Note: This is the electronic version of the newsletter and is not identical to the printed version, nor is it intended to be identical. Several items, such as the Calendar, Business Development Working Group report, etc. are removed and placed elsewhere on the site.

SAT., JAN. 24, 9:30 AM-NOON

This will be a SPECIAL session to enhance the current OCCN Web Page. There will be discussion of 3 planned sections of the Web pages:

Come and help enhance the OCCN Web Page to make it more useful to the members and clients.

We will be featuring schedules with emphasis on full data: OCCN meetings first, other net-working or research opportunities as we are notified with full data. Full data means purpose, topic, sponsor, place, time, and any special conditions. No OCCN meeting that does not meet the completeness criteria will be reported, since it will not really be a meeting, but a "social hour". Those are generally the lowest priority. We will continue listing those groups who distributed our special issue last year, and any we produce this year. Just get your data to us on time!

I am looking for volunteers to help us broaden the coverage of networking and research opportunities. I feel that the only reason to attend any meeting we report would be for those two purposes.

You will notice our new, improved map and directions to our usual meeting places. They should help the newcomers greatly. Credit is due to Jean Taggart, who did all the work.

There will be some changes throughout the year -- some subtle, some obvious. This month some of the volunteer assignments have been deleted, pending all new assignments, which will generate corrections to those still shown. There will be many new and different volunteer opportunities, which I will try to report accurately as they occur. Those who do the work will be listed in some way during the year.

Take a hint -- by volunteering for even a small task, you will get your name in front of our members and those getting complementary or promotional copies.

Mailing of the newsletter will have to change, as we work to cut costs without sacrificing effectiveness of our outreach. The newsletter is our primary tool for promotion, but it is our most expensive, so there will likely be some criteria changes as we progress through the year. If you would rather receive the newsletter by alternate methods, let me know.

Contributions from our readers are welcome and are needed -- articles, opinions, format and constructive suggestions. I will help by editing as needed, and I will be glad to hold space open for meaningful material, especially something of obvious value to our members and other readers., if you let me know well in advance. All inputs must be concise and professional to be used.

Opinions Received. I have received 3 opinion statements on the thrust of OCCN for 1998. Each of them have merit and should be considered. However, verbatim inclusion here would double the size of the newsletter, which I am not prepared to do. Alternatively, any paraphrasing would risk diluting the statements. For this issue I have reluctantly decided to hold those statements for verbatim distribution at one of our meetings. This dilemma of presentation means that I will have to resolve a way to fairly report such opinions in future issues. Have you any thoughts on the subject? In the meantime, I will at least see to it that the opinions submitted are provided to the entire Board, or any other group immediately affected. Your opinions are important, so please keep them coming! Please be as constructive as possible, of course.