[ANSTHRLD] New process for decision meetings

[Bordure Herald]

Greetings to the College of Heralds,

I don't know about you, but when I go to an event I really want to
participate in other things that are going on without worrying about some
heraldic decision meeting.  So many other activities going on like archery,
artisans, scribal, fighting, shopping, etc.  Okay, I'll still go to a
heraldic meeting at an event or class, but I wanted to put forth a trial
program that is going to be run for a couple of quarters to test out
something Star Principal and I have discussed recently.

Starting in March there will be online decision meetings every month except
once a quarter we will have an in person meeting at an event that will be
listed with as much advance notice as possible for all of these meetings to
allow as many as possible to participate.  Now I know many have concerns
and are wondering "What does this mean for me?  What about my submitter?"
Let me now take a moment to hopefully ease your concerns, fears, and
worries.  I will email an invite to the decision meetings to each submitter
(when possible so this is highly important to make sure that we get good
email addresses for everyone) along with the local group herald/ consulting
herald to join me on Skype.  Again, Skype is a free program and you don't
need anything special to sign up for it.

Now there is something I am going to put back on the local heralds as well
as those who are helping people with their submissions.  I really need you
to encourage these submitters to join us so that we can help fix any
immediate paperwork issues, answer any questions raised during the meeting,
etc. that might come up during a decision meeting.  As a note, decision
meetings don't only take the comments from OSCAR into consideration.  If
anything comes up that is not on OSCAR, it is EXTREMELY (stressed here as
EXTREMELY) helpful to have the submitter join us.  Now, I understand that
having a HUGE group of people in an online decision meeting from all over
the kingdom is not ideal, but there was a suggestion to help with this and
make it an educational event at the same time.  For the decision meetings,
if groups can gather together at a designated home and get on from one
location per those wanting to join then more people can actually
participate.  If you have somebody who is a tech wizard, see if you can
have a gathering the day of the decision meeting.  Then you just need a
microphone and speakers, a really good viewing screen (can probably hook up
a PC to a TV with HDMI as was suggested by Ld Ivo Blackhawk) and then let
all listen and put in their remarks as needed.  This is a working idea for
now, but a good one brought up by Ld Ivo to help facilitate more
participation without hopefully having people think we will single them
out.

In person meetings will of course be the standard way of we arrange for a
time and spot at an event and all are encouraged and welcome to join in as
well.  Again the in person meetings are just as important to have
submitters there as the online decision meetings.  Please please please
please, I can't say it enough, please encourage the submitters to attend
the meetings.  I am going to make sure to arrange all meetings as far in
advance for date, time and place so that people can arrange their schedules
accordingly to join in.

I once again want to thank Etienne for his help in making sure the January
Decision meeting happened along with the others that stepped up to help.
THANK YOU!!

If you have further concerns or suggestions please don't hesitate to
contact me.  I will respond just as quickly as I can as we try to go
forward with making things smoother, allow for greater participation, and
help encourage a stronger submissions process within the College of Heralds
in Ansteorra.

In Service,
Alisone McCay
Bordure Herald