INTERNET COMMITTEE REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS
This year our committee was enthusiastically joined by 5 new delegates spanning 3 regions. There were referrals worked on from the end of the conference last year through the beginning of the conference this year. All referrals validated a response or resulted in a motion. Our committee now totals twelve. All referrals were openly discussed and responses unanimously agreed upon. We have reduced our budget by $325.00.
Committee Introductions
Richard Schafer – Chair
Mike Sklar – Vice-Chair
Sandy Paschall – Secretary
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Tony Drake – Trustee
Committee Members:
Leon Mason
Leslie Williams
Jimmy Gower
Jon Himelblau
Mark Tomkinson
Jon Fish
Terry Marsdon
Ivan Libson
REFERRALS THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
#4154 – Submitted by South Central Texas Area – Ivan on 9/4/04
Develop a new statement of purpose with new developments and changes to reflect the current technology. “Information Technology”
Motion to change our name from the Internet Committee to Information Technology (IT) Committee.
Second
Richard Schaffer- Speak in favor of the motion
Motion Passes with substantial unanimity
Tony Drake – Motion to accept this new statement of purpose to be added to the IT Committee Workbook & Guidelines page 2:
The purpose of the committee is to serve as a resource to the fellowship in the areas of emerging technologies; specifically we facilitate and assist areas and districts in approving their local websites to be linked from CA.org. Additionally, the IT committee, on an ongoing basis, works on adapting available technologies to better carry the message of CA, while always keeping in mind the issues of the twelve traditions, CA policies, privacy and security.
Second
Motion Passes unanimously
Motion to insert after the first sentence on page 2 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines to read: At the 2005 World Service Conference the name was changed to the Information Technologies (IT) Committee to better fit the scope of emerging technologies
Second
Vinny Martin- Friendly amendment, change from the Internet Committee to the IT Committee
Not accepted.
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Motion Passes unanimously
REFERRALS OR ITEMS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES; WORLD SERVICE OFFICE, OR BOARD OF TRUSTEES
#4177 – 9/4/04 Submitted by the Phoenix Arizona PI Chair – Ginger
Develop an on-line capability to fill out current PI surveys and tabulate results.
The appropriate place for such an on-line survey would be www.ca.org, we have forwarded this referral.
REFERRALS THAT DID NOT RESULT IN MOTIONS
#4065 – Submitted by UK Area 8/31/05
To look at traditions issues and methods of using audio of convention speakers through a secure internet connection directly into H&I facilities.
#4558 – Greg Baron – San Diego – 8/31/05
There are no published guidelines what is acceptable CA speaker tape that can be made available on an Area’s website. I think written guidelines would help Area Webmasters select speaker tapes to submit to their regions trustee for approval that would then have a good chance of being approved. This would help streamline the process and avoid wasting the area committee and regions trustee time. It would also establish consistent guidelines to help the various areas’ committees and various regional trustees in evaluating the suitability of submitted speaker tapes for posting on the World Wide Web.
In response to referrals #4065 and #4558, we refer to the committee workbook & guidelines, page 6 last bullet which reads:
“Area/District newsletters, personal stories, audio and video media must be approved by the Area/District and the Regional Trustee before posting on the Area/District website.”
Postings should be consistent with the 12 traditions of Cocaine Anonymous.
#4089 – Submitted by the On-Line Service Area – 9/1/05
Please review and revise all literature posted on the ca.org website to guarantee accuracy of posted text and to ensure that literature online is identical to current approved literature. Discrepancies in language and format continues to be posted online.
In response to referral #4089 – A review has been made of the on-line literature and the content is correct, to the best of our knowledge. The format of web-site literature appears appropriate for on-line viewing. Should errors be found, please contact CAWSO with specific items to address
#4153 – Submitted by South Central Texas Area 9/4/04
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The internet committee begin to develop guidelines for video and audio conferencing.
#4651 – Submitted by Conference 8/31/04
The conference itself wants on-line services.
In response to referrals #4153 and #4651, this committee will look into conferencing options once we find out the communication needs from the Conference Committee. A referral would postpone this action for another year, so we invite the Conference Committee to let us know their needs at this time.
#4418 – no date – Debra, Houston Member
- What names of service members may appear on websites?
- Is it appropriate to list first names and last initials and sobriety dates on websites?
- Can people’s first names appear on the websites as contact people with their phone numbers?
In response to referral #4418, we discourage posting of last names and personal phone numbers, suggest the use of local CA area phone numbers, if no phone number available then we should we suggest that they email the webservant.
#4510 – World Service Board of Trustees – 8/31/05
Please address the issue of area and district websites using on-line forums and chat rooms
In response to referral #4510, Area and District websites should be linking to the OSA for on-line communications.
#4511 – World Service Board of Trustees – 8/31/05
Please address the issue of area and district websites having on-line meetings.
In response to referral #4511, we refer areas and districts interested in having on-line meetings to the OSA.
#4512 – World Service Board of Trustees – 8/31/05
Is it okay to have email lists on the websites that members can sign up for announcements of upcoming events both on area/district websites.
In response to referral #4512, while email is a current form of communication, it is not recommended that the list or database be posted on the website and recommendations of forms, designs and security could be looked at by the committee upon request.
#4513 – WSBT – 8/31/05
Please create an approval process for non-english language websites.
In response to referral #4513, the approval process for websites is in place in the workbook and guidelines and new languages are addressed in the same manner.
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NEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AS OF THIS CONFERENCE
Chair – Richard Schafer
Vice-Chair – Mike Sklar
Secretary – Sandy Paschall
CLOSING COMMENTS
Thank you for allowing us to serve and grow with the fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous.
Respectfully Submitted:
Richard Schafer
Questions
Bob Lemon- How do you monitor these websites?
Richard Schafer – We currently do a quarterly and we follow up on any problems or questions as soon as we get them.
Bob Lemon- Design and logo , do you check for these items
Richard Schafer
Terry Marsden- I want to make it clear that the IT committee , is not part of the OSA .
Terry Marsden, I would like to know how we can broadcast a key note speaker
Vinny Martin-I went to CA.org via a link and there was a frame around the CA site. What can you do to stop this?
Jon Fish- We can put code in the CA.org and it can keep it from appearing in a frame.But we could have more problems
Jim Shodowski- In regards to #4418
In regards to posting last names , dates ( sobriety)
Richard Schafer- Our discussion did not find it inappropriate
Phillip Lindsay- About the live Audio speakers
Richard S- We can not control what has not happened. We refer to page 6 of the CA IT workbook.
Billy Humphries –Question for the webservant, what exactly is done with inquires online intended for the PI chair.
Jon Fish- They go to CAWSO, we do not have conference chair emails yet
We also have online forms and kits and those inquires go to the office.
Billy Humphries- Is there a way for the website to stand out more.
Jon Fish- We are currently working on that right now.
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Don Logan- Is
Jon Fish – it has declined
Yves White- I am working on LCF and we have a CA.ORG address..
Jon Fish… They can if they like.
Kevin Flaws- 4065, can you please clarify?
Susan Doch- How can we prevent our names from coming up online , when people search our names?
Jon Fish -Those minutes where posted as PDF and they are searchable. They have been taken down. I only do what I am asked to do. They we sent them out to have all the last names taken out.
Even that did not work, so we are not posting them. Especially on Google and there will still be HTML versions out there. Since then, the Unity committee also had an address file online which was searchable. There are some problems and we need to address them.
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