Re: Online Membership

[Jill Bonino <aistreas@earthlink.net>]

Thanks John.  This seems to be a modest cost for info that we need.  Jill

-----Original Message-----
>From: John I Jones <jijones@usjoneses.com>
>Sent: Jan 19, 2007 12:07 PM
>To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
>Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Online Membership
>
>On Jan 19, 2007, at 10:45 AM, Jill Bonino wrote:
>
>> If this makes it easier for affiliate Presidents and RVPs to do their 
>> jobs, and it doesn't add any burden to the AIS budget or burden to 
>> present AIS volunteers to keep it up, I agree with John Jones 
>> proposal.
>>
>> Nagging questions....Would LIFE members be listed with an expiration 
>> date of NONE or LIFE (couldn't be a date that would fit into a date 
>> field on the database)?  I think we would need to have the Life 
>> members on the list too.  Also, how often would the list be 
>> updated...monthly?...quarterly?  and who would do this?
>
>The list would be updated monthly.  AISMemSec (Tom Gormley) would 
>generate a list from the AIS database (a simple process requiring a 
>one-time setup - he and I have talked briefly about this) and email it 
>to me. I would upload it to the website and change the "last updated" 
>date.
>
>Yes we would put "Life" (or some other suitable description) in the 
>expiration field for life members (dates would actually be a text 
>field)
>
>As to costs, I am likely to put the list on an different ISP from the 
>AIS website so that Chris and I don't have to coordinate maintaining a 
>current copy of the AIS website updated by two different people. That 
>cost would be on the order of $7.00 per month. We would also need a 
>domain name, but that is included in the basic package at the ISP I 
>would use. The programming for the site would be done by a company I 
>have experience with. They are off shore and excellent. I have asked 
>for a quote and will post the information when I have it. The 
>development cost will come from the Electronic Services Restricted 
>fund. The monthly cost can be covered by the website/electronic 
>services budget.
>
>John
>
>>
>> Jill
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: William Plotner <gardens@molalla.net>
>>> Sent: Jan 19, 2007 9:42 AM
>>> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
>>> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Online Membership
>>>
>>> I will add to this,
>>>
>>> We also already have regional membership chrm.   That should be their 
>>> job as
>>> the AIS membership chrm already sends this list to them and I am sure 
>>> that
>>> it is available to the RVP's.
>>>
>>> All MY Best
>>>
>>> Will
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "K. Loberg" <loberg@adelphia.net>
>>> To: <aisdiscuss@aisboard.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:38 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Online Membership
>>>
>>>
>>>> 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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>>>> Pat Randall <patannran@msn.com>
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>>>
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>>
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>
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