Non-streamlining Grex's Board

Oct 24 15:00 UTC 2001

In all this discussion about streamlining Grex management processes, I would
like to propose something which will do the opposite, but which will have the
effect of improving our effectiveness (hopefully).

This is not a matter of formal policy, but of informal procedure.  Typically,
it is the job of the chair to determine the agenda for any particular meeting
of the board.  I would like to propose that we make a habit of putting a
review of the previous meeting's minutes early in that list.

The purpose of this is to insure greater continuity in our management process,
and help us keep our discussions in an ongoing context.

I bring this up here to promote discussion, rather than just entering a
suggestion each time the proposed agenda appears.

response 4 of 12:

Oct 25 00:40 UTC 2001

Many deliberative bodies operate that way, including ones I serve
on at my university, but for Grex I'm not so sure this isn't a
solution in search of a problem.  The minutes are regularly posted
online within a couple of days of the meeting, and everybody gets
a chance to review them while their memories are fresh.
Things are clarified and mistakes are corrected at that stage, and
then the minutes and accompanying discussions are archived.
(Type the !minutes command to access them.)  I suppose an
"approval of minutes" item could be added to board meeting
agendas, but I suspect that it'd be largely pro forma, and
not make a great deal of difference whether we do it or not.

response 6 of 12:

Oct 25 02:59 UTC 2001

I understand the review for accuracy, and made my suggestion with the 
specific awareness that we do not currently do that, but instead rely on 
corrections made after the minutes have been publicly posted.

Also, doing this nearer the beginning of the meeting could serve the 
purpose, while doing after setting the next meeting date -- which always 
comes at the end -- would not be of much use at all.

The point is not to approve the minutes, but to review them.

response 8 of 12:

Oct 25 08:34 UTC 2001

I'm not sure I understand what Eric wants to happen.  At present the
minutes posted, for all to see, as soon as someone, usually the secretary,
is able to get them online.  Everyone then has 30 days in which to review
the posted minutes and make their comments or corrections.  The minutes
including those responses and/or corrections are then archived.

I wouldn't want to make any changes that would delay the minutes
being posted, publicly, for all to see.

response 10 of 12:

Oct 25 12:44 UTC 2001

Yes, thank you, Mark.  What is so difficult to understand about this 
concept?

The sole purpose is to remind the board of what was discussed at the 
previous meeting, so that concerns which deserve follow-up are given 
appropriate attention.  It is just a supplement to our collective 
memories.

response 12 of 12:

Nov 8 05:18 UTC 2001

   We could do this, but if the board members can't remember or don't
know of the important things to discuss, I don't really see much help
in reading what was done last month.  To me, the problem is much larger.
I agree with John in #4, except that I'm more negative on the idea of
tihs then he is.  We've not used RRO for years and I think we're an
example of a place that actually manages to steer around most of the
potential disasters we could have faced, and I don't see clueless board
members bumbling around.  I don't think we need this, but will only
look like a large stuffed crab during the minutes approval if we decide
on this.