Board meeting minutes for 2015-01-24 at Clay Harris. Here, on board: Matt Strait (in person), Dean Gahlon, Lydy Nickerson, Scott Gahlon, Beth Friedman. Here, not on board: Kelly James, Ann Totusek, David-Dyer Bennet (DD-B), Eric Forste, Kevin Austin, Joel Phillips. == Going through the TODO list from last time == * Lydy has thought about the informational packet, but hasn't written anything yet. One thought: We need to say how board-chat is managed. We need to write down what board@mnstf.org does. Tangentially, we should think of a better system for replying to queries to board@mnstf.org. The packet should have a pointer to the bylaws ("it would be really nice if the board members read the bylaws") and the wiki. Should include information about our banking. And the password protected documents site that we want to set up (see below). Lydy will put something formal together and can take more ideas. ==> So this goes back on the TODO list. * Ameriprise: Lydy called them on Thursday (two days ago). No call back yet. Mondays are good for Scott. Lydy will continue to call him and hassle him until she gets a result. Lydy suspects that calling multiple times will be necessary. ==> Goes back on TODO list. * Lydy has brought DD-B to the board meeting so we can talk about a password-protected documents site. DD-B says there are a couple of approaches he could take. He notes that it's not practical to prevent the webmaster from reading these files. Fine, we say, we should be able to trust the webmaster. DD-B will think further and give us advice in the next couple weeks. ==> Remind DD-B goes on the TODO list. * Scott has not yet find a better microphone. ==> Back on the TODO list. * We approve the revised harassment policy. ==> TODO: Put it on the web in this form. * Matt told Michael what we decided. * Matt reports that Minicon programming seems to be in good shape now. * Matt did not beg for M51 chairs because we have a proposal coming up here. * Scott has asked Carol if the METHOD Con 2 check was deposited. ==> Not heard back, back on the TODO list. * Scott has put our fallcon desires in the Einblatt. * Beth has asked Peer to announce same, and Peer has done it. * We have a pool party scheduled. == Conventions == Minicon 49: Matt has the Pepsi check. This is the last item, and he now just needs to get the money to Minnstf and close the M49 account at TCF. Minicon 50: Is progressing. A fallcon 2015: No proposals yet. Minneapolis in 2073: Matt sent in the 2014 financial report. Not everyone got it. Maybe he sent it to board and not board-chat. [Yes, that's what happened.] The report is: In 2014, we ran parties at Detcon and Windycon, and sold memberships also at Capricon, Oddcon, Minicon, Loncon, and METHOD Con. Total income: $341.86 and a silver quarter Total expenses: $296.68 Net: +$45.18 and a silver quarter The MPLS2073 treasury currently holds $137.63 and assorted non-fungible items. Minicon 51 and 52: Ann handed out her proposal. Everyone simultaneously asks whether her days are Easter weekend. Yes. Ann will by default stay with the same hotel, but is open to switching. Lydy asks if Ann is prepared to deal with the PR issue of switching hotels. Ann says that she is aware of this issue and yes. Ann is planning on 2 GoH per year. She is hoping that some of them can drive to the con instead of flying so as to cost us less. Ann is hoping for some big names. DD-B wonders if the reg bump from these would stick for future years. We discuss the budget and decide that it is probably ok, although could be done up a little nicer. Matt wants to know whether Ann is happy with the average $45/head income, which implies a frugal con. Yes, she is ok with that. Some discussion ensues. We would like to see a committee before approving. Matt agrees to be treasurer given that he and Ann share a financial philosophy. Kelly James agrees to do hospitality. We want to see a second person for that. ==> TODO: We need to put on the records page that we want to see a committee. We would like Ann to come back to the next board meeting with a committee list. Only major departments need to be on the list, where we all pretty much agree on what "major" means. Some can be provisional, especially if the M50 head is on their first year, but they need fall-back ideas. == Beth says, on the topic of continuity == Having the list of things we need to do on the wiki is a start, but we should think about making a position for Person Who Knows Things. This is apparently called an "exec" or an "admin" in the corporate world. In our world, since this won't be a paying position, they can be called whatever they won't. == Next meeting == 8:30pm at the pool party, Feb 21, at the DoubleTree. == TODO list for next time == * Lydy will put together the informational packet for new board members. * Lydy will continue trying to establish contact with Ameriprise. * Lydy will remind DD-B to advise us on a password-protected website area for board documents. * Scott will try to find a better microphone for phone meetings. * Matt will get the new harassment policy on the web. * Scott will ask Carol again about the METHOD Con 2 check. * Matt will put on the records page that we want to see a committee list with con proposals. [DONE] ==== The anti-harassment policy that we approved follows ==== Minn-stf Anti-harassment Policy Preamble This policy covers Minn-stf sponsored events, including regular meetings of the membership, board meetings, and convention committee meetings, most of which are hosted in members' homes, and other Minn-stf-sponsored events held in more public venues, such as picnics and pool parties. It also covers conventions held under Minn-stf auspices, such as Minicon and the fallcon. Principles Minn-stf acknowledges that interpersonal relationships in social settings are complex. Not everyone likes everyone else, and not everyone agrees with everyone else. Disagreements, friction, and vigorous debate are expected. However, interactions that become hostile or coercive do not have any part in a healthy social environment and Minn-stf commits to addressing problem behaviors. Harassment is difficult to define, and attempts at an exact definition are subject to rules-lawyering, so we won't attempt to do that. However, repeated unwelcome behaviors are mostly likely to be construed as harassment. If someone asks you not to touch them, not to talk to them, or not to refer to them in a way that they find objectionable, and you persist in doing so, you may be harassing them. Actions that are sufficiently egregious (assault, truly hateful language, and comparable actions) fall under this policy, even if only one occurrence has been noted. In the end, harassment is judged primarily by the person who feels harassed, and actions are more important than intent. Outside of conventions If you are being harassed, it is your choice whether to deal with it on your own or seek support or assistance from Minn-stf. If you choose the latter, please notify the host of the event, a Minn-stf officer, or a board member of the problem. In all cases, we will try to work with all parties to eliminate the problem behavior. Actions taken may include warning or banning, either temporarily or permanently. Rules for conventions Each Minn-stf convention shall publish a public policy and also have an internal policy, both approved by the board. The public policy must consist of at least the above Principles section, verbatim, followed by information about how the convention implements these principles. The internal policy must include the following: who is responsible for looking into reports; how they will look into them, including the process and the timeline thereof; how the progress and conclusions thereof will be communicated to the harassment reporter and reportee and to the public; and how multi-year recommendations will be communicated to the board regarding harassers. ==== End of the new anti-harassment policy that we approved ====