[LGM] LGM 2015

[Gregory Pittman]

I would like to start a discussion on the process for deciding about the
site for LGM 2015. The distance of time gives us an opportunity to
consider how it should best be done, but at the same time, we should be
arriving at LGM 2014 with a clear favorite or favorites, so that the
discussion and decision at LGM 2014 can have the greatest meaning. I
have always felt uncomfortable with the decisions made after the
meetings, since there is some justification to suggestions that the
decision then gets made by a small group.

It would seem to me that we can extrapolate the process we at least
attempted to use for LGM 2014, whereby some future date is set to have
submissions, which can then be vetted for completeness, some additional
time allowed to supply any needed information, and then another meeting
held to narrow down the field to perhaps 1 or 2 finalists.

This should be done in sufficient time that the results can be posted to
this list before LGM 2014, and also there be one or more pages on the
LGM 2014 website which also contains this information for review prior
to the meeting.

One weakness of making "the" decision at LGM 2014 is that we lack the
presence of those who might like to attend LGM 2015 but have not made it
to LGM 2014, so at the least we ought to consider one or more ways to
get input from this collection of people. This could be some sort of
"live" presence, of course, but could also be commentary sent in prior
to the meeting for review by those attending the meeting.

I intentionally haven't put any dates in this proposal, since the
process needs some discussion first.

Greg Pittman