Re: [school-core] Proposal for the Reorganization of Schoolforge

[David Bucknell <david@members.iteachnet.org>]

Good questions, Michael. I'll try to answer them and then I won't belabor this
pointy idea unless others see a strong need.

Quoting Michael Viron <mviron@findaschool.org>:

> David,
> 
> A few questions here:
> 
> 1.  How would dues payment affect those members that were founding
> organizational representatives of Schoolforge back in January 2002?  I
> don't recall seeing dues payment mentioned in Schoolforge's operating
> procedures.

You're right. It was not intended that there should be dues. That means,
however, that we are always dependent on the kindness of strangers, to coin a
phrase. So far, we are truly supported by seul-edu, our major founding member.

> 
> 2.  You mention services and so forth, but the server providing most
> (albeit not all) resources for Schoolforge is the primary SEUL server.  Are
> we saying that member organizations that currently have arrangements with
> SEUL for free hosting would be cut off?

Members would be encouraged to continue contributing to the growth and
improvement of free and open resources in the ways they see fit. Schoolforge was
formed to unite all such organizations and I see no reason to change that goal.
I hope Doug will forgive me for quoting him without his permission. He once
wrote to me that he wondered if Schoolforge would ever have much reality beyond
that of its members. I think that's where we remain. 

Here, however, is my question: is that the way we're going to be most effective?
Isn't there some compromise needed, each of us giving up a little independence
in order to build a louder, more effective voice?

> 3. In the operating procedures (at
> http://www.schoolforge.net/procedures.php), we state:
> 
> "Schoolforge membership is by groups, not by individuals. Individuals can,
> and ought to be, members of one or more of the groups in the coalition, but
> not members of the coalition itself."
> 
> Are we saying that we wish to abandon this?

Well, for the first time, I saw a way of giving individuals a place. After all,
it's individuals on the lists who make things happen, despite their membership
in various organizations. Many have wondered why they couldn't be members as
individuals.
> 
> 4.  Finally, how would we deal with an individual who represents more than
> one group?  Do they pay an annual fee or whatever for each group that they
> represent?

I'm sure we wouldn't stick it to them the way govts. would ;-). Of course, free
membership would continue at some level, I suspect, and paying members would be
those who found the organization worth their support. We'd have to make that happen.
> 
> Just thinking out loud here,
Same here.
> Michael
Thanks, Michael.
> --
> Michael Viron
> Schoolforge Representative
> General Education Online & International Education Resources
> 
> >I think we could have various levels of membership as the first step
> toward
> >raising money. 
> >Free individual membership,
> >Full individual (paid) membership (some low fee with a few services such as
> a
> >login, Web space and mail)
> >Free org. membership (for deserving cases)
> >Various levels of org. membership depending on the services they request.
> 
> 
> 


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