I've been chatting with members of the hackerspaces in Calgary and Edmonton (Protospace and ENTs), and they both have the reduced fees. Both of their regular rates are $50/month and their reduced rate is $10/month.
Neither of them restrict it to students, but the reduced rate does not give the member a key, storage space, or a vote at meetings. They are restricted to coming to the space when someone with a key is already there, and aren't authorized to use some tools/equipment. Calgary also offers a student membership at $30/month which requires proof of student status, and gives them a shelf and a vote. Both Calgary and Edmonton offer a reduced rate (1 or 2 months free) if you pre-pay for an entire year. The Baltimore Node does not offer a general reduced rate, but offers reduced membership rates to additional members of a household, and reduced memberships on a case by case basis. The Harford Hackerspace has multiple membership levels, which appear to range from $85/month down, depending on category (regular member, charter member, student, etc.), but their wiki has no other specific valued mentioned. VHS (in Vancouver) offers 3 price points - $50 (regular member), $25 (voting, no key), $10 (no key, no vote). This isn't a random sampling, really, but I've been to 2 of the three spaces, and talked on irc to a third. I think our members are honest enough that they will pay full rate or more if they can afford it, and won't downgrade to a reduced fee unless they have to. On Mon, Oct 15, 2012 at 3:26 PM, Jay Smith <[email protected]> wrote: > Totalitarian Treasurer checking in. > > Reduction for non-student/cash-strapped members: > I will not support a membership fee reduction for non-students. We are > already strapped for cash and we are not in the business of becoming a > hostel. Non-student members who can not pay $40.00/month will be given two > weeks warning to pay their dues or have their memberships and access > revoked. I do follow the hackerspace patterns as close as possible and the > line about being a "Totalitarian Treasurer" is near and dear to what was > once my heart :-) > > If you are unable to pay fees, your best bet is to cancel your membership > until such a time that you can pay. You're always welcome to reapply when > you are able. > > Student Memberships: > I have no strong opinion on the idea of student memberships. It's not much > extra work and it does seem to be an accepted practice for most > hacker-spaces I've looked into. If anybody can compile a current collection > of fee structures from across Canada and the US for tomorrow's meeting, it > would make for great research. I'm particularly interested in seeing: > > - % of hackerspaces with student membership options > - Average student membership cost > - Average full membership cost for all hackerspaces > - Average full membership cost for hackerspaces that offer student > discounts > - Average full membership cost for hackerspaces that do no offer student > discounts > > I'd do it myself, but I have to admit that I simply don't have time to > compile even more data tonight. > > > > On Mon, Oct 15, 2012 at 2:47 PM, Ron <[email protected]> wrote: > >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >> Hash: SHA1 >> >> I think that's great advice. >> >> I've tried to follow the design patterns from hackerspaces.org as often >> as it's possible and as often as it makes sense for us. It doesn't >> always make sense, of course, but more often than not they're pretty >> good. >> >> I'm not saying we should make policy decisions based entirely on the >> pattern, just that if the patterns say it's a good idea, it might >> actually be a good idea. >> >> Ron >> >> On 2012-10-15 14:38, Justin Lacko wrote: >> > And FWIW the hackerspaces.org model has a few things that operate on >> > the "paranoia" such as this one: >> > http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/The_Sponsoring_Anti-Pattern so I wouldn't >> > take that site as gospel. But what do I know? >> > >> > On 15 October 2012 14:35, Justin Lacko <[email protected]> wrote: >> > > What kind of reduction are we looking at here? Is, say $10 a month >> > > really the deciding factor for anybody for not becoming a member? >> > > >> > > I think $40 is already as cheap as we can go. If anything I'd say make >> > > $40 the student rate and re-jigger (Mak's word) the regular member >> > > rate. $40 is incredibly cheap for ~4200 sq. ft. of 24/7 access to a >> > > space with tools, computers, a lounge, a budding arcade, and >> > > developing electrical. >> > > >> > > On 15 October 2012 14:28, Ron <[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> -----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/ >> > _______________________________________________ >> > SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List >> > Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss >> > Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/ >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- >> Version: GnuPG v2.0.19 (GNU/Linux) >> >> iEYEARECAAYFAlB8aFcACgkQ2t2zxlt4g/RJrwCfTVP2eHyTJhtiVwU4FWP9N8hG >> NBkAoM+pqgnRJ/mUuifs1/fMztlSTq7V >> =iGqa >> -----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/ >> > > > _______________________________________________ > SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List > Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss > Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/ >
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