[Artemisia] College of Arrow's flight , myself and 15 other have a Question.

[Greg Olsen]

> We do not understand way we are not a Shire or a Barony. 
> We have enough members here to become ether or. This area 
> is a College rather then a Shire because of the BYU. But 
> we are not all college students. We have a lot of member 
> that go north to play with the Barony of Loch Salann, rather 
> then the Collage. Just because of the reason that I have listed above.

> The fact is, BYU dose not allow its students to belong to any group 
> or organization that requires yearly or monthly dues. So what do you 
> think we should do? Should we break from Arrow's Flight or should 
> we get them to take the next step up? Some one please help us!! 

Greetings.

I was Loch Salann seneschal near the end of Arrow's Flight's canton
status and Kingdom Seneschal as they became a college, so hopefully I
can provide a few answers.  First off let me say that the info that
Tanglwyst and Kynewyn gave was good.

I won't mince words here.  Arrow's Flight and it's other variants have
had problems in the past.  While I was seneschal in Loch Salann and
Arrow's Flight was a Canton reporting was...spotty. And that is being
extremely generous. Tanglwyst spelled out very well how reporting works
for groups and what role it plays in getting that group's status
changed.  The Loch Salann officers and Kingdom officers during that
period were more than lenient, perhaps too much so. 

Soon thereafter Arrow's Flight decided as a group that they wanted to
grow beyond being a Canton.  Since the had been so much recent reporting
troubles (and a few others) it was mutually agreed by the Kingdom and
Arrow's Flight that a College was the best option at the time.  There
was a reasonable case made that perhaps some of the reporting troubles
we due to membership fluctuations caused by students of BYU. As far as I
remember the idea was to the group members just a stepping stone to
becoming a shire at some point.

It's been about a year since I've had any seneschal responsibilities, so
I honestly have no clue how the Arrow's Flight has been doing
functionally or reporting wise. Hopefully things are going well. Here is
my advice to Arrow's Flight for what it's worth. Everyone interested in
making that group a stronger place should go to the officer's meetings
and get involved, if they aren't already.  Let the officers know how
much strength there is in the group and the desire to make it bigger and
better. That's where becoming a shire truly starts.  

Groups are just like people and awards.  In a perfect world people are
not given an award such as a Peerage, they are recognized with an
accolade for what they already are.  It is extremely difficult for
groups to try to grow into a status, so make the group a shire in
strength and action before name.  And then the name will be a piece of
cake.

Gregory
PS - the SCA doesn't "require" membership dues so I can't see how BYU
would have a problem with participation.  Also "college" status has
nothing to do with the associated mundane institution's sanctioning of
the group, if that is a concern.




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