Difference between revisions of "Centennial Vision"

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Revision as of 13:02, 16 January 2015

Some feel it is important that The Augustan Society, Inc., has a vision of what it wants to become. In a perfect world, this would come first, and all other planning would be in service of that goal. In this world, the Board has shown indifference to such long-range plans, leaving Consuls to develop the program outlined below. They would welcome additional input, or the Board resuming this responsibility. The term "Centennial Vision" is adopted to avoid confusion with the Long-Range Plan or the Vision Statement, and because it would not surprise this writer if it took until at least 2057 to achieve.

A Centennial Vision for The Augustan Society, Inc.

  1. Introduction
  2. Physical Plant

Contents

Staff

At present, non-professional staff in the form of Consuls are obliged to perform all work that must or should be done at Headquarters (and entirely too much that doesn't depend on location). Non-HQ tasks should be transferred to volunteers to the extent possible.

There are two approaches to long-term staffing: An Executive Director with substantial skills (especially at fundraising and membership development), who would take over much of the responsibilities now assigned to the Board, or an Office Manager who would focus on the clerical and mechanical aspects of the work, leaving the Board and their appointees to carry the balance of the work.

The former appears to be well beyond Society finances at this time, and will probably remain so until our membership increases by several orders of magnitude. The latter will be less expensive, and we may well be able to employ two for the same price. In either event, they will be expected to oversee the work of volunteers, both on- and off-site.

Thus I think an appropriate goal would be to find volunteers to take on all tasks that do not have to be performed at Headquarters, and that documentation of all HQ tasks be completed to the point where a competent clerk without a background in the Society our our special topics would be able to assume those responsibilities.

Administrative Structure

At present, the administrative structure of the Society is in the process of being normalized by efforts of Consuls.

  1. The membership elects the members of the Board of Directors
  2. The Board of Directors elects from its number the senior officers, and from the membership elects the minor officers.
  3. The Board contracts with the Consuls for facilities and services.
  4. The President names the chairmen of all committees, whether of the Board or of the Membership.
  5. Committee Chairmen name the members of their committees, some of which may be non-members.
  6. The Order of the Augustan Eagle is headed by the President, who names the officers from that group's membership, with Board confirmation.
  7. The Noble Company of the Rose is headed by a Magister Rosae who is elected from that groups membership by those members, with Board confirmation.
  8. The officers of the Noble Company of the Rose are named by the Magister Rosae, with Board confirmation.

There exist a variety of other structures that might be worth consideration:

  1. Strong Executive Director, with a weak Board whose duties are reduced to contracting with the Executive Director.
  2. Strong Board of Directors, with a weak staff, headed perhaps by an Office Manager.
  3. Shared power between the Board of Directors and an Executive Director (similar to the present situation).

In future, the Society needs a structure that is not dependent upon one or two people. There are three non-exclusive ways to approach this state:

  1. Delegate duties as widely as possible, avoiding concentration of unrelated duties in any individual.
  2. Document the process and procedures of each role in sufficient detail that a competent individual (with appropriate subject knowledge) would not how to proceed.
  3. Identify mission-critical tasks and hire them done, either by outsourcing or hiring staff.

Chivalry

The Chivalry Department would engage in the following activities:

Chivalry Committee

The Chivalry Committee is composed of the Chivalry Chairman, the chairmen of any sub-committees assigned to the Chivalry Department, such additoinal members as the Chairman sees fit, and the President and Consuls as ex officio members.

The Chairman is named by the President and serves at his pleasure. The members are named by the Chairman, and serve at his pleasure.

All activities of the Chivalry Department fall under the control of this Chivalry Committee unless the Board or Chairman has created another Committee and charged them with responsibility.

Recognition of Orders of Chivalry

Presently, the Chivalry Committee will consider recognition of Orders (and organizations of a chivalric nature) only when presented with a petition and payment. Delistings are done motu propicio.

While it seems that the Chivalry Committee have a very clear idea of what constitutes or disqualifies an Order from respectability, this needs to be documented for the guidance of those who follow. These standards should also be published, so as to offer perspective on our list of recognitions.

We should work toward the goal of having a fully comprehensive and public listing of Orders the Society considers worthy. We should also maintain a private list of those we have found unworthy, along with the disqualifying conditions, so as to speed reconsideration should those change, and so staff can answer either "yes", "no", or "we haven't yet considered them" as appropriate.

Recognition of Membership in Orders of Chivalry

Presently, the Chivalry Committee will consider recognition of rank and membership in recognized Orders only when presented with a petition and payment. Delistings are done only under exceptional circumstances, usually involving deliberate fraud by the individual.

While it seems that the Chivalry Committee have a very clear idea of what constitutes adequate evidence of membership and rank, this needs to be documented for the guidance of those who follow. It is recognized that Orders vary from very public notice to secretive about their memberships, so it won't be a "one size fits all" approach.

Maintenance of a List of Postnominals

There is presently a list of postnominals (and their definitions) on the web site. It is inadequate in scope, undocumented in source, and comes without the support of the Chivalry Department (it being a webmaster project).

This list needs to be expanded to include all postnominals:

The list should indicate which are currently valid and which are currently recognized by the Society. Obsolete and currently unrecognized postnominals need to be included for this list to have optimal utility.

The list must, as a result of the above, include a substantial and unavoidable disclaimer disavowing recognition of those postnominals not so marked.

Maintenance of a List of Orders Qualifying for Crusader Membership in the SDKLJ

Library Support

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will advise the Library Department in matters of accession, classification, and deaccession of materials on this subject.

Article Solicitation

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will solicit articles on this subject for the Omnibus, in cooperation with the Omnibus Editor.

Genealogy

The Genealogy Department would engage in the following activities:

Genealogy Committee

The Genealogy Committee is composed of the Genealogy Chairman, the members of other committees assigned to the Genealogy Department, such members as the Chairman sees fit, and the President and Consuls as ex officio members.

The Chairman is named by the President and serves at his pleasure. The members are named by the Chairman, and serve at his pleasure.

All activities of the Genealogy Department fall under the control of the Genealogy Committee unless the Board or Chairman has created another Committee and charged them with responsibility.

Lineage Certification Committee

Presently, the Genealogy Committee will review lineages submitted and compare the data and sources to contemporary genealogical standards. A fee is exacted for this service based on the total number of generations involved (including first and last), but if portions of the lineage have been previously approved, a credit will be issued for those duplicated generations.

Presently, this work may be cursory, with only spot-checking of sources, or it may be an in-depth review with most sources verified, as it may seem necessary and appropriate to the Committee. This may or may not be an adequate process for the future.

We should work toward articulating and publishing the standards to be applied, including the question of when an in-depth survey might be needed.

Lineages should be published and available in a suitable form -- that is to say, deleting most data more recent than the latest release of US Census data.

Descents from Antiquity

Family of Augustans

Library Support

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will advise the Library Department in matters of accession, classification, and deaccession of materials on this subject.

Article Solicitation

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will solicit articles on this subject for the Omnibus, in cooperation with the Omnibus Editor.

Heraldry

The Heraldry Department would engage in the following activities:

Heraldry Committee

The Heraldry Committee is composed of the Heraldry Chairman, the members of other committees assigned to the Heraldry Department, such members as the Chairman sees fit, and the President and Consuls as ex officio members.

The Chairman is named by the President and serves at his pleasure. The members are named by the Chairman, and serve at his pleasure.

All activities of the Heraldry Department fall under the control of this Committee unless the Board or Chairman has created another Committee and charged them with responsibility.

Arms Design Consultation

Society Departmental Arms and Logo Design and Registration

The Heraldry Committee will design arms or logos for all Society sub-groups, committees, and offices. There will be no fee involved unless there is an expense to the emblazonment of same.

Reviews of Books and other Publications on Heraldry

Solicitation of Articles for the Omnibus

Arms Registration Committee

Registration of Arms

Library Support

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will advise the Library Department in matters of accession, classification, and deaccession of materials on this subject.

Online Armorial

Index to Arms Registered or Published by the Society

This index will be a part of the Online Armorial, and form one means of access to the blazons and emblazonments.

Ordinary of Arms Registered or Published by the Society

This ordinary will be a part of the Online Armorial, and form one means of access to the blazons and emblazonments.

Index to Arms Registered by Cooperating US Registries

Ordinary of Arms Registered by Cooperating US Registries

Augustan Society Roll of Arms

Rose Role of Arms

Manual of Heraldry

Article Solicitation

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will solicit articles on this subject for the Omnibus, in cooperation with the Omnibus Editor.

History

The History Department would engage in the following activities:

History Committee

The History Committee is composed of the History Chairman, the members of other committees assigned to the History Department, such members as the Chairman sees fit, and the President and Consuls as ex officio members.

The Chairman is named by the President and serves at his pleasure. The members are named by the Chairman, and serve at his pleasure.

All activities of the History Department fall under the control of this Committee unless the Board or Chairman has created another Committee and charged them with responsibility.

First Peoples Committee

Library Support

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will advise the Library Department in matters of accession, classification, and deaccession of materials on this subject.

Article Solicitation

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will solicit articles on this subject for the Omnibus, in cooperation with the Omnibus Editor.

Nobility

The Nobility Department would engage in the following activities:

Royalty & Nobility Committee

The Royalty & Nobility Committee is composed of the Royalty & Nobility Chairman, the members of other committees assigned to the Royalty & Nobility Department, such members as he sees fit, and the President and Consuls as ex officio members.

The Chairman is named by the President and serves at his pleasure. The members are named by the Chairman, and serve at his pleasure.

All activities of the Royalty & Nobility Department fall under the control of this Committee unless the Board or Chairman has created another Committee and charged them with responsibility.

Recognition of fons honorum in support of chivalric and nobiliary recognitions

Recognition of nobility, including titles and postnominals

Recognition of personal nobility, not including titles and postnominals

Recognition of gentility

Maintaining a list of current fontes honorum (perhaps extending to reigning monarchs)

Library Support

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will advise the Library Department in matters of accession, classification, and deaccession of materials on this subject.

Article Solicitation

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will solicit articles on this subject for the Omnibus, in cooperation with the Omnibus Editor.

Communications

The Communications Department will produce print publications, online publications, reprints, back issues, web sites, and email services.

Communications Committee

The Communications Committee is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, the chairmen of other committees assigned to the Communications Department, such members as he sees fit, and the President and Consuls as ex officio members.

The Editor-in-Chief is named by the President and serves at his pleasure. The members are named by the Editor-in-Chief, and serve at his pleasure.

All activities of the Communications Department fall under the control of this Committee unless the Board or Editor-in-Chief has created another Committee and charged them with responsibility.

Augustæum

Augustæum is the members newsletter. By definition, it carries items that are not of enduring value, which should be sent to the Omnibus instead. It is intended to be published more frequently than the Omnibus, but may be mailed with it.

Presently, the frequency is bi-monthly, and the size is normally 4 pages, though occasionally 6 pages are printed. It is often accompanied by flyers, notices, and other publications, such as the Rose Newsletter.

Regular features include:

  • Announcements of new members, elections, appointments, honors, arms registrations, and recognitions.
  • "Library Top Ten", a list of ten items from the Library catalog that one member feels are of interest.
  • News of conventions, meetings, publications, fundraisers, and other programs
  • Help Wanted — an item advertising a particular post, not to be repeated for the following year plus one issue. (Thus a January notice in one year would not be repeated until March of the following year.)
  • Lists of donors to various campaigns, members of Sub-Groups, or senior members
  • If four pages are not filled, an Editorial.

In future, the frequency should be increased to monthly, but not at the cost of length. Four pages (or even six) mail for the same price as two, so that would be inefficient.

A survey should be conducted to test the level of interest in publishing this electronically, and a decision made about the value of devoting the time needed to reformat (versus publishing as a PDF file).

The Augustan Omnibus

The Augustan Society Roll of Arms

The Augustan Society Web Site

The Online Store Web Site

The Forum; an Online Forum

The Augustan Society Library Catalog

Back Issue Sales

Reprint Sales

Augustan Books

The Little Manual of Heraldry

A Continuation of Paget's Ancestry of the Prince of Wales

Vigil: A Knight's Training Program

Descents from Antiquity: A Study Kit

The Augustan Society Email System

Library

The Library collection is and should remain publicly accessible. Presently, this means "by appointment", and mail loans have been banned by the Board.

We should have a goal of making the Library open on a reasonable schedule (sufficient to qualify for grants). Mail loans should be resumed as quickly as possible, though those should be limited to Augustans at first to see what reasonable rules and fees might be.

The collection should cover all five Augustan subjects, plus ancillary topics found useful, such as maps, style guides, and some general encyclopediae.

Long range goals for collection development should include:

  • Completing sets now held only in part (e.g.: one of several volumes)
  • Obtaining current editions of items held
  • Books and publications cited in Society publications (including affiliated publications such as JAMS)
  • Books and publications reviewed in Society publications
  • Books, articles, and theses written by Augustans
  • News articles and other material about Augustans

Library Committee

The Library Committee is composed of the Librarian, the members of other committees assigned to the Library, such members as the Librarian sees fit, and the President and Consuls as ex officio members.

The Librarian is named by the President (or Consuls Contract) and serves at his pleasure. The members are named by the Librarian, and serve at his pleasure.

All activities of the Library Department fall under the control of this Committee unless the Board or Librarian has created another Committee and charged them with responsibility.

Article Solicitation

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will solicit articles on this subject for the Omnibus, in cooperation with the Omnibus Editor.

Museum

While the operation of a museum is part of the Society's Mission Statement, it is felt that the operation of a legitimate museum that meets industry standards is beyond the Society's ability at this time, and that it may not actually further the core goals of the organization.

As a result, staff have recommended that the word "museum" be dropped from the Mission Statement and organization chart, and that the collection be purged of all items that are not felt useful for Headquarters decoration or in conveying the history of the Society.

Proceeds from any sales of surplussed items should be placed in the Investment Fund.

Museum Committee

The Museum Committee is composed of the Curator, the members of other committees assigned to the Museum Department, such members as the Curator sees fit, and the President and Consuls as ex officio members.

The Curator is named by the President (or Consuls Contract) and serves at his pleasure. The members are named by the Curator, and serve at his pleasure.

All activities of the Museum Department fall under the control of this Committee unless the Board or Curator has created another Committee and charged them with responsibility.

Article Solicitation

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will solicit articles on this subject for the Omnibus, in cooperation with the Omnibus Editor.

Sub-Groups

Sub-Groups of the Society are of three types:

  1. Senior Sub-Groups
  2. Lineage Groups
  3. Unrelated groups

If the third items seems odd, it is because several organizations with related goals have been given to the Society, and others are widely associated with the Society due to having had common management during the time of our Founder.

Senior Sub-Groups

The senior sub-groups are distinguished by having a variety of requirements for entry, which in all cases now includes membership in the Society in-good-standing, registration of arms with the Society, an entry fee, insignia, and annual dues.

Order of the Augustan Eagle

Noble Company of the Rose

Hereditary Order of Armigerous Augustans

Lineage Groups

The lineage groups are distinguished by the requirements for entry, which do not include Augustan membership, and which do include lifetime membership, insignia, and in most cases a proven descent.

Society of Descendants of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem

Society of Descendants of Ireland

Society of Descendants of Scotland

Society of Descendants of the Conquest

Unrelated Groups

Association of Knights Bachelor

International Chivalric Institute

Heraldry Society of the USA

Octavian Society

Royal Association of Knights Bachelor

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