Phillip and all --
>Even if other organizations don't put their budget, agenda, and minutes
>
online for the public to see, that is no reason for us not to do so.
They don't, and we shouldn't, for the same reason, as exemplified by this
recent incident reported by former OVP Cheryl Jones to the BOG, which has
now gotten all stirred up (again) about this issue:
"A couple years ago, the NSS was offered a lot to purchase in the Shelta
neighborhood. The owner called and told me about having read the
minutes, officer reports, and financial information, and thus that he knew we
were interested in purchasing property, how much we were prepared to
spend on another lot we'd considered buying, how much money the NSS
had, what various restricted funds we had and what they were used for, and
some other tidbits from minutes, officer reports, and the Board Manual.
Some information didn't even relate to purchasing property.
"I felt as if someone had broken in our "house," rummaged in our drawers
and files, and spied upon us. He was snooping for information to leverage
his position and use against us. No good came of his visits to the business
page. Our cards were pretty much exposed and our bargaining position
compromised.
"That incident is what got me thinking about the risks and ramifications of
allowing anyone to view our business affairs, and questioning the need to do
so.
"I know of no other organization, or certainly no other large, successful
organizations/corporations, that have their operational directives posted on
the Web for the world to see, or even their Board meeting minutes, officer
reports, and/or detailed fiscal information. And I have looked. It just could
be that they know something -- that they are aware of the risks of exposing
their business to the world and hanging out their laundry for all to see. It is
important for any corporation or organization to control the information that
is available to the public.
"Aside from fulfilling legal requirements, our responsibility for providing
information is to our members, not to the general public. The Members
Manual and the annual/biennial reports contain the audited fiscal reports,
and the reports are freely available online to the world. They are our
business and corporate face to the public, and pretty much all that an
agency, potential grantor, other organization, or non-member needs to see
to see about "corporate NSS." Other information about the NSS is on the
public area of the Web site.
"Individual pages of the Board Manual are linked from Web pages to provide
additional information, such as IO policies, "Definitions and Policies for
Society Activities," and "Organization Structure." Also linked for public view
are the Bylaws, Constitution, and Current Personnel pages. The
Conservation Policy has its own page. Any member may send a link to a
page from the Board Manual to anyone. (The rest of the Manual cannot then
be accessed via that page.)
"There are no benefits to the NSS of posting operational directives, minutes,
officer reports, fiscal information, and other business details on the Web for
the world to see. Instead, there is risk to the Society. Our responsibility is to
do what is best for the Society and limit risk, not to do what is best for non-
members.
"We've made it very simple for members to access the Business page. The
lock isn't secure of course, but keeps out casual non-member visitors."
So there you have it, the reason why the protection of most of the BOG
Manual by a firewall was directed. I'm sure that will get your blood-pressure
up, Phillip, but all three of your 'good reasons' are specious.
Alex
--
Alex Sproul
NSS 8086RL/FE
NSS Webmaster
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