Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!gatech!udel!haven!mimsy!mojo!SYSMGR@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU
From: sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU (Doug Mohney)
Newsgroups: comp.org.decus
Subject: Re: DECUS Board of Directors Election
Message-ID: <009451A5.83C422A0@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU>
Date: 4 Mar 91 17:33:07 GMT
References: <4496@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>
Sender: news@eng.umd.edu (C-News)
Reply-To: sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU (Doug Mohney)
Distribution: na
Organization: The U. of MD, CP, CAD lab
Lines: 78

In article <4496@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>, tencati@nssdcb.gsfc.nasa.gov (Ron Tencati) writes:

>If you want your voice heard, get in touch with your SIG Executive 
>Committees or your LUG Chairs. These people all have accounts on the
>DECUS Communications System (DCS) computer system which enables DECUS
>leadership to communicate with each other between symposia. Not all
>leaders read DECUSERVE, or COMP.ORG.DECUS, but they are required
>(requested?) to check their DCS mail as often as they can. 

I don't suppose that you could post Internet addresses for the appropriate
committee members? Or is DCS not linked into any network?  Or I have to go get
an audience with SIG leadership first? 

Hmm. At least I was able to pick up the phone and bitch at my congressman on
how he voted on the use of force in the Persian, er Arabian Gulf crisis. Easy
to do, since the congressman has a staff to answer the phone.

>The leadership can speak for you, the concerned DECUS attendee, 
>in places and circles where you cannot. 

If the problem is with the leadership.....

>The ethical issues surrounding the Mitnick incident, questions about 
>how much DECUS is influenced by DEC - and why, the DECUS/DEXPO 
>relationship, as well as a much larger issue, a major overhaul of the
>DECUS internal structure, are being debated and discussed very
>actively between DECUS leadership. The key word here is DEBATED. The
>DECUS leadership are not in total agreement on how these issues should
>be handled or resolved. But they are discussing them in a reasonably-
>professional manner for a bunch of volunteer leaders, and your voices
>have not been ignored in their discussions. Leadership is very much 
>plugged in to what concerns the users.

DECUS leadership has not conveyed this discussion to the masses. Or maybe I'm
wrong, but there's nothing sitting in my mailbox which says "Hello DECUS
member, these are the issues we are discussing." Do I have to pay more money to
get onto DECUSERVE to be heard? 

>But if you want to be a part of the change, instead of just part of 
>the "static", let your immediate DECUS leadership know your feelings.
>Don't just post something here. Call somebody.  If you want to get 
>involved in DECUS leadership in hopes that your voice can help change
>things - go for it!  There is usually a session titled "Call for DECUS
>Volunteers" or "So, you want to be a DECUS Leader" sponsored by LDEC.

There should be another alternative to entering DECUS leadership other than
showing up at Symposia. I was quite disturbed that one of the "requirements"
for being a nominated BoD candidate was to show up at symposia for 3 years
running. 

>These sessions provide the background information for how to get 
>involved in DECUS and how to get into leadership.  The Board also has
>an open Board meeting that any symposium registrant can attend and be 
>heard, so avenues exist.

Not everyone can afford to go to Symposium twice a year. With the current
financial situtation of the University, I'll be lucky to go once a decade. 

We have several electronic networks. You have access, the UNISIG chair does.
Why not any of the BoD members ?  How long does it take to electronically post
minutes to here and comp.os.vms? 

>blow smoke, nothing gets done. Nothing changes. Instead of 
>philosophizing about how things "should be done", consider lending a 
>hand, a voice, and some time to make things get done.  Then you too 
>can be flamed by the symposia attendees who think all of DECUS 
>leadership stinks...

You sound bitter. Not everyone should be hanged in effegy. At the same time, if
DECUS, the body, claims me as a member, I have the right as a member to flame.
Marshmellows anyone?

complain.

     Reform may be dying in the Soviet Union, but we have the right to 
                introduce it to the DECUS Board of Directors. 

  -- >                  SYSMGR@CADLAB.ENG.UMD.EDU                        < --