Topic: Exemptions from Fees/Dues
Conf: Inaugural Directors' Meeting

From: Steve McCarty (steve@kagawa-jc.ac.jp)
Date: Friday, April 02, 1999 08:08 PM

Further to the OTHER BUSINESS of WAOE Fees/Dues, regarding the agenda item of Exemptions from Fees/Dues, is there any discussion or motions on this topic?

From: Jenna Seehafer (seehafer@csus.edu)
Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 11:32 AM

The fact that there will be exemptions from the fees is mentioned in the Bylaws. What we lack is policy stating who will process these exemptions and the criteria stating specifically how we will determine exemptions so that our decisions do not seem capricious to those who do not receive them and so that they are administered fairly.
Can we accept a statement that the member lacks the resources to pay the fee and would thus have to quit membership unless exempted?
Can we accept a statement that the member would have to pay an excessively high currency exchange fee, transfer fee, wiring fee, or postal fee (double the amount of the fee or more)? (we would lose the fee here but learn more about where there are currency exchange problems)
Can we accept a statement that the member plans to participate or already participates on one or more active committees or OCREWs instead of paying fees?
Can we assume that Ring members are exempt automatically unless they wish to pay the fee?
Can we, as directors, recognize certain members who have, on their own, contributed important materials or participated steadily in waoe-views as being eligible for exemption of fees?
Can we assume that any member who has already donated funds or services to WAOE in excess of the amount of the fees is exempt from annual fees in the next fiscal year?
Should we publish our criteria or insert a link to a checklist form of such criteria in the Membership Registration/Fee form or require an email on the member's own initiative (if so, to whom?) for consideration of exemption from fees?
Should we allow an automatic checklist on the fees form for "retired," "students," "under 18 years," "members from countries with no US currency exchange" (we could list those currently unable/unwilling to exchange their currency to US currency to send out of the country)? (This last might tell us where we would need to set up additional banking accounts to collect and relay funds.)
We could postpone this discussion until the annual meeting, but since the Directors' part of that meeting does not begin until the first week of July, if we wait that long, we will have lost the opportunity of collecting many of the fees during the Members' part of that meeting when members will be filling out their registration updates, the last week in June.
I recommend that we either set the criteria now OR that we plan on a special directors' meeting to vote on such criteria after it is worked out in committee and before the annual meetings begin.

Jenna Seehafer
Director, World Association for Online Education
Treasurer, World Association for Online Education
Rio Linda, California

From: David Wyatt (dwyatt@camtech.net.au)
Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 11:51 AM

I understand the urgency of tackling the issues Jenna has raised, and developing appropriate policies, but I am reluctant - after starting more than 3.5 days ago - to extend further the time of this Directors' Meeting to allow us to go into committee over these matters. I also suggest that the Directors would benefit from having the advice of the Coordinating Ring and perhaps some well-judged consultation with representative members.
Accordingly, I would like to move that it be
RESOLVED that the Directors seek the advice of the Coordinating Ring regarding the formulation and implementation of policy and procedure on exemption of fees and dues and in so doing refer to the Coordinating Ring the post from Jenna Seehafer regarding exemption of fees and dues, together with relevant archived discussions from the WAOE-Views listserve.
RESOLVED FURTHER that a special Directors' Meeting be held by not later than the third week of May 1999 to decide policy and procedure on exemption of fees and dues, on the basis of a report from the Coordinating Ring.
Is there a second?

From: Jenna Seehafer (seehafer@csus.edu)
Date: Tuesday, April 06, 1999 11:55 AM

I second this motion.
Jenna Seehafer
Director, World Association for Online Education
Treasurer, World Association for Online Education
Rio Linda, California

From: Brian Donohue-Lynch (qv_blynch@apollo.commnet.edu)
Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 11:57 AM

I second the motion

From: Mihkel Pilv (info@miksike.ee)
Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 01:39 PM

I second the motion

Mihkel Pilv
Vice- President, WAOE

From: Steve McCarty (steve@kagawa-jc.ac.jp)
Date: Tuesday, April 06, 1999 12:23 AM

Eligible Directors please vote on the motion.
"RESOLVED that the Directors seek the advice of the Coordinating Ring regarding the formulation and implementation of policy and procedure on exemption of fees and dues and in so doing refer to the Coordinating Ring the post from Jenna Seehafer regarding exemption of fees and dues, together with relevant archived discussions from the WAOE-Views listserve.
RESOLVED FURTHER that a special Directors' Meeting be held by not later than the third week of May 1999 to decide policy and procedure on exemption of fees and dues, on the basis of a report from the Coordinating Ring."
Let the minutes of this meeting also show the above-mentioned post by Jenna Seehafer that sets out many of the issues involved:
"The fact that there will be exemptions from the fees is
mentioned in the Bylaws. What we lack is policy stating who will process these exemptions and the criteria stating specifically how we will determine exemptions so that our decisions do not seem capricious to those who do not receive them and so that they are administered fairly.
Can we accept a statement that the member lacks the resources to pay the fee and would thus have to quit membership unless exempted?
Can we accept a statement that the member would have to pay an excessively high currency exchange fee, transfer fee, wiring fee, or postal fee (double the amount of the fee or more)? (we would lose the fee here but learn more about where there are currency exchange problems)
Can we accept a statement that the member plans to participate or already participates on one or more active committees or OCREWs instead of paying fees?
Can we assume that Ring members are exempt automatically unless they wish to pay the fee?
Can we, as directors, recognize certain members who have, on their own, contributed important materials or participated steadily in waoe-views as being eligible for exemption of fees?
Can we assume that any member who has already donated funds or services to WAOE in excess of the amount of the fees is exempt from annual fees in the next fiscal year?
Should we publish our criteria or insert a link to a checklist form of such criteria in the Membership Registration/Fee form or require an email on the member's own initiative (if so, to whom?) for consideration of exemption from fees?
Should we allow an automatic checklist on the fees form for "retired," "students," "under 18 years," "members from countries with no US currency exchange" (we could list those currently unable/unwilling to exchange their currency to US currency to send out of the country)? (This last might tell us where we would need to set up additional banking accounts to collect and relay funds.)..."

Steve McCarty, Chair

From: Jenna Seehafer (seehafer@csus.edu)
Date: Tuesday, April 06, 1999 02:32 AM

I am in favor of the motion.

Jenna Seehafer
Director, World Association for Online Education
Treasurer, World Association for Online Education
Rio Linda, California

From: David Wyatt (dwyatt@camtech.net.au)
Date: Tuesday, April 06, 1999 03:00 AM

In favour of the motion.

David Wyatt, Director: World Association for Online Education
Adelaide, South Australia

From: Brian Donohue-Lynch (qv_blynch@apollo.commnet.edu)
Date: Tuesday, April 06, 1999 10:23 AM

In favor of the motion

Brian Donohue-Lynch
Executive Secretary, WAOE
Danielson, CT

From: Mihkel Pilv (info@miksike.ee)
Date: Tuesday, April 06, 1999 01:07 PM

I support the motion.

Mihkel Pilv
Vice-President, WAOE
Estonia, Europe

From: Steve McCarty (steve@kagawa-jc.ac.jp)
Date: Tuesday, April 06, 1999 08:09 PM

The motion passes unanimously, 4-0.