ROBBINS@DECUS.ORG (05/02/91)
BOARD STATEMENT AGAINST THE PROPOSED BYLAW CHANGES
By Sandy Krueger and Robert Robbins, Members
DECUS U.S. Chapter Board of Directors
On April 9th the DECUS U.S. Chapter Board of Directors voted to send a
recommendation to restructure the management organization of the Chapter
to the membership for approval. This ballot will be sent to all DECUS
members on April 23rd. As the two dissenting members on the Board (the
vote was 7 to 2) we were given the responsibility of writing a "CON"
statement which is included in the ballot package. Unfortunately the
minority Board opinion is limited to 400 hundred words. Yet, the
magnitude of the changes members are voting on is demonstrated by the
need to present an entirely new set of Bylaws, a four hundred word "PRO"
statement, and a detailed, non-binding, Concepts Document, all of which
are also included in the ballot package.
In 400 words we could not explain the diversity of discomfort with these
changes and the rush for its implementation. However, if DECUS members
believe:
- that a Board of Directors should provide vision, leadership
and influence in the industry
- that an arms-length relationship with Digital protects the
unique DECUS-Digital partnership
- that the voluntary nature of DECUS is based on empowering
volunteers and providing them with the authority, as well as
the responsibility, for delivering services
- that the technical nature of DECUS must not be subordinated
to the marketing goals of individual Digital marketers
Then they should vote NO!
Those on the Board who support these Bylaws would have you believe that
almost all volunteers are in favor of this new structure. Not true! A
roaring controversy has crippled DECUS since August of last year.
Presidential task forces were chartered to survey the volunteers. These
"unbiased" task forces took the diversity of objections to be
insignificant and rejected them out of hand. Many of the volunteers who
devote their energies to producing symposia, seminars, newsletters, local
meetings and electronic services have voiced serious concerns.
Discussions on the various electronic networks (INTERNET, COMPUSERVE, and
DECUSERVE) point out the depth of concern amongst informed DECUS members.
The Council of Special Interest Group (SIG) chairs petitioned the Board
to table this issue, at this time, in favor of more detailed review.
Their appeal was rejected by the current Board. At the DECUS symposium
in Las Vegas, the Digital Vice President responsible for DECUS
activities, strongly suggested that the proponents for restructuring
initiate discussions with those volunteer leaders who are in opposition
to the changes. This initiative was rejected by the President of the
U.S. Chapter.
The drastic changes in the Bylaws:
- will encumber the Board with day-to-day management and
stifle their ability to provide vision and a collective
user influence in the industry
- may allow the sales and marketing arm of Digital to
overpower the traditional strong relationship between the
users and Digital product developers
- may demoralize many of the volunteers who are the
life-blood of the Society
- will create a single point of DECUS failure:
an all-powerful Board of Directors
This volunteer-driven organization only works when each volunteer feels
valued for his role. The new Bylaws overly subscribe value to a small
group of DECUS "Volunteer" Directors over other volunteers. This may
work in a for-profit corporation, but it won't work for this association
of users and user-volunteers.
An interesting situation has resulted from the recent Board of
Directors election. On March 25th Marg Knox and Ralph Stamerjohn,
both of whom ran on platforms opposed to restructuring, were two of the
three directors elected. Knox and Stamerjohn take office on July 1. Had
the Board delayed its Bylaw vote for three months, the result would have
been an insufficient margin to present the Bylaw change to the
membership. Perhaps this was a message from the membership.
The change DECUS needs to remain relevant in the 90's will require more
rigorous investigation. We are committed to change, but not rushed
change.
DECUS members should vote NO to this proposed set of Bylaws.