Messages in ICG #boardofdirectors (Slack) <2019-12-10 2019-12-12>
kevin.p.roche 10:05 AM
@Jacalyn
Boggs I think you are right about the proliferation of possible chapters (Mera and I had a long conversation about exactly this
yesterday).As originally imagined, ICG chapters were the center of our
activity; we were mostly communicating in person, by mailed correspondence, or
in person. The pastime has grown so dramatically over the last decade and our
current way of inducting new chapters doesn't match the explosion of new fan
cosplay and costume groups. We tried to address some of this by adding
the special interest groups (activity-focused rather than geographically) but
it hasn't been enough.
That
said, because of the federal requirements of our 501(c)3 Group Exemption, new
chapters do need to have a certain business structure (their
own set of officers) to qualify as voting chapters. I have been persuaded and
agree with you and Mera that the different groups
from Virginia should ideally be their own chapters, but they also needed
to be ready to each have that minimum set of officers, which I understand they
did not yet have.
I think we need a new way to bring in existing groups that are interested in
chapter status -- perhaps first, relatively quickly, as an affiliate group,
with an ICG member as a sponsor, who can help them then complete the process of
building the required business structure to become a chapter under the Group
Exemption Letter.
[3 replies Last reply 2019-12-11 10:57
AM]
Jacalyn Boggs 2 years ago
You are misinformed about the leadership of the three potential chapters, but
otherwise I think there’s a lot here to discuss. I have spent my time on the
BOD trying to build up the ICG name and talked to people in this country and
outside of it trying to encourage chapter growth. It is not surprising that the
state in which I live would see the most successful attempt with three
potential chapters attempting to gain entry. I live here and can work more with
people here due to the frequency of seeing them.
There is absolutely no reason why the guild
could not be everywhere. Some metropolitan areas can easily support multiple
groups population wise. Given other concerns (Ex: extreme traffic), it would
actually prove advantageous to recognize multiple groups in a metro area. This
is simply a metro area, not even discussing a state. Once you get
outside of the US there’s other things that should be considered. We do call
ourselves International, we should be working to be international.
Virginia is hardly unique, but it does have a
multitude of costuming bases covered just due it’s nature. Costuming is an
everyday occurrence in some areas between historical sites, re-enactments, and
the multiple conventions in our state across what is really four very distinct
and separate regions. I have lived and traveled across this country
and through half a dozen countries with contacts in half a dozen or so more. Costuming/cosplay
has become so mainstream with the con glut going on, that it is nothing to see
people dressed up on any random Tuesday somewhere. And people just wear
whatever even if it’s not pertinent to the event. The Redcoats standing near
Robin Hood seen at the Viking festival in Stockholm just before Easter this
year was my personal fave.
Given this, I definitely think we need to
discuss how we perceive potential chapters and onboard new groups. This is
beyond SIGs. We need to continue to make on boarding easier, finding reasons
for people to join, and more. My goal has always been to increase membership and
have chapters everywhere possible. If we do not grow, we will die.
Mera Rose 2 years ago
To clarify on the 3 potential chapters and their structure:The
chapters had an initial elected structure for temporary officers so that the
placeholders (me and Jacalyn, and Dustin) could train those interested in the
positions prior to their official election at the Con associated with each
chapter: BRCS was Big Lick ComicCon, CI
was RavenCon, and ODCG was MarsCon. The
bylaws, AI, and standing rules all used the ICG templates from the website with
some minor tweaks. They were already voted on and adopted. They
were ready to go just pending the final official election for a year in office
of those members to take over for placeholders, which was mostly done to
protect them from potential issues that could be created if everything wasn’t
followed to the letter on reporting in the beginning. There were
potential members and members on the rosters who were intended to step into
those positions with training prior to their January, February, and April
conventions.
I really wish that things had been addressed
differently. Had people felt comfortable contacting us about their
concerns on the chapters and their structure, I don’t think that whole mess
would have occurred. That is why I sent out personal apologies
after, as I did not want people to feel as though they could not contact us
with concerns.
Jacalyn Boggs 2 years ago
@Mera Rose it is most unfortunate that the situation wasn’t handled
better. :/
kevin.p.roche 10:08 AM
An
affiliate program as a path to voting chapter status might even be achievable
via properly worded Standing Rules, versus a full ByLaws
rewrite. Members of the affiliate group could hold ICG membership via one of
the other primary chapters (or perhaps even the "T-Chapter") so they
have individual membership status and representation to the board as the
chapter completes the path to full voting status.
[1 reply Last reply 2019-12-11 11:07 AM]
Mera Rose 2 years ago
I think this is a possible fix, but I also think there might be a more
advantageous way to handle this.
Instead of a chapter coordinator or ombudsman
or whatever, we could create an outreach position as a part of the PR committee
or as it’s own committee. When a potential
chapter reaches out to create a chapter, the outreach committee or coordinator
could help the chapter understand the process, documentation, structure, etc required, and help make sure that they have everything
ready BEFORE submitting their application for affiliation. Then,
once the outreach coordinator or committee has reviewed everything, they can
help the chapter submit the application, with the 5 day objection and 5 day
voting period, and then once the chapter is voted in, continue aiding them for
the first year in making sure that anything else they need or have questions
about, or getting them to submit reports in a timely manner could be done
through outreach.
It doesn’t require a lot of changes to the
bylaws and works within the existing structure, but ensures everything that
needs to be done is understood and handled up front in the beginning of the
process, instead of after an application is rejected or approved.Just
another suggestion for the pile. Lol
Jeanine
Swick 10:41
AM
Kevin
that is a very sensible way to fix the issue.
1
Jeanine
Swick 11:34
AM
Any
new chapter neds to have a basic understanding of how
thing operate within the Standing Rules and By-Laws before becoming a full fledged chapter. The majority of the chapters that
joined still can not properly send in a membership
report or dues in a timely fashion. One will sit on dues for up to 3 months
before submitting them. Then there are the lnes that
have reformatted the spreadsheet for the membership report and I have to spend
time fixing to to add the information to the list.
The way it comes in it is not a simple copy and paste but removing and
rearranging the columns to the right position.
Each
chapter also get a copy of the roster at the end of the year/beginning of the
new one to verfy that member and officer information
currently on hand is correct. It also includes any members that expired during
the current year. A grand total of ZERO chapters reply back even saying yes all
the information is correct. So chapters do not understand how we are supposed
to operate.
[3 replies Last reply 2019-12-15 3:22 PM]
Mera Rose 2 years ago
I think this might be one reason that there was so much support for an online
membership management system... can we have a discussion about that
at some point? I think it would help simplify things for the
chapters, and maybe for you too? There are WordPress plugins that
can be used relatively simply to help manage it. @kevin.p.roche showed
it to me at CostumeCon, and while it’s different than
what I had coded for ICGOnline, it looks really
helpful.
Mera Rose 2 years ago
Support in the survey, that is.
Randy Smith 2 years ago
I would agree, an online database would solve
this issue. I have worked with one for years with the Amtgard LARP group,
called the Online Record Keeper (ORK).It solves many issues.
As for reformatting the spreadsheets, we
personally don't use Excel, we use "Numbers" the Mac Equivalent, as
we are Apple users. Use of different software may cause issues like this.
Merrily 11:59 AM
@Jacalyn Boggs @Marianne Pease the nova chapter was your pet
project. I was just a number to help you fulfill headcount so that you could
get it started. You had knowledge of ICG basics. What challenges did you have?
What were the challenges for trying to recruit members, finding meeting space,
and getting volunteers?
Marianne
Pease 11:59
AM
was added to #boardofdirectors by Merrily.
Mera Rose 2:01 PM
ANNOUNCEMENT:
I
have asked VP Kevin Roche to handle comment moderation on the BOD channel,
acting as "sergeant-at-arms" for our continuing business meeting in
Slack. To all members: please remember that if you are not the BoD rep for your Chapter or SIG, or otherwise invited by
the BoD to speak in the meeting, you are an audience
member. This includes alternate BoD reps
unless you are currently acting in place of your regular representative.
As
such, you are asked to send your comments and concerns to your bod rep or an
elected officer so that they may be introduced here properly, and you can be
recognized and given the “floor”. Please remember to keep all
discussion relevant to BoD business and civil in
tone. General commentary may be posted in the #general channel,
and there are other channels for posts of “other” natures. We can also create
more channels as we need them.
Please work with us to ensure this Slack space is utilized efficiently to
prevent confusion.
(Our
old BoD group had posting settings that made it
possible to have readers vs posters automatically, but at this point our Slack
workspace does not. We ask for your cooperation in running the channel this
way.)