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HC NF 2/4/02
":)
High Command NewsFlash 2/4/02
============== Community Meeting ===============
The second of our two-meeting "trial run" Community Meetings took place Sunday. This time the meeting was much more productive and seemed to flow better than last week. HC is now considering how to implement the meetings in the future. To some the meetings are too close together and don't allow time for one topic to be finished. Some ideas to be considered are making it a monthly meeting, such as the first Sunday in each month. Another is a polling system where members can say if they can attend the next week's meeting, and if a certain number of attendees can be reached then the meeting is held. What would be really helpful to us is if *you* the average RS member would suggest any means you can conceive of so we can try to get something that'll work best for all involved :)
================== Member Suggestions ====================
From: Brigadier General Garrik "Face" Loran
Issue: Undergrad Academyies under Fleet control
Status: Forwarded to HC and under heavy debate
Brigadier General Loran has proposed that the bylaws be changed and the Undergraduate Academies be placed under the direct control of their respective fleets. HC response to this has been split sharply. Some members are fully behind this idea. Others are fully against it, and some are in the middle and think that matter can be resolved without going that far.
The bylaw in question is as follows:
"4.1.1a These are general guidelines to the requirements of most of the Academy UnderGrad sections. Each UnderGrad has different requirements for graduation, and these requirements must be approved by the Undergraduate Department Head for the RS Academy and the RS Academy CO. Final authority on all graduation requirements rests with the RS Academy CO."
Those that want the change made cite that the Academy CO is not a member of the fleets he's sending cadets to, and thus claim that has no right to set requirements. The other side of the debate has cited that the Academy CO is to listen to the other Fleet COs and thus through that partnership can get things balanced properly.
Those against the change cite that the Academy serves not just as the academy for each fleet, but for the RS as a whole, and thus is charged with the indoctrination of every member to the rules, regulations, and ways of the RS in addition to its duties for preparing cadets for the fleets. The rebuttal to that line of thinking is a claim that the Academy CO is not currently doing that. The response to that rebuttal is: if the Academy CO is not doing his job as you claim, then we should either remove him, or ensure that he does that. Either way we shouldn't break down the whole system because of the administrative failures of a single individual.
Also, those against the change have cited that the graduation from each academy should be similar in difficulty, so that one fleet doesn't get members at 3x the rate of the other because the requirements are extremely simple. The rebuttal to this is that since the fleets and games are different there is no way to have similar difficulty.
As part of this debate a side-discussion on whether the requirement of a bio is necessary for cadets who are not going into role playing fleets. Some believe that bios are important regardless of where the person goes, others point out that the gaming fleets only worry about the game itself, and not any storyline writing on the parts of the pilots/commandos.
There are a few ideas on this and how to resolve it
1) Do nothing but remind cadets that their bios are really not anything intense. Just the information in their profile would suffice (the new academy system will provide a cadet profile for them to plug that info into)
2) Don't require bios for basic graduation, just for Master Cadet W/ Honors.
3) Don't require bios for anything but the role-playing academies (ABG/AW and AF)
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Lieutenant General Remarda "Python" Jundun
Issue: Restructure of the Academy's Undergrad program (deep integration of the Roster Database)
Status: Handed to a special "Team" for implementation.
From last week's HC NF
"The idea is that when a cadet joins they are entered into a database of cadets and grouped based upon what Undergrad they've been assigned to (based on the games they choose to play of course). The system would track when they joined, what requirements they've met on the way to graduation, their eligibility for Master Cadet and Master Cadet w/ Honors (based upon the particular Undergrad's time requirements for those awards).
The system could also track when the Undergrad COs contact the cadet, compared to when the cadet initially signed up to allow their supervisors to track their efficiency. This could be done easily by not showing the cadet's email address, therefore forcing the undergrad CO to use the supplied email feature.
Also when a cadet graduates the system can automatically add them to the roster database with the right rank (based upon their graduation requirements) and check to be sure they're not already there (using their name and email address)."
This idea has been passed to the RSIO, Fleet Admiral Dev, Academy Fleet CO and XO General Jake Blues and Lieutenant Colonel Anthon Connor, Lieutenant General Remarda "Python" Jundun as it was his idea, and myself, Vice-Admiral Shikkie Kaaran.
Here's how the conceptualized idea will work (simplified somewhat, some of the less complex features have been left out).
1) Cadet signs up
2) Cadet profile created for cadet and he/she is emailed the particulars on how to login etc.
3) Flags are placed in the data for each academy that he/she signed up for pointing to the cadet's cadet profile.
4) The Academy CO can assign an instructor who is responsible for the cadet.
5) As the cadet completes their requirements they are marked off in the configurable requirements section.
6) Once they graduate from an academy their cadet profile is turned into a normal Roster Profile holding all their previous Cadet Profile information (Name, Email, Species, Gender, etc.. the cadet profile is a slimmed down Roster Profile)
7) If the cadet is now no longer in any academies the Cadet Profile is deleted. If they still are, a flag is set in the Cadet Profile denoting that this cadet has a Roster Profile now (can also be used to denote existing RS members as such when they join up for another game than the one they currently are a member for). Thus since the cadet has a Roster Profile the system will not attempt to create a new Roster Profile for them.
==========================================================
Feel free to direct suggestions or concerns to HC via any of the following options.
1) Use the "Email HC" feature of the Roster Database: http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/roster/mail.php?type=hc
2) Email your Primary Fleet CO and ask them to forward your comments on.
3) Contact HC members on IRC or an Instant Messaging client like AOL or ICQ (both of which appear in roster profiles if supplied).
4) The new "Community Meetings" on IRC. They are currently being held on Sundays from 6-9PM EST (GMT -0500) in #outerrim
":)
Vice Admiral Shikkie Kaaran, RSXO
High Command NewsFlash 2/4/02
============== Community Meeting ===============
The second of our two-meeting "trial run" Community Meetings took place Sunday. This time the meeting was much more productive and seemed to flow better than last week. HC is now considering how to implement the meetings in the future. To some the meetings are too close together and don't allow time for one topic to be finished. Some ideas to be considered are making it a monthly meeting, such as the first Sunday in each month. Another is a polling system where members can say if they can attend the next week's meeting, and if a certain number of attendees can be reached then the meeting is held. What would be really helpful to us is if *you* the average RS member would suggest any means you can conceive of so we can try to get something that'll work best for all involved :)
================== Member Suggestions ====================
From: Brigadier General Garrik "Face" Loran
Issue: Undergrad Academyies under Fleet control
Status: Forwarded to HC and under heavy debate
Brigadier General Loran has proposed that the bylaws be changed and the Undergraduate Academies be placed under the direct control of their respective fleets. HC response to this has been split sharply. Some members are fully behind this idea. Others are fully against it, and some are in the middle and think that matter can be resolved without going that far.
The bylaw in question is as follows:
"4.1.1a These are general guidelines to the requirements of most of the Academy UnderGrad sections. Each UnderGrad has different requirements for graduation, and these requirements must be approved by the Undergraduate Department Head for the RS Academy and the RS Academy CO. Final authority on all graduation requirements rests with the RS Academy CO."
Those that want the change made cite that the Academy CO is not a member of the fleets he's sending cadets to, and thus claim that has no right to set requirements. The other side of the debate has cited that the Academy CO is to listen to the other Fleet COs and thus through that partnership can get things balanced properly.
Those against the change cite that the Academy serves not just as the academy for each fleet, but for the RS as a whole, and thus is charged with the indoctrination of every member to the rules, regulations, and ways of the RS in addition to its duties for preparing cadets for the fleets. The rebuttal to that line of thinking is a claim that the Academy CO is not currently doing that. The response to that rebuttal is: if the Academy CO is not doing his job as you claim, then we should either remove him, or ensure that he does that. Either way we shouldn't break down the whole system because of the administrative failures of a single individual.
Also, those against the change have cited that the graduation from each academy should be similar in difficulty, so that one fleet doesn't get members at 3x the rate of the other because the requirements are extremely simple. The rebuttal to this is that since the fleets and games are different there is no way to have similar difficulty.
As part of this debate a side-discussion on whether the requirement of a bio is necessary for cadets who are not going into role playing fleets. Some believe that bios are important regardless of where the person goes, others point out that the gaming fleets only worry about the game itself, and not any storyline writing on the parts of the pilots/commandos.
There are a few ideas on this and how to resolve it
1) Do nothing but remind cadets that their bios are really not anything intense. Just the information in their profile would suffice (the new academy system will provide a cadet profile for them to plug that info into)
2) Don't require bios for basic graduation, just for Master Cadet W/ Honors.
3) Don't require bios for anything but the role-playing academies (ABG/AW and AF)
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Lieutenant General Remarda "Python" Jundun
Issue: Restructure of the Academy's Undergrad program (deep integration of the Roster Database)
Status: Handed to a special "Team" for implementation.
From last week's HC NF
"The idea is that when a cadet joins they are entered into a database of cadets and grouped based upon what Undergrad they've been assigned to (based on the games they choose to play of course). The system would track when they joined, what requirements they've met on the way to graduation, their eligibility for Master Cadet and Master Cadet w/ Honors (based upon the particular Undergrad's time requirements for those awards).
The system could also track when the Undergrad COs contact the cadet, compared to when the cadet initially signed up to allow their supervisors to track their efficiency. This could be done easily by not showing the cadet's email address, therefore forcing the undergrad CO to use the supplied email feature.
Also when a cadet graduates the system can automatically add them to the roster database with the right rank (based upon their graduation requirements) and check to be sure they're not already there (using their name and email address)."
This idea has been passed to the RSIO, Fleet Admiral Dev, Academy Fleet CO and XO General Jake Blues and Lieutenant Colonel Anthon Connor, Lieutenant General Remarda "Python" Jundun as it was his idea, and myself, Vice-Admiral Shikkie Kaaran.
Here's how the conceptualized idea will work (simplified somewhat, some of the less complex features have been left out).
1) Cadet signs up
2) Cadet profile created for cadet and he/she is emailed the particulars on how to login etc.
3) Flags are placed in the data for each academy that he/she signed up for pointing to the cadet's cadet profile.
4) The Academy CO can assign an instructor who is responsible for the cadet.
5) As the cadet completes their requirements they are marked off in the configurable requirements section.
6) Once they graduate from an academy their cadet profile is turned into a normal Roster Profile holding all their previous Cadet Profile information (Name, Email, Species, Gender, etc.. the cadet profile is a slimmed down Roster Profile)
7) If the cadet is now no longer in any academies the Cadet Profile is deleted. If they still are, a flag is set in the Cadet Profile denoting that this cadet has a Roster Profile now (can also be used to denote existing RS members as such when they join up for another game than the one they currently are a member for). Thus since the cadet has a Roster Profile the system will not attempt to create a new Roster Profile for them.
==========================================================
Feel free to direct suggestions or concerns to HC via any of the following options.
1) Use the "Email HC" feature of the Roster Database: http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/roster/mail.php?type=hc
2) Email your Primary Fleet CO and ask them to forward your comments on.
3) Contact HC members on IRC or an Instant Messaging client like AOL or ICQ (both of which appear in roster profiles if supplied).
4) The new "Community Meetings" on IRC. They are currently being held on Sundays from 6-9PM EST (GMT -0500) in #outerrim
":)
Vice Admiral Shikkie Kaaran, RSXO