-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hey guys,
I'm forwarding along a suggestion from David Stewart, who's not currently a member but is interested in SkullSpace. Based on what he says, and some reading I've done, I think we should re-visit the idea of student memberships. I was traditionally against it, but I'm starting to come around. It helps that I re-read the hackerspace design patterns and it includes this one: http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/The_Membership_Fees_Pattern Which includes the text, "Collect fees regularly. Make no exceptions, ever. Choose an appropriate amount. Have discounts for students. Have at least three months of rent on your account, all the time, no exceptions. Elect a totalitarian treasurer." The issues I've had in the past with it - keeping everybody equal, etc - I think we can set aside for the purposes of getting more members / more interest / more events / etc. Another issue was how we manage it - and I think honour system is fine. If you're going to school full-time, and you tell us you are, that's good enough. If we don't believe you, then you probably shouldn't be a member anwyays. It would create extra work for Jay - to switch members from student to regular when necessary - so he definitely has a say in this. Students could, of course, choose to pay the full amount, if they'd like. :) Thoughts? Ron - ----- Forwarded message from David Stewart <[email protected]> ----- Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:15:37 -0500 From: David Stewart <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Subject: Skullspace student/casual memberships Hello Ron, Over the past year I have sporadically attended various events at Skullspace (Most notably Mak's C course) and while I would like to become a full member, there has always been a few things that have held me back (mostly due to lack of time). Compounding my existing lack of time problem is that since have I started school full time at the U of M, the amount of free time I have has taken a dive off a cliff. Furthermore, being a full time student, has rendered me more or less broke. I would like to contribute to the success of Skullspace, but $40 a month is beyond my reach financially for now, and quite frankly with my dwindling free time I could hardly spend any time at all at the space anyways. I'm sure you see where I am going with this, but I will ask the question directly.... Has there ever been discussion about memberships for student/casual members? - Perhaps key less if need be, and/or based on hours at the space per month, non-voting (or 1/2 of a vote), without a dedicated storage spot etc. ? I realize that this has the potential to be a slippery slope of "special treatment", but could a fair system be hashed out? To me it seems that this could help to open up membership to a wider audience and increase the amount of membership dues collected each month without causing a significant increase in operating costs.......Additionally, this could help to make Skullspace a more inclusive community. (Not that it is particularly exclusionary at the moment!) Anyways it's just a thought, I'll leave it to you and the Skullspace group to make the decisions on this, but feel free to ask me questions and I'll do my best to get back to you asap. Regards, David Stewart - ----- End forwarded message ----- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.19 (GNU/Linux) iEYEARECAAYFAlB8Y94ACgkQ2t2zxlt4g/QmTQCg3asSucA+sQ7tmhyg3OZmEgDn P+oAn0uoAcEd3CF8plbHAAwB5h0jbcPe =ju56 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- _______________________________________________ SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/
