April 12, 1993
To: The Triple Nine Executive Committee
From: Kevin Langdon, P.O. Box 795, Berkeley, CA 94701; (510) 658-1792
Comments on the March 12 ExCom Memo
Cyd's Memo (points numbered according to Cyd's numbering)
1. Results of Previous Ballot
Now that the Regent will be signing on the TNS checking account, we need to arrange for
the Regent, as well as the Financial Officer, to be bonded.
I must continue to insist that members of the Executive Committee must be willing to
respond to members who write to them regarding TNS business (though I have sometimes been
slow in doing this myself). But I don't think the Editor has an obligation to engage in
personal correspondence regarding editorial submissions. Members who submit material are
entitled to have their submissions printed or returned within a reasonable period and to
hear from the Editor regarding the status of their submissions if long delays are
unavoidable; anything else is at the discretion of the Editor.
3. Voting Officers: Request for Seconds
I'd like to add the last sentence of Cyd's motion (giving notice to members of the
Psychometrics Committee of ExCom votes on appointment of new members of the PsyCom) to my
motion. I prefer my method (Regent appoints PsyCom members, ExCom confirms) to Cyd's
(appointment by ExCom) because it seems likely that trying to find candidates as a body
would tend to take a lot longer.
I move that seconds no longer be required for Executive Committee motions. Seconds for
motions are often not required in very small bodies where there is little danger of an
overwhelming volume of business, but there is a more compelling reason for dropping the
requirement for a second: if we should wind up with a rotten crop of officers at some time
in the future (and this actually happens in these groups from time to time), a single
holdout member of the ExCom should be able to force the bad apples to put themselves on
record by sending in their votes.
4. Vidya--Evolution
I agree with Cyd that many arrangements to split up the responsibilities involved in
editing, printing, and mailing Vidya are possible and that workability is the
primary criterion. One thing that would help keep things moving along when there's a
problem and that would be easy to put in place without disrupting the flow of the
publishing process would be to designate a Backup Editor who would be ready to step in if
the Editor becomes ill or takes on a demanding new job and can't get the issues out. Would
someone like to volunteer to be Backup Editor? (This is in addition to the very good idea
of having Guest Editors put out issues of Vidya from time to time.)
I also agree with Cyd that cooperation with the ISPE on a scholarly journal (or much of
anything else) is a remote possibility at the present time.
5. TNS Accounts
I am disturbed that Tim Hardy did not provide this committee with any financial reports at
all from the time he took office in the Spring of 1990 until the draft statements for 1991
and the first half of 1992 printed in the August 1992 ExCom Memo, that final reports have
not been submitted for publication in Vidya, and that we still have not heard
anything from Mr. Hardy about Barry Zaslove and the missing funds.
Therefore, I move that the draft financial statements be printed in Vidya, with
the explanation that Mr. Hardy has failed to provide final versions.
Also, I intend to move that Mr. Hardy be censured by this Executive Committee if he does
not provide a complete accounting, covering the Zaslove affair and Hardy's entire term as
Financial Officer, by June 1, 1993. Cyd, please be sure that Mr. Hardy receives a copy of
this memo.
Kerry Williams' Memo
I agree very much with Kerry's suggestions regarding places to advertise TNS. I would add
science magazines and future-oriented magazines like Omni, Whole Earth Review,
and The Utne Reader. I support the idea of giving a free month of membership to
any TNS member who recruits a new member.
I'm also pleased that Kerry is willing to be part of the team to get Vidya out.
I'm sure that Clint can use some help with this big job.
I like Kerry's ideas on clarifying the write-in vote question, the time limit for
initiatives, etc. I think he should consider volunteering for the Constitution Revision
Committee.