Re: [Discuss] [Board] Meeting 3/10/09

[Diana Griffith]

I agree that I would very much like for voting to take place online - I live in Boston, so clearly cannot be present for voting, but I would like to think that my voice counts as an Arts Magnet Alum (I'm assuming we're talking about membership votes, not Board, though really, Board positions should be open to those outside of Dallas too). Certainly other alumni groups must deal with these same issues - I know that my college class does almost everything by email, in between a few key physical meetings, because our members have distributed themselves throughout the country and in fact the world.

 

I do get the point of the "people who show up and do the work" issue, and given the contentious history of this group, I imagine that's an even greater issue - so perhaps it's not appropriate to have all votes online, maybe just larger "direction of the group" votes, while day to day procedural decisions "how to receive our mail" decisions are handled in person only - that would make sense, I think. But if I'm going to be a member of the group (as opposed to just on a mailing list who gets notice of reunions), then I need a way to participate, and that only comes with having a voice.

 

Of course, I have yet to really understand just what the group's structure is - are we "members" of the association just by signing up for this list? Are there fees? Are there ways we can help from afar?

 

Just food for thought as you all meet and sort things out... in the meantime, please keep posting these discussions to this list - talking about items like online voting and such deserve to be discussed out loud, where the rest of us can hear...

 

Thanks, from the snowy yet again Northeast! :)

On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 4:52 PM, Ean Schuessler <ean@brainfood.com> wrote:

I don't think there is a better example of why on-line discussions are a good idea than this example of you wanting to be involved and being unable to attend because your daughter has a conflicting event. Please notice, we are able to have this online discussion without impacting your schedule. I, and others who are interested, may read our words at their leisure. We can search them electronically and they are securely archived and distributed at a cost so low that my brother and I can provide the service at no fee without causing ourselves any real discomfort.

On the other side of the matter, I have yet to hear even one reason why having a closed discussion in Dallas with only cursory documentation is a good way to make decisions for a globally distributed group of thousands of people. If we will not decide by online vote, then what? Physical mail? More than 30% of the alumni live outside Texas, let alone Dallas. A statement in the form of "I think this is good because..." rather than just "I think this is good" would certainly help us discuss the merits of conducting business in this way.

Also, please copy "discuss" because you are not on "board" and will not receive discussions that are conducted there.

----- "Otis Gray" wrote:
>

I was planning to attend tomorrow night, but won't be able to now as i need to take my daughter to an activity at the same time.

 

Here are my thoughts on some of the topics brought up.

 

1) Minutes as taken by the secretary and approved by the board are standard and sufficient. If anyone needs a more accurate account, i suggest that he/she show up to a meeting, or call in on a conference line. I oppose recording a meeting.

 

2) I support a concerted effort to save Pegasus. I spoke with Kyle Richards the other night, and he came up with an excellent idea, holding a vigil in front of where Pegasus is right now. 

 

3) I am opposed to holding elections on line, and in general, holding any kind of vote online. Decisions by this group should be made by the people that show up to meetings and do the work.

--
Ean Schuessler, CTO Brainfood.com
ean@brainfood.com - http://www.brainfood.com - 214-720-0700 x 315

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