Archive talk:2005-06-12

Org structure
I've rearranged my comments from those posted in "Re: [FC-core] Board of Directors, Bylaws & Organizational Structure, Minutes" into the question format defined by Gavin. If you're on the steering committee and like this idea, put a paragraph or two of your thoughts in the appropriate section. That way we have some clearly articulated thoughts to synthesize during the org structure meeting. Please sign with ~.

I'll start, of course, with my comments; some text is copied from Gavin's post, where appropriate. Stephen Compall 20:16, 12 Jun 2005 (EDT)

Are campus groups part of FreeCulture.org, Inc. or independent entities?
I offer a dichotomy: keeping them independent is good for safety, and protects the existence of FC.o. However, it comes at the expense of the ability to do more as an organization, with the chapters at hand. Which we choose depends on the organization's priorities. Stephen Compall 20:16, 12 Jun 2005 (EDT)

Are there "grown-ups" on the board of directors?
Because we're willing to adapt in the future as changes become appropriate, there shouldn't be "grown-up seats" at all in the beginning; they will be created as current student board members move to that stage. I think this also depends on what FC.o is supposed to be *now*. Is it a student organization, or a "student in the mid-aughts" organization? Or perhaps we would say that the collection of non-students is generally interested in learning, that is "life-long students", albeit no longer enrolled in university. In the former scenario (which I prefer), "grown-up seats" are both in a minority and considered to be advisory, "non-voting" if you will. Stephen Compall 20:16, 12 Jun 2005 (EDT)

Are there alumni on the board? If so, are they "phased off" the board, or should there be seats for alumni who graduated long ago?
New student leaders are added to the board annually while graduates are phased off or into one of the advisory grown-up seats. Stephen Compall 20:16, 12 Jun 2005 (EDT)

Do we keep a Core Team? If so, how is its role affected by the existance of a board of directors?
The core team ought to be just leadership from each chapter, advising the board on interesting activities. Stephen Compall 20:16, 12 Jun 2005 (EDT)

Do we have an advisory board?
Yes, and it doesn't meet; we just call upon the members individually depending on the situation. They might meet, with the board of directors, in highly public settings, but this is down the road a bit. It is a sort of list we can show people to say, "These are the sort of people we're getting advice from," both for credibility and transparency, as well as making links between groups. For example, having an advisory with a background in low power FM radio says that LPFM is something we care about; someone with a background in free software says we care about free software; etc. Their talents are somewhat orthogonal, and are more valuable individually than as part of an amalgamation that would result from meeting. Stephen Compall 20:16, 12 Jun 2005 (EDT)