Why no mention/Important New Rule Change Proposal

[Tank]

I'm inclined to think that the references to DCI member meetings of 20-25 people as a FARCE (not my emphasis) has a LOT (my emphasis) to do with this rediculous power-grab of a proposal.

If they can't run a 20-person meeting effectively, then they are doing something wrong. I've seen COLLEGE STUDENTS (18-21 years that are, presumably, somewhat to far less mature than corps directors) run effective 20-25 person meetings.

[Tank]

Yes... Not corps directors, but directors of various organisations with billion dollar revenues...

It's doable.

Yes yes yes yes YES!!!

[drumcat]

You don't mean that. Colts move up a spot and you boycott them?

Heck, for all we know, the top nine are the most selfless, beneficent board DCI has ever seen. Why prejudge them? Maybe seven or eight of them have an agenda to revitalize Open Class that previously has been scuttled by lower-placing corps fearful of the competition for talent. Maybe the smaller group could marshal the votes to repeal amplification where the bigger group was mired in politics and sloth. Maybe Bluecoats will have another great t-shirt we just can't resist!

HH

We don't -- we are judging the Nine by how well their drum corps performs on the field.

Let's give you another scenario... say a judge is in a position to knock a former 9th place corps into 10th, but doesn't because they wouldn't be a board member. Or vice versa.

Why would we want a board chosen by Green Shirts?

[PunkRawkBandGeek]

There's a Vulcan saying that goes something like

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

[Liam]

" ..... or the one."

[Blueemrld8]

Well they could if you assume the top nine have an agenda to ruin the rest of the activity. I, for one, don't share that view. I even am stupidly optimistic enough to think the top nine have in their self interest to preserve the viability and competitiveness of lower-placing corps. I'm quite comfortable in the belief that none of the top nine directors are nihilistic meglomaniacs out to control the world or even DCI.

HH

I don't think this move is about what the top 9 intend to do. I think that simply having the proposal out there is a seperatist act. It takes power away from those who have, up untill this point, enjoyed it. No matter if the top 9 intend to cut out the "lower" corps. or if they plan to give them all millions of dollars, it is never good to take power away from those you depend on. The top nine are only the top nine because there are other corps. out there. When people no longer have a say in thier own destiny, they start to not care what those above them say. This is definatly going to polarize the already split sides of DCI.

[glory]

In any event, I still believe that even with the best of intentions, there is simply no way that the Top 9 directors can suitably speak for the others who have different perspectives, different goals, different challenges, diffrent approaches, etc. This notion is, imo, at best misguided and naive and at worst arrogant and condescending.

Without conceding your other characterizations, it's also consistent with boards everywhere. I know corporate best, so I'll start there. Shareholders come from all walks of life - rich, poor (relatively), etc. Yet which corporate board accurately reflects the shareholders it purports to represent? Any? Instead, boards are reflections of management and themselves, mostly affluent white men who used to be senior executives agreeing with other affluent white men who used to be senior executives.

The little I know about non-profit boards suggests they're not that different. They tend to be stacked with cronies of current and past board members and thus a continuum of narrow experience and thought.

Diversity on boards is usually an illusion if also an aspiration. You aspire to make DCI different, to make its board reflect the diversity of the participating corps. So why limit this to World Class? Why not reserve two of the nine spots for the smaller corps of Open Class? But is two enough? More important, would you make room too for struggling corps if you want to reflect diversity?

I going over the top to make the point that true diversity not only isn't possible, it might not even be desirable. Some categories - fifth place vs. fifteenth place - seem easy. Others - stable vs. unstable - aren't. So I start from the premise that diversity is an illusion. From there, it's easier to accept objective criteria such as placement to pick the board.

HH

[Liam]

I don't think this move is about what the top 9 intend to do. I think that simply having the proposal out there is a seperatist act. It takes power away from those who have, up untill this point, enjoyed it. No matter if the top 9 intend to cut out the "lower" corps. or if they plan to give them all millions of dollars, it is never good to take power away from those you depend on. The top nine are only the top nine because there are other corps. out there. When people no longer have a say in thier own destiny, they start to not care what those above them say. This is definatly going to polarize the already split sides of DCI.

Nicely put.

You know, if I were a director of a corps that realistically has no shot ever becoming Top 9 (and there are some!!!), and someone came to me and said, "We're going to vote you out of a board seat, but don't worry ... we'll take real good care of you....", I would be so PO'd to high heaven ... I mean, it's hard not to see the condescension in this.

Regardless of the outcome, just the fact that this was put on paper has to cause some damage to the cohesiveness of DCI, imo.

[Sideways]

............... OR ................... MONKEYS WITH WOODWINDS !!!!!!!

How about monkeys with woodwinds and a can of grease?

[Blueemrld8]

I've been wondering the same thing.

If electronics pass this year, I'm out, and have had it. This may be my last finals to go to, if we decide to go. I may be so livid that I don't go.

I don't know if DCI cares about their fans enough to care if a few walk away. But maybe this will be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

I would HOPE those who get left behind break away and start another circuit, it seems to be coming full circle anyway. A few on this board seem to want take away everything that the original board of DCI worked so hard to accomplish.

Personally, I think they are going after the BOA crowd, why else would they move to Indy? And start developing their "less is more" elitist attitude?

They probably "think" that the BOA crowd will bring them the money since most directors, instructors etc all have some affiliation with a BOA band and this would bridge it for them as well. They are probably thinking of it in terms of "Money" instead of "loyalty" at this point. At least that's just MY personal opinion and how it appears to me. They probably "think" that this group of BOA folks will make them enough money to cover whatever legacy fans leave.

I hope to prove them wrong and that when they find out, really find out how much their loyal fans spend, they will miss that revenue.

Time will tell.

Okay... I have to say that I love this post. Unfortunately, i think that if the hardcore fans leave, DCI will just cut the programs that they have been using to cater to them, premium memberships, Quarter final theater shows etc.

And yes, BOA fans will probably be able to make up the difference to a point but that point will not be reliable. It is a very dangerous thing to not be able to count on a certian percentage of the cash needed to operate coming in. DCI is playing a very dangerous game, especially if music programs in potential fan/member schools keep getting cut. In some sense, i think they are cutting what little safety net they have amassed over the yeaars.