[Chapter-delegates] ISOC Business Rules

[Vittorio Bertola]

Terry Monroe ha scritto:
> 1) For the foreseeable future, ISOC Global membership will remain free,
> though in the context of these business rules, it is not clear what impact
> if any that has, since the rules talk more about relationships, and more so
> in the context of how those relationships would impact the membership system
> (i.e., if chapters and/or ISOC Global charges for membership, then that
> becomes an issue as we revise the membership system).

We would of course be concerned if people had to pay twice to two 
different entities, without being allowed to opt out of one of the two 
if they don't see any "value for money" in it.

In any case, the point is really that we can't force anyone to subscribe 
to another organization if they don't want to - we can kick them out, 
possibly (though that will require a modification of our Charter, I 
presume) but that's always an unpleasant situation. We can use moral 
suasion so to ensure that everyone signs up for global membership, but 
we can't guarantee that it will work.

> 2) Several chapter delegates have raised the issue of having a distributed
> membership system, and that is something we will examine as we move forward
> with the review of the membership system. 

Solving the issue of data protection concerns would certainly help in 
getting everyone's consensus to the double subscription. Though legally 
it doesn't make a difference, in terms of concerns it also depends on 
how much information - whether you just want the name and the email 
address, or you want all the information e.g. about birth date, postal 
address etc.

I hope that this doesn't sound provocative, but if ISOC as a global 
organization has just one database, it should have it in the country 
that offers more protection to the members, not in the one that offers less.

> 3) Yes, the goal is to continue the move towards automated, online
> membership sign-up and renewal. Streamling the system this way (rather than
> having paper applications or emails to ISOC global, which then require
> retyping the information into the system) will speed up the process and also
> minimize errors. 

What I would ask is that each chapter's secretariat, if so authorized by 
the final user, can take care of the procedures in the membership 
system. That would help with all those members who do not manage their 
subscription online (usually, the more senior they are, the less likely 
they are to do this kind of things themselves - I think of senior 
officers of governments and companies, or university professors - in my 
experience, at least here, many of them won't have the time or the 
willingness to manage this kind of things themselves).

> 4) Regarding the principle of reaffirming membership, we would expect that
> could occur as spelled out in 2.1 of the busienss rules (for renewal
> dates)...again, the point here is that we are trying to simply the process,
> so if one chapter wishes to have its members reaffirm in January, and
> another in March, that is fine with us, provided all individulas reaffirm
> their membership annually.

Same as above - if our secretariat makes a phone call to an expiring 
member and he says "sure, I renew, I'll give you the money by hand at 
whatever conference we meet in the future", that should be a valid 
renewal procedure as long as the secretariat records the matter in the 
system.

> 5) Regarding email, as it is our primary means of communications with
> members, it is importance that the information be accurate.

Ok, point taken. Just wondering what happens if people do not have a 
unique email. And please ensure that it doesn't get disclosed 
inappropriately (the privacy statement at isoc.org is fine, I'm just 
raising the flag).

> Let me know how I can be of further assistance and thanks again for
> participating.

Perhaps we can start working on possible changes to the text to 
accommodate some of the concerns?

Regards,
-- 
vb.                   Vittorio Bertola - vb [a] bertola.eu   <--------
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