Minutes of the SIPB Meeting of 2025-02-10 The meeting was called to order at 19:35 by innaavo. In attendance were Student keyholders: innaavo, rgabriel, suufi, psvenk, arjunjb, aabreu, alwinfy, colclark, dtemkin, turino14, nmorgan Associate keyholders: almonds, jmvidal Members: monicav, skylarh, tarang, ilyag, anhad, guoj1112, petey, johnm2 Guests: '() Administrivia: anhad: Today I met with Akamai and spoke to them; they have a *lot* of hardware and were like "how much do you want/what are you currently using"; I told them some of our part numbers, which are like 15-20 years old, and they were like "we can give you 5-6 year old stuff" which is waaay better than what we currently have. We eventually settled on like 10 servers and about 10 laptops for loaner programs/Linux distros (3-4 year old Lenovos). It won't be happening soon, more like 3-4 weeks to get requisitions through, but we'll have them eventually! anhad: Last week, right after this meeting, we visited the Econ department in W91 and crufted a bunch of machines that were going to be thrown out, which are also newer than what we have! [general positive reception] rgabriel: The Sandia people came and gave a PPT about working here - they also left a QR code in case you're interested in them! innaavo: I think they're still accepting summer internships? alwinfy: Woo! Everyone get that bag Project Reports: psvenk: Hydrant and CourseRoad continue. dtemkin: Did we talk about the CI-Ms? psvenk: I believe so; that should have come under last week's report. dtemkin: If you want a new thing add a PR! aabreu: Did the banner change? dtemkin: Yeah, it changed. Some people complained about the colors. rgabriel: Matrix continues. We put up a poster and fixed some bugs. almonds: LLMs continues. rgabriel and I, we solved the Touchstone login problem after three hours, and then we realized there were commits to the server frontend that would have fixed the issue and will be included in the next release. So now anyone with Touchstone can log into LLMS-DEV-0. almonds: FPGAs, we'd like a new server for the FPGA project, with enough space to plug in our Kintex FPGA. We'll need a 5U case, or an open rack case might work better. I'll share the budget plan in Town Square. It's about $1,500. We're asking for new hardware, because our older hardware has had a lot of annoying problems to address. We can vote on this today or next week. turino14: Essentially for the FPGA project, we're looking for hardware for setting up the FPGA and getting other stuff set up; one thing was potentially a server allocation - we can tap the alumni allocations for it. We're considering it but not proposing it yet, it's about ~$1500-$2000. monicav: I think we're looking to get a nice CPU so we can run Vivado/synthesis at a reasonable speed - it's all CPU stuff. ilyag: Ark continues. skylarh: Eventful continues. aabreu: DormSoup continues. Over the weekend we switched over from using ChatGPT for content tags to SIPB LLMs. Did some tests over the weekend about how DeepSeek would perform to parse events from emails -- did pretty well but sometimes it got confused and thougth MacG was the organizer, but I don't think the emails are tagged when DormSoup gets them so it should be okay. rgabriel: Have you fixed the bug where the event shows up twice when someone bumps the chain? psvenk: Are you using LLaMa or DeepSeek? aabreu: We're currently using LLaMa for content tags but we're trying to use DeepSeek via OpenWeb AI but [??]. turino14: HWOps continues! We cleaned the SMR last week - looks like a different place now. anhad helped with inventorying the new servers - shoutout to anhad also for making contact with Akamai! suufi: OpenGrades continues, at 2200 users and 4k total reviews. A little funny marketing campaign in Stata helped to get a number of people signed up. anhad: I saw that. colclark: Stop postering in the banana lounge!!!! dtemkin: Who's gonna stop us? colclark: Me! dtemkin: Please. innaavo: We're so scared!! suufi: I fixed a sustainability issue for later years - you'll have to upload grade reports to maintain access to aggregate grade reports for classes. It's not fair to leech off data other people gave, so now people have to contribute. innaavo: The planning for SIPB CPW will start soonish? If anyone wants to help with that. I started a Google doc. I'm planning to do a server room tour (of course), the Python Bee... alwinfy: We gotta nerf it this time! colclark: That's not the only thing that's too hard innaavo: Some kind of Q&A too. I was hoping to have that last like 90 minutes and then lead into a fun event, like game night or poker night? A computer game? turino14: Tetris! innaavo: Or a movie. skylarh: Hackathon? innaavo: Ehhhhhhhh. I don't know about work. rgabriel: Don't use prefrosh as free labor! nmorgan: How many events? innaavo: As many as we can, low budget -- like a movie night -- only popcorn. nmorgan: Bring your own popcorn movie night? innaavo: Not that low budget... aabreu: We did a Q&A "what is SIPB"/"what are our projects" last time. Maybe again this time? rgabriel: If we need money for an event that's going to make people want to come to MIT, we could ask petey. innaavo: That's just on the horizon so you might be getting messages from me (or some new SIPB member I recruit). Or you could help. Please please please. Other: ilyag: I noticed some of the oranges got a bit moldy! Good oranges to the fridge, moldy ones in the trash. rgabriel: Some people will just take the moldy part off moldy cheese and eat the rest. innaavo: Yeah I think we should toss the 'pristine' ones too. ilyag: They look okay. I ate a couple. innaavo: Also, please keep the office clean! I'm going to keep reminding us. rgabriel: Weekly reminder to not work for Dell. guoj1112: During WebLab 2024, I created a project that ended up pretty chaotic, which was called the "name project". You enter your first and last names and it tells you how common each of your names is. I'm proposing to make it a SIPB project. almonds: My OpenPGP key expires next year - I actually forgot my password at some point, and I was scared I was going to have to replace it, so I learned to use Jack the Ripper and managed to crack my own password with it. It's the same password that unlocks my LUKS-encrypted laptop, too - it made me feel so insane, I'm certain I tried that password many times! Like how you have a weird dream, wake up, and only realized how absurd it was after waking up. I hope these recent events [politics] are all just a bad dream. suufi: Does anyone know if it's possible to get all the syllabi from classes? I know S^3 has some? dtemkin: You could ask the Undergrad admins? suufi: I don't know. tarang: They have, like, a table of late policies and S^3. Not a database. suufi: So it's not a database? tarang: Not that I know of - it's not formatted in any parseable way. suufi: SIPB project for S^3? petey [in chat]: Undergraduate administrators are required to collect syllabi from instructors within the first few weeks of every semester. dtemkin: You can try ugadmins. We emailed them before for Hydrant so you can try that. They've given us their special subject info before. Or the undergraduate advising center (which is on that mailing list). Other Other: tarang: I hate C dtemkin: It's not that bad?????? tarang: I'm in Secure Hardware Design-- dtemkin: You got into the class!! tarang: I'm a Master's student!!!! dtemkin: It's so limited... tarang: You salty?? dtemkin: Yes suufi: SIPB matching service based on all the other algorithms-- innaavo: No!! dtemkin: DataMatch is sooner than you think! rgabriel: This semester, I'm forming my opinion on LISP. petey [in chat]: Last night, Kendrick strongly suggested he has evidence that Drake killed XXXTentacion and I wont rest until he releases the clip. The meeting was adjourned at 20:00. EC Election: innaavo: Let's first start by talking about the positions and what they entail, and then we will make nominations. innaavo: As Chair, there's a lot of administrative duties you do - mostly emails and scheduling meetings and running those meetings and running these weekly meetings, is mainly also the big thing? You also have to be pretty sociable - whenever there's a new person, talk to them and get them introduced. Also knowing what other people are doing, so you know who to talk to when someone needs help. psvenk: I'm the current Vice-Chair - the Vice-Chair manages the day to day operations of SIPB, whether that comes to keeping the office in order, running hackathons and other events, and performing administrative goals that support the Chair, like running meetings in the Chair's absence and advising them. alwinfy: You're also in charge of the SMR and the Projects DB. psvenk: Yeah - you can outsource these (I've done it for the SMR), but those are the traditional roles. rgabriel: I'm the treasurer! The Treasurer's main goal is to execute spending money - placing orders and forwarding RFPs. Also to make sure that the money is spent democratically and responsibly by making sure allocations correspond to expenses; this year I think there's going to be more need for proper budgeting and planning ahead, now that things are costing more (because AI!) alwinfy: I'm the long-suffering secretary (which should endear you to the role). I'm basically responsible for any roles that the Chair chooses to delegate to me (which has vacillated significantly over recent years). I'm also in charge of membering and keyholdering people, as well as taking the meeting minutes (whcih you're reading right now). Though I'm not taking this particular line of minutes because someone else is doing it for me. And generally, type fast and pay attention to things, and be willing to show up to meetings. And don't have any compunctions about being in the shadow government. almonds: The last part is important. Your typing speed may also improve over your time as secretary. psvenk: And deteriorate after your term as secretary is complete. nmorgan: I'm a member-at-large! You sit there and look pretty. Jokes aside, you're involved in the EC, so you have some say and get to hear about what's going on in the club before other stuff does. It's a less intensive role than other stuff on the EC but if you do want to get involved it's a good way to get your toes wet. innaavo: Do know we have monthly meetings, usually scheduled one hour before the main meetings; psvenk: That one hour is the strict requirement, once a month, so we can discuss various things. NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR CHAIR psvenk: I nominate innaavo innaavo: I decline innaavo: I nominate turino14 psvenk: Seconded turino14: I accept innaavo: I nominate psvenk colclark, alwinfy: Seconded psvenk: I accept psvenk: I nominate colclark colclark: I decline psvenk: I nominate nmorgan aabreu: Seconded nmorgan: I accept nmorgan: I nominate rgabriel psvenk: Seconded rgabriel: Question about the Constitution: if you become associate keyholder during your term, what happens? alwinfy: There will be a snap election. rgabriel: In that case, I accept. turino14: I nominate alwinfy nmorgan: Seconded alwinfy: I'll take it, then nmorgan: I nominate aabreu psvenk: Seconded aabreu: I decline nmorgan: Raise your hand if you wanna be chair! [no hands raised] psvenk: I nominate dtemkin dtemkin: The fuck????? alwinfy: Seconded alwinfy: You have to accept or reject it. dtemkin: I said no! Nominees: turino14, psvenk, nmorgan, rgabriel, alwinfy QUESTIONING OF CANDIDATES FOR CHAIR innaavo: Should we go in the order of nominations? I don't think we need to spend more than 10 minutes on questioning. aabreau: per person? [laughter] innaavo: This is a question that everyone should answer: Why do you want to be chair? What makes you think you're the best candidate? turino14: Alright, I guess I'll begin by saying that I think that SIPB is very close to my heart - I've been here the last two years and I've treasured how impactful the SIPB work is to the MIT community, and I want SIPB to prosper and grow as a great organization. I really am very motivated to get SIPB growing more, and I think I have several ideas I can expand on on ways we can improve. Regardless of who is the chair, I think there's a lot of stuff that can be done, and whoever it is, I think they can help improve SIPB. psvenk: I agree with everything turino14 said, and I think - I can't speak to why you should vote for me over other people, but here's what I believe I bring to the table: I have two years of experience in administration of SIPB, writing emails and running events, as the previous chairs can attest; I have a lot of passion for SIPB, it's something I really love about MIT, and I'd love to see it grow. nmorgan: SIPB has had a very close place to my heart for the year and a half I've been in it - it's an amazing opportunity, and a fantastic place to grow. I have led a variety of different organizations - Enterpreneur Cohortship in my high school, Hyades and Ark here in SIPB. I'd love to see it grow. I *don't* see myself as chair, but I do see someone else as chair - I've yapped your ears off to say that I think psvenk should be chair! rgabriel: I think, as has been echoed multiple times, I think SIPB is a great orgaization both for members and the community -- we do a lot of great services. I would like to refine the relationships we have with IS&T and with other clubs and student organizations (e.g. Admissions); I would like to see if I can talk to various alumni and current students to find interested people in some of the projects that have not been as maintained. I would also like to prioritize continuity of projects (documentation), like docs, as turino14 has been working on. These also sound like vice chair things so I can also say "vote psvenk, and I'll run for vice chair!" alwinfy: Hi, all! I have not been composing a speech in my head as I have been typing. As aforementioned by everyone else: I have been a passionate member for 2.5 years (!). (Hydrant, door sign, etc.). I've also taken a fairly decent administrative role in the past. While I can't in all honesty say that I'm the best person on the docket, but I do want to say that I'd make a pretty good chair because I have a lot of dedication to SIPB and can keep it steered and keep it running as a well-oiled machine. Vote psvenk. [laughter] psvenk: I don't even think I'm the best candidate! alwinfy: No good candidate ever thinks they're the best! inaaavo: Does anyone have a question? colclark: We also have one minute left. innaavo: I don't care! innaavo: Quickly, rattle of your main goal. turino14: Main goal for chair: I think for SIPB to be more integrated -- the different projects. Like the main goal of EC in general should be to faciliate the different projects on the many things they may be strong on and improve communication. For example, a big thing sbould be how do we get more members? We should be more aggresively promoting SIPB. There's a lot of people that can definitely benefit and impact the MIT community but maybe they don't know of SIPB yet or other reasons and we should find ways to keep making outreach and getting the word out. I want to be active in SIPB, whether I'm Chair or not, but I want to make it easier for new people to make their initiatives go through. I'm going to be really... I have 5 classes and UROP and I want to be active on SIPB, regardless of whether I'm chair or not, so normally I want to delegate a lot of stuff, but I also want to make it easier for members and any keyholder to make their initiatives come through. For example, xy brought up the reading groups, so if someone wants to bring forward the reading group, how to make it happen. Essentially, I want to make SIPB more integrated and ?? and not just in software engineering, I'm also thinking about people who are not just interested in the open software but also great ideas and researching and I'll wrap up. innaavo: yeah thank you so much psvenk: The point about cohesion is something I didn't think of - I think it's really important to make SIPB be more presentable as a unified club/make our structure more apparent without enforcing conformity, and make anyone be able to jump into any project with a clear path. What I wanted to say is related - on outreach, and on things like buying new hardware and improving what we have - I think we've made great strides in the past two years! Look at how many people we have in the room right now! It's a success compared to previously, but of course we have some ways to go. So maintaining that trajectory, making sure we continue to draw people at CPW/REX, and making sure we have all the hardware/software necessary to make sure all our projects are satisfied. nmorgan: Echoing the same sentiments - I think public outreach is a more important part; I've been thinking about "what is SIPB?" Talking about posters, dormspam, having a tablecloth in Lobby 7 - I'd love to get a targeted outreach campaign going - what is SIPB? What is the Fuzzball? Asking questions. rgabriel: I think one of my goals would be to revive projects such as Scripts, and through some interactions in the office we are realizing what's need is not just needed in coding, but organizing people, such as finding people with specific knowledge and pairing them in a (Jitsi) room with interested members, to make sure that things happen. There's a lot of very busy alumni, but with the right proposals I think it could actually happen. [discussion about minutes] alwinfy: I think the thing I would prioritize more in chair is sort of tackling the issue of long term growth and finding because our budget has been slashed considerably in the last 5-10 years and something I really want to put our focus on is at least stretching it a bit if not getting it allocated back up to levels that are more consistent wiht volumes of members that we have now. More logistic than what others have mentioned but also the invest in outreach and infra. I have a fair few ideas like more on postering, dormspamming, holding events, maybe shed a bit of our reputation as a nerds' club for nerds. I've worked on this in the past, I've been at CPW/REX tables, etc. I'd like to continue that. psvenk: Question: what other commitments do you have? turino14: I have 5 classes and a UROP and a frat psvenk: I'm taking 6 classes and doing a UROP, but if elected chair, I'll definitely make time for SIPB as I always have. I won't take 6 classes next year, but I did want to give the full disclosure. nmorgan: I'm doing [shows a very full schedule] colclark: Is that Ark? nmorgan: I'm in 4 classes and on the board of directors for the COOP, I'm taking a UROP and a spring internship, and in Uplift. rgabriel: I'm doing 54 units, 6 of which are GEL, so that's the equivalent of 4.5 classes, and I'm also the DormCon and dining chair. And tech chair. alwinfy: I've got 5 classes. That's about it. [psvenk is elected as Chair] alwinfy: Was that ever in doubt? nmorgan: Never saw this coming. NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR VICE-CHAIR innaavo: I'd like to nominate turino14. psvenk: Seconded turino14: I accept nmorgan: I nominate alwinfy innaavo, psvenk: Seconded alwinfy: I accept psvenk: Any nominations for anything in SIPB have to be seconded alwinfy: I nominate psvenk as tribute psvenk: You can't do that nmorgan: I nominate rgabriel. innaavo: I second. rgabriel: I accept colclark: I nominate nmorgan innaavo: Seconded nmorgan: I accept nmorgan: Raise your hand if you wanna be vice-chair [no one raises hands] psvenk: I nominate arjunjb arjunjb: I decline Candidates: turino14, alwinfy, rgabriel, nmorgan QUESTIONING OF CANDIDATES FOR VICE-CHAIR innaavo: Since the candidates are a subset of last time, let's ask if they have anything more to add. turino14: Refer to prior; I also think I'd be a very active vice-chair. alwinfy: OK, so refer to prior. I also think I would like the vice chair role more becuase I would like to have a role where I could do more delegation and fiddling with the low level bits. I've been doing things like snack runs last year, and hackathons. It's not exactly the Vice-Chair's purview but I'd be happy to take it on as part as the mantle. rgabriel: Same as what I said for Chair - I'd like to prioritize different relationships with orgs at MIT, as well as alumni and maintaining continuity of projects and efforts. [merging other versions of each speech] nmorgan: Cool beans. Everything said previously; I really love this club, honestly, and I think I'd love to help; I think a really cool part of vice-chair is listening, and I've gotten the opportunity to listen to a lot of other guys; as vice-chair, I hope to extend that listening ear into action and shape the club. innaavo: Good, good, good. Any other comments before we go onto voting? innaavo: Alright, *get out*! [turino14 is elected as Vice-Chair] NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR TREASURER rgabriel: I nominate myself turino14, aabreu, alwinfy: Seconded rgabriel: I decline. dtemkin: I nominate innaavo alwinfy: Seconded innaavo: I accept colclark: I nominate arjunjb arjunjb: I decline colclark: I don't care, I could leave right now innavo: I nominate nmorgan colclark, psvenk: Seconded nmorgan: I decline. psvenk: I nominate alwinfy alwinfy: I decline. I don't know how to handle money psvenk: You said that last year too alwinfy: I nominate dtemki-- dtemkin: No innaavo: I nominate aabreu aabreu: I decline rgabriel: I nominate alwinfy again dtemkin: I second his double-nomination alwinfy: I decline again colclark: I nominate colclark nmorgan: Seconded colclark: I accept nmorgan: Why do you even want the position?? colclark: So I can defund you for postering in the Banana Lounge nmorgan: Nobody vote for this man guoj1112: who is eligible for nomination? innaavo: keyholders Candidates: innaavo, nmorgan, colclark QUESTIONING OF CANDIDATES FOR TREASURER psvenk: Why do you wanna be Treasurer? Why should we trust you with SIPB funds? What's your thoughts on embezzlement? innaavo: I feel like - numbers and money, and I'm a math major! It just makes sense. It would keep me involved in SIPB more; I was chair last time, so I wouldn't do that; on embezzlement - [redacted]. I won't do it. nmorgan: Just trust me bro colclark: Hello, my name's colclark I've been coming to SIPB recently. I have experiences as ASA president & groups chair, have allocated hundreds of thousands of dollars, setting up donations & accounts; I've dealt with pretty large amounts. Don't trust me, just make sure psvenk does the job correctly. What are my thoughts on embezzling? I don't think I could beat SIPB's ability to embezzle. I have two shell clubs for embezzling anyway so it's not like I need this one. alwinfy: Question for the class: Do you think you would be able to budget well given our increasing monetary pressure in recent years? innaavo: I guess so? Bro kind of has a stacked resumé if you ask me. I don't really know the deal with the technical side of hardware stuff, so I don't know the specifics. Regarding events planning, though, I've already been working on a budget for SIPB-W - we've spent a lot of money in the past. But to be honest I also have a lot of commitments this semester. colclark: I could say the banana lounge is actually dealing with increased banana prices; I think I'd have a pretty good idea of how to make/adapt/scale a budget to the moon. I have a reasonable number of time commitments in terms of Colin time commitments, iykyk. rgabriel: What counts as reasonable? colclark: Don't worry about it [innaavo is elected as Treasurer] nmorgan: And the treasurer is.... psvenk: We've decided that the new treasurer will be nmorgan. psvenk: No actually it's innaavo NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR SECRETARY guoj1112: is this the end? nmorgan: I wish psvenk: I nominate colclark colclark: Fuck no turino14: I nominate dtemkin dtemkin: No!! No!!! nmorgan: I nominate rgabriel innaavo: Seconded. rgabriel: I decline tarang: I nominate alwinfy turino14: Seconded alwinfy: Ask me again if there are no other candidates turino14: I nominate aabreu aabreu: I decline dtemkin: I double nominate alwinfy. alwinfy: I decline, again. dtemkin: I triple nominate alwinfy. alwinfy: I DECLINE. rgabriel: I nominate suufi alwinfy: Seconded suufi: I decline [discussion about almonds] innaavo: I think we've nominated every single person psvenk: I nominate alwinfy. alwinfy: I decline. nmorgan: are we sure about you declining? alwinfy: I'm not fucking doing this for another year innaavo: I nominate rgabriel again! alwinfy: Real talk, I'm willing to contingent on there being Vice-Secretaries (who I select). guoj1112: I'm also willing to help out with typing! alwinfy: If we are willing to do that, otherwise God rest my soul rgabriel: I'll run if alwinfy's my Vice-Secretary alwinfy: I said at the very start if someone else is running I'm dropping out alwinfy: You all just want me for my typing speed. psvenk: we should follow the constitution skylarh: do i have to get up again? alwinfy: I'm not on the ballot! colclark: I nominate myself. Just don't vote for me. I just want to go home innaavo: but wait [discussion about who to put on the ballot] Candidates: rgabriel QUESTIONING OF CANDIDATES FOR SECRETARY '() [rgabriel is elected as Secretary] psvenk: We have elected alwinfy as Secretary! alwinfy: I FUCKING SWEAR TO GOD NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR MEMBER-AT-LARGE jmvidal, aabreu, arjunjb: I decline 7 remaining candidates: [alwinfy, amigdal, colclark, dtemkin, nmorgan, suufi, xy] QUESTIONING OF CANDIDATES FOR MEMBER-AT-LARGE '() [alwinfy, colclark, dtemkin, nmorgan, suufi are elected as Members-at-Large] EC election adjourned at 21:33. Minutes taken by alwinfy, innaavo, almonds, tarang, psvenk, suufi, guoj1112, ilyag and submitted by alwinfy.