenses - which really is down to travel and meeting costs).
  4. Many reductions in expenses over the year notably reducing face-to-face ExCom meetings from 4 per year to 3 per year, to the present two per year (one in conjunction with the Region Committee).
  5. Reduction in revenue from traditional source (Southcon).
  6. Many in Region 3 (students, life members principally) would not pay the assessment.

The proposal passed with 2003 and 2004 as planned deficit years before the assessment begins in the 2005 membership year.

All regions except Region 2 and 6 have had or are in the process of submitting assessment increases. Region 2 is probably considering something. Region 6's traditional WesCon is also having troubles as a revenue stream.

Before the assessment becomes fact, it must pass through two more reviews. First, the Regional Activities Board (RAB) will be presented the proposal and Region 3’s voting results. If RAB approves the measure then the assessment request is presented IEEE Finance Committee for final approval.

Student Competitions

About 30 universities, colleges, and a community college from Region 3 attended SoutheastCon to present technical papers and vie for bragging rights in hardware, software, t-shirts, and web page competitions. More than 300 certificates of participation where distributed at the awards ceremonies at the end of conference. Awards presented for each competition category were:

Hardware Design:

Software Design:

Web Page Design

Student Paper

T-Shirt Design

SoutheastCon 2004 will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina from March 26 to March 28 at the Greensboro Downtown Marriott. Visit the conference web page for more information, https://ewh.ieee.org/cmte/secon04/

Mark your calendar now.  Help local students prepare.  See you there.


IEEE Region 3 eNewsletter Volume 18 No. 2, July 2003, © 2003 IEEE
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The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.