[IAEP] [SLOB] motion regarding GSoC mentor travel

[Caryl Bigenho]

Hi Folks,


This is the second year that there has been a problem with the costs of GCI mentor travel that went beyond just a simple round trip ticket from A to B and back to A. I think it is time to consider what is causing the problem and come up with an agreeable solution going forward. Adam is correct in saying that foreign travel works differently from domestic.


First and foremost… we should consider that a trip from a place that is many hours away by air, and is perhaps the mentor’s first trip to the US would be a great time for her/him to travel a bit in the country while she/he is here. In fact, it would be a shame if they were not able to take advantage of this opportunity to visit people and places that are important to them and can enrich their experience and background. Still, it is not SugarLabs responsibility to cover the increased costs of doing so.


So, we need a reasonable policy. I can think of two we might consider.


Option 1: SugarLabs could cover the cost of a round trip ticket from the mentor’s home airport to either the US airport closest to the event (e.g. Mentor Summit) OR the airport from which the mentor plans to leave the US… which ever is more.  The mentor would be responsible for finding funds to cover the difference between the more expensive round trip ticket and a more costly “open jaws” ticket. All other travel in the US would be the responsibility of the mentor (with a little help from their friends ( ;-D)).


Option 2: SugarLabs would cover the cost of a round trip ticket from the mentor’s home airport to the US airport closest to the event (e.g. Mentor Summit). The mentor would be free to do any travel within the US to extend their stay after the event, at their own (and/or their friends’ and family’s) expense. But at the end of the travel, they would be expected to return to the airport where they arrived… again at their own expense. Then they would return home on the remaining portion of their regular round trip ticket.


I’ve tried to make this as simple and clear as possible. If others want to edit for greater clarity (or have other options in mind) please do so. The net effect of Option 1 depends a lot in what part of the world the person is coming from. It might even be less expensive than Option 2 for some itineraries.


 I think it would be a very good idea to choose one of these options (or both with instructions to use the one with the lowest net cost), or another option,  and put it to a vote of the SLOB at the October meeting.


Going forward I can see many more mentors wanting to travel after the summit. Having a stated policy in place would help things move more smoothly in the future.


Caryl (aka GrannieB)



________________________________
From: IAEP <iaep-bounces at lists.sugarlabs.org> on behalf of Ignacio Rodríguez <ignacio at sugarlabs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2018 1:05:02 PM
To: samsongoddy at gmail.com
Cc: iaep at lists.sugarlabs.org; sugar-devel at lists.sugarlabs.org; SLOBs
Subject: Re: [IAEP] [SLOB] motion regarding GSoC mentor travel

Hello.
I'm not trying to be mean or something, but wondering who is he meeting from SugarLabs?

> (to visit some Sugar Labs people and his cousin in DC.)

Greetings,
Ignacio.-

On Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 4:20 PM Samson Goddy <samsongoddy at gmail.com<mailto:samsongoddy at gmail.com>> wrote:
Seconded,

I believe that members should  use opportunities like Gsoc to Meetup fellow members.


Regards

On Tue, Sep 18, 2018, 8:17 PM Walter Bender <walter.bender at gmail.com<mailto:walter.bender at gmail.com>> wrote:
Background: Google has provided SL with $3000 towards mentor travel to the October summit. ($3300 - the SFC 10%) although we have yet to receive $1100 of the funds. We have also received $5400 in mentor "stipends" ($6000 - the SFC 10%). As you may recall, we are sending three people, Devin, Jaskirat, and Shrivank. Only Jaskirat is traveling internationally, so the best estimate is that the travel will come in on budget. As we did last year, we could apply some of the mentor stipend $$ to cover any overruns. (Note we have already approved a previous motion to approve a travel advance for Jaskirat to attend the Google Summer of Code mentor summit in October 2018. [1])

The SFC estimates a cost increase in Jaskirat's ticket of $400-$500 due to his intention to travel some while in the States (to visit some Sugar Labs people and his cousin in DC.) Jaskirat is paying for his domestic travel, but the round trip in and out of SF is apparently less expensive, hence the need for SLOB approval. IMHO, we should be extending opportunities for community members whenever possible.

Motion: To approve the additional cost associated with Jaskirat's ticket to and from the GSoC summit as calculated by the SFC. If for some reason the total budget for GSoC summit travel exceeds $3000, we can apply Jaskirat's and my share of the GSoC mentor stipend to cover the overrun.

This is somewhat timely as tickets need to be purchased.

regards.

-walter

[1] http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2018-August/055603.html

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Brett Smith via RT <approvals at tix.sfconservancy.org<mailto:approvals at tix.sfconservancy.org>>
Date: Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 12:58 PM
Subject: Re: [sfconservancy.org<http://sfconservancy.org> #1845] Additional US flight expenditures for Jaskirat Singh
To: <holt at laptop.org<mailto:holt at laptop.org>>
Cc: <sugar at sfconservancy.org<mailto:sugar at sfconservancy.org>>



On 09/18/2018 12:46 PM, Adam Holt via RT wrote:

On Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 12:21 PM, Brett Smith via RT <approvals at tix.sfconservancy.org<mailto:approvals at tix.sfconservancy.org>> wrote:
Adam and team,

Jaskirat Singh is planning additional travel in the US after the GSoC mentor summit. Some of it is personal,

Hi Brett,

Travel funds for the GSoC mentor summit do not include personal side trips.

Adam,

Yes, to be clear, our travel policy states: “Travelers may seek approval to book travel itineraries that include extra days for personal reasons, so long as the cost of the flight meets the other requirements of this Policy.” Additional expense just for personal reasons isn’t permitted, and if that was the case here, I would’ve declined without even asking you. The planned meetings with other collaborators meant it was at least potentially project-related, so that’s why I checked.

I’ll work with him to see what he wants to do but I won’t book additional travel with him unless/until you tell me otherwise.

Thanks for your prompt response,

--
Brett Smith


--
Walter Bender
Sugar Labs
http://www.sugarlabs.org
<http://www.sugarlabs.org>
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