🚀 go-pugleaf

I certainly hope you had the decency to ASK Ray Kaplan before you
suggested to the gathered readership that they waste a vote by writing
his name in as a candidate for the DECUS Board of Directors.

I say waste, because from a cursory look at the DECUS By-Laws and the
Policy and Procedures for the US Chapter of DECUS, there is no mechanism
for having a write-in candidate, once the candidates for an election
have been selected.  However, during the candidate selection process, it
is possible to write-in candidates which do not meet the "LDEC criteria"
which are defined in the aforementioned documents.

For those who can't get at them, the following is from the Policy and
PRocedures document of the US Chapter Board:

	3.1.2   Objective Criteria for Candidates
	 
	     Candidates for the  Board  of  Directors  must meet the
	     following objective criteria:
	 
	     -Must have been a DECUS U.S. Chapter member for the
	      last three years.
	     -Must have attended three symposia in the last three
	      fiscal years of DECUS (July 1 to June 30)
	     -Must have held a major leadership position(s) in DECUS
	      for a minimum of one year
	     -Must commit to the time required to hold a seat on the
	      Board of Directors
	     -Must submit a completed application by the deadlines
	      specified in the Election Schedule.
	 
	     In addition, candidates  will  be  evaluated on his/her
	     demonstrated ability to:
	 
	     -Administer an organization
	     -Manage and influence people
	     -Build and mobilize a volunteer organization
	     -Mobilize a volunteer organization so that established
	      organization mission and goals are achieved
	     -Be an effective team member
	     -Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
	     -Have a working knowledge of DECUS

	3.1.3   Petition Process
	 
	     Any applicant who  meets  the  objective criteria shall
	     beplaced on the  ballot.  This constitutes the petition
	     process required by the By-laws.
	 
	3.1.4   Campaigning and Electioneering Policy
	 
	3.1.4.1 Publications
	 
	     Any group within DECUS  that  wishes  to comment on the
	     Board of Directors' election in its publication(s) must
	     provide an opportunity  for  all  candidates  to make a
	     statement in the  same  issue,  so  that all candidates
	     will have an equal opportunity for visibility.
	 
There are 8 candidates running for the US Chapter's Board of
Directors.  All of them have been blessed by LDEC.  I know all of them
personally.  As a member of the US Chapter of DECUS, you get to vote
for 3 of them.  If you had wanted Ray Kaplan on the ballot, and if Ray
was interested in being on the ballot, you could have done so several
months ago, when candidates for the positions on the board were being
sought.  

You can do more good for the society by CAREFULLY reading the candidate
biographies and statements before you vote, then by throwing your vote
away.


Kurt Reisler (703) 359-6100
============================================================================
UNISIG Chairman, DECUS US Chapter                       | Hadron, Inc.
klr@hadron.com						| 9990 Lee Highway
                                                        | Fairfax, VA 22030