Hi,
I appreciate the recent discussion on LOPSA and its future on this list.
I thought I would try to put this discussion into context a bit.
NOTE: These are my personal thoughts and not the thoughts of the board.
* First LOPSA will be 10 years old in Nov 2015. It was started out of
conflict in 2005 that resulted in a legal action in 2007 which was
resolved in 2009 [1]. However from 2009 until late 2014, LOPSA has been
hamstrung dealing with the results of that legal action - paying off the
debt [2]. So for the majority of its existence, LOPSA has been just
trying to survive. This is one reason why LOPSA has not grown like
people wish.
* For a non-profit to be successful, it needs sponsorships and vendor
support to provide benefits to its members. LOPSA started with with
many sponsors, but I feel that due to the legal action, LOPSA lost its
sponsors. This has also hurt its ability to grow.
* There are several kinds of non-profits. 501c6 are professional
non-profits and 501c3's are educational non-profits. For some reason,
LOPSA is incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit [3]. I know this has caused
at least 2 board members to resign when they realized that LOPSA, in the
eyes of the government, is an educational, not a professional
organization.
* Finally, LOPSA has had a hard time finding volunteers. I checked at
the Bureau of Labor statistics and found out that volunteer rates at
professional organizations are around 5% - 8% [4][5]. LOPSA does not
have enough members at that volunteer rate to be a completely volunteer
run organization. Please note that educational volunteering happens at
an over 20% rate.
Given the above background, it is amazing to me that LOPSA has even
survived. I can understand why some folks have dropped out and some are
disillusioned with LOPSA - it has been very difficult. All I ask is
that you give us one more year to show that LOPSA is viable.
The good news, is that LOPSA did survive. I feel that we can still
provide a benefit to system admins as a educational non-profit. I
personally have seen how LOPSA has helped people to get training,
education, and jobs in system administration. We can make a difference
with your help.
Now is the time for you, as a member to make a difference, and vote at
https://election.lopsa.org for LOPSA's future. Only 2.7% of you have
voted so far. If you were a mentor or a protegee, VOTE! If you were
ever helped out by posting to IRC or to LOPSA discuss - VOTE!
Read the candidate statements at https://election.lopsa.org. Read the
candidate questions and answers at
https://lopsa.org/content/lopsa-2015-election-candidate-questions-and-answers
and pick the candidates that have answers which resonate with you. If
you blame the old board members, then vote us out - but vote at
https://election.lopsa.org/. Of all of LOPSA elections, this is one
where YOU can make a big difference with your vote. It only takes a few
minutes so please vote at https://election.lopsa.org.
cheers,
ski
References:
[1] https://lopsa.org/about_history
[2] https://lopsa.org/content/december-2014-lopsagram
[3] https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/201950324
[4] http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.t04.htm
[5] http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.t05.htm
--
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it
connected to the entire universe" John Muir
Chris "Ski" Kacoroski, [email protected], 206-501-9803
or ski98033 on most IM services
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