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Re: BoD Shenanigans: The Modest Proposal



Unto the denizens of the Tavern and the associated partyers out in the
street, greetings from Evan da Collaureo.

JJ> is Thorvald Hrafnsson, mka Jay Jordan <jjordan@umd5.umd.edu>
KG> is Karen Larsdatter af den Usigeligefternavnen fra Skyggedal,
     mka Karen Elisa Green <kgreen2@osf1.gmu.edu>
TB> is Tirloch of Tallaght, mka Tom Bilodeau <bilodto@gdss.grumman.com>

TB>I write this note to you to ask that all SCAdians write to the
TB>Board of Directors (BoD) to ask them why they are promulgating a new and
TB>radical change to part of the Society's operations without consulting the
TB>membership.

[deletia]
KG>I ain't a big afficionada of the Gerontocracy.

The concept behind the Gerontocracy is flawed in that it produces Boards
of Directors like the one we had this time last year. Having a BoD is a
potentially Good Thing, but our current system doesn't seem to work too well.
I'm with Karen. That's beside the point here, though.

Tirloch mentions the process of checking submitted armory against stuff
that already exists, both in the SCA and in the "mundane" world.

TB>This process is time-intensive. Some kingdoms process new devices/badges
TB>within a 7 onth window and other kingdoms may take a longer time.

KG>One of the goals of the College of (*) for this semester is to come up
KG>with a name and a device for the chapter.  Would it not be a Good Thing
KG>if this process could happen, say, sometime within a year of submission?

In Atlantia the turnaround time averages 7 months. E.G.: assuming no problems,
the local herald sends it to Triton in mid-March, you find out in mid-October.

TB>The CoA (College of Arms) has submitted to the BoD a proposal...

The *Laurel King of Arms* submitted this proposal. To say that the College
of Arms did is akin to saying the Pope speaks the true opinion of the Roman
Catholic Church: technically true, but not necessarily a practical reality.

TB>[known to many] as the "Modest Proposal" where the source material used for
TB>checking a submitter's device/badge is severely reduced in the hopes
TB>that a faster turnaround will happen with heraldic submissions within
TB>the Society.

Well, as a commenting member of the SCA College of Arms, I'll tell you here:

this "Modest Proposal" will not result in significantly faster turnaround.
The slowness of tht commentary process is due to the structure of the group,
not the amount of armory being checked for conflict.

JJ>You say there is a proposal.  Do you know for sure it will pass as is?
JJ>Do you kow that this will be approved without furthur consideration?

Without significant further input from the populace, it will go through
"as is, without further consideration," as far as we can tell.

TB>WHAT I FIND REPUGNANT with the process NOW is that the BoD is going to act
TB>upon making the Modest Proposal a reality WITHOUT CONSULTING THE MEMBERSHIP.

KG>I am sure the Gerontocrats do many things without consulting us mere
KG>mortals.  There *are* some things that the Board should check with the
KG>paying membership...

JJ>THe question I have, and it's one that was not answered before, is what 
JJ>descisions are we going to allow the Board to make without holding a 
JJ>ballot?  I think we know that looking for a public consensus for EVERY 
JJ>decision would slow thing down to a griding halt.

I think a lot of this has to do with (1) the magnitude of change being
contemplated, and (2) the scope of the change (how many people, and of
what sort, are affected). Change insurance companies? That's something
the Board can handle pretty much on its own (I hope). Pay-to-fight? I'd
say that needs lots o' public input first. [20/20 hindsight, of course :-)]
My own opinion is that this affects enough people that a wider discussion
was needed. Would that Laurel had started one a year ago.

Evan da Collaureo, Kraken Herald, who's been up to his <insert body part
   name here> in this matter for too long.
Support the Great Atlantian Breeding Program (tm) - Now in Export
   to the East and Drachenwald; Your kingdom's name could appear here too!