[hackerspaces] Vetting new members

Thu Jun 18 03:32:03 CEST 2009

We've got few enough key holders that we would prefer a unanimous vote
at this point, however one lone dissenter we could probably live with
:)

If we were ever to hit a dozen or more members I would imagine a
majority vote would have to suffice as you can't make everyone happy
all the time.

PGP Key ID: 0x0517358E
"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they
are free" - Goethe
--

On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 6:20 PM, Eric
Gerlach<eric+hackerspaces-discuss at gerlach.ca> wrote:
> Hi Dave,
>
> How do you determine who becomes a new keyholder?  Simple majority vote?
> Unanimous?
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Eric
>
> On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 11:33:58AM -0700, Dave Null wrote:
>> The Lodge follows this same policy almost exactly. The space is open
>> to anyone on 'open house' days or if there's a class going on
>> (Homebrew workshop 2 weeks ago is an example). If someone needs the
>> space at another time (i.e. need to hold a meeting, etc) they can
>> contact a keyholder who can open the shop up for them. If someone
>> hangs around long enough, demonstrates that they're 'good people', and
>> has some financial stability (rent is 160/mo) they can become a key
>> holder..if they want to be. There's plenty of good people that are
>> regulars at the Lodge that either don't need/want 24 hour access or
>> want to put the cash in monthly to pay for the space. Those folks just
>> toss a few bucks in the donation box from time to time to help pay for
>> the pop they drink.
>>
>> PGP Key ID: 0x0517358E
>> "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they
>> are free" - Goethe
>> --
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 11:26 AM, john arclight<arclight at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Our policy is as follows:
>> >
>> > Anyone can show up and work or hang out when a keyholder is present. They
>> > can come as often as they like and we even have free cubby holes to store
>> > projects in.  People who use the space in this way are encouraged to donate
>> > something if they can but it's not required.
>> >
>> > The keyholders are the actual rent payers.  We charge $200/mo for unlimited
>> > 24/7 access and have a small number of these members.  In order to become a
>> > key holder, you need to:
>> >
>> > 1. Convince us that you can pay in a timely manner.
>> > 2. Hang out with us enough times that we know you are responsible and going
>> > to be a good citizen.  We did have to revoke one key in the last 2 years,
>> > but this was because the person went a little nuts on us.
>> >
>> > Arclight
>> >
>> > On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 11:16 AM, nicolle <superherogirl at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> At Pumping Station: One, in Chicago, we don't have a formal vetting
>> >> process.  One of our core principles is that anyone aged 18 or older is
>> >> free to become a member of our organization.  Therefore, if someone
>> >> hears about us, comes by, likes what they see, and pays the monthly
>> >> membership fee, they get a key and get 24 hour access to our space.
>> >> (Right now it's physical keys, although we're hoping to implement key
>> >> cards soon.)
>> >>
>> >> We have had a physical space for about two months now, and it's working
>> >> out nicely.  Of course it's a risk to allow such open access to the
>> >> space, but it's a calculated one in my opinion.  Under our model, the
>> >> core benefit of being a member is not just access to the space, but
>> >> twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week access to the space.  There's
>> >> no such thing as a member without a key.  Our space is big enough that
>> >> it can accommodate the number of members who join under our open policy,
>> >> and doing it any other way would violate our intent to involve as many
>> >> new and interesting people in the hackerspace as possible.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> nicky
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> David Powell wrote:
>> >> > We are a new hackerspace in Maryland, USA so we don't have a whole lot
>> >> > of experience. We have discusses this issue and basically it came down
>> >> > to all the existing keyholders must vote in private on weather to
>> >> > allow or deny a member to right to have 24/7 access. With that said we
>> >> > don't actually have a 24/7 facilility available to us yet so we have
>> >> > not given out any keys. When the time comes that we do have 24/7
>> >> > access the board members will have keys and the charter members will
>> >> > also have keys. Currently there are 5 of us putting everything we have
>> >> > into forming our hackerspace. Those 5 will be considered charter
>> >> > members and will ultimately be who gets to decide who else has a key.
>> >> >
>> >> > Not every member needs a key. You need to be careful who you hand them
>> >> > out to. If you have a member who really needs 24/7 access I'm sure
>> >> > they will let you know that they tried to access the building but
>> >> > nobody was there. At that time you could offer to motion for a vote on
>> >> > their behalf amoungst the other keyholders.
>> >> >
>> >> > I would not hand out a key to a new member. We have discussed
>> >> > requiring background checks before providing keys. This is easily done
>> >> > in 5 minutes for free in Maryland using the courts website.
>> >> >
>> >> > One thing you may also want to implement is a quarterly inventory of
>> >> > the keys. Mark each members key with a number and possibly with a do
>> >> > not duplicate message. Then every quarter ask to physically see their
>> >> > key. If they don't have it then it may be time to change the locks.
>> >> >
>> >> > Finally, I've toyed with the idea of not having a key at all. There
>> >> > are plenty of inexpensive electronic locks. This will allow you to
>> >> > keep a log of who accessed the building and when. It would also allow
>> >> > you to setup a system where you can remotely allow a member to enter.
>> >> > So they may not need full access but they may need to call someone and
>> >> > request use of the building before entering.
>> >> >
>> >> > Discuss this over with your members and see what they are comfortable
>> >> > with.
>> >> >
>> >> > On 6/17/09, Eric Gerlach <eric+hackerspaces-discuss at gerlach.ca> wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> Hi all,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Some of you may have seen me asking this question on IRC over the last
>> >> >> few days, so if you're one of those people, my apologies for the
>> >> >> duplicate communication.  Feel free to respond anyways :-)
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I'm working with a group in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada to
>> >> >> build
>> >> >> a new hackerspace.  One of the debates we're having right now is about
>> >> >> vetting new members.  I'm really interested in what other spaces are
>> >> >> doing.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Specifically, I'm interested in what a person has to do to become a
>> >> >> member of your organization and get 24/7 access to the space (if you
>> >> >> allow that), and what you feel the advantages and disadvantages to your
>> >> >> approach are.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Thanks in advance for your help.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Cheers,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Eric
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> >> Discuss mailing list
>> >> >> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
>> >> >> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> > _______________________________________________
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>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> "A developed and decent man cannot be vain without a boundless
>> >> exactingness toward himself and without despising himself at moments to the
>> >> point of hatred."
>> >> Notes from Underground
>> >> by Fyodor Dostoevsky
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
>> >> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> >
>> >
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