Contents:
Section 1a: Regional Overview
So this is my first report as RC. It’s been a very busy month.
I increased the ARC staff in order to address the divergent needs and projects pressing in the Region.
Given that I have instated several new ARCs it has been asked of me, “So what does the RC do?”, quite a bit actually. Most of it can be compared to being a project manager and supervisor and Human Resources Director all in one. I have no specific one duty; rather I run around making sure my officers have the support they need to do their jobs. I fill in the cracks and keep the machine oiled. It’s really hard to quantify my job and yet I’m extremely busy making the whole show run.
Enough about me I suppose. ;)
There have been incidents that have required disciplinary actions, coaching and discussion.
ICC of course is becoming a significant subject of conversation. The issue concerning the absence of a Changeling venue at ICC raised a few hackles.
Much of our energy has been directed towards catching up on the considerable backlog of prestige awards due to the absence of Regional reports recently. Getting the new ARC into their positions and bringing them up to speed has also consumed much of my time. I am keenly aware that I’d be dead in the water without my staff. I could not be more pleased with their performance and initiative. I am extremely pleased with the ownership they have taken in their jobs and in the performance of the SWRC office as a whole. I’ve made a concerted effort to foster a sense of team spirit and mutual support on the team. It’s been fairly easy as they are a great group of folks and they are very well suited to their tasks. I consider myself extremely lucky to have such a crack staff.
Section 1b: Departmental Reports
ARC ARBITRATION REPORT
July 2001
Matt Smith
OVERVIEW
This report consists of the following sections:
1. SUMMARY
2. OUTSTANDING ISSUES
3. CURRENT ISSUES
4. PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS
5. QUESTIONS/CONCERNS
1. SUMMARY
What a busy month.
I accepted the ARC Arbitration early in the month, and have been hella busy with it since. This month's business included a suspension, dealing with a sexual harassment complaint, sending out notices of vacant ARC positions, acting as RC while Shannon was on vacation, and answering a ton of questions.
I also accepted a position on the Director of Community Services' staff as liaison for this year's ICC charity, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I'm also acting as a consultant for the Director of Publications' calendar project. I'm also swamped with work and training for a triathlon in November. Oy.
My report is early (7/23). This is because I will not be available for Cam-related business next weekend, as I will be attending a fundraising kickoff for the Leukemia & Lymphoma society, and I figured you'd want my report earlier rather than later.
2. OUTSTANDING ISSUES
Edited for privacy
B. Acting as RC in Shannon's absence
While Captain Picard was gone; we sold the Enterprise for parts, including a steep discount for the Romulans who bought our warp core... j/k. ;-)
Things have gone smoothly. I put out calls for vacant ARC positions, issued two reminders about the application deadline, and fielded several questions on minor issues. Those replies which weren't to public lists were CC'd privately to Shannon.
C. Los Angeles Domain Coordinator
Keith MacGregor (?), the LA DC, is currently out of contact. His real-life situation is taking priority over the Cam, and the domain is currently in the yellow due to missed reports. Coupled with the fact that Keith has refused several times in the past to take his ordeals (I think current estimates place him almost two years past the due date...can you verify that, Wendy?), I believe that the best course of action is to remove Keith from the position of DC and let the CCs elect a new one.
This is a difficult proposition, however. I would like to contact Keith prior to removing him, but he hasn't returned any of the voicemail Wendy sent asking him to contact me.
Since I live 400 miles away from him, and since he's not answering his email, I may not have a choice about talking to him before I remove him. I'd prefer to avoid this, and I'll talk with Wendy about alternatives before taking further action. If I can't get any closure on the issue by the end of the month, however, I'm going to remove him rather than risk seeing Los Angeles slip into the black.
RC: Notation. Since then, an announcement was made to the LA CCs letting them know that they need to choose a new DC. They are currently in the process of doing that. They have contacted me and let me know that they should have one chosen in 2 weeks.
4. PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS
A. Diminished response time
My responsibilities are abundant, my available time scarce. Expect a marked slowing in my response time on Camarilla-related issues.
RC Notation: This is fine. We are all pretty good about taking up the slack for one another when real life calls. Matt has done a great job and has been pivotal in making the whole show work.
5. QUESTIONS/CONCERNS
A. Questions regarding site fees and attendance
Shannon, could you please review my response to Ronni Eloff on the coordinators list regarding site fees? (posted 7/23) I was fairly certain that our views on the issue would coincide, but I want to be certain they match.
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Matt smith: 9306-046: arc arbitration: god of precious & sumpin' fierce.
RC Comments: Matt, you answered the inquiry very well.
We are on the same page.
ARC Advocate Report
July 2001
OVERVIEW
This report consists of the following sections:
1. SUMMARY
2. OUTSTANDING ISSUES
3. CURRENT ISSUES
4. PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS
5. QUESTIONS/CONCERNS
1. SUMMARY
All’s quiet on the Wasatch Front.
The tension between Crimson Sentinel and Mountain Shadows Domain are ever present but seem to be going through a quiet Phase. People on the surface are willing to work together and let the past be the past.
The reality; however is that even though few who remain remember the cause of the split, the tension has become habit.
House of the Forsaken has gotten of to a great start.
They are having the usual difficulties of all new Houses, but are making great strides. They are already a productive force within Mountain Shadows Domain.
Desert Rose has remained a non-entity within the valley. Their last coordinator, Christian Gurholdt, stepped down. I do not as yet know if they have elected another.
I am going to Arizona this weekend along with many others of the Salt Lake Crew. There may be an addendum to this report after I return on the 13th.
I will have a copy of the Chapter and Domain Schedule of events available within the next week.
To date there have been no issues that have not been resolved at the chapter/domain level.
2. OUTSTANDING ISSUES
None.
3. CURRENT ISSUES
None Yet.
4. PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS
None yet.
5. QUESTIONS/CONCERNS
I received a question from a member of Night Shift in Phoenix Arizona. Several of their players want to start a Camarilla based game separate from Tithe of Souls. Due to issues regarding the split of their domain, they wish to know if this is permissible.
Jana Ford 9511*035
ARC Advocate
RC Comment: As we know the games that are sanctioned in the cam are all exist in a single continuum. If the players are asking to have a game that can exclude Tithe of Souls then they are talking about a troupe game that does not use our organization's rule set.
The real issue hear is that they need to work out their interpersonal differences and come to a mutual understanding that will in the very least allow them to coexist peacefully/ I realize this is a tall order.
I've had direct experience with that area during the investigation in which I recommended the dissolution of their Domain. They have a long history of infighting and bad blood. I have seen improvement but Night Shift and Tithe of Souls have some long-standing feuds going on. This is a long-term project.
ARC-Web Kimiko Drew
Fiscal month of July 2001.
South West Regional Website.
Analyzed requests from Sun-01-Jul-2001 01:01 to
Tue-31-Jul-2001 23:23
(30.9 days).
Total successful requests: 73,085
Average successful requests per day: 2,363 Apparent # of unique visitors in the month:
1197: 0.96%: /swr.html
List of the number of updates performed for the month:
46 updates.
Please visit web site [News] for more detailed changes to the site.
Brief description of major changes to current site made:
July 12, 2001
* Added new Nevada chapter, Vegas Stakes, in Los Vegas
July 16, 2001
* Reorganized the whole Events subsection.
July 20, 2001
* New Southern California chapter, The Sunset Strip, in Hollywood.
July 24, 2001
* New Northern California chapter, Twilight Cathedral, in Modesto.
July 30, 2001
* New National Level prestige records; page of web sites links, from national positions, to RCs, to ICCs past. Note: some are not working and need to be revised now.
August 1, 2001
* New ARCs added to Coordinator's Contact page.
I have been on brief sabbatical since Aug 6.
STATUS OF ON-GOING PROJECTS:
**ONGOING PROJECTS**
Various stories by Darcy or Sean are currently on hold.
Compilation of RC/RST Staff position descriptions.
This is currently my project and is on a test page:
http://home.earthlink.net/~macruimmon/hwg-class/js/lesson6/index.html
The banner ad link will be removed for the regional site. It is just a tester. I also need more Position Descriptions, and photos to continue.
Worked up a test splash page with new people in the various states. On hold pending time to finish it.
Also looking to get the vector version of the logo from Tara, if available. Can currently be viewed at:
http://www.camarilla-sw.org/sigils/splash.html
**UP COMING PROJECTS**
ARST Web with Pete Houtekier. After last month's brief contact, Pete H. has not contacted me since. I do not see any activity on the server. Has Peter K. heard anything more?
E-LISTS FOR SW REGION:
E-mail lists, tamu and yahoogroups. Pending. Really need to finish this, still.
**PENDING PROJECTS**
SW REGIONAL SIGIL:
We have requested and received several sigils for review for the SW Region. Will open requests for new sigil, but need to decide on definition of the SW region first. Currently content to use logo created by Tara Bravo. :-)
DATABASE CREATION
Chapters and Domain database. Now given over to Peter Savas, ARC Reports. Have found someone, Robert Nickel, who can do the programming to integrate the database into the regional site when it is ready.
**PRESTIGE RECOMMENDATION RECAP**
Prestige for July:
* Ronni Eloff, server space paid for in July. ?? Not sure what to recommend.
* I had other recommends, but the image is not yet posted live, so it will wait for next month.
Back Reports:
* Craig Brown (9809-049) and D. Scott McQuiston (219) 10 Regional: Feedback, suggestions, site tests, color blind test, etc.
* Robin Small (9808-110) 10 regional. Programming assistance, testing, feedback, brainstorming and suggested improvements
* RC/ARC staff (Keith Curtz, Aaron Morgan, Tim McKusick, Shannon Quintero) 10 regional. For assistance in various aspects of site design and testing; if not considered part of their duties.
* Ronni Eloff (9708-028) March, April, May, June:
Prestige for server space. From March - server space, domain name,
paperwork to get this going, working with site provider on details, and payment for all of the above, including domain name: I leave to the RC and prestige staff for something appropriate for these past months.
* Brent Sturdevant, 9405-091, story, 10 pts regional
* Craig Brown 9809-049, short poem, 5 pts regional
* Robert Nickel, ##200104092, short poem, 5 pts regional
* Dave Barry #9803-159, poem, 10 points regional.
Kimiko Drew
#9809-050
SWARC Web Communications
ARC Prestige Report
1. SUMMARY
Well, the nightmare that was back-logged Coordinator and event Prestige is just about wrapped up. Awards were tallied based on reports turned in, approved by Shannon, and posted. I've had zero complaints from the Coordinators. I've only gotten two "thank-you’s", so I suppose (on the universal scale of things) the net result is that we've pushed back the
Universe's eventual slide into entropy by four or five picoseconds. Big
kudos to those who assisted.
Completed reviews:
Bryan Munoz (MC6)
Michael Singer (MC8)
2. OUTSTANDING ISSUES
ARST Prestige awards - I've heard about a few members who are missing awards from the time spanning the end of Pete H's term (I believe that some of his reports were never turned in) to the beginning of Pete K's.
Thus far, however, none of the affected members have come forward with copies of recommendations or with claims of their own for work done. Once I receive something, I'll be able to get these back awards out, but right now, I have little to go on.
3. CURRENT ISSUES
Harold Hulbert's Prestige record: Harold lost a good deal of Prestige in his review, mostly due to exceeding caps (for several months, he held THREE positions that awarded Prestige under the "Administration" category) and improperly-categorized awards. He informed me, after seeing my first pass comments, that he would be seeking Arbitration to resolve this issue. He has since that time (about 2 weeks) decided to go ahead with the review and put aside any hard feelings he initially felt so that we can work through his record. I for one am very glad that this potentially volatile situation (he threatened to quit the Camarilla and commented that the review left him physically ill) has been defused with apologies and a commitment to do the review "by the book"
Nikki McCorriston's prestige review: She submitted a log for MC review, which was found to be missing a substantial portion of her records. It was returned to her CC, with a letter asking for unaccounted-for-totals to be included and broken down. This was sent back on July 6th, and I have yet to hear back.
Michael Santschi's prestige review: Nearly completed. Awaiting his final changes, then I'll send out the official letter for his MC gain.
Travis Jones' prestige review: First pass completed, and he has replied to the attached comments. I'm in the process of doing a second pass through it, and that should clear up pretty much everything. He should have his letter by week's end.
The following were submitted by Mike Meyer, and are awaiting review. They will be handled once the Chapter and Domain reports reviews are done (this weekend).
Luci Helmer (AZ003)
Mike Meyer (AZ003)
Phil Bernacke (AZ003)
4. PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS
Problem: I'm *BEAT*
Solution: Sarah Despars joined the ARC staff as a Prestige ARC. She and I have been in communication via AIM, and I'm trying to put together a "status report&