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Talk:Vote on 3 Policy Labels (view source)
Revision as of 14:57, 26 April 2015
, 14:57, 26 April 2015no edit summary
* Bioguy, while I wish we could do what you suggest, we can't expect the membership to digest 100 pages of nearly incomprehensible insurance-speak as a requirement to be a member of the space. We do have a blanket prohibition in the membership agreement against breaking the law, so we don't need a policy to ban development of nuclear weapons at the space. (But there was no way to stop or change an event that was about to break the law before it happened. We have had problems with event proposals or advertisements, usually around proposed sale of alcohol or charging at the door to attend a party. In the past, talking to the organizers fixes it, but there's no guarantee.) So the areas where policy would be needed most are for things we do allow, that are excluded from coverage by insurance, that do happen or are likely to happen, and that could result in liability. People did bring their pet dogs to the space, and there has been late night drinking. Telling everyone to read the insurance policy won't stop these. --[[User:Rdpierce|Rdpierce]] ([[User talk:Rdpierce|talk]]) 09:25, 26 April 2015 (CDT)
* Bioguy, while I wish we could do what you suggest, we can't expect the membership to digest 100 pages of nearly incomprehensible insurance-speak as a requirement to be a member of the space. We do have a blanket prohibition in the membership agreement against breaking the law, so we don't need a policy to ban development of nuclear weapons at the space. (But there was no way to stop or change an event that was about to break the law before it happened. We have had problems with event proposals or advertisements, usually around proposed sale of alcohol or charging at the door to attend a party. In the past, talking to the organizers fixes it, but there's no guarantee.) So the areas where policy would be needed most are for things we do allow, that are excluded from coverage by insurance, that do happen or are likely to happen, and that could result in liability. People did bring their pet dogs to the space, and there has been late night drinking. Telling everyone to read the insurance policy won't stop these. --[[User:Rdpierce|Rdpierce]] ([[User talk:Rdpierce|talk]]) 09:25, 26 April 2015 (CDT)
* Bioguy, I just saw your edit about "House Rules." Are you saying that those three Board policies could have been renamed House Rules? That's an interesting thought. But I'm not sure the people objecting to the Board having the power to create policies to address obligations would be any happier with the Board having the power to create "House Rules" that effectively get enforced as policies. Also, the justification for the Board creating policies under the Bylaws relies upon addressing obligations. I think "House Rules" that don't stem from legal or contractual obligations should originate from the membership. (E.g. the Board shouldn't create a House Rule banning country music in the shop. If the majority of the membership hates Garth Brooks, they need to be the ones to propose the vote.) --[[User:Rdpierce|Rdpierce]] ([[User talk:Rdpierce|talk]]) 09:25, 26 April 2015 (CDT)
* Bioguy, I just saw your edit about "House Rules." Are you saying that those three Board policies could have been renamed House Rules? That's an interesting thought. But I'm not sure the people objecting to the Board having the power to create policies to address obligations would be any happier with the Board having the power to create "House Rules" that effectively get enforced as policies. Also, the justification for the Board creating policies under the Bylaws relies upon addressing obligations. I think "House Rules" that don't stem from legal or contractual obligations should originate from the membership. (E.g. the Board shouldn't create a House Rule banning country music in the shop. If the majority of the membership hates Garth Brooks, they need to be the ones to propose the vote.) --[[User:Rdpierce|Rdpierce]] ([[User talk:Rdpierce|talk]]) 09:25, 26 April 2015 (CDT)
== This proposal ends up giving the Board new powers ==
The Board's authority to create policy under the current Bylaws stems from a power to "fulfill any obligations to ensure the health of the organization." While I recognize some persons worry that this could be loosely interpreted, I'd like to hope that the membership isn't going to assume an "evil board" that would abuse this. So the Bylaws set a high bar for the Board to enact a policy immediately.
This proposal allows the Board to implement *any* policy immediately. So it lowers the bar. A member who wants to propose a policy has to wait for it to be voted on, and it must pass before it becomes effective. But this proposal gives the Board a path unavailable to the general membership to create any policy it wants, without having to pass the high bar of "obligation" or really any bar, and it can be enforced from Day 1. The Board plays by very different rules here; member votes routinely fail due to lack of quorum, but via this mechanism, lack of quorum means the policy stays in force another week.
This fundamentally changes the structure of the organization. Right now I'd categorize it as "All policy authority rests in the membership, except in the case of legal and contractual obligations." This proposal gives the Board far more power and flexibility to create policy. Since the Board under this proposal would have the most efficient policy creation tools, it may become expected that the Board should use them, and that all policies really should originate with the Board. --[[User:Rdpierce|Rdpierce]] ([[User talk:Rdpierce|talk]]) 09:57, 26 April 2015 (CDT)