I'll send $5 to the first Officer from 2017-2018 that responds to this thread

[ViPER1313]

Tapatalk makes this forum as easy to use as other social media platforms from a mobile device. You can upload images directly from your phone as well with Tapatalk’s included image hosting feature. I don’t see the tech hang up here guys.

[Senor_Taylor]

Thank you for coming to discuss, Jackson. I'm not even mad about current students coming to the forum, I'm mad about current officers not doing it.

In the last 5 years, we've had maybe a Max of 5 current students be active at the same time here, but this will be 0 if the officers aren't here. Y'all don't make an effort. You make a post in your build thread then disappear for a month.

We need to see threads for EVERY event. I've been asking continuously for a rough semester schedule to be posted and it never happened.

The treasurer thread has not been updated at all either since y'all took over.

I made a transition thread for y'all and it's just me talking to myself.

Before you point fingers and say "That's not my responsibility, it's the other guy", don't. It's everyone responsibility. You are a team and if someone doesn't do something, the other people need to pick up the slack and worry about who to blame later once the job is done.

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[D_Eclipse9916]

Forums are going the way of the dodo bird for everyone. Which is a crying shame. Trying to get real useful information out of Facebook and its social media partners is a garbage repository system.

The Social Media they want to use is instant gratification, forums are delayed and another thing to log in.

[Apoc]

DJ's right - forums are dying as a technology and pushing for students to use something their generation isn't really interested isn't going to get much return. I've tried taptatalk and hated it; I use the site in a mobile browser if I have to post on my phone. I used to be all over a ton of forums and this is literally the only one I still use... and that's because I know everyone here. That is not and likely will not ever be true for current students. I never even went to JMU, but it seems like the sentiment is "adapt to us" and not "let's find something that works for everyone." Or, we could just keep yelling at clouds here and let the students do whatever they want.

[Senor_Taylor]

That's not the conversation right now. This is bigger than "Hurdur, use the forum". We all understand the use for forums is decreasing, however there is a plethora of information and a unified place for information to be kept.

I've had people ask me "When is the car show? I check your clubs website and don't see anything about it".

This is a discussion on the officers communicating and doing their jobs. Email, Facebook, everything else included.

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[rherold9]

and that's because I know everyone here.

I never even went to JMU,

[.RJ]

Forums are going the way of the dodo bird for everyone.  Which is a crying shame.  Trying to get real useful information out of Facebook and its social media partners is a garbage repository system.

The Social Media they want to use is instant gratification, forums are delayed and another thing to log in.

Forums:Social Media::Cars:Manual Transmissions

[Chinampa]

I love forums for the permanence that they provide, something you don't find on Facebook "forums". It creates a place with a wealth of knowledge, I sure as hell wouldn't have been able to do what I've done with my E30 if it weren't for forums. Facebook car pages always end up with the same 20 questions being asked with no real discussion


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[Senor_Taylor]

I mean. Jake and I built this wonderful website for the car show:

https://cvent.me/QR4mW

There are resources for communication that have NOT been used. It's almost THREE weeks until the car show and there hasn't been communication. The only reason we have the little bit we do is because we have begged for it. Even the questions we have asked are only responded to with excuses instead of answers.

[Apoc]

and that's because I know everyone here.

I never even went to JMU,

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There are resources for communication that have NOT been used. It's almost THREE weeks until the car show and there hasn't been communication. The only reason we have the little bit we do is because we have begged for it. Even the questions we have asked are only responded to with excuses instead of answers.

So how are you going to incentivize them, other than begging/berating? People only do shit if they perceive it to be of value. We *are* talking about college kids here and the clubs I was a part of had similar issues, unless 1-2 people chose to give a shit and act like grown ups.

[.RJ]

act like grown ups.

lets not get out of hand ok?

[Senor_Taylor]

So how are you going to incentivize them, other than begging/berating? People only do shit if they perceive it to be of value. We *are* talking about college kids here and the clubs I was a part of had similar issues, unless 1-2 people chose to give a shit and act like grown ups.

MM's core value is its alumni. Any club can be made and have meets are parking decks at night and do reckless shit on the weekends.

Not every club has resources like Alumni with connections to institutions like MAAP, Bimmerworld, NASA, SCCA, Speedshops like FlimFlam, RRT, Mach V, etc. Not every club keeps in touch with alumni to share knowledge and experience. Not every club has alumni to instruct at track events, or come help work on your car with you, or give you hand-me-down tools, etc. 

I'm not saying this because I am one, I'm saying this because despite you all being terrible terrible people, you've helped me shape my life and really pulled me from a shitty, closed minded upbringing with little window for success. Alumni connections are important. 

That is what makes MM great and what makes it different. The current students this year have been given very little opportunity to see this value. No Turducken, poor planning for the College Solo (Which is hard to do anyway), the car show now looks to suffer as well. Track weekends haven't been promoted. 

No one wants to participate on a forum where they have no connection to people on it. However, after meeting most of you and getting to know you, I have reasons to post here because we are all friends and invested in each other. A major focus on being a leader in this club is fostering a community where everyone can come together and form organic friendships like I have with the MM'ers I know. Hell, I live with one that I would have never met otherwise and my other close friends here in Nova are ALL alumni I wouldn't know without the club. 

Who knows, maybe the guys this year are best friends. I wouldn't know because they're in their own little silo. Maybe they're selling the track and we'll have a million people out there. I wouldn't know because the only mention of the track was the following in the last email:

"Next, just to remind everyone the NASA at VIR event will be taking place the weekend of March 23rd. This is an extremely good time, and we would love for as many people to come out as possible because you will see cars here that are simply amazing. There should also be tons of alumni for you to converse with, maybe about that car/bike you've been wanting to buy but don't know if it's in your best interest. We'll talk more about this at the classroom meeting. "

What if they can't make it to the meeting. How will they know anything about this? Link the frickin' thread WE ALREADY MADE FOR YOU.

Also,

"We look forward to seeing the current members and the alumni at all of the upcoming events! The GroupMe is the best way to stay informed on the events that are taking place. Just go under the "events" tab and you will see all of the upcoming events"

NO.

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My tone probably seems really aggressive right now. I don't mean it to. I've been speaking to the officers about this and I really hope they take it to heart.

However we're at a grand total of like 5 replies from them right now, so I'm not sure.

Adam gets an excused absence since he's at work all day during spring break.

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[Sijray21]

Forums:Social Media::Cars:Manual Transmissions

This.

In the last 10 years I've only been on the forums occasionally; more so lately since I've lost my way a bit socially and this is familiar (and I miss it).

Forums (and updating website information) take a little more effort, where other forms of social media are instant information with minimal involvement.

[Chinampa]

Not to nitpick, but Taylor didn't you personally take over the planning of turducken? I don't see how that can be pinned on us. College solo was a relative success given the low membership at the start of the year and the high ratio of freshmen without cars.


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[Sijray21]

Just an opinion from an older alumni that joined before the forums were created and one all the members and a lot of the alumni don't know:

If the student members of MM are hanging out and having fun together, keeping the spirit of motorsports alive within the JMU community (which extends outside the school's limits), and are representing themselves to be responsible people then great; that's what's supposed to happen and something each alumni hopes for. The forums were created at a time when it was a peak technology in online social spaces (early 2000s). The site has developed a lot since then (looks great, btw), but it's still a relative archaic form of social media. It's been almost 20 years since then (almost older than the current student members themselves); I'm sure other methods have developed for students to better communicate.

Whatever method is used by the students to best communicate with themselves to keep that motorsports fire alive, the better (even if the alumni are left out of the loop a bit). If the alumni are included in that communication even better since I feel the alumni support is great in this club. The officers are there for a reason and I have no idea if we're giving them enough credit, but it's primarily they're club.

I was never an officer, but I know it must've taken a shit-load of work on top of school and other responsibilities and fun activities to organize events for MM.

I'm looking forward to meeting more members and reconnecting with one's I've met.

[Senor_Taylor]

Not pinning Turducken on you, I'm just making a point that the alumni and current student mingling is at a low in order stress the importance of remedying it.

If the alumni and current students become disconnected, this club ceases to be anything different than a "car club". This is a Motorsports club.

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[Apoc]

Unless alumni want to take over being officers, the club is whatever the students want it to be.

[Senor_Taylor]

That's true of any independent group ran by elected officials. That's why there's a club constitution that states the club's purpose and outlines guidelines. The officers sign off on it every year.

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[ViPER1313]

As an alumni who loves staying involved with the club and would love to participate more with current students, how can we bridge the tech gap? If this medium is dead, let’s pick the next one. I do think we should use something other than a group chat though.

Edit: also, for things like this, current members can always ask the alumni community for support. In this thread we have a number of IT savvy guys. I am sure we can work together to get a better communication platform up and running if need be.

[Senor_Taylor]

I've tried getting alumni in the group chat but I don't think that can replace the forums.

**We have an alumni chat**