[Chapter-delegates] How many members do we have?

[Susannah Gray]

Hi Shuli,

On 12/12/2018 15:22, Shuli Hallak wrote:
> John,
>
> Well said.
>
> I would add that creating and maintaining chapter support from the top 
> is a delicate balance but based on my experience here I would suggest 
> empowering chapters with efficient tools. Maybe some of these already 
> exist and we / I don’t know about them.
- My point exactly: it seems there is a bit of a communication flow 
issue from ISOC to the Chapters (and vice versa).
>
> Such as:
> — website templates (Wordpress or other)
- ISOC NL created templates that can be used by any chapter.
> — newsletter templates
- Each Chapter has its own logo template on the AMS.
> — box accounts
- I think there is an ISOC Box account.
> — zoom accounts
- I think some of the regional bureaus have an account that Chapters can 
use.
> — event training
> — legal document templates (if possible)
> — guidance on creating membership tiers if chapters would like two 
> create paid memberships
>
> etc.
>
> The idea being not to re-invent the wheel if we don’t have to and to 
> help chapters continue helping themselves
>
Thanks,

Susannah


Susannah Gray
President
San Francisco Bay Area Internet Society Chapter
www.sfbayisoc.org



> Shuli
> (NY Chapter)
>
>
>> On Dec 11, 2018, at 9:26 PM, John More <morej1 at mac.com 
>> <mailto:morej1 at mac.com>> wrote:
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> Much of what you say is correct. Even while working to strengthen the 
>> Chapter structure and bringing more accountability, I have always 
>> taken the position that ISOC should not claim to be a “membership” 
>> organization in that it has never done anything to create an 
>> effective, connected membership. I have been a member for years.  I 
>> have even given made the $75 contribution.  Nothing.  No regular 
>> communications are sent from ISOC, only from the Chapter.  There is 
>> no solicitation of donations, there are no calls to action, there are 
>> virtually no communications unless you sign onto a specific e-list of 
>> project.
>>
>> Sharp contrast with international organizations, like Greenpeace, 
>> Amnesty International, or Human Rights Watch.
>>
>> A friend who had been with the Physicians for Social Responsibility 
>> came out of retirement to lead The Rachel Carson Council.  He has 
>> re-energized and increased the membership by soliciting, sending 
>> newsletters, asking for activism, creating intern training programs 
>> and college campus councils — all to engage in environmental justice 
>> activism.
>>
>> ISOC needs more this.  And it does not require hiring consultants.
>>
>> The only caveat I have with what you say is that you love broadsides 
>> and are rarely willing to admit where things are happening.
>>
>> But your point is well taken.
>>
>> John More
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Dec 11, 2018, at 6:01 PM, Dave Burstein <daveb at dslprime.com 
>>> <mailto:daveb at dslprime.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>> All
>>>
>>> Andrew notes, accurately, that ISOC's membership should not have 
>>> been claimed we had 110,000 members.
>>>
>>> *The figure was prominently on our home page, however. *Those 
>>> closely involved in ISOC always knew it was inaccurate, but refused 
>>> to take it off the home page even after it was brought up and 
>>> discussed at the top. ISOC used the claim in advocacy.
>>>
>>> The home page also said ISOC was "a trusted source." Trust needs to 
>>> be earned, not claimed.
>>>
>>> All of us want to be proud of what ISOC is accomplishing. We share 
>>> the powerful human trait of "confirmation bias." It is very hard for 
>>> anyone to listen to what disagrees with one's own beliefs, including 
>>> that a group we are part of is to be admired.
>>>
>>> ISOC, almost all of us agree, can and should be doing more to bring 
>>> a great Internet to everyone. (We disagree on how to do that, of 
>>> course.)
>>>
>>> To be effective, we need to look honestly at what we are doing. In 
>>> practice, those raising problems were told, "you're shouldn't be so 
>>> negative," often attacked and shot down.
>>>
>>> I'm still here, because I believe ISOC, with a $30M/year subsidy 
>>> from .org, has the potential to be the most powerful 
>>> _pro-consumer_ force on the net. But I've watched for several years 
>>> as those who agreed, and supported issues like more chapter funding 
>>> got burned out and left.
>>>
>>> I knew Kathy for years as one of the most progressive in D.C. 
>>> circles and expected her to do much more. I know several of the 
>>> board members to be hardworking, articulate, concerned, and of good 
>>> faith. I know the same is true of Andrew.
>>>
>>> Can we be honest with ourselves and do better? 75% of the Internet 
>>> is not in the U.S., Western Europe, and allies. China alone is 40% 
>>> and their achievements remarkable. (344M have fiber home 
>>> connections.) I am not naive about the Chinese government, but we 
>>> can never be truly effective organizing the Internet without 
>>> including them, as well as the many others not well-represented here.
>>> ------------
>>>
>>> Unfortunately, Andrew is wrong that we now have
>>>
>>>     anadmittedly smaller list of confirmed and clearly engaged members.
>>>
>>>
>>> I wish that were true. But I know in New York the majority of our 
>>> "members" are nothing more than people who have agreed to be on a 
>>> mailing list. I don't think we've had a meeting with even 75 of our 
>>> "2,500" members in at least the last 5 years. The maximum number of 
>>> people who have done /anything at all/ is perhaps 400, and very few 
>>> of them are "clearly engaged."
>>>
>>> Which I, Andrew, and many others are working to improve.
>>>
>>> Dave
>>> (Who would much rather be discussing the right radios for rural 
>>> Africa or the unhyped prospects of 5G, rather than wasting time in 
>>> what should be unneeded organizational problems. If we become the 
>>> "bottom-up multi-stakeholder organization" Kathy wanted us to be, we 
>>> would be doing a much better job delivering what we all believe in.)
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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>
>
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