[chapter-delegates] New Membership Level

[Jacek Gajewski]

Dear Chapter Delegates,

      let me inform you that in a situation created by the recent 
announcment of introduction of $75 membership,  which is regarded as 
posing a serious thread for the integrity of ISOC, the Board of Polish 
ISOC Chapter called today its extraordinary meeting. During this 
meeting  the Board has taken unanimously the following decisions:

1. to inform its membership about the recent discussion trigerred by the 
introduction of paid membership and the fact that they are no longer the 
members of ISOC but only its 'Associate Members'
2. to take part in the redaction of a joint protest statement with other 
chapters
3. to encourage its members to send the text of the joint protest (if 
they agree with it) directly to the ISOC CEO with the cc to VP of 
Chapters and Director of Chapters
4. to encourage its members to take part in a survey of the opinions re. 
paid membership, if ISOC HQ decides to poll the opinion of its 
world-wide membership

With the best regards,

Jacek Gajewski
ISOC-PL

Narelle Clark wrote:

>>From: James M Galvin [mailto:galvin at elistx.com]
>>Sent: Friday, 4 March 2005 8:28 AM
>>
>>I am concerned that some people believe that we
>>have some expectation of the Chapters with
>>respect to the availability of the new membership 
>>level.  So, I want to say clearly that the new
>>membership level is a benefit that ISOC is
>>offering and it is completely separate from the 
>>benefits that Chapters offer.  In fact, we do not
>>expect Chapters to actively sell ISOC memberships.
>>    
>>
>
>This "new" membership class poses a few problems for our
>chapter (Australia). Our board is yet to discuss it so
>the following points are my assessment of the sorts of
>things that our chapter will have to wrestle with.
>
>- what are the benefits of this paying class?
>As yet, it seems that this class is to get the
>benefits that existing members are not properly
>getting - voting access, standards participation -
>mainly for us due to the tyranny of distance, or
>mailbox overflow when our nominations disappear.
>I rather liked the list of specials someone
>came up with as an alternative to making
>voting exclusively paid (sheesh folks!).
>
>- will our members see this as another example
>of the rest of the world paying for the US 
>Internet access?
>The fibre links across the Pacific have been
>paid for by the people on this side of the
>Pacific. Thus we pay for US access to content
>in Japan, China, India, Australia, the Pacific
>nations etc etc. Now we are to pay for the
>privelige of participating in standards
>development? Hmmm.
>
>- will consideration be given to better
>chaper representation in this new way?
>I'm still wondering.
>
>- why the name change?
>With existing members turning into "associate"
>and the "new" ones becoming [real] "members"
>it is difficult to not to see a dubious intent.
>
>- how does this fit with our own charge?
>Our chapter currently charges an approximately
>equivalent fee, with student and pensioner rates.
>I assume we will have to recognise the ISOC
>members as local members with a nominal local
>fee on top. This represents a loss of revenue
>for us.
>
>- why no chapter consultation?
>This seems to have been a less than diplomatic
>approach IMHO. The free membership approach was
>a sudden and underconsulted change also if my
>memory is correct.
>
>- why not a 'capitation fee' from the chapters?
>We could possibly have funded some amount as
>was done in the past.
>
>- why such a large fee?
>An Australian joiing both the local chapter and
>this new class will be paying something of
>the order of an IEEE fee. Only Internet
>professionals are likely to do that, and many
>of them will have to look at the comparative
>benefits and join the better value one.
>
>- who joins what?
>An Australian wanting to join ISOC may do that
>and ignore the local chapter (which happens
>now) but will we be informed of people
>joining this new class? With this paid class
>there is now competition for members with
>our chapter.
>
>- status of chapter members vs ISOC members
>The international affiliation is very important
>to our chapter members. Is there going to be
>a cost effective way for chapter members to
>join this new _special_ class and get what
>they want ISOC for? Is there a genuine way
>for our members to participate in Internet
>standards development, when frankly it's hard
>enough now?
>
>These are just a few issues on top of the other
>ones people have mentioned. I also personally
>agree that the fee is a massive impost on
>many people!
>
>
>All the best
>
>
>Narelle
>vice-president at isoc-au.org.au
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------
>To subscribe or unsubscribe from this elist use the subscription
>manager: <http://lists.isoc.org/unsubscribe>
>  
>


----------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe or unsubscribe from this elist use the subscription
manager: <http://lists.isoc.org/unsubscribe>