So, let's try and define those relationships...
0) LOPSA Associated group
Any of the following.
1) LOPSA Local Chapters
That is a local sub-group of LOPSA.
2) LOPSA Affiliates
Local groups that have a relationship of some sort with LOPSA, but aren't
part of LOPSA
3) Unaffiliated SA groups
4) SA-related groups. (such as user groups)
(the following are all just suggestions, of course)
Things LOPSA can do now:
A) provide mailing lists
I seem to recall somebody mentioning this could be done. And I also seem
to recall hearing that LOPSA was willing to do this for any member.
Things LOPSA could maybe do some day:
B) Liason
A local group should always have a single primary contact within LOPSA.
And they should know how to reach a backup contact if the primary isn't
available. The backup could maybe be the mailing list all liasons are
on, the liason one level up in the regional groups hierarchy within
LOPSA, or maybe just the LOPSA board.
C) Web space
http://lopsa.org/foo/, http://foo.lopsa.org/, http://foo.org/.
If drupal can do domains, this could be reasonably simple. Each site
basically needs a main page with some basic introductory material, event
module with calendar (so there's always a list of the next few months
worth of events on their page) and a few reasonably static pages (map
and directions to meeting location, mailing list info, irc channel info
if they have their own, etc.)
D) Money handling
If a group wants to do things that require money and therefore wants to
have membership require money, that gets complicated quickly. Maybe if
you're a LOPSA local chapter you can set a price on annual membership
dues and that's added to the person's annual LOPSA membership dues?
$40/year for just LOPSA, $50/year for LOPSA and LOPSA-foo? (and then the
foo group gets $10/year/member)
E) Other financial assistance
F) Directory listing.
A directory of groups. I'd like to see it be a directory of as many SA
groups as possible, either divided up into sub-lists by type or with
some type of indicator as to the relationship to LOPSA. Maybe even
self-service like http://lugww.counter.li.org/.
G) LOPSA name
Use of "LOPSA" in their name. Presumably only for LOPSA Chapters.
H) LOPSA branding Allow LOPSA Chapters to use the LOPSA logo, font and other
branding? Not just for linking like https://lopsa.org/node/121 but for
their own logo, etc.
I) Speaker assistance
A speaker's bureau? Eventually maybe financial assistance for speakers
with travel expenses?
J) Help running their organization?
K) IRC channel on irc.lopsa.org?
I imagine this is easy, but I could be wrong. irc.freenode.net is an
option for local groups, too. If I'm running the LOPSA-Foo chapter of
LOPSA, I probably want to have #foo on irc.lopsa.org.
Things LOPSA could consider requiring of groups:
I) Liason
LOPSA should always have a single primary contact within a local group
they're affiliated with. And a backup contact, maybe their steering
committee.
II) Link back to LOPSA, referring to LOPSA in other communications, etc.
III) Require all members of the local group to be members of LOPSA
IV) Require some minimum amount of members of the local group to be members
of LOPSA.
V) Not to be associated with SAGE.
I don't like this one, but given http://www.sage.org/groups/ it seems
like it might come up eventually anyways. Personally, I think if a
group was to be associated with both LOPSA and SAGE that should be
fine. Probably naturally happens for LOPSA Chapters anyways.
VI) Consistent with LOPSA
Goals consistent with LOPSA, non-profit, open membership, etc...
--
Eric Eisenhart <*@eric.eisenhart.name>
IRC: freiheit; often on #lopsa
AIM: falsch freiheit
http://eric.eisenhart.name/
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