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A Message from DCI CEO Dan Acheson


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5 hours ago, MikeD said:

I think BOA and the bands are even less involved together than that. It is less a "circuit", a la TOB and USBands, than  a series of regional champs and a national champ. I don't recall that there are member bands in BOA, in the sense of the other circuits, that get to vote on rules. I could be wrong in how it works today though...it has been a while.

You are correct. BOA is even less of a governing body than DCI, they simply host the competitions.

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4 hours ago, jeffmolnar said:

You are correct. BOA is even less of a governing body than DCI, they simply host the competitions.

Largely, this is the point that needs to be impressed - in the opposite.  It's only since the spring of 2018 that DCI - the central organization - adopted a proactive position as a "governing" body.  There have always been fiscal tests and admission to the club policies and categories like WC and OC, etc.  But the power to apply these policies, and under what circumstances, was always largely directed by the voting decisions of the Board.  But just this year has the power to proactively establish central policies and, importantly, mete out punishment for failure to comply (and careful about what that might be) been given to the executive offices.  I'm no Dan A apologist - he sure doesn't need me to defend him - but I will say that he's been very vocal over the years to be EXACTLY what his Board tasks him to be.

Ironically, it's been said recently that this allegiance has only run in one direction - the "standard practice" as described, is that directives issued by the "Central Office", Dan and his staff, are summarily ignored and rejected. 

I have no corroboration for the statement except that no other corps director has said anything in reply.

IMPORTANT EDIT:  I'm reminded of the "Five Year Plan" that Dan's office prepared and presented to the Board in late 2009, and which was approved enthusiastically by the voting member corps due to it's apparently-pleasing aggressiveness, only to have that plan snatched out from under them by the seven corps that made up the G7 coup, and which saw Dan and his staff attacked for incompetence to the point of demanding his firing as part of the coup.

I understand that this misconception would easily color the opinion of those less aware of the facts.  But, in thinking purely of the health and potential for the activity, I'll put forward that a better course to consider might be to empower Dan with the tools, funding, staffing, trust, support, and expectation of a properly-operating Governance system of Board/Exec/staff and, instead, refocus attention on the proper development of appropriate policies and procedures for his office to develop, implement, and continue to operate.

Keep in mind that all of this will be in addition to DCI's current primary responsibilities which, primarily, are developing and implementing the tour platform on which the corps earn gate and spread the drum corps message.  

Throwing Dan, specifically, under the bus might be premature considering there has been no complaint or disappointment in his office or staff performance as it regards those responsibilities.

Indeed, exactly like BOA, DCI "simply host the competition".

Maybe now the new board structure, particularly the push for largely outside-member BoD governance of the activity, will grant teeth to DCI Executive to enforce policies that don't come directly from the corps leadership.  Then DCI will be something different than BOA.

IMO

Edited by garfield
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15 hours ago, MusicManNJ said:

You may be right. From what I was able to pull together was coming from some inquiries to DCI pre DCI east (remember when Cavies and SCV suddenly closed rehearsals). DCI conflated the requests and what had ben additional Jaccii followup turned into the USA TODAY article that never materialized. Now both Jaccii and Tricia are gearing up.

No one should be sleeping on this. *hint*

Cavies have had some horrible hazing incidents that need to come to light. 

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BOA can't control the schools but what is helpful is the schools (district) have background checks for ALL volunteers and staff members! The schools monitor that while the independent drum corps DO NOT!

DCI probably (years ago) should have changed the way they govern their activity and the directors should have voted to allow DCI more authority for all corps. The idea I am trying to say is somewhat like professional sports. The NFL, NBA, NHL, etc monitor each team and can fine players, coaches, owners, etc if they break a rule. They also have random drug tests and know about law enforcement reports. DCI does not! DCI allows the corps to run their corps. Now in the 70's, 80's and 90's that worked (I guess) but today NO ONE can breath the wrong way without it being put out there for all to see. 

The directors should meet immediately to change the way DCI is run to make the necessary changes to save this activity....if they can! It may be to late after this story becomes public.

Just my thoughts

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3 minutes ago, phd-student-TTU said:

No one should be sleeping on this. *hint*

Cavies have had some horrible hazing incidents that need to come to light. 

They need to come to light only if the victims choose to.  Nobody wants to be doxed, even victims.

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8 hours ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

If I were Dan A, back in the spring, when this whole thing began, I would have made every effort to find out about as many potential 'bad situations' (for lack of a better term) that were out there as possible.  And, if appropriate, I would have contacted law enforcement of whatever jurisdiction that applied to what I had found out.  

Legal professionals will disagree with this approach - they preach 'keep quiet don't say anything'.

But, ferreting out the bad news it would be the right thing to do (isn't one of the lessons Drum Corps supposedly teaches the kids is to accept responsibility?).

The spring events should have been a wake up call.  DCI hit the snooze button.

Slay the dragons.  All of them.  Wherever and whoever they are.

Sounds like DA is guilty of depraved indifference. 

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Just now, KeithHall said:

BOA can't control the schools but what is helpful is the schools (district) have background checks for ALL volunteers and staff members! The schools monitor that while the independent drum corps DO NOT!

DCI probably (years ago) should have changed the way they govern their activity and the directors should have voted to allow DCI more authority for all corps. The idea I am trying to say is somewhat like professional sports. The NFL, NBA, NHL, etc monitor each team and can fine players, coaches, owners, etc if they break a rule. They also have random drug tests and know about law enforcement reports. DCI does not! DCI allows the corps to run their corps. Now in the 70's, 80's and 90's that worked (I guess) but today NO ONE can breath the wrong way without it being put out there for all to see. 

The directors should meet immediately to change the way DCI is run to make the necessary changes to save this activity....if they can! It may be to late after this story becomes public.

Just my thoughts

Imagine a world where a drum corps director needed to only worry about things specific to his corps' show.  Uniforms, writers, props, electronics, teachers, staff, etc and all other functions of "the tour" for every corps were handled by DCI.  Food?  Check.  Housing?  Check.  Bus contracts and transport?  Check.  National contracts with national buying power (such that it is in a $50mm +/- activity).  All organized centrally and funded better than now.  Background checks?  You betcha, on a national scope that closes the holes in the nets.

What would DCI, the organization, need to look like to accomplish that kind of "Tour Management" for the whole activity?

When will drum corps be able to not waste creative energy on getting kids and equipment safely and happily down the road?

"What a wonderful world..." drum corps could be.  IMO

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16 hours ago, HockeyDad said:

Just burn the whole thing to the ground. What a supreme embarrassment and outrage. DCI in general, and Dan specifically, fails to take action unless forced to, time after time. 

Now, this is just silly, and I can't believe so many people fall for this line of thinking enough to click in agreement.

And so Dan was expected to stage his own mini-coup, take control and, despite his Board's direction, develop and implement policies to both expose all he knows from 35 years in the activity, name names, banish them singularly from the activity and force command and control measures on their organizations, right?

Are you sure that your hyperbole isn't out of control?

Why "burn down" an organization that is, seemingly, competent in running a very important part of the corps' operational needs and performance opportunities.

Why would leaders of the activity think that is an appropriate thing to do from a business standpoint?

Do we want DCI's leadership to act more like a healthy business governance model?  Does that necessarily mean burning down the infrastructure and staff that's there now, doing the tour job already, centrally?

Less hyperbole from your Midwest blood would be appropriate, I think.

 

Edited by garfield
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16 minutes ago, phd-student-TTU said:

Sounds like DA is guilty of depraved indifference

"To constitute depraved indifference, the defendant's conduct must be 'so wanton, so deficient in a moral sense of concern, so lacking in regard for the life or lives of others, and so blameworthy as to warrant the same criminal liability as that which the law imposes upon a person who intentionally causes a crime."

If this is, in fact, the definition of your usage of that specific term, I think you are WAY out of line, and I think you owe Mr. Acheson an apology.

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