Post by rachel on Feb 27, 2011 11:09:31 GMT -5
Hey Ladies and Gents,
It's been a slightly acrimonious last few days on the forum... Just throwing out a few ideas to keep our forum & club running smoothly. This isn't directed at anyone in particular, I promise -- I just thought it would be useful to have a set of guidelines now and for future members.
1. For anyone who's joined the club recently here's a little bit of history: About 5 years ago, Aaron and a few friends started the club as we know it today. They worked their butts off promoting, facilitating rides and social events, and everyone who was part of the club was proud that it was something they'd created.
For a couple years, the club sailed along, continuously gaining membership as people discovered the great vibe of the club. Now, we're at a transition period-- we have a mix of member's who've joined within the last few years, and members who've been around since the very beginning.
Sooooo... What I'm getting at is:
The UGC is not a "permanent institution" on campus-- it's actually quite fragile. It's here because we created it, and it is what we make it. Each member has an impact on the club. We can't take the good vibe of our club for granted.
So, while discussion of different viewpoints in person and on the forum is a healthy part of any social group, please treat each other in a respectful manner.
2. Practical suggestions for achieving this:
The internet can present problems-- what a writer meant is not always what's interpreted by a reader. This is not necessarily the fault of reader or writer-- it's just difficult to communicate without the context of tone of voice, facial expression etc.
If you would like to resolve a discussion with a member, or have a problem with a particular post, sometimes responding on the forum escalates the situation further, because everyone becomes defensive.
One alternative is to pm the member. This allows you to clarify that the writer and reader are on the same page, let the other person know how you feel, and see if you can resolve the discussion.
It might be something along the lines of "Hi, I saw your post about _________. My interpretation (paraphrase) of this was _______. Am I interpreting this in the way you intented? When I read this, I felt ________________. What do you think about this post/situation?"
A second alternative, if you don't feel comfortable talking to a member directly, is to pm any of the exec. We may not always realize that something makes you uncomfortable-- so it's helpful if you bring it to our attention. And we're always willing to facilitate discussion between members.
A third alternative is just to take a few minutes, (or a day), and let your emotions settle before you respond on the forum.
I'm not suggesting that responding on the forum is never appropriate-- it often is. Just that there are sometimes alternatives too.
Ok... hope this is helpful. Let me know if y'all have any concerns.
I believe in this club, and I believe we can have good times in the future riding bikes and enjoying each others company.
Rachel
It's been a slightly acrimonious last few days on the forum... Just throwing out a few ideas to keep our forum & club running smoothly. This isn't directed at anyone in particular, I promise -- I just thought it would be useful to have a set of guidelines now and for future members.
1. For anyone who's joined the club recently here's a little bit of history: About 5 years ago, Aaron and a few friends started the club as we know it today. They worked their butts off promoting, facilitating rides and social events, and everyone who was part of the club was proud that it was something they'd created.
For a couple years, the club sailed along, continuously gaining membership as people discovered the great vibe of the club. Now, we're at a transition period-- we have a mix of member's who've joined within the last few years, and members who've been around since the very beginning.
Sooooo... What I'm getting at is:
The UGC is not a "permanent institution" on campus-- it's actually quite fragile. It's here because we created it, and it is what we make it. Each member has an impact on the club. We can't take the good vibe of our club for granted.
So, while discussion of different viewpoints in person and on the forum is a healthy part of any social group, please treat each other in a respectful manner.
2. Practical suggestions for achieving this:
The internet can present problems-- what a writer meant is not always what's interpreted by a reader. This is not necessarily the fault of reader or writer-- it's just difficult to communicate without the context of tone of voice, facial expression etc.
If you would like to resolve a discussion with a member, or have a problem with a particular post, sometimes responding on the forum escalates the situation further, because everyone becomes defensive.
One alternative is to pm the member. This allows you to clarify that the writer and reader are on the same page, let the other person know how you feel, and see if you can resolve the discussion.
It might be something along the lines of "Hi, I saw your post about _________. My interpretation (paraphrase) of this was _______. Am I interpreting this in the way you intented? When I read this, I felt ________________. What do you think about this post/situation?"
A second alternative, if you don't feel comfortable talking to a member directly, is to pm any of the exec. We may not always realize that something makes you uncomfortable-- so it's helpful if you bring it to our attention. And we're always willing to facilitate discussion between members.
A third alternative is just to take a few minutes, (or a day), and let your emotions settle before you respond on the forum.
I'm not suggesting that responding on the forum is never appropriate-- it often is. Just that there are sometimes alternatives too.
Ok... hope this is helpful. Let me know if y'all have any concerns.
I believe in this club, and I believe we can have good times in the future riding bikes and enjoying each others company.
Rachel