Problem solving:

• COSUG will not be a resource for product support related issues.  Troubleshooting, bug reporting, and subscription service are available from SolidWorks Corporation, SolidWorks VARS, and SolidWorks business partners.
• COSUG will be a resource for sharing practical experience, developing skill, and networking among participants who use SolidWorks.  COSUG meetings are an opportunity to share and to learn.
• All of this activity is done on a voluntary basis.  No guarantees are made.

Membership:

• COSUG is organized and operated completely through volunteering participants.
• Participants need not own a copy of Solidworks.
• There is no fee for membership.  Donations to the COSUG general fund are gladly accepted. 
• SolidWorks Corporation, SolidWorks VARS, and SolidWorks business partners are encouraged to participate as sponsors but are not eligible to hold elected positions.

Government by a Board of Directors:

• Each December, COSUG members will elect from volunteering participants the following officers to serve on the Board of Directors.
• President.  Represents the group, and is responsible for making sure the organization runs productively.  Coordinates web site development, Board of Director meetings, and user group meetings.  Is the alternate signator for COSUG banking activities.  Maintains COSUG relationship with the national Solidworks Users Group Network.
• Communications Director. Responsible for communication and promotion, coordinates planning for meeting agenda, keeps meeting minutes, and maintains the membership database and notification list.
• Treasurer.  Keeps the financial records, collects and disburses revenue, maintains the legal instruments required by the State of Colorado.  Assists the President in the general coordination and administration of COSUG.  Is the primary signator for COSUG banking activities.  Coordinates the procurement of promotional materials and hand outs.
• Presentations Director.  Develops and coordinates user presentations for meetings including discussion groups and workshops.  Tracks past, present, and future speakers and their presentations.  Actively surveys members for topics of interest regarding presentations. Arranges for guest speakers from professional organizations such as Solidworks Corporation, Solidworks VARS, and Solidworks business partners.
• Technical Director.    Coordinates the content of the user group activities with the interest level of the membership.  Monitors presentations at user group functions for accuracy and relevancy.  Prepares training material and design challenges to maintain interest in the user grou.  Works with the President in negotiating with sponsors and donors.
• Facilities Director.  Arranges for meeting rooms, food and beverage, equipment and furniture, works with Promotions Director in developing tours of manufacturers, engineering firms, and sponsors of COSUG.
• These officers will be expected to attend every COSUG meeting and activity.  If an officer is unable to fulfill the responsibility of their office they will find a substitute for that meeting or activity.
• Officers serve at the pleasure of the membership of COSUG and may be elected or replaced at any meeting via majority vote of those members in attendance.
• The Board will meet prior to each regular user group meeting and when convened with reasonable notice by the President.

Funding:

• Funds will be applied to the cost of the meeting room, equipment, snacks, hand outs, web site, or other expenses incurred by COSUG.
• The Board of Directors will determine the funding method for COSUG.  At this time, there are no dues to participants.  At some future date it is possible that a membership fee could be established.
• The primary source of funding will be from charitable donations from sponsors.  Sponsors may contribute material, facility, cash, or other forms of support as approved by the Board of Directors.  COSUG may acknowledge sponsors by posting links on the web site and other favorable mention in COSUG communications.
• Another source of income will be from fees charged to sponsors who make presentations at user group meetings.  The amount of the fee will be set by the Board of Directors.  COSUG will encourage these commercial presentations by providing information about the number of participants, the professional interests represented by the participants, and the typical experience level of the audience they might expect to address.
• The Board of Directors may determine that donations will be solicited at user group meetings.  Participants will be allowed to voluntarily contribute cash to the COSUG general fund.
• The Board of Directors may also establish other revenue generating programs to support meeting activity.  These programs might include the sale of merchandise with all of the proceeds going to the COSUG general fund.

Meetings: 

• COSUG will meet on a regular basis 6 times yearly.  At this time the schedule is to meet during even months on the first Thursday following the first Monday of the month for two hours starting at 3:00 PM.  Board meetings will immediately follow the conclusion of the regular user group meeting.
• Participants and Sponsors will be encouraged to host the meeting.
• Meeting agenda and subjects will be planned in advance by the Board of Directors.  Suggestions and requests from COSUG participants are of great importance and will be given top priority in setting the agenda for the next meeting.
• A time during every meeting will be designated for an open forum/discussion on subjects related to Solidworks.
• Solidworks Corporation, VARS, and other solution providers may be invited to give demonstrations of their products.
• Attendees are encouraged to volunteer to give case studies related to Solidworks.
• Members can request to be notified of meetings via email.  They may opt out of the notification list at any time.
• As available, the meeting schedules and agenda will be posted on the COSUG web site.

Web site: 

• http://www.cosug.com is intended to be the primary communication resource.
• The goal is to include such information as meeting minutes from prior meetings, preliminary agenda for the next meeting, topics of interest to participants, notice of upcoming SolidWorks related events,

COSUG Member Database:

• A database of participants will be kept.
• The purpose of the database is to support promotion and notification of COSUG events.
• Sponsors and guest speakers may be informed only of the quantity of members, the job titles, and the professional responsibilities of COSUG members.  No direct contact information, names, or email addresses will be distributed by COSUG.
• Members will have the option of prohibiting the distribution of their contact information.
• The security and privacy of the membership database is the responsibility of the Board of Directors.
• Abuse of the COSUG membership database will result in revocation of membership and exclusion from all further COSUG activities.
• Database information for all participants may include:

               Participants name,

               Participants email,

               Employer,

               Job Title,

               Area of responsibility,

               Phone number,

               Date started using Solidworks,

               Opt in for email notification of COSUG events,

               Opt in for sharing contact information with other COSUG members,

               Opt in for wooing sponsors and guest speakers.