Leadership Development Event Fast Approaching - Family-Friendly Event!

Before you know it, May 21 will be upon us - the date that MWM will be hosting its Leadership Development Event all day in Falls Church (10:30am - 4:30pm; early arrivals are welcome, especially to help us set up). Are you an M interested in leadership either within Mensa or that is fully applicable outside of Mensa? If so, you should RSVP that you'll be attending. (see below)

The topics are:
Running Effective Meetings
Getting People Involved
Dispute Resolution
Whole Family Activities

Your fellow Mensans will be giving these approx. hour-long presentations and taking questions. As of tonight, we have 30 people (including several families) who are already expected to attend. Reserve now, as space is limited. (MWM members and their immediate family get first preference, then non-MWM Mensans, then non-members.) The event is FREE, snacks and lunch will be provided, and there will be door prizes (one free registration to the 2011 MWM RG and/or Mind Games(r) 2012) for Mensan attendees.

RSVP to locsec@mwm.us.mensa.org or 202-OK-MENSA

If you're a Mensan (or the parent of a child Mensan who will be attending), to find out the location of the event, you can contact me (see above), look in the April or May issues of CapM, or look in the Gatherings listing in the April/May issue of the Bulletin.

Going Forward with Electronic Default for Local Group Newsletters

While I posted about a week ago that I was opposed to the motion on the AMC's agenda regarding changing the default for members who don't express a preference between print and electronic delivery of their newsletter from the Local Group, since it did pass and is to be in effect as of September 1, it is up to the National Office, the AMC, and, most of all, the Local Groups to make sure the word is spread about the necessity for selecting whichever of print or electronic you want.

In MWM, we do have an electronic version of the newsletter for download, and highly encourage everyone to get it. (After all, it's in full color and the pictures are much nicer to look at, rather than the B&W hardcopy.) If you want to be on the list for electronic, you will need to update your profile (see the bottom of the March 23 post) to make sure that you include your e-mail address, select the radio button that asks for delivery of local group publications via e-mail, as well as the button to release your e-mail address within the organization. If you can't/won't go to the AML website to do this, you can either send an e-mail to the National Office or drop me an e-mail (preferable, so I can easily forward it on), or you can call the National Office.

Similarly, if you would prefer hardcopy, please make sure to go to your profile on the AML website and select that button. This is NEW - it didn't previously exist, given it was the default. For anyone who is currently receiving hardcopy, PLEASE make sure to update your profile to ensure that you will continue to receive hardcopy. Again, you can do this by going to the national website directly, or e-mailing the National Office or me, or by calling the National Office.

In the coming months, we will have additional reminders in the newsletter. What we are hoping to achieve in the end is for as many members of MWM as possible (read: 100%, preferably) to have made a choice: electronic or print delivery. The only thing which we don't want to see if lots of people being "defaulted" to electronic delivery because they haven't taken the time to express their choice.

Help us help you get the newsletter the way you want it. Update your profile today.

Notes from AMC Committee Meetings

Below are the notes that I took during the various committee meetings held last weekend, preceding or following the AMC meeting. 

March 2011 AMC: Planning Committee Meeting

This committee meeting focused on coming up with some more mega-issues, several of which were written onto Post-Its during Item A1 of the AMC meeting the subsequent day. All the committee members in the room, staff (Pam and Howard), as well as any observers (I was the only one), were encouraged to mention some of the issues/problems facing AML which should be addressed. The following is a list of those questions, suggestions, and comments that came out during the brief meeting.

• How do we build more leadership? How do we encourage people who have no connection to the AMC but do have relevant skill sets to volunteer for/apply to be on committees? (There was mention of a new Volunteer section on the upcoming redesign of the AML website which will enable creation of a volunteer base locally, regionally, and nationally.)
• There are some volunteers who are not at all suited for the task they are volunteering for. How can their energy be redirected/refocused into something they are more apt for without offending them?
• How can the AMC best communicate with the Local Groups?
• How can the AMC inspire the Local Groups to mentor possible leaders – locally, regionally, and nationally?
• How can the AMC or Local Group ExComms motivate inactive members to come out and do anything with the Local Group?
• The AMC needs to “walk the talk” and set the example that it wants the Local Groups to follow, making sure to proactively address problems rather than let them fester, increase positive communication, etc.
• There were many concerns re: membership numbers and testing talked about. How do we encourage more proctors? How do we get more people actually testing? Are we reaching out to the public in sufficient numbers? Is the economy to blame for our lower testing numbers or are there other factors more at play?
• Many people drop out of AML because we aren't what we say we are. We don't provide intellectual stimulation.
• There is a fine line re: getting peoeple to do something. There are many people who have absolutely no desire to do anything other than be secure in the knowledge that they qualified for membership and maybe even receive their various newsletters. How much time and energy should we really spend on those members to change how they get value out of their membership to more closely match what the more active people see as getting value out of their membership? Agreed that there should be some energy devoted to bringing people out of the shadows who have an inkling of wanting to get involved in some way but, for some reason, don't. Again, though, how much time and energy should be put into that effort as well?

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March 2011 AMC: Site Selection Committee Meeting

Las Vegas is looking to host the December 2011 AMC meeting within the confines of their RG. They have been informed that by putting it as part of the RG, that the Local Group itself will be responsible for all of the financial aspects of the AMC meeting, as the room would be provided as part of the rooms they contract for for their RG. The Site Selection agreed by consensus to Las Vegas hosting the December 2011 AMC meeting.

There will be a blast e-mail sent out to the LocSecs soon about bids being accepted for the March 2012 AMC meeting.

Letters of Intent for the 2015 AG are due May 1. Despite that, there was conversation regarding one consortium bid which is being put together but that hasn't formally submitted the Letter of Intent yet.

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March 2011 AMC: Finance and Audit Committee Meeting

It was noted that there would be an in-depth description at the AMC meeting the next day about the relationship between the membership totals and the total income. It isn't precisely a matter of setting a number for membership and then calculating income based off of that. (Though, given my observation of the explanation during the AMC meeting, it's not so far off from that.) Rather, the membership total figure was said to be “backed into” based off of the total income that is budgeted.

There was a brief conversation of how the budget should be explained at the AMC meeting.

Just as in the Planning Committee meeting, there was a longer-than-expected conversation about the testing process and proctors, whether this is the best system we can have to generate members, or if there is something different that should be done. Several issues about lack of test takers, how to reach them, frequency of proctored tests, etc. were raised.

There was an in-depth discussion regarding Frost Bank's proposal as far as the AMC considering investing up to 15% of our funds in equities, in order to grow our principal, and because equities have risen a lot in the past couple of years. Suggestions were made as to how to adjust the language in the proposal, many questions were asked. While the original intent was to have this policy proposal turned into a motion for the AMC meeting, there was insufficient time to do so, so the unstated motions were going to turn into a discussion item, with a motion to be drafted for the July AMC meeting. It was noted during the discussion that if we do this that we will have to be willing to weather “down” markets, lest we “realize” the losses on paper – do successive AMCs have the stomach for that?

Question was raised about why not invest in corporate debt, many of which are AAA-rated bonds. They have more return than our current bond investments and are less risky than the equities that are being considered.

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March 2011 AMC: Governance Blueprint Task Force Meeting

The personalities, expertise, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the people who will be on this task force are important. They need to know what is going on and what the cultural hurdles in Mensa are. There can also not be anyone with a “dog in the fight” as a member of the committee. Several names of possible candidates for people to appoint to the committee were raised. If Robin didn't know who the person was, she asked for a brief description to get a feel for whether that person might have what she is looking for. There are about a hlaf-dozen or so people who Robin will contact in the near future to discuss this possibility with them and inquire as to their interest in joining the committee. Her ideal number of committee members is approx. 7 or 8.

There had been a question raised as to why more of the membership beyond the confines of the committee can't be involved with this process. Robin noted that they have been previously and that they would be again, but that at the moment the AMC needs to direct what the task force is to look at and consider.

Looking at her proposed timeline for the work of the committee, the timeline regarding getting bylaws on the ballot was pointed out, and how it was unlikely that the committee would accomplish its goal early enough to get it out in time for a Special Election that would need to be held before the entirety of the next election cycle. Given that, the time pressure should be removed somewhat, so that any such amendments could be placed on the 2013 ballot to take effect for the subsequent election cycle.

Robin also envisions having yet another committee formed to explain to and involve the membership in the eventual proposed changes.

There was a question about what was meant by a NomComm “with teeth” and what the appopriate role of the NomComm and the petition process is and should be.

UNOFFICIAL Mini-Minutes of March 2011 AMC Meeting

Were I the current Secretary of the AMC, the following is what I would be sending out as mini-minutes, minus any of the header-type information for now, so that this doesn't come across as the official mini-minutes of the March 2011 AMC meeting here in Atlanta.

Section A: Strategic Issues

Item A1: Recap of progress on mega-issues; discussion of upcoming year

After a brief recap, the AMC and those members of the audience present were guided on how we would go about identifying some of the larger issues that are facing American Mensa. Those members present wrote Post-It notes with specific open-ended questions and placed them into the following categories: membership, governance, leadership development, public awareness, finance, and other. These would then be handed to the next AMC as recommendations for the larger issues to be addressed by the next AMC. 

A similar exercise was undertaken by just the AMC members regarding things that the AMC as an entity and/or AML should stop doing organizationally. This list will also be forwarded on to the next AMC.

Item A2: Discussion of Strategic Dashboard

There was a brief recap of what items were available for viewing on the Dashboard on the AML website. Additional items that people would like included in some manner would relate to leadership as well as more granularity regarding demographics, if possible. The lack of financial information was noted. In order to put financial information in a Dashboard format, the AMC needs to direct the National Office on what the specific goals are so that they can be properly represented. For example, one of AMC's goals is to maintain a strong financial position; what does that mean numerically to put on the Dashboard? What number would be the benchmark where the members can see if we have met, exceeded, or fallen short of that generic goal on financial strength? Several other items of comparison were discussed.

Section B: Review and Adjustment to Strategy

Item B1: Budget approval

After some Q&A, the budget was approved as presented with no changes. 20-0-0-1 (RUDOLPH not voting)

Item B2 and B3: Finance and Audit Committee motions. No motions were submitted for these placeholders. Instead, there was a discussion item related to a proposed change to the investment policy. The committee distributed a policy proposal from our financial advisors (Frost Bank) regarding investing in equities, in order to grow our principal (as opposed to grow income). Suggestions were taken as to what changes should be made to the proposal to send back to Frost. This information will be placed into a motion to be submitted for the July AMC meeting.

Section C: Policy Determination

Item C1: Electronic signatures for bylaw referenda petitions.

After brief Q&A, this motion was approved. 20-0-0-1 (RUDOLPH not voting)

Item C2: Standardization of group mailings

After brief recap and Q&A, this motion was approved. 19-0-0-2 (RUDOLPH not voting; BEVARD not present)

Item C4: Executive Session (taken up out of order)

As Item C2 was finished at 12 noon, the AMC broke for lunch and moved up the Executive Session to occur immediately after lunch. The AMC discussed award and volunteer personnel matters. AMC meeting resume at approximately 1:45pm.

Item C3: Information and Privacy Policy

After Item C3a was approved to be separated out from this item, the remainder of this motion was approved without further changes. 20-0-0-1 (RUDOLPH not voting)

Item C3a: Motion to divide Item C3

This motion removed a portion of the originally submitted Item C3 so that it could be considered separately. Approved. 19-1-0-1 (NORRIS against; RUDOLPH not voting)

Item C3b: Electronic delivery of local group newsletters

The item removed according to Item C3a was considered. Below is the finalized wording after several amendments were made:

"As of September 1, 2011, electronic delivery is the default release for members to receive Local Group newsletters. Members may, via their online profile or by contacting the National Office, select print delivery of their group newsletters. Members who do not have email addresses on file, who do not release their emails within the organization, or who select to receive print communications via their profile will receive print communications."

Motion approved. 14-5-1-1 (REIGER, SANFORD, BURG, MARK, and DAHL against; POIRIER abstain; RUDOLPH not voting)

Item C5: Deadline for electronic receipt of items (moved into Consent Agenda as Item D3)

Item C6: Policy and Guidelines for Administrators of Internet Communication Services (moved into Consent Agenda as Item D4)

Section D: Routine Business

Items D1 - D4 Consent agenda

Item D1: Approval of consent agenda

Item D2: Receive Reports of Officers and Committees

Item D3: Deadline for Electronic Receipt of Items (previously Item C5)

Item D4: Policy and Guidelines for Administrators of Internet Communication Services (previously Item C6)

Approved 20-0-0-1 (RUDOLPH not voting).

Item D5: Presentation regarding redesign of AML website

Howard PRINCE demonstrated the new features of the AML website, primarily focused on new navigation.

Section E: Conclusion

Adjourned 4:10pm

Electronic Newsletters

As you should know by now, MWM offers up its newsletter in electronic form every month. It's in full color and looks even better that way than the hard copy's black-and-white version, not to mention the fact that it is usually available over a week before the end of the month and you needn't worry about the Post Office holding up delivery until the calendar is half-useless. Not only can any MWM member download CapM from the national AML website, but so can any other AML member.

In terms of the expenses that the chapter incurs, the ideal situation would be for every MWM member to update their Personal Data Questionnaire (PDQ, aka profile) to select the option whereby they would receive electronic publications and forego the print version of the local group newsletter. (See below for instructions on just how to go about updating your profile accordingly.) Right now, near the end of the membership year, we have over 2100 members in the chapter, and more than 1600 of you have decided not to select the electronic publication. When you do the math of approximately $0.82 per member per month that we get in stipend from National (most, though not all, of which goes towards printing and mailing the newsletter), that's $12-15k we could use for other things that we haven't even contemplated yet.

This coming weekend, the AMC is going to vote on a motion that, if passed, would, as of July 1, change the current default setting for local group newsletter delivery from “hard copy/print” to “electronic” for anyone who doesn't either actively choose “electronic” or, once the option is made available, choose “hard copy/print.” While we will surely be putting prominent notices in the newsletter to alert the membership of this change, if enacted, and how inaction on the member's part would affect them, there will be many members who either still won't realize the upcoming change is occurring or won't take the steps they need to retain their specific preference for delivery. While I receive electronic versions of our newsletter and would encourage everyone else to do likewise, I oppose the motion before the AMC for the simple reason that it forces the members to take an action to retain their status quo where none need be taken. Not to mention the lack of transparency regarding the issue, the lack of solicitation of member input, and the ineffective communication of precisely how this will be implemented and how it will impact the local group (especially those members responsible for the preparation of the labels).

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Instructions for Updating Your Profile/PDQ on the AML Website:

• Proceed to www.us.mensa.org, select Member Login, and enter your Member #/Email Address and Password
• Using the Left Menu, select Profile Update
• Scroll down to “ePublications Information”, enter your email address, select BOTH the checkbox that says “Release the above email address...” and the one requesting receipt of the local newsletter electronically, if you want the newsletter electronically. (NOTE: Currently, there is no checkbox for you to actively select if you want to receive the newsletter in hardcopy. Supposedly, if the current motion passes, a third checkbox will be added so that you will be able to actively choose to retain hard copy of the newsletter.)
• Scroll down further, into the “Contact Information” section and update your snail mail address, e-mail address, and phone number so that we can actually get you the newsletter and other information to the correct location that we need to get to you.
• Scroll down further. Just above the yellow-highlighted section, there is another checkbox related to receiving publications electronically. This box deals with NATIONAL mailings, not CapM or anything else sent by the local group. (It's rather poorly phrased to seem redundant, don't you think?) Your checking or not checking this box will not affect how you receive CapM. Oddly enough, even though the Bulletin is online (even current-month issues, now), your selecting this checkbox will NOT have you opting out of hard copy versions of the Bulletin – that's actually not an option right now, for some unexplained reason.
• Scroll down to the yellow-highlighted section and check/uncheck the checkboxes as you see fit. None of these options should affect how you receive CapM.

For those who can't/won't go online to update your PDQ preferences, you can call the National Office and do this over the phone. (And if you have your membership renewal form still -- MAIL IT IN, but make sure to update your PDQ information appropriately.)

(Note: depending on the time of month you update your PDQ, how long it takes to replicate in the system, and when local group officers' reports are generated, this may not go into actual effect for you until the subsequent month.)

MWM Proctoring and our Proctor Incentive Program

We've got several proctors who are either "active" or "past active", as far as National's terminology is concerned. We do hold 1 or 2 test sessions, generally, monthly. Given the number of people who have previously expressed interest, and over the geographic area that our chapter covers, relatively few people wind up testing in any one session. But if we can, instead, test about 5 or 6 times per month across the area, this will add up fast and help us garner yet more members.

For those of you who are "past active" proctors, what can we do to help you get back into regular testing again - even if it's only once every few months? Do you need additional training to become "recertified"? Are you having difficulty locating a venue for testing? Or is it a time/overcommitment issue - which is something we likely can't help you with. Let us know.

For those of you MWM'ers who have contemplated becoming proctors but haven't gotten the process rolling, contact me or, better yet, our Proctor Coordinator, Nancy Farrar. We can point you to the right information. We also want you to remember about the Proctor Incentive Program that the ExComm approved earlier this term: we will give a free registration to the 2011 MWM RG to any proctor who proctors at least eight sessions prior to the RG. (Note: those people who are training, the initial two "observation" sessions count as to proctored sessions, as do the two sessions you proctor while being observed by a certified proctor; and those sessions count for the certified proctor, too.)

If you know an MWM'er who has been thinking about becoming a proctor, give them a nudge and point them to this blog post.

Recruiting at Odyssey of the Mind

On Saturday, while I was one of MWM's several Problem Judges for Odyssey of the Mind, we had a table manned by a few members of the chapter. During the course of the approx. 7 hours that we had the table set up, there were lots of people who stopped by and took some of the promotional material (flyers, pencils, bookmarks, promo Bulletins). Even better, we actually had more than a dozen people who were willing to provide their name and e-mail address to be contacted for additional information. And even one mom whose daughter is a current member who wanted further info.

I'm looking forward to getting some extra members within the next few months from this straightforward effort. And all of this is perfectly timed, as it turns out, as we are reinvigorating our Gifted Children program; as of Sunday, the ExComm appointed Donna Campbell as our newest Gifted Children Coordinator.

We'll definitely have a table again next year. And with the suggestions that the people who manned to the table have provided on how to increase our visibility at the competition and what we should have available to attract more attention amid the chaos that is Odyssey, we should be able to get lots more people expressing interest, testing, and eventually joining.

Persistence Pays Off

Lately, I've been pushing the need for a Gifted Children's Coordinator, so that we can provide some events and other support to our youngest members. I recently got contacted by the mother of one of our newest child members (and he being 7 years old). We just talked earlier, and her enthusiasm and prior experience putting on some really neat events for her son at his school very readily came through the phone. So, assuming that the ExComm formalizes the appointment on Sunday and everything proceeds apace with the requisite background check from National (no reason to believe there will be a hiccup in either process), it looks like we're about to finally have a new Gifted Children's Coordinator.

Now for the next big push -- growing our cadre of proctors.

Sunday's ExComm Meeting

We should have a finalized version of the agenda shortly. Currently on the agenda are ratifying the online vote to approve the RG contract and budget, appointing a new SIGHT Coordinator, re-appointing the ombudsman whose term ends March 31, and discussing possible bylaws changes to iron out and put before the membership. If you are an MWM member and would like a copy of the agenda when it is finalized (by Wednesday), please let me know.

Snowball RG

Looking forward to attending Snowball this weekend. I've always had a good time there, largely in the games room, but also enjoying a few programs (like Monster Trivia and the (IMO) very evil Spelling Bee). This year, I'm also looking forward to Harry Ringermacher's talk on Dark Matter and, naturally, the Meet the Candidates session that will take place after the RVC Rap Session.

Hope to see y'all in NJ.