Topic: ISSUANCE OF MEMBERSHIPS
Conf: Inaugural Directors' Meeting

From: Steve McCarty (steve@kagawa-jc.ac.jp)
Date: Sunday, April 04, 1999 09:14 AM

Regarding agenda item ISSUANCE OF MEMBERSHIPS, is there any discussion or motions on this topic?

From: Jenna Seehafer (seehafer@csus.edu)
Date: Sunday, April 04, 1999 09:13 AM

I propose that WAOE continue to have two kinds of "membership." But only one is "membership" of the sort that corporate law recognizes as "membership" when it calls a nonprofit corporation a "membership corporation." Once someone fills out the online membership form and subscribes to the the two main email listserves, that person becomes an "associate member" who may participate in discussions and receive the newsletter and is welcome to participate in WAOE activities and public benefits to the extent that person wishes to. There are no qualifications for becoming an associate member of WAOE and no responsibilities beyond observing email etiquette, paying any required fees or dues, and updating one's registration form each year.
To become a full member in the legally recognized sense, eligible to be elected to the board, appointed to a committee or as an officer, or eligible to vote on organizational issues that members govern, the associate member must send a message or letter to a WAOE director or officer asking to become a voting member and agreeing to participate and assume the responsibilities of members ( which would include attending members' meetings or sending proxy votes, voting on members' ballots, actively participating in one or more WAOE committees, OCREWs, WAOE sponsored projects, or other voluntary services for WAOE, or agreeing to develop, sponsor, or host online resources). It would be this kind of member we would want to give WAOE Membership Certificates to when and if we decide to issue them.
Does this seem to be a reasonable distinction? Should we allow those who would rather give large donations or sponsor grants in WAOE's name to also become full voting members even without agreeing to otherwise participate? Are we ready to define memberships that come from our association with other organizations?

From: Mihkel Pilv (info@miksike.ee)
Date: Saturday, April 03, 1999 03:57 AM

I agree fully with Jenna.
Two different levels of membership enable WAOE to involve as possibly more people, who want to benefit from participating in WAOE activities, but who do not have time or energy to get involved more deeply (I mean here associate member level)
And at the same time WAOE is also organizationally more defined and efficient, when we have another level of membership (full membership)
I'd like to make this "asking to become a voting member" process more concrete, by specifying the director to whom associate members has to send a message.
What if we say that this message must be sent to Membership Chair.
Membership Certificates is a very good idea. Yes, whynot to use classical paper format for this and print special Certificates.. with our own seal etc...
Doing this gives our virtual friendship and organization more taste.... as we all come from hardcopy world and still think somewhere deep in our hearts that the REAL THING.. is maybe on paper :):)
... concerning the last point.. we haven't yet used (at least according to my records) David's goodwilled offer to donate WAOE $200... so what if we use this to ask David to print certificates?

From: David Wyatt (dwyatt@camtech.net.au)
Date: Saturday, April 03, 1999 10:36 PM

The first two paragraphs of Jenna's post on this item are entirely consistent with our incorporation documents and with information put out to prospective and registered members.
I also concur with Mihkel's view that the Membership Officer, rather than any Director or officer, should be the sole channel through which memberships are received and processed, and associate members are able to seek recognition as voting members. But I would like more time to think about no- or low-cost ways of providing members with formal certificates or other recognition, except to say that I believe the donation of $200 referred to is either already absorbed into operating costs or has to be reserved against costs yet to be met. In other word, as usual with WAOE, we have no ready means of doing anything that requires money.
Returning to Jennas's post, I do not think we are ready, either as the Directors, or as key members of the Coordinating Ring or of the wider organisation, to resolve the matters raised in the final paragraph - ie "Should we allow those who would rather give large donations or sponsor grants in WAOE's name to also become full voting members even without agreeing to otherwise participate? Are we ready to define memberships that come from our association with other organizations?"
I for one would like to do some more investigation of (1) the kinds of conditions which might go with sponsorships or large donations and (2) our potential for affiliations with other bodies and the kinds of reciprocal benefits or other arrangements which might thus be established. I have done some work on the latter from the perspective of recruitment, but I think it is really a matter for the Affiliate Liaison Committee to air first of all. The same committee could also set about advising the Coordinating Ring on corporate sponsorship or donation and related terms of membership, but it would have to take into account Mary Ellen Nourse's work on fund raising.
Against this background explanation, I move that it be
RESOLVED that the World Association for Online Education for the time being recognises two categories of membership namely, associate membership and voting membership, with the latter category being the equivalent of membership as defined by corporate law in California.
RESOLVED FURTHER that the substantive text of the first two paragraphs of Jenna Seehafer's post regarding Issuance of Memberships dated April 2 1999 be recorded in the Corporate Record Book as the official definitions of the associate and voting categories of membership.
RESOLVED FURTHER that applications for registration as associate members of the Association and applications to be recognised as voting members be received officially by the Membership Officer in the first instance.
RESOLVED FURTHER that the Coordinating Ring seek the advice of the Affiliate Liaison Committee with a view to defining the membership categories of (1) corporate and/or sponsor member and (2) affiliate member of the World Association for Online Education.
RESOLVED FURTHER that the Membership Officer present a report to the next meeting of the Directors of the World Association for Online Education containing details of proposals on additional categories of membership.
Is there a second?

David Wyatt
Director: World Association for Online Education
 
 

From: Jenna Seehafer (seehafer@csus.edu)
Date: Sunday, April 04, 1999 01:22 AM

I second the proposed motion.
Is there any further discussion?

From: Mihkel Pilv (info@miksike.ee)
Date: Sunday, April 04, 1999 06:16 AM

I agree with David and Jenna

Mihkel

From: Steve McCarty (steve@kagawa-jc.ac.jp)
Date: Sunday, April 04, 1999 11:27 PM

Eligible directors please vote on the motion and resolution as follows:
"that WAOE continue to have two kinds of "membership." But only one is "membership" of the sort that corporate law recognizes as "membership" when it calls a nonprofit corporation a "membership corporation." Once someone fills out the online membership form and subscribes to the the two main email listserves, that person becomes an
"associate member" who may participate in discussions and receive the newsletter and is welcome to participate in WAOE
activities and public benefits to the extent that person wishes to. There are no qualifications for becoming an associate member of WAOE and no responsibilities beyond observing email etiquette, paying any required fees or dues, and updating one's registration form each year.
To become a full member in the legally recognized sense,
eligible to be elected to the board, appointed to a committee or as an officer, or eligible to vote on organizational issues that@members govern, the associate member must send a message [AMENDED: to be received by the WAOE Membership Chair] asking to become a voting member and agreeing to participate and assume the responsibilities of members (which would include attending members' meetings or sending proxy votes, voting on members' ballots, actively participating in one or more WAOE committees, OCREWs, WAOE sponsored projects, or other voluntary services for WAOE, or agreeing to develop, sponsor, or host online resources),"
AND:
"RESOLVED that the World Association for Online Education for the time being recognises two categories of membership namely, associate membership and voting membership, with the latter category being the equivalent of membership as defined by corporate law in California.
RESOLVED FURTHER that the substantive text of the first two paragraphs of Jenna Seehafer's post regarding Issuance of Memberships dated April 2 1999 be recorded in the Corporate
Record Book as the official definitions of the associate and voting categories of membership.
RESOLVED FURTHER that applications for registration as associate members of the Association and applications to be recognised as voting members be received officially by the Membership Officer in the first instance.
RESOLVED FURTHER that the Coordinating Ring seek the advice of the Affiliate Liaison Committee with a view to defining the membership categories of (1) corporate and/or sponsor member and (2) affiliate member of the World Association for Online Education.
RESOLVED FURTHER that the Membership Officer present a report to the next meeting of the Directors of the World Association for Online Education containing details of proposals on additional categories of membership."

Steve McCarty, Chair

From: Jenna Seehafer (seehafer@csus.edu)
Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 01:53 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: Monday, April 05, 1999 11:54 AM

I support the motion.

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

From: Brian Donohue-Lynch (qv_blynch@apollo.commnet.edu)
Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 12:10 PM

I support the motion.

Brian Donohue-Lynch
Executive Secretary, WAOE
Danielson, CT

From: Mihkel Pilv (info@miksike.ee)
Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 01:45 PM

I support the motion.

Mihkel Pilv
Vice-President, WAOE

From: Steve McCarty (steve@kagawa-jc.ac.jp)
Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 10:44 PM

All eligible directors have voted. The motion passes unanimously, 4-0.

Steve McCarty
Director, World Association for Online Education
President, World Association for Online Education
Kokubunji, Kagawa, Japan