[Artemisia] Comments regarding latest BoD announcment

[Spencer Maschek]

All,
As my Lady said early I may respond once I have read the posts. First off 
let me say this I have been an on again off again player in the SCA for 
nearly 15 years. I have held many offices and will not list them here. 
Mundanely I have sat on several committees that addressed items of interest 
to the BOD of several corporations. I have served in many capacities to 
observe the various states of a governing body that has a diverse group of 
individuals within its organization.
Now I have read every post to date on this forum in regards to this 
challenge arising with in our game. It is no different than the many 
challenges that arise when a corporation changes policy, with one HUGE 
exception -- we get to comment on it before it goes into effect. Therefore I 
recommend that ALL comments be directed to the BOD or your kingdom rep on 
the BOD.

What I am seeing is the fear that the Society Seneschal is a small, weak, 
petty person who will without just cause or investigation issue our most 
restricted punishment at whim. Hmmmm..... I happen to know on a very 
personal basis a former Society Seneschal. I find her not to be petty in any 
fashion. I find that she is not weak or of a small mind or heart. I find her 
not to be petty in anyway. And most importantly I find that she is generous, 
kind hearted, open minded, service the Society and its members with her 
whole heart and soul. She is the current Baroness of the Barony of Seleone 
in the Kingdom of Gleann Abhin, one of the hardest hit of all the groups in 
the SCA during the last hurricane season. A better person to sit the 
position of Society Seneschal, maybe, maybe not. However I cannot imagine 
that a person who reaches that position is in anyway a detriment to the 
Society or a threat to our enjoyment of the game. Therefore, though the 
wording and some work needs to be done on this proposal, I support a tool 
for the BOD and Society Seneschal to issue this punishment when it would b 
appropriate.

This is what I propose. After due consideration and recommendation the 
Society Seneschal may issue a banishment on a person until such conditions 
or time has been met. Recommendations I feel would be best issued by current 
Crowns (or Heirs as may be appropriate in an unlikely however possible 
need). If a recommendation be requested by anyone other than said Crowns, 
then obviously the Crowns should be contacted and consulted, either via 
email or telephone (phone being appropriate). A definite reason should be 
given and should that reason be determined to be cause for a Society 
Banishment, then I feel that the Society Seneschal should issue it. If the 
Crowns refuse to issue a Society level recommendation then it should be left 
in the Crowns hands to deal with, with a VERY few exceptions; someone who is 
currently under investigation as a violent offender making national 
headlines (i.e. Murder, Rape, etc.), the accused is a repeat offender for 
Felony level crimes (i.e. 3 strikes your out kind of thing), Child 
Molestation or Rape (including Stat Rape), Drugs. All of these things are of 
a definite detriment to the Society as a whole as well as the individual 
group.
Furthermore, the Crown of the local kingdom may at any time request that the 
Society Seneschal drop any banishment issued for a person who currently 
resides within their borders. To request such a lifting of the banishment 
would require that the accused show that they have cleared the original 
challenge to their membership, are not a danger to the SCA or its 
membership, and that there are no other challenges to them playing that 
would be harmful to the local, kingdom, or society wide organization.  I.e. 
a person who was banished for drug possession – has completed all jail, 
probation/parole, has completed any other court ordered requirements (drug 
counseling, etc.) Then the Crown of said kingdom may request a dismissal of 
the banishment in writing with provided documentation from the person in 
question. The Crown at their option may not make such a request and then the 
person may make that request themselves in writing and providing in a letter 
to the BOD that the Crown refused to make the request. A refusal may be 
assumed if the Crown does not respond to a written request for dismissal 
within 30 days.
Also, any person who the BOD has been petitioned for to be banished, shall 
be contacted via Mail with a listing of the accused reasons and that person 
may respond within 30 days for appeal, if they so desire. The person shall 
offer any documents that support their claim to membership and why it should 
not be revoked. The BoD shall consider  all appeals as well as 
recommendations at their  Quarterly meeting as well as using other methods

What this provides for is the tool the BoD is seeking, checks and balances 
for the local Crown, and an appeal procedure for the accused. It also is not 
perfect, however with some patient work then I believe that it can be 
refined to something we can all live with and function without changing the 
way we play.

In Service to the Dream,
Vlad (not his Lady this time)