Dues & LG Funding

Since 2001, dues have gone up $30.

Annual LG per member subsidy has gone up $2.35.

The $1 per new/reinstated member has remained the same since at least then. 

New CommComm Project: Newsletters

Now that the giant LG Communications Guide is in the hands of the Leadership Development committee, awaiting approval ( or coming back to me for revisions), I find that my to-do list for Communications is sparse. I suppose that's good; it means I've gotten most of what I intended to do this term done. 

But it also means I'm bored.

So recently I got CommComm started on a new giant project to really dig deep into all aspects  of newsletters to see what we can learn that might help us better help Local Groups. Like all my big vague research projects, we're starting by generating a long list of questions we'd like to have answered.

• What correlations are there between LG size, geography, newsletter quality, and newsletter cost?
• What are newsletter purposes for different age demographics?
• Why do members choose paper newsletters
• Does age correlate to paper vs digital choice?
• What do we really mean when we say newsletters are a membership benefit?
• Is there a correlation between population density and the value members place on the newsletter?
• Does knowledge of a more expansive digital newsletter being offered make members-who-want-paper feel disenfranchised or undervalued?
• What do all the paper newsletters look like-- number and size of pages, content, efficient use of space, paper weight, color, etc.?
• How much do LGs spend on [paper] newsletters? Each LG does something different, but can we come up with a concrete average cost-per-quantity of content?

Three Months of Communicating

I got curious and checked- I have posted 1,368 times on Mensa Connect. From December through now I sent 308 Mensa-related emails and participated in 11 Zoom calls.

What I really Did Nov 18, 2022 - Feb 17, 2023

Quarterly Reports are boiled down and don't include anything about my committee or Mensa International  work.

As Communications Officer

• Confirmed to an ExComm member that it really is ok to snail mail minimal newsletters and publish bigger versions online.
• More work on LG Comm Guide. Finished the whole draft and sent it to various staff and others to review and improve.
• A few more hours of work on the LG Comm Guide putting in edits and suggestions form staff.
• Read December newsletters.
• Read January newsletters.
• Read February newsletters.
• Reviewed & commented on January Bulletin.
• Reviewed & commented on February Bulletin.
• Reviewed & commented on March Bulletin.
• Many more hours of work on LG Comm Guide.
• Sent private review of Great Minds wine program to Trevor, CB, and Tabby.
• Asked BrowBeat editor to contribute his Dec editorial to the next Letter to the Pubs Officer.
• Nudged staff about getting MC admin guide posted in MC (it’s been languishing since September).
• Nudged staff about server upgrade budget request.
• Facilitated a member contacting other members who don’t have their email listed in the directory.
• Asked Matt Crawford to review and improve Web section of LG Comm Guide.
• Asked staff to develop and provide a cookie consent notice for LGs to use on their websites.
• Attended AMC meeting in Denver.
• Gave presentation on next steps for Volunteerism.
• Discussed staff/volunteer roles with Trevor and Lori.
• Sent LD chair list of handbooks and how out of date they are.
• Reviewed 2023 Bulletin schedule with Chip.
• Directed CB to put Members’ R&R on AML website and promote via Wired.
• Nudged again about MC Admin Guide on website.
• Filled out and turned in Dec expense reimbursement form.
• Cheered at the new Mensa Connect page under LG resources.
• Started summary of VolNext Steps to AMC, but got snarked at for giving them a to-do list, so I backed off.
• Sent sticking point issues on Nat Pubs Policy to Trevor for discussion and negotiation. Several emails back and forth discussing  those issues.
• Worked on LG Comm Guide.
• Pulled out the sections CB wanted staff to work on and sent it to them.
• Put branding section comments from Hilary into LG Comm Guide draft.
• Zoom with CB: budget, LG Comm Guide, MindGames ads.
• Connected a member with Matthew regarding a MC issue.
• Answered some questions about AML’s server offerings.
• Created winter Pubs Officer letter.
• Asked Trevor and CB about wording for MindGames promotions ( or not).
• Discussed offensive MC post with staff and Tim Vogt.
• Long phone call with disgruntled member regarding Mensa Connect administration.
• Call with Chair about Mensa Connect issues.
• Reviewed 3 WordPress training videos made by Lana.
• Nudged Tabby and David Mc about Volunteer Marketing article for Bulletin.
• Nudged LaRae about Proctor Volunteerism article for Bulletin.
• Nudged Kimberly about Mem Officer Volunteerism article for Bulletin and worked with her on it.
• Posted on blog about how Wired & Leader are just “member benefit promotions ( aka ads). Consulted with Members and Mark Officers about the topic.
• Discussed process for getting SIG officers tracked and given access to the right MC communities ( again).
• Nudged CB about LG Comm Guide edits.
• More discussion with Exec Dir about CO/staff roles.
• Discussed ADA compliance issues  in LG websites with CB, Tabby, and Lana.
• Put in CB’s edits and printed LG Comm Guide for proofreader.
• Worked on more cross-referencing tags  in LG Comm Guide.
• Worked on Nat Pubs Policy after lengthy email discussion with Trevor.
• Worked on specific ASIE amendment wording per discussions with Trevor.
• Notified Taz about needed review and amendment to Appendix 20 Budgetary Policy.
• Polished and sent winter letter to Pubs Officers.
• Call with Lori to talk about staff/AMC roles and authority and policy adherence.
• Forwarded change of address for a member.
• Responded to Digital Officers’ questions about N&L tactics.
• More back and forth with Trevor on Nat Pubs policy.
• Advised LG about changing print/elecc preferences without consent.
• Advised a LocSec about  onboarding for new Webmaster.
• More work on LG Comm Guide.
• Sent request to USPS for a mailing expert and Zoom session for Pubs officers arranged one for Feb.
• Discussed with Matthew adding mobile app info to MC documentation.
• Answered a LocSec’s question about forcing LG members to take e-pubs.
• Drafted new section for LG Com Guide about hybrid approaches to paper-newsletters.
• Sent reminders to two editors not on MC.
• Pointed new Scholarship person to the right MC community.
• Zoom with Pubs officers.
• Requested update to stale “news” on AML website front page.
• Send info about distribution files and processes to MWM editor.
• Checked into availability of address labels for LG election purposes.
• Review and comments on updated privacy policy for AML website. Asked for clarification of paragraph about it in the LG Comm Guide. Nudged. Nudged again. And again.
• Reviewed Nov and Dec staff reports.
• Reached out to Mem Off about working together to update officer onbording info.
• Long response to Michael Fryar about web tools and newsletters.
• Gave advice to new Wisconsin Editor about software.
• More work on LG Comm Guide.
• Reviewed Winter YM2.
• Zoom with CB.
• Phone call with Michael F.
• Began re-setting entire LG Comm Guide to a single column layout for better online viewing.
• Responded to an editor about non-necessity of including a LocSec column.
• Intervened and advised regarding DVM’s plan to go completely electronic and changing members’ preferences without real consent.
• More work on LG Comm Guide.
• Facilitated resolution of updated CASS reporting for SFRM.
• Still more work on LG Comm Guide- improving distribution sections.
• Looked up ASIEs about LG financial reporting requirements.
• Helped staff brainstorm content for a Welcome to your LG email for new members.
• More work on LG Comm Guide.
• Asked Becky for copies of onboarding emails to Editors, Webmasters, etc.
• Asked staff to remove Web toolbox page and also  old bit from front page about the 2022 AG ticket winner.
• Reviewed AML’s 990 and asked a few questions.
• Look up exactly when the default to digital pubs was passed. (2011).
• Hours of emails and FB messaging and phone calls smoothing feathers over a Firehouse kerfuffle about Fryar’s MC training videos.
• Responded to a LocSec asking about the old ACE awards.
• Advised GLAAM circulation manager about the absence of rules about naming digital and paper newsletters differently.
• Responded to David McCallister regarding privacy on Lg websites and sm.
• Long review and response to a report about association volunteerism that Trevor shared.
• Sent “final” version of LG Comm Guide to CommComm for last review.
• Asked LD Comm chair about next steps for the  guide process.
• Updated MF regarding the FH situation.
• Set up zoom session for Circ Managers and a USPS rep.
• Responded to questions about paper v elec newsletters from GLAAM editor.
• Helped a LG leader with Mensa Connect questions.
• Long thoughtful email discussion with Trevor re volunteerism needs.
• A few more hours creating a comprehensive TOC and rearranging parts of the LG Comm Guide.
• Call with Trevor re legal issues. Some emailing re legal issues.
• Still more work tweaking LG Comm Guide.
• Sent LG Comm Guide to Leadership Dev chair.
• Zoom with USPS rep and circulation managers.
• Discussed missing columns with Bulletin Editor.
• Sent thank you flowers to USPS rep.

Communications Committee

• Began review of LG Comm Guide draft.
• Asked Michael Fryer to review and improve the 2016 “Web Tools” list on AML site.
• Checked in with progress ( or lack of).
• Discussed if we still need the Web Toolbox page.
• Began brainstorming questions we need answered to  approach the paper vs digital newsletter topic.
• Redirected the discussion a few times.
• Final review of Guide and discussion about formatting and subject arrangement.

Strategic Planning Committee

• Participated in discussion about what do next.

Marketing Committee

• Participated in Zoom call in December.
• Asked about status of SM guide.

Name & Logo Committee

• Advised on steps to take regarding a member in Indiana who is promoting his “Official Mensa Discord Server."

SIGs Advisory Committee

• Commented on Health Professionals SIG proposal.

National Awards Committee

• Discussed expansion of LG Officer tracking.
• Discussed other national level volunteers who might be falling through the cracks.
• Dug around for lists of members of a few national TFs and Comms who might be getting lost in the tracking.
• Reminded chair of agenda and report deadlines.

As Chair of MI News Team

• Wrote 20 “articles” to be posted on Mensa News.
• Filled in spreadsheet with NMs’ membership data from IBD report, then asked M, I, or B for help finding missing numbers.
• Began posting to News Group on WP.
• Sent EMAG 23 info to A for inclusion on events calendar.
• Wrote to the chairs of S. Korea and Indonesia asking for more details about the to 2023 AMGs.
  
• Sent  info about HMAG 2023 for events calendar.
• Sent  info about AMG 2023 in Indonesia for evens calendar.
• Nudged G to participate. Nudged again a few weeks later.
• Worked  on Peru article and posting double attachments challenge.
• Sent requests for article review to 5 National Mensa chairs.
• Participated in discussion about age demographics of NMs.
• Requested graphics for discussion question posts.
• Drafted article about Australia’s Gifted Youth success and sent it out for further review.
• Prodded N to get input on Japan Growth article.
• Doodle Poll for a zoom call and prepped notes.
• Drafted a couple more articles.
• Zoom call to talk about content ideas and assignments.
• Drafted more articles.
• Created graphic about N&L rules.
• Responded to member who pointed out a N&L violation in a post.
• Checkin zoom with A, M, & B.
• Worked on some graphics for consistent branding  on posts.
• Sent requests for review to two national Mensas (Sweden and Switzerland).
• Reached out to M-L asking her to join the team, then responded back to her.
• Wrote a few more atrticles based on magazines from Bulgaria and Germany.
• Zoom catch up with A.
• Wrote bullet points of specific needs for new members of the committee.
• Checked assumptions about the roles of the MI News Team vs the MI Newsroom group on WP.
• Did some graphics editing.
• Zoom with A about various topics.
  
• Worked on an ad for more News Team members.
• Summarized tasks and expectations for team members to get everyone going again.
• Zoom with A about text for soliciting more team members.

MI Branding Project

• Zoom with A and New ICO about branding project and general catch up.
• Added brainstorming ideas to a vision board.
• Zoom with A and ICO about what we’re really trying to accomplish and general idea sharing.
• Lots of playing around with ideas on Miro.

MI Name & Logo Committee

• Yeah, I volunteered.

Thoughts on Jewel Awards

The recent Bulletin had a long article by a non-AMC person about rethinking the Jewel Awards. I confess I didn’t read and ponder it carefully, so I don’t have an opinion about it. However, It does seem like the Jewels as they are currently handled only take into consideration things that can be counted by the National Office.

In December, as part of a long list of next steps to improve volunteerism in Mensa, I recommended the RVCs look at the Jewel Awards and figure out how to incorporate volunteerism into them.  I can’t imagine that it’s impossible to review  other things LGs do or don’t do over the course of a year that impact the quality of service they provide to their members beyond what the National Office tracks already. RVCs know their Groups well, including the quirks and nuances of how they function.

Off the top of my head:
• Does the LG have a formal volunteer recognition party/award/process?
• Does the LG provide training and other onboarding materials for new volunteers?
• Is the turn over in leadership regular and non-contentious?
• Is more than one key position held by the same person?

New Big Project!

As the LG Comm Guide project nears the finish line, I find myself casting about for something significant to do. And I've come up with my Next Big Project:

LG Newsletters-- current status, costs, who wants paper and why, etc.

I plan to approach this like I did with the Volunteerism project- generating a million questions, researching, and letting recommendations bubble up to the surface.

I feel energized again!