This page is part of an archive and is available for historical reference only; for information on recent and upcoming Minicons, please visit www.mnstf.org/minicon/

Information on these pages may not reflect current Minicon and Minn-StF policies, functions, contact info, etc.

For information about the Minnesota Science Fiction Society, the organization that has been putting on Minicon since 1968, please visit www.mnstf.org.

Minicon Operations
Ranger Training
Notes

 

 

 

"You can call spirits from the vasty deep. Dial 7215.
Are we friendly spirits? Friendly? Read on!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revised by

Donald J. Bailey

March 30, 1998

Reviewed by

Fiona Anderson,
Loren Botner,
Rhonda Danielson,

Rachael Hoffman-Dachelet
Karen Johnson,

Kathy Lowery,
Linda Paul,

Cat Ocel,
Martin Schaffer,

Laura Lochen

 

 

Table of Contents

 

1. Introduction

2. Glossary

3. Definition of a Minicon Ranger

4. Minimum Ranger Requirements

5. Relationships with Other Departments

6. Job Summary

7. Ranger Assignments

8. Ranger Shifts:

9. Clothing and Equipment:

10. Minicon Resources

11. Chain of Command

12. Dealing with People Problems

12.1 Warnings

12.2 Handling Complaints

13. COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

13.1 2-way Radios -

14. Emergency Procedures

14.1 Life Threatening Medical Emergencies

14.2 Other Medical Problems

14.3 Non-Medical Emergency Procedures:

14.4 LOST CHILDREN

15. Situations and Responses:

15.1 Noise

15.2 Public drumming

15.3 Smoking in Non-Smoking Areas, particularly elevators

15.4 Sleepers in the Public Areas

15.5 Information Request

15.6 Non-Badged Individuals

15.7 Lost and Found

15.8 First Aid

15.9 Sex in the ConSuite/Public Areas

15.10 Unusually rude behavior

15.11 Sexual Harassment

15.12 Rowdy and unsupervised Children

15.13 Violence

15.14 Weapons

15.14.1 Weapons Policy

15.15 Hotel issues

15.15.1 Pool/Whirlpool

15.15.2 Dealing with the Radisson Staff

15.16 Underage Drinking:

15.17 Pets -

15.18 Press

15.19 Volunteers in need

16. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  1. Introduction

    2. This is written for people who will be Minicon Rangers. It defines requirements and duties of the Rangers. It describes equipment, resources, and suggested behavior for possible situations. It cannot cover everything, but we hope it will help you, to help us, have an outstanding convention.

    It is our goal to explain the reasons behind the rules. We are always interested in improvements. It is easier to evaluate changes if the reasons for the old way and new way can be compared.

  2. Glossary

    3. Badger A volunteer who sits at an assigned position and checks badges.

    Bridge, The The communications center for Operations.

    Committee A card game played by three people in two teams of two. Known to the outside world as Contract Bridge.

    Deaf Cow n An in-joke taken from an off-hand comment and translated to high farce based on too many nuclear thrillers.
    Deaf Cow 5 Peace. Boredom. This is good.
    Deaf Cow 4 Calm. Normal daytime activity.
    Deaf Cow 3 Busy. Normal evening activity.
    Deaf Cow 2 Serious situation. May involve Police. This is bad.
    Deaf Cow 1 Emergency. No more jokes. This is very bad. Don’t go here.

    EMS Bloomington’s Emergency Medical System.

    EMTs Emergency Medical Technicians from the EMS.

    Exec The top level leadership of the convention. It may be one person or a team.

    Hotel Security The Radisson’s security personnel, sometimes called "Loss Prevention."

    In-joke A community and team building device, usually a reference to some shared knowledge or experience. If you don’t understand the joke, please ask.

    Life Support A Minicon department with people trained in CPR and first aid.

    Log, The Our record of Operations related events at Minicon.

    Mpls in 73 An idea whose time has come, and gone, and gotten silly. It was originally a bid for the 1973 World Science Fiction Convention, but we forgot to stop.

    Ops A common abbreviation for Operations.

    Talk-to List A list of people who have caused trouble in the past.

  3. Definition of a Minicon Ranger

    4. A Ranger is the "eyes and ears" of Minicon. A Ranger is a type of "convention host," focused on maintaining a safe, friendly environment at Minicon. Rangers should be "people" persons.

    The attitude and appearance of the Rangers has a large, subtle effect on the emotional atmosphere of the convention. We want to encourage friendly relaxation.

    We use the name "Ranger" because it is a neutral, non-threatening term not used by any other department. Minicon Rangers are not part of any military or para-military organization associated with any country, planet, or space station.

  4. Minimum Ranger Requirements

We want Rangers who can deal effectively with members of Minicon and with non-members such as Police, the Emergency Medical System, and the press. If you do not meet the above criteria, you may need special training or a different job. The Head of Operations has the final authority to approve Rangers.

 

  1. Relationships with Other Departments

    2. Respect the other departments’ right to deal with their problems. Usually, you can help best by fulfilling your "eyes and ears" function. Help find someone or something. Enable communication. We want the other people who work on Minicon to see us as an asset that helps everyone succeed.

    Report significant problems to the Bridge for logging and dispatch. Significant problems are any problems where we may want documentation or where multiple departments are involved. Problems involving the hotel or hotel charges, such as damage to property, are always significant. If you can also improve communication by talking directly with an affected department, please do, but tell the Bridge.

  2. Job Summary

Guidelines on specific situations are given in the "Situations and Responses:" chapter. This is a summary.

You are to patrol your assigned area looking any of the following:

In all situations you need to look for badge name(s) and/or number(s); also, please try to get a physical description of the member/participant/perpetrator. You can record your observations in the notebook provided and/or report the event to the Bridge to be immediately logged. All events in your notebook need to be logged by the end of your shift.

All of this information is invaluable for the purposes of identifying problems and for problem resolution. Please remember, you may be requested to file an Incident Report.

Be prepared to answer questions and provide directions. If you can make the convention a better, safer, more friendly place, go for it.

  1. Ranger Assignments

    2. North Ranger - Circulates through all floors of the North Tower (Plaza Tower), 1st floor lobbies, 2nd floor hallway and Great Hall.

    South Ranger - Circulates through all floors of the South Tower (Radisson Tower), elevator bank (1st and 2nd floors), and Great Hall.

    Garden Ranger - Circulates through the Garden Court, Pool, Jacuzzi, Con Suite and Dark Star. Give attention to the open parties and convention function spaces.

    Roving Ranger - Circulates throughout the entire Radisson Hotel, particularly the first floor areas.

    Con Suite Ranger – A Ranger who works in and around the con suite.

    Floating Ranger – A Ranger whose service can be needed anywhere and should be willing to respond to any area as required. Area(s) will be assigned at the beginning of the shifts.

    Alternative Ranger - An individual scheduled either to cover another Ranger’s shift if they fail to appear, or to be assigned in times of need. If there is no need for this additional Ranger during the shift, they will receive an hour of volunteer credit or they may choose to be a Runner for full credit.

  2. Ranger Shifts:

    3. Rangers work a 3 hour shift, staggered by 1.5 hours from all other positions in Operations. This is to reduce the chaos of shift turnover and to facilitate problem resolution. Rangers are requested to be at the Bridge at least 15 minutes before their assigned shift. This allows time for the Ranger Head on duty to brief the Rangers on situations or changes, disburse Ranger equipment, and answer questions.

  3. Clothing and Equipment:

    4. Rangers will be issued a vest while on duty. It is to be worn over street clothes. The purpose of the vest is to make Rangers uniformly visible without looking oppressive. Rangers should wear comfortable, casual apparel that allows freedom of movement. You will be doing a lot of walking. Look relaxed and dress to make others feel relaxed. There are people at Minicon who will feel uneasy when they encounter someone dressed in military apparel, even if it is just camouflage pants or a fantasy uniform. Please avoid this mistake.

    Rangers will be issued carryall bag. It will contain a notebook and writing implement, lengths of cord to be given to people who need to peace bond their weapons, latex or vinyl gloves and minor First aid kit.

    Rangers will be issued a two-way radio with an optional headset. It is used to communicate to Operations Dispatch and the Head or Sub Head on Duty.

  4. Minicon Resources

    5. The Bridge has extra personnel, office supplies, and the Operations log.

    The Life Support group is staffed with people trained first aid and CPR and can normally reach any place on the first or second floor in two minutes or less. You should defer to them on medical and First aid issues.

    Minicon has assigned Lifeguards to the pool area. The Lifeguard on duty is in charge of the pool area.

    In the evenings, we have professional security guards watching the Art Show and Dealer’s Room. We also have a non-uniformed professional security person in the Con Suite during peak hours. If you work this area, ask to be introduced.

    The Radisson has its own security personnel and a very efficient staff.

    A large percentage of Minicon members has been coming for many years and would be willing to help if approached properly. Sometimes, the Mpls in ’73 suite will give out stickers according to how many years people have come to Minicon. Anyone with a lot of those stickers will be a good resource.

  5. Chain of Command

These are the levels of authority relevant to Rangers and problem solving at the convention.

  1. Minicon Executive Committee (Eric Baker, Victor Raymond, Martin Schafer) They will be on duty in shifts so that one is always available. They can be reached electronically. Call the Bridge.
  2. Operations Head on Duty (Linda Paul, Cat Ocel, Loren Botner, Don Bailey) They will be on duty in shifts so that one is always available. They will usually be on the Bridge or can be reached from there. Linda Paul has final authority at this level.
  3. Operations Sub-Heads (Tom Keely, Rhonda Danielson, Dave Potter, Laura Lochen, Nadim Khalidi, Stephanie Lindorff, Rachel Hoffman-Dachelet, and Doug Kirks) They will be on duty in shifts so that two are always available. They can be reached by calling the Bridge. Some Sub-Heads will have special assignments. The on-duty Heads of other Minicon departments may substitute at this authority level within the context of their departments.
  4. Rangers and Operations support staff.
  1. Dealing with People Problems

There will be about 3500 people at Minicon. Between 10 and 20 of them will create disruptive, unpleasant situations far out of proportion to their numbers. Fortunately, they are even less organized than we are!

We have several ways to respond when people misbehave:

  1. Discussion. Explain the problem and what needs to be done to resolve it. Most problems can be handled by discussion. This is always the preferred first response.
  2. Warning. A warning is official notice that a person’s behavior is unacceptable and may be cause for ejection. See the extended discussion below.
  3. Conversion of drinking badge to non-drinking badge. This must be done by a Sub-Head or higher. It must be done on the Bridge and may be in effect for one night or the remainder of the convention. This option is used for people we suspect of having drinking problem. It can be a face-saving compromise for someone threatened with ejection.
  4. Loss of badge for the night. This must be done by the Ops Head or Exec on Duty. It is a common response when someone is seriously intoxicated and somewhat disruptive. It is also a response to someone not currently in charge of their emotions. The Ops head or Exec has the option of sending the person home in a Minicon-paid cab.
  5. Ejection. An ejection may be recommended by Rangers, Sub-Heads, or Department heads but must be approved by the Operations Head or Exec on Duty. This gives the person one last chance to convert to option c or d and reform. Anyone ejected goes on the Talk-To list.
  6. Physical ejection. If there is a need to physically remove someone, Hotel Security will be responsible for it. They will determine if the Police are required. If the Police become involved before Hotel Security, we will inform Hotel Security as soon as possible.
    1. Warnings

      2. On the third warning, the person’s membership is revoked and their name goes on the Talk-To list for next year. People on the Talk-To list must have the approval of Operations to register for Minicon. All warnings must be recorded in the Operations Log. Rangers may issue warnings and these warnings may be appealed to the Sub-Head or Operations Head on duty. People must be told of the option to appeal. Warnings may be issued for abusive language or significant lack of cooperation.

    2. Handling Complaints

As a host, you are the right person to receive complaints about the convention. We want people to feel that we listen to them. If possible, we want to find a solution that satisfies everyone. If satisfaction is not possible, we want people to feel their complaint is heard and considered. Suggested improvements or changes should be written in your note book or passed directly to the affected department. If you direct the complainer to someone else, try to avoid the situation where they get passed from person to person several times. If you see them again, ask if the problem was resolved. For specific issues, see "Situations and Responses:."

 

  1. COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

    2.  

    1. 2-way Radios -

These are broadcast devices with a range extending beyond the grounds of the Hotel. There is no way to know who is listening. Please be polite on the air. No foul language. Don’t make the convention sound too exciting. Don’t publicly embarrass anyone. Be brief.

At the start of a shift, report to the Bridge to pick up equipment and get a replacement battery. The old battery will be taken to be recharged. Verify which radio channels to use.

To Operate the Radio:

  1. Hold the radio so that your thumb is over the depress-able panel on the right side of the device. The front of the radio should be facing you.
  2. Holding the radio two to three inches away from your mouth, press the panel firmly with your thumb and speak slowly and clearly. (Remember - Press first, then talk.)
  3. When you have finished talking, release the panel and wait for a response. If a response is not forthcoming, repeat the process.
  4. Limit your use to short conversations and pause frequently to allow responses from other people on the network.
  5. If you need to interrupt other conversations because of an emergency, broadcast "Break! Break! This is <your name here>." Wait for the Dispatcher to respond, then proceed with your message. If you hear someone else say this, stop your conversation immediately and wait for the Dispatcher.

If you need to identify a convention member over the air, use their badge number, not their name. If the have no badge, use a description. This is to avoid publicly embarrassing someone or claims that we did embarrass someone. It is a matter of courtesy.

 

  1. Emergency Procedures

    2. There are three groups set up to deal with emergencies, Minicon, the Radisson Staff, and the city of Bloomington. We prefer to involve these groups in that order. Our Life Support department normally monitors the Bridge radio channel for faster response.

    1. Life Threatening Medical Emergencies

If you believe there is a life threatening emergency:

The Bridge is responsible for calling Minicon Life Support and the Hotel. The Hotel will call 911 when requested. If you cannot get through to the Bridge by radio or phone, try Life Support, or the Hotel as a last resort. If you bypass the normal communication chain, you are responsible for informing the others.

The Radisson Hotel has a dedicated emergency line that may be reached by dialing 55 on any House or room phone. The Hotel operator will call 911 for you immediately and will also take care of informing all other necessary Hotel personnel of the problem. The Bloomington police are also dispatched by 911 on emergency calls. This is why it is important for the Bridge to be informed of any emergency.

Rangers may be dispatched to guide emergency personnel to the location of the problem. Follow the Dispatcher’s directions.

    1. Other Medical Problems

      2. 1) If the person is able to move without distress, escort them to the Life Support staff in Room 102. The Head of Life Support has a key, as do the On Duty Head of Operations and two other people in Life Support.

      2) If the person is unable to move comfortably, call the Bridge via the radio and have them send the Life Support team to the person.

      3) If the person is asleep or unconscious call the Bridge and request the Life Support team come to "check out a sleeper." Wait for our Life Support staff to inform the Bridge if other medical support is needed. Stand by and help with crowd control or in any other capacity as requested by Life Support.

      4) In case of a possible poisoning, Call the Bridge!! They will call the Poison Control Center at 347-3141. If possible, try to determine what substance is suspected of having been ingested. If prescription drugs are involved, get the precise spelling of the drug and the dosage. Try to find out how much was taken.

    2. Non-Medical Emergency Procedures:

      3. Non-medical emergencies include fire, storms, and other problems.

      Follow the instructions of the Hotel staff. If evacuation is required, the Bridge will coordinate activity. If you are the person reporting the problem, try to contact the Bridge before contacting the Hotel. The Bridge always has several people available. It can contact everyone else, including the Hotel. If you contact the Hotel, you still need to contact the Bridge.

    3. LOST CHILDREN

If the child is pre-registered, Registration records should identify the adult responsible for the child at the convention.

Child Care is not always set up to deal with lost children, especially after Child Care closes. This will be the second year of using an idea proposed by one of our young members - The Pied Pipers.

The Pied Pipers are a small group of children ranging in age from 7 to 12 years. They will be headed by an adult, Kayte Norini. Kayte will be providing them with activities and will be taking them to various children’s programming events. The Pied Pipers will be available on a rotational basis to assist with any lost children that are brought to the Bridge and are awaiting pick up by their parents.

They will be available Friday afternoon until approximately 7 PM and then all day Saturday from 8 AM until about 7 PM. Kayte and the Pied Pipers will be available by pager.

  1. Situations and Responses:

    2. Most situations should be resolved by discussion and polite negotiation. Sometimes, it is best to look for a face-saving compromise that still meets the intent of our rules. As the first contact, you should start out with the polite, friendly approach. If a problem escalates, it helps to know that the initial contact was friendly and polite. If you expect a situation to become difficult, call for assistance before you get involved.

    1. Noise

      2. We have no noise restrictions or noise curfew, but complaints should be investigated. We may be able to negotiate with the noise makers, or possibly move the complainer. Call the Bridge for the Sub Head or Head of Operations on Duty if there is a problem.

    2. Public drumming

      3. Ask them to stop. Tell them that Programming has scheduled drum jam events and that drumming in public outside the assigned time and place is considered rude and not allowed. Call the Bridge if you need help.

    3. Smoking in Non-Smoking Areas, particularly elevators

      4. Ask if they are aware this is a non-smoking area. Be prepared to inform them where the nearest smoking area is located. Some of our members are asthmatic or allergic. Even a small amount of smoke can be very bad for them. If they persist in their activity, they can receive an official warning.

    4. Sleepers in the Public Areas

      5. This is a possible medical problem. Attempt to wake them by voice. Don’t shake them or yell at them. If they do not respond, contact the Bridge and request Life Support help. If they do respond, try to find out if they are simply sleeping or are under the influence of a substance. If you suspect, or they confirm that they are under the influence of a substance, ask if they need help. If they decline help, direct them back to their room. If they are a "sleeper," advise them that Minicon and the Radisson cannot tolerate sleeping in a Public Area and direct them to their room. If they have no room, direct them to the film/video room if it is available, a panel, or some other out of the way place.

    5. Information Request

      6. Politely answer all questions of Con members if possible, or direct them to the Information Table in the Great Hall, or the Bridge. In your Ranger pack should be a pocket program and a map of the Radisson.

    6. Non-Badged Individuals

      7. Non-members have a right to eat in the hotel restaurants, visit the hotel bar, and visit individuals in their rooms. They do not have a right to be in our private space. If you see someone with no visible badge, ask them if they are member of the convention. If they typically hide their badge, urge them to wear it more prominently. . It’s friendlier. It’s traditional.

      If they are not a member, offer them the opportunity to buy a membership. Escort them to either Registration, if open, or to the Bridge. If they do not wish to purchase a membership, show them to the Public Areas of the Radisson Hotel. If the non-badged person or persons do not leave Minicon function space, contact the Bridge.

    7. Lost and Found

      8. Direct them to the Bridge. All reports for lost items are taken and filed there. Also, all items that are found will be kept on the Bridge.

    8. First Aid

      9. Call the Bridge and request Life Support. Then, remember the first aid course and take the appropriate action. When Life Support arrives, turn the situation over to them and follow their instructions.

    9. Sex in the ConSuite/Public Areas

      10. Public sex is not acceptable at Minicon even if one of participants is the President of the United States. For this purpose, sex is defined as any activity that is very likely to generate an orgasm or prolonged sexual foreplay exceeding ten minutes. (We picked a time limit to try making enforcement more uniform.) Hugging, kissing, and hand holding are common at Minicon.

    10. Unusually rude behavior

      11. This is a volunteer–run convention. The volunteers, including you, do not deserve to be treated badly. Get an Operations Sub-Head, or another Ranger if no Sub-Head is available, to your location to evaluate the situation. You may evaluate it yourself if you are not directly involved in the incident. If the behavior is clearly unacceptable for Minicon, the uninvolved representative of Operations will issue an official warning.

    11. Sexual Harassment

      12. See above. Sexual harassment could be anything from thoughtless behavior to predatory behavior. Ask how the complainer would like you to proceed. You could log it in case more incidents are reported, you could log it and talk to the problem person, or you could call in Hotel Security if the problem is serious enough. The complainer should be willing to press charges if Hotel Security is called. Try to be objective. Most problems are due to thoughtlessness.

    12. Rowdy and unsupervised Children

      13. Politely ask them to settle down. Ask who and where their parents are. If their activity is clearly unsafe, for their own safety and/or the safety of others, tell them to stop. If they persist, record the badge name/number and contact the Bridge. One effective technique is to tell the children that, "If they do not behave, they will have to stay in Child Care with the little kids."

    13. Violence

      14. Violence is very rare and we want to keep it that way. We don’t want you to get hurt on our behalf. You have a right to protect yourself and others, but any active role you take is your responsibility. Always record badge names/numbers of both witnesses and participants.

      If a violent situation is in progress, you may be able to stop it by telling them to stop in a loud authoritative voice. Look for creative, non-violent solutions. Always get help, call for help, or send someone for help. You have 3000 close personal friends near by.

      If you suspect a situation may get violent, call the Bridge first. Take advantage of nearby resources, like the professional security person in the Con Suite or Hotel Security, and always arrange the situation in your favor.

    14. Weapons

      15. Refer to the Weapons policy, below. If you see someone who is carrying a weapon and it is not peace bonded, politely request that they peace bond their weapon with cord from your Ranger pack. Peace bonding protects them from idiots in the crowd and helps many other people feel more comfortable. If they do not peace bond their weapon, don’t persist, but maintain visual surveillance and contact the Bridge.

      If the weapon is a firearm and looks like the real thing, politely inform them that the Weapons policy does not allow them to carry it. Would they please return the item to their room or car. If they do not want to leave it in their room because they are concerned that it might be stolen, suggest the Radisson Hotel safe. If they do not cooperate, call the Ranger Head on Duty or the Ops Head on Duty.

      1. Weapons Policy

We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable time while at Minicon, so please leave your weapons in your quarters. Otherwise, please adhere to the following policy, or risk being ‘uninvited’ to the convention, without refund from the convention or the hotel.
    1. Use good judgment. Even if it complies with the remaining rules, if it is unsafe or would reduce the enjoyment of others, please don’t do it.
    2. No projectile weapons. If it projects a solid, liquid, gas, or energy with enough force to annoy, it is a projectile weapon.
    3. All weapons must be carried in a sheath, sling, or other container of some kind at all times.
    4. Peace-bonding is required on all weapons. If you don’t have it, we will.
    5. A ‘peace-bonded’ weapon is one tied into its sheath or container with a functional, but decorative binding. It prevents someone else from taking your weapon without permission, and it is a visible sign to everyone that you are a responsible person.
    6. We define weapons to include real weapons (they do what they look like), facsimile weapons (they look real), anything actually used as a weapon (don’t think about it, remember - you’re on a cruise), and anything an otherwise ignorant being would surmise is a weapon.
    7. Notice: Targeting anyone with a laser sighting device is annoying, and considered assault.
    1. Hotel issues
      1. Pool/Whirlpool
        2.

        If there is a question or problem concerning over chlorination of the pool or the whirlpool, call the

        Bridge. They will ask our Hotel Liaison to talk with the Radisson.

      2. Dealing with the Radisson Staff

      If you need to locate anyone on the Radisson Hotel staff, call the Bridge and notify them of the problem. We may need to call the On Duty Head of Hotel first and let them know. They may wish to be present to witness the interaction and/or to discuss interpretation of our contract with the Radisson.

       

    2. Underage Drinking:
  1. If they are of adult age (18-20) they are subject to ejection.
  2. If they are under 18 years of age:
    Get their badge name and number. Escort them to the bridge.
    Have the Bridge contact a responsible parent or guardian/adult at the Radisson

    3. You can explain to them that we must turn them over to a parent, legal guardian, or the local police in order to avoid direct liability. We would prefer to call a parent, but it is up to them.

  3. If they are seen drinking at an open-door party:
    Have the Bridge contact - the On Duty Head of Operations and the On Duty Head of Hotel. Find the host of the party and let them know of the violation. Remind them that the local authorities are really serious about this. The host is legally responsible for keeping minors out of their booze.

If the host is the not the one who is registered for this room, find out who is registered by asking around at the party or by calling the Bridge. The exact nature of the incident should not go out over the radio. Document the room number and the badge numbers of the host (if any), the room holder, and the underage violator. Depending on the age of the violator(s) step 1 or 2 must be followed.

    1. Pets -

      2. The Radisson does not have a pet policy, except when it comes to Minicon. Pets are NOT allowed. This means NO dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, snakes, lizards, fire or otherwise, goats, dragons, Companions, etc.

      What is NOT a pet and is allowed are working animals such as Seeing Eye dogs, Guide dogs, and other Helper or Aid animals, usually dogs. These are usually fairly obvious, with appropriate harness. Some even have logos or signs as part of their apparel stating that they are working animals. The other really good clue is that their owner is usually sight, hearing or physically impaired.

    2. Press

      3. We do not give out free passes to the press (unless a member of the Exec authorizes it). If necessary, call the On Duty Head of Operations to deal with him/her/them. Escort them to the Bridge.

    3. Volunteers in need

If you find a volunteer whose relief is overdue, contact our Volunteers department and ask them to work on the problem. If the Volunteers department cannot be reached by phone, inform the Bridge of the problem and ask that Volunteers be contacted. If a committee member is getting over-stressed, contact our Cuddle Squad department and ask them to help. If you cannot reach Cuddle Squad, ask the Bridge to help. Badgers will be told to report problems to you and that you can make exceptions to the normal entrance rules.

  1. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

WHAT IS MINICON?

Minicon is a regional science fiction convention held by the Minnesota Science Fiction Society (MNSTF).

Minicon is being held this year from April 10th to April 12th at the Radisson South Hotel. Many events are planned this year, including panel discussions, an Art Show and Auction and many other opportunities to meet science fiction fans and professionals from around the country.

 

WHAT IS MNSTF?

The Minnesota Science Fiction Society is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting interest in and information about science fiction literature and providing fans of science fiction with an opportunity to meet with other fans.

CONTACTING PEOPLE AT THE CONVENTION

It is very difficult to locate people at the convention as we have no paging system. Neither does the Radisson. If the person in question is a registered guest at the hotel, they should go through the Radisson Hotel registration to leave a message. Otherwise, we can take the information and get it placed into the Minicon TV/Video System. We can make no guarantees that the person they are tying to reach will see it.