Could DCI? Should DCI?

[wolfgang]

Pondering several DCI/financial issues-

Back during the financial crisis of 2008, one term in the news a lot was "stress test," meaning (I think) the Fed would audit or look at the financial status of banks to verify if they were solvent.

Should DCI do something like this with corps? Even if they should, could they? Who would be the best entity to do this? If external, would it be cost prohibitive?

What metrics would be used? How much reserves should a corps be required to have to participate in DCI? 

...and there would be other considerations that may arise. For example, in rare occassions when non-US corps come like Beatrix (or Kidsgrove who were supposed to come in 2020), how should/could DCI handle that?

[KVG_DC]

That is the spirit behind the new requirements for becoming Open Class and making the jump to World Class as I've read them.  But existing World Class corps ARE the rule makers for DCI and not likely to vote for scrutiny of their books. 

That said, it'd be a good thing for an actual oversight governance body to institute to ensure the safety and stability of student experiences across the activity.  Knowing that, whatever you sign on for when you contract, you're not signing on to an outfit that suddenly collapses and takes your fees with it.  

I'd think it'd cost no more than an independent auditing every year.  Which is something the corps should be having done anyway individually.  So it'd be agreeing on a common auditor to implement financially.  The stickler is the requirements and the will to have that scrutinized.  

So...it's probably not gonna happen.  I mean if they wanted it to, they could have by making the financial solvency and stability requirements to move from Open Class to World Class retroactive on current World Class corps.  It's not an accident that wasn't done.

[wolfgang]

28 minutes ago, KVG_DC said:

That said, it'd be a good thing for an actual oversight governance body to institute to ensure the safety and stability of student experiences across the activity.  Knowing that, whatever you sign on for when you contract, you're not signing on to an outfit that suddenly collapses and takes your fees with it. 

This may sound harsh, but using SCV as an example, I would not be opposed to a lifetime ban for anyone in SCV Admin who greenlit having not one but two audition "camps" (if you can call ten minutes a camp) in Texas on Sunday, then literally going inactive on Monday.

I suspect many instructional staff had no idea, and basically SCV leadership defrauded everyone involved. And... spare me any sanctimony about "...but the kids got the benefit of time with the instructional staff...." Read the announcement below. If they adhered to the timeframe mentioned, any instruction would minimal. The purpose of the camp wasn't a group brass lesson, it was to audition for the 2023 SCV. That's the reason for the camp, otherwise it would not have been promoted as an audition weekend.

For context, this is still on the SCV Facebook page, posted 12/7 about upcoming audition camp on 12/11. It says NOTHING about the experience of "learning from a world class staff blah blah blah..." It was to audition for the hornline. AND... considering it says "10 minute time commitment", exactly how much instruction was actually provided? $50 for ten minutes??? That equals $300 an hour. Many attorneys and doctors don't even make that.

SCV Brass & Color Guard Satellite & Video Auditions!!

You still have time to submit your video entry or sign up for one of our satellite auditions.

1. Brass Satellite Camp at TCU in D/FW at TCU on December 11. $50, play music you already have prepared, 10 minute time commitment.

Brass Satellite Audition Link:

https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSdEyCasv9p.../viewform...

2. Brass Satellite Camp in Austin at Moe and Gene Johnson High School on December 11. $50, play music you already have prepared, 10 minute time commitment.

Brass Satellite Audition Link:

https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSdEyCasv9p.../viewform...

The very next day, 12/12, the announcement was made.

Someone in the Admin should have known the shoe was going to drop, or someone advising the Admin poured the cold water of truth sometime that weekend. Anyway, the Admin either did (intentional) or should have (negligence) known the announcement was coming.(Off soapbox now)

Edited December 27, 2022 by wolfgang

[DWW11]

I received a very nice Christmas Card from SCV but did NOT donate for this very reason.  Someone knew something, and now I don’t trust the organization as a whole.  

[jjeffeory]

27 minutes ago, wolfgang said:

This may sound harsh, but using SCV as an example, I would not be opposed to a lifetime ban for anyone in SCV Admin who greenlit having not one but two audition "camps" (if you can call ten minutes a camp) in Texas on Sunday, then literally going inactive on Monday.

I suspect many instructional staff had no idea, and basically SCV leadership defrauded everyone involved. And... spare me any sanctimony about "...but the kids got the benefit of time with the instructional staff...." Read the announcement below. If they adhered to the timeframe mentioned, any instruction would minimal. The purpose of the camp wasn't a group brass lesson, it was to audition for the 2023 SCV. That's the reason for the camp, otherwise it would not have been promoted as an audition weekend.

For context, this is still on the SCV Facebook page, posted 12/7 about upcoming audition camp on 12/11. It says NOTHING about the experience of "learning from a world class staff blah blah blah..." It was to audition for the hornline. AND... considering it says "10 minute time commitment", exactly how much instruction was actually provided? $50 for ten minutes??? That equals $300 an hour. Many attorneys and doctors don't even make that.

SCV Brass & Color Guard Satellite & Video Auditions!!

You still have time to submit your video entry or sign up for one of our satellite auditions.

1. Brass Satellite Camp at TCU in D/FW at TCU on December 11. $50, play music you already have prepared, 10 minute time commitment.

Brass Satellite Audition Link:

https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSdEyCasv9p.../viewform...

2. Brass Satellite Camp in Austin at Moe and Gene Johnson High School on December 11. $50, play music you already have prepared, 10 minute time commitment.

Brass Satellite Audition Link:

https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSdEyCasv9p.../viewform...

The very next day, 12/12, the announcement was made.

Someone in the Admin should have known the shoe was going to drop, or someone advising the Admin poured the cold water of truth sometime that weekend. Anyway, the Admin either did (intentional) or should have (negligence) known the announcement was coming.(Off soapbox now)

What a fantastical comment. "defrauded" has serious implications that really shouldn't be included in this context.

[Terri Schehr]

$50 for ten minutes? LOLOL oh Lordy. I’ve seen it all now.  It only took 65 years, too.  Poppy was right.  Pageantry leeches. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by Terri Schehr

[IllianaLancerContra]

1 hour ago, wolfgang said:

Pondering several DCI/financial issues-

Back during the financial crisis of 2008, one term in the news a lot was "stress test," meaning (I think) the Fed would audit or look at the financial status of banks to verify if they were solvent.

Should DCI do something like this with corps? Even if they should, could they? Who would be the best entity to do this? If external, would it be cost prohibitive?

What metrics would be used? How much reserves should a corps be required to have to participate in DCI? 

...and there would be other considerations that may arise. For example, in rare occassions when non-US corps come like Beatrix (or Kidsgrove who were supposed to come in 2020), how should/could DCI handle that?

If DCI were to do some sort of stress test, I question as to whether they (both front office & BoD) have the backbone to tell a top 18 or top 12 or top 6 Corps they won’t be allowed to tour the following season?
 

Another thing to consider is when the stress test will occur- ideally before fall/winter camps begin.  So it would need to happen Sept-Oct every year. And the logistics of going over the books of ~30 Corps in an 8 week period, plus writing the reports, and going through the decision process w/ BoD will require effort.  We used to have a saying in Pentagon- we want something fast, accurate, and inexpensive.   The problem is, you can have only 2 of these.  If it is fast and accurate, then it won’t be inexpensive.  If it is fast and inexpensive, then it won’t be accurate.  And so on. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by IllianaLancerContra

[wolfgang]

1 hour ago, jjeffeory said:

What a fantastical comment. "defrauded" has serious implications that really shouldn't be included in this context.

What was the stated purpose of the audition camps?

Is it or is it not probable that somebody in SCV Admin knew on Sunday they were going to announce going inactive on Monday?

Was the enticement to the kids (audition for '23 SCV) made with foreknowledge by anybody in SCV Admin at any time prior to the start time @ TCU and MG Johnson on Sunday, 12/11/22, and was any such foreknowledge communicated to either SCV Brass staff or auditionees either onsite or prior to the start of the two brass audition camps?

Side question- is it ethical to call a "10-minute time commitment" (their words, not mine) a "camp?"

[wolfgang]

1 hour ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

Another thing to consider is when the stress test will occur- ideally before fall/winter camps begin.

Great point. If it were to occur, I'd say start it by Labor Day and get it done within a month. That would require hustle and effort, and would need to be completed before November auditions start. The results (whether done internally by DCI or externally by a vendor) would have to be early enough for findings to be examined and any adverse determinations communicated to the corps.

Does it guarantee issues won't pop up over the winter? No. However, if accurately done, it would at least put the kibosh on any corps starting auditions when the corps has serious financial issues that would preclude a multi-week national tour.

[jjeffeory]

36 minutes ago, wolfgang said:

What was the stated purpose of the audition camps?

Is it or is it not probable that somebody in SCV Admin knew on Sunday they were going to announce going inactive on Monday?

Was the enticement to the kids (audition for '23 SCV) made with foreknowledge by anybody in SCV Admin at any time prior to the start time @ TCU and MG Johnson on Sunday, 12/11/22, and was any such foreknowledge communicated to either SCV Brass staff or auditionees either onsite or prior to the start of the two brass audition camps?

Side question- is it ethical to call a "10-minute time commitment" (their words, not mine) a "camp?"

I have to believe that one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing.

That camp time is disconcerting, but calling something fraud is very pointed and borderline slanderous.

You do you, buddy, but it came across as over the top. I guess I appreciate your frustration, so I'm sorry if I came across strongly, but when I read that comment, I was just like "what? That's pretty out there". Maybe I'm watching too much "Better Call Saul" these past few days.