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Changes From The 2000 Website Motion

Website Motion (01.2) Background Information


 
Changes in this Website motion from the 2000 Website Motion package, resubmitted and placed on the 2001 Assembly Agenda at the January Quarterly, are identified in the following sections:

Motion Wording

The base motion plus 5 options in the 2000 Website motion were consolidated into a single motion with no options. The reason for having a Website was added to the motion wording. The update to the Area Handbook was also called out as an attachment to the motion, in addition to the guidelines, since it gives the financial impact on the Area.


Motion Introduction

An introduction (Motion Overview) was added immediately after the motion to summarize how this motion is different from the one that failed at the 2000 Assembly, and subsequently placed on the 2001 Assembly agenda at the January Quarterly in Spokane.


Alternate Chairperson’s Job Description

Since this motion places responsibility for the Website under the Alternate Chairperson, the "Replacement for Alternate Chairperson Job Description" attachment to this motion replaces the "Proposed Addition to the Area Handbook" that accompanied the 2000 Website motion (which proposed creating a new standing committee). Further, if this motion is passed the following changes to the Area Handbook would be made:

  1. Add "The Alternate Chairperson also oversees and reports on the Area Website activity, as described Website Administration and Maintenance section of the Website Guidelines." to the end of the description.

  2. Add a $500 credit line to cover Website costs (ISP/IPP and domain name), and

  3. Delete the comment on Area Officers not having credit lines from the note on reimbursable expenses.

    The "Note" at the end of each Area Officer Job Description in the Area Handbook, where reimbursable expenses are described, should be revised. The previous comment about Area Officers not having credit lines will not longer be correct if the motion to place the Area Website under the Alternate Chairperson passes.


(Proposed) Guidelines for the Website

The following changes were made to the proposed guidelines distributed at the WSEA 92 April 2000 Quarterly, in support of the Area Website Motion that failed at the 2000 Assembly.

Introductory Material

  1. Deleted the introductory statement about the various options.(No options are attached to this motion.)

  2. Changed "Proposed Guidelines …" to "Guidelines …" in the title (removed "Proposed").

  3. Deleted the Preface.

  4. Added a brief statement of purpose and a description of the guidelines content and organization, to make it easier to find information of interest.

Statement of Purpose

Deleted this section and replaced it with an abbreviated two-fold purpose (included in the introduction at the start of these guidelines). The previous statements about following A.A. Traditions were included in the updated Contents and Services section of the Guidelines.

(Website) Contents and Services

Guidelines for the display of Website information in the new motion are identical in purpose and scope to those associated with the 2000 Website motion. The newer guidelines expand on some points of concern, however they neither add or subtract from the content and services suggested by last year’s motion. Aside from reorganization and reformatting for clarity and brevity, the following significant changes were made:

  1. Added several items on following AA principles and traditions.

  2. Added item to make it clear the Website should focus on A.A. within Area 92 and not attempt to speak for A.A. as a whole.

  3. Added item to respect copyrights and registered trademarks.

  4. The following items were deleted since they added no substantial guidance when compared to common web site design practices:

  5. Deleted the requirement for an Area Map, showing the names and locations of Districts, Central Office and Intergroups within Area 92. (Note: A map can still be given, since Districts, Central Office and Intergroup locations are approved for display on the Website.)

  6. More fully identified the intent and scope of anonymous e-mail services.

  7. Included the idea of "no endorsement" for the guidelines on linking to other A.A. web sites.

  8. Expanded on the idea of the Area’s hosting service for Districts, Central Offices and Intergroups within Area 92.(Provides resources for their own web site.)

(Website) Domain Name Registration

  1. Changed registration name from "Washington State East Area Assembly" to "Washington State East Area Assembly of Alcoholics Anonymous."

  2. Updated the availability date of the "area92aa.org" domain name.

  3. Changed the Website administrative contact from "Chairperson" to "Alternate Chairperson." because the Alternate Chairperson (who oversees the Website activity) will be in a much better position to respond to administrative inquiries and issues.

  4. Clarified the description for the Website’s Technical Contact.

  5. Added "or delegated representative" to the roles for Administrative and Billing domain name contacts. An E-Mail address is generally required for domain name contact(s), and the Alternate Chairperson and Treasurer may not use E-Mail. A delegated representative was therefore added to avoid placing an unnecessary qualification on the volunteers for these service positions.

(Website) Administration and Maintenance

The 2000 Website Motion proposed a Website Committee to oversee all aspects of the Area’s presence on the Internet: this committee was chaired by an appointed officer and included representatives from Area 92 Districts, Central Offices and Intergroups. The overall, general responsibilities of this committee were assigned to the Alternate Chairperson. Further, the Alternate Chairperson does not need to be computer literate, connected to the Internet, or otherwise have any similar qualifications for the administrative duties associated with the Website activity.(The Alternate Chairperson may solicit help from our fellowship in carrying out the responsibilities needing Internet access.)

Other significant changes made (aside from some word smithing, simplification and reorganization of these guidelines) were:

  1. Added some introductory statements to better delineate the roles and responsibilities of the Alternate Chairperson (administrative duties) from those of the Webteam (technical duties).

  2. Removed responsibility for selecting (or designating) Webteam members: Anyone (with the technical skills or willingness to learn them) who wants to participate should be able to do so, too many volunteers won’t be a problem.(See Webteam Technical Qualifications below.)

  3. Website Coordinator and Alternate Website Coordinator service positions on the Webteam were removed in favor of a flat, nondescript Webteam organizational structure for the following reasons:

    1. no responsibilities were assigned to these service positions, effectively making their definition useless and without merit,

    2. specific roles and responsibilities will be developed after volunteers have made themselves available to work on the Website, work assignments will depend on the volunteers’ skill, willingness to learn, and their availability to do the work.

  4. Added new items to the webteam’s job description:

    1. responsibility to record and analyze website metrics, and

    2. help ensure the Website can be found on the World Wide Web.

  5. Added the following tasks to the webteam’s job description, taken from the 2000 Website Motion ‘Proposed Webteam Job Description & Qualifications’ supporting details document:

    1. forward E-Mail correspondence to trusted servants not on-line, or those choosing not to receive E-Mail,

    2. excluded backup of hosted web pages (web pages developed by Area 92 Districts, Central Offices and Intergroups), and

    3. hosting support to Districts, Central Offices and Intergroups within Area 92 that want an expanded presence on the WWW.

  6. Added that all Webteam members should be included on all E-Mail communications concerning the Website. This enhances Webteam understanding and unity, as well as helping to ensure that all requests for information and assistance are processed in a timely manner.

  7. Since the Webteam is not funded to attend Area Assemblies and Quarterlies in the new motion, the requirement to "display Website information" at these functions was replaced with Alternate Chairperson status reports. The Webteam was given the responsibility to provide the Alternate Chairperson with information forming the basis of the status reports.

  8. Replaced the Webteam administration and maintenance entry of

    "As trusted servants, the Webteam shall be authorized to make changes to the Website, as they deem necessary. Should irreconcilable disputes arise within the Webteam, or between the Webteam and service entities using the Website hosting services, the Website Chairperson shall bring these matters before the entire Area Committee to be resolved. In any case, the Webteam shall not at any time violate the letter or spirit of the Website guidelines."

    with the Alternate Chair’s responsibility to

    "mediate differences of opinion regarding the information displayed on the Website and the services it provides,"

    The types of differences that will arise, and how the Alternate Chair decides to handle them, should be as flexible as possible. This shortened statement also reduces repetition in the guidelines, and the idea that the letter or spirit of the guidelines should be followed at all times was included in the Webteam introductory statement.

  9. Added a section to acknowledge participation in the website activity by those in our fellowship without the specialized skills needed to develop and maintain the Website.

Revisions

Better identified what is meant by "a regularly scheduled business meeting," changed to "an Area Quarterly or Assembly."


Proposed Disclaimer

The standalone Proposed Disclaimer attached to the 2000 Website motion was deleted and revised, with the following items added to the Guidelines, Contents and Services section:


Area Website Budget Considerations

Budget considerations were updated to accommodate changes in the Area Website Hosting Requirements. Further, since the budget considerations for the 2000 Website motion were done in April 1999, the update better reflects customary and reasonable costs that will be incurred should our Area decided to have a web site.


Area Website Hosting Requirements

The "Area Website Projected Technical Requirements" distributed in support of the 2000 Website motion was renamed to "Area Website Hosting Requirements" for the motion under consideration. The following significant changes were made in arriving at this update:

  1. Deleted "Location" preference.

  2. Deleted "Approximate Traffic," the information appended to "Approximate Bandwidth" to provide insights on how bandwidth was calculated.

  3. Changed "FTP: Not Required" to "FTP Access: Required" and added "FTP Server: Not Required" as a parenthetical clarification.

  4. Changed "CGI Coding" to "CGI Scripting" and deleted specification of server utilities.

  5. Created a new requirement for Web Site Metrics, identifying several options that could be used.

  6. Added "Web Site User Management Tools" to the list of desirable features.

  7. Added "Database Capability" as a desirable feature, also identified methods for database maintenance and the desire for 24/7 telephone technical support for server maintenance.


Webteam Technical Qualifications

The Webteam job descriptions contained in the "Proposed Webteam Job Description & Qualifications" supporting details for the 2000 Website motion were deleted because they added little information to what was contained in the (updated) Guidelines.

Note:   Additions were made to the Webteam job description in the Guidelines, Website Administration and Maintenance section to capture the deleted items contained in the "Proposed Webteam Job Description & Qualifications." These additions are identified above, in the changes to the Guidelines for the Website, Website Administration and Maintenance section.

Since the Webteam job description was deleted, the document was retitled to just "Webteam Technical Qualifications." And updates were made to refine the overall skill set needed for the Webteam.

However the new motion guidelines no longer requires the selection of the Webteam. Rather anyone making themselves available will be able to participate in the Website activity. It follows the need for a Webteam Technical Qualifications document to guide Webteam selection has little merit. Further, the Webteam itself will best know what volunteers are needed after it sees who's on board. And it should be their responsibility to let the Alternate Chair know of the webteam’s shortcomings, who in turns informs our fellowship (through status reports and participation on the Area Committee) that more volunteers (with specialized skills) are needed.

As such, "Webteam Technical Qualifications" was not included in the background information supporting the revised Website motion. However it is still available for review by the interested reader: please contact one of the motion sponsors if you would like to obtain a copy.

Motion Overview | Guidelines | Handbook Changes
Budget Considerations | Hosting Requirements | Changes From Last Year's Motion

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