Reminder: deadline in 6 days. If you want to: * nominate yourself as a Director of the Language Creation Society (or nominate someone else as Director), or * propose a substantive new policy or motion not already in the draft agenda @ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gh5_YgRUPta2MKWA6iy4xDXOxtkod9zo0G4k-CFY... … please do so *by October 22* if at all possible. Anything after then will still be accepted, but will have limitations. # Director candidates Email lcs@conlang.org with name, pronouns (if desired), ≤300 word candidate statement, & ≤150 word bio. Directors decide what the LCS does at a strategic level. We formally meet once every 2 months, and have informal discussion ongoingly, in English. Directors have to be elected by members, have an interest in shaping the future of the LCS, be ≥18 yo, and agree to the job (including an NDA), but that's it — no particular background, skills, nationality, or the like is required. *We are expressly encouraging diverse people to nominate themselves to be Director. Please spread the word, and encourage anyone you think would be good!* # Draft proposals, motions, & discussion items Just add directly to the agenda where indicated. Currently on the agenda are: 1. bylaws change to make the LCS Codes of Conduct mandatory and enforceable 2. Parliamentarian ruling that substantive Code of Conduct changes have to be adopted by members (not directors) 3. LCC safety policy 4. substantial revision of the LCS Codes of Conduct to be clearer, encompass more forms of discrimination, apply to severe conduct outside LCS spaces, include explicit fair & reasonable procedure, and list possible sanctions Draft proposals & motions do _not_ have to be anywhere near as detailed as the ones currently in the agenda — they just have to give everyone reasonable notice of the basic idea of what might get adopted. Ask me if you want help. Sincerely, Sai Board Chair, Language Creation Society Sent from my mobile phone; apologies for concision and autocorrect errors -------- Original Message -------- On 01/10/2024 17:39, Sai wrote:
Hi all,
# LCS member meeting 2024 dates decided
The LCS member meeting starts Friday, 15 November 2024 16:00 UTC, and the live session starts Saturday, 23 November 2024 16:00 UTC. It takes place at the LCS Members' Slack.
Formal meeting notification and ballots will be sent to members by Saturday, 26 October 2024 16:00 UTC.
The meeting is open exclusively to anyone who's a current LCS member at the time. Everyone is, of course, welcome to join at any time. https://conlang.org/become-a-member
# Key pre-meeting deadline in 21 days
The deadline for submitting Director candidate statements for the first written ballot†, and for submitting new substantive motions/proposals‡, is Tuesday, 22 October 2024 16:00 UTC.
If at all possible, have these in ASAP — not just at the deadline — so that others reading the announcements about this can see and respond to what's already there.
# Director candidates
For LCS Director candidates, please email lcs@conlang.org the candidate's public name, pronouns, ≤300 word candidate statement, ≤150 word bio, and (unless the candidate is the one doing this, which they preferably should be) their express written consent.
We expressly encourage diverse people to apply to be an LCS Director, and request that this request and invitation be distributed as widely and quickly as possible.
Being a Director is a formal legal role. Directors decide essentially all LCS strategy, policy, etc, across all topics — just not day-to-day operations (that's for Officers). It requires active participation on an ongoing basis, live meetings once every 2 months, NDA, etc.
LCS Members have the exclusive authority to elect Directors. The Board of Directors has no authority to decide its own members (with some very niche exceptions).
The Board has exclusive authority to appoint Officers. Officers don't have to be Directors. We are currently looking for a Secretary and Vice-Treasurer at least. We occasionally create new Officerships if warranted; if you have proposals, let us know. (Officer related proposals are not bound by the deadlines here; this is just an FYI while at it.)
## † Legal & practical deadlines for Director candidates
The deadline above is mandatory for the first written ballot announcement.
We will continue to accept Director candidates, add them to the ballot, and announce them, on an ongoing basis up to Thursday, 21 November 2024 16:00 UTC. However, anyone not on the first announcement has very poor chances of being elected — most people vote early — so get it in ASAP.
# Substantive motions & proposals for the 2024 LCS Members Meeting
You can make these by directly editing the 2024 LCS Members Meeting Agenda document https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gh5_YgRUPta2MKWA6iy4xDXOxtkod9zo0G4k-CFY..., at the discussion or draft motion/proposal sections, where indicated in giant red text, using the templates provided.
We anticipate receiving a proposal about anti-racism and the LCS Code of Conduct from some members of the ma pona pi toki pona Discord https://discord.gg/mapona ; it is being discussed at this thread: https://discord.com/channels/301377942062366741/1284570817753256057 .
We expressly invite all conlanging & conlang communities to make proposals, both on those issues and any others, regardless of LCS membership status. Again, we request that this request and invitation be distributed as widely and quickly as possible.
## ‡ Mandatory legal deadlines for Code of Conduct type proposals
If it isn't in by the deadline above, California law prohibits LCS members from voting on it unless there's a 1/3 super-quorum, which is very unlikely (we normally have 1/5).
California law also prohibits the LCS Board from changing the rules by which someone could potentially be expelled or suspended, or have membership rights terminated or suspended. That must be done by members. Therefore, the deadline above is mandatory for any proposal for a Code of Conduct type change. Next chance is Nov 2025.
Sincerely, Sai Board Chair, Language Creation Society