Re: Bulletin Proposals

["Deatons" <deatons@earthlink.net>]

Hello everyone,
I find this discussion extremely interesting and I personally feel that if
someone is receiving payment, whether a stipend or salary, they should be
subject to standards that would be included in a contract, i.e. attending
meetings, keeping costs down, making deadlines, etc.  If it is a paying job,
then they should be doing it correctly, whether it is "volunteer' driven or
not.
Cheryl Deaton
----- Original Message -----
From: <PlankMail@aol.com>
To: <AISdiscuss@aisboard.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:27 PM
Subject: [AISdiscuss] Bulletin Proposals


> Ladies and Gentlemen members of AISDiscuss:
>      The points indicated below indicated by two ** were made by members
of
> the Board in the ongoing email discussion relevant to the search for a new
> Editor of the Bulletin, and the desire to analyze Bulletin production,
Bulletin
> policies and what approaches we might take to improve our most important
product
> -- the AIS Bulletin. These thoughts   were expressed in email exchanges
that
> took place over the past four days.   I selected points that were succinct
or
> easy to paraphrase. Any "editing" I did for clarity, I placed in
parenthesis.
>  Any personal comment of mine is found in blue-green and ended with my
> initials. Remember, these are thoughts thrown out for discussion purposes.
>      Please use this summary as "seed material" for your thoughts and join
in
> the discussion.
>           Jeanne
> Here is a summary of some of the points/positions that have been aired for
> consideration so far:
>      ** Not only should PAY for the Editor and/or Managing Editor be
> discussed, but discussion should also include whether or not there should
be
> reimbursement for a Bulletin Representative to attend each meeting of the
AIS   Board.
>
>      **1 The AIS Board expects the Bulletin Editor to attend Board
meetings (
> as it does the MemSec) and on his own nickel.
>      **2 Job descriptions should define who (if anyone) gets reimbursed
> (travel, room and meals) and under what circumstances.
>      **3 Regarding "Guest Editorships" -- The Winter Bulletin Editor could
be
> required to attend the fall board meeting, and the Summer Bulletin Editor
> could be required to attend the spring board meeting .
>      **4 Perhaps all Guest Editors might receive pay/reimbursement when
they
> attend the appropriate board meetings?
>      **5 Perhaps we could have a full editorial staff meeting at the
spring
> conventions with the Pres., 1st and 2nd Vice Pres' attending?
>      **6 Perhaps the Editor position should have a term limit of 5 years?
>      **7 We need to have a mind-set that says change is an evolving part
of
> Bulletin production and requires an open mind and ear to the personnel
involved
> and the technology which is constantly changing.
>      **8 We need to decide how much leeway guest editors are going to be
> given to make changes so we can see their personal style and ideas for the
> Bulletin.
>      **9 My personal favorite is to place this information (organizational
> and administrative information) in the back of each Bulletin, but reduce
the
> font size and minimize the white space.
>      **10 I personally believe the current layout (font size, white space
and
> size of iris photos) is excessively wasteful.
>      **11 If the AIS doesn't have enough worthwhile material to publish,
> maybe we should be either using fewer pages per issue or the treacherous
concept
> of one less issue per year. In the long run the value of our Bulletin will
be
> judged by its content not just by its looks.
>      **12 I would like to see the appointment of a new "permanent editor"
as
> soon as practical with Terry staying on as Managing Editor at least until
the
> new editor and the Board are comfortable with the new arrangement.   While
> guest editors may contribute new ideas and concepts, I believe this
benefit would
> be outweighed by the repetitive experience gained by a permanent editor.
>      **13 Defining expectations for the Bulletin, especially now before we
> have a new permanent editor is an important point.
>      **14 It is very appropriate to have a well defined job description
(for
> the Editor) so that everyone understands exactly what is expected from the
> editor, staff and the board/committees.
>      **15 An appropriate contract should be drawn for any AIS position
where
> the individual holding that that position is drawing a salary (or
stipend).
>      **16 All current and relevant policy positions taken by the Board and
> relating in any way to Bulletin production should be complied and
presented to
> the new position holder with the position's job description.   (This is a
good
> idea for almost any Board position. JCP)
>      **17 (Font size was brought up more than once in the exchanges
between
> Board members,JCP)           Examples:      *I believe (a font size of) 10
is
> plenty for business information.
>                          *There doesn't seem to be any unanimous agreement
on
> desirable font size:                                      12, 11 or 10
>                          *Our members are near senior citizen status and
> would appreciate larger fonts                                    for easy
reading.
>                          *I have very bad vision and font size is not a
> problem for me.
>                          *(Regarding font size) I suppose we could pose
the
> question to the membership in                               a Bulletin
filler.
>  Maybe we call it "Tell the Editor" or "Feedback"   I don't have
>                  a problem with that
>      **18 (White space was another Bulletin attribute that was addressed
by
> several. JCP)
>                Example: * I'm for adding as many pages as necessary (to
the
> Bulletin) as long as they                                    aren't wasted
on
> organizational material and administrative material standing
>            in a sea of white.
>                           * (Eliminating white space) is not as easy as
you
> think.   ...you just don't know                               until
publication
> gets right down to the wire -- like -- the last day (whether or
>                 not you will have low priority stuff to fill the white
> spaces).
>                          * There are good design reasons for white space
and
> it is often used on purpose.                                 Even in a
> publication like ours it serves a purpose.
>                          * I would like to see better use of space as
others
> have already commented on.
>           **19 I do like the idea of using this as a trial period for us
and
> for the Guest Editor.
>
>      Please join the discussion.
>           Jeanne
>
> (I would be intereted to know if you have found this summary (1)
interesting
>  (2) helpful (3) tedious, or (4) a "turn -off with regard to following or
> engaging in discussion of this issue.)
>
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> Pat Randall <patannran@msn.com>
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