Re: Online Membership

["K. Loberg" <loberg@adelphia.net>]

Bob,   Your comment about a "high tech way" is valid to consider.

  Going from what John's proposal indicates, "The easiest implementation 
would allow anyone to get the region list", I can tell you it would take me 
about 15 minutes to load that region list (from the web) into a database. 
And, combined with a number of public databases which can be purchased, it 
might take me another 20 minutes to 1 hour to match and extract addresses 
such that I'd have a new mailing list.   High costs?   Not really, I know of 
places to get public mailing lists from local government for very low fees 
(I worked for County government for two decades and I used to provide those 
lists to entities who purchased them.)

   So I don't want anyone thinking this is impractical or hard to do, 
because I could do it.   I'm pretty sure there are  commercial vendors who 
sell the "matching" service on a state wide basis.

   So I don't understand the need to make this available on the AIS web 
site.   Does the membership secretary get a large number of inquiries that 
we're trying to eliminate or reduce?   If the primary purpose is to serve 
the RVPs and affiliates, I suggest announcing the list web location 
privately, and not open to the public on the AIS web site.   Sending the 
list via email is an easy alternative.

  Are other plant societies doing this on a large scale?   I'm just curious 
to know.

  Perhaps membership should be asked if they want their name published in a 
public list.   There could be a check box on the renewal form giving their 
permission.

  I appreciate John's thoughts for the unprotected approach for simplicity 
sake.  I'm very hesitant as to whether it should be public.

Kitty Loberg



----- Original Message ----- 
From: <bobplankmail@aol.com>

> John raises a valid issue. We do need a written Privacy Policy (and a 
> Liability Disclaimer Policy) covering the Internets.
>
> I quote below from "Guidebook for Directors of Nonprofit Corporations," 
> second edition, published by the American Bar Association (2002).
>
> "Confidential Information.  The nonprofit corporation should also exercise 
> care to protect its confidential and proprietary information.  Employees, 
> volunteers, and others may have access to trade secrets or confidential 
> information such as donor or member lists, personnel information, medical 
> records, patient or client information or other data or materials that 
> must be kept confidential.  The nonprofit corporation should adopt a 
> confidentially policy and should take reasonable precautions (such as 
> passwords, limited distribution, stamping materials 'CONFIDENTIAL' to 
> protect against unauthorized dissemination of the organization's 
> confidential information."  Page 159-160; Emphasis added.
>
> Privacy is a hot button issue with many.  The laws vary from state to 
> state and are not static.  That's not to say that a member list, without 
> addresses, is "confidential information."  So far as I have determined, 
> such a list presently by law is not "material that must be kept 
> confidential."
>
> I'm inclined to agree with John Jones, favoring the "simple unprotected 
> approach just like the SJI does," because I do not view widespread 
> dissemination to be a commercial practicality because of the high costs 
> that would be involved in matching my name with an address. I would object 
> (mildly) if it turns out that there is an inexpensive high tech way to do 
> so, and as a result I got a flood of Invitations to Join from the orchid, 
> rose, hosta, daylily, cactus, and gourd societies.
>
> Since the law does not appear to be determinative of the matter, it should 
> be decided on other grounds, such as (a) whether rank and file members 
> would strongly object on privacy grounds to their names, without 
> addresses, being available on the AIS web site; and if so (b) whether 
> overcoming such possible objections are outweighed by the complications of 
> password protecting the data; or (c) whether just to continue providing 
> the lists to the RVPs by mail or fax on hardcopy, and to continue relying 
> on the members' own resources, or the RVPs, to remind them of the need to 
> renew.
>
> Bob Plank

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