[13390] in APO-L
Re: National Disclaimer
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Randy Finder)
Tue Dec 12 17:47:16 1995
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 1995 17:44:25 -0400
Reply-To: Randy Finder <naraht@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU>
From: Randy Finder <naraht@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <01HYQ6ZNDYU28WVYN4@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU>
On Tue, 12 Dec 1995, Mu wrote:
> 1. Someone who is not particularly concerned with accuracy of
> information is most likely not going to put in a disclaimer.
Always a problem.
>
> 2. This disclaimer is not up on the web anywhere (unless someone like
> Fuzz has already put it up and then it's location should be
> announced). If it were just a page that were out there... people might
> be more likely to to link it if that were so. (brings up the idea of a
> permanent fraternity controlled (rather than a school/job controlled
> one) prescence on the net)
Fuzz has already changed the Disclaimer on his pages to the new national one.
He also has a copy of the letter that went out on APO-L linked there.
I'd jump up and down in glee if I got the information that www.apo.org was
up and running with copies of the pledge manual, Q&A, and recent T&Ts.
I think www.apo.org is probably less than a year away. The national
office seems to be getting more secure with email, but I think their
external connection for reading email is still a dialup line to AOL.
>
> 3. The majority of the references to Alpha Phi Omega are NOT in the
> control of the chapter, but rather in the university CWIS's out there.
> And chapters may not even be aware that this information exists. This
> infomration is usually written by administrators with half a clue or
> it may even be taken directly out of a school publication.
I think that it is unlikely that the CWIS's are that much worse than the
college catalogs. I have seen some truly ugly descriptions of what APO is
on there. The worst was Alpha Phi Omega, Social Work Club for the
Petitioning group at Virginia Wesleyan (I have told the chapter president
about that)
>
> 4. We as a fraternity do not control how a chapter expresses
> themselves on their campus. We realistically can't. We also can not
> tell people how to express themselves. For instance we can't ask that
> a recruitment poster be changed if we don't like it (approve as a
> nationals) because someone from outside may walk by and get "a wrong
> impression" (a couple of T-shirts that have caused a stir come to mind)
>
I have several t-shirts from sectional conferences that I don't feel
comfortable wearing in public outside of APO events. Some web areas are
restricted to only campus viewing, but most are not. I think the
assumption has to be from any chapter putting information on their
school's web area that it can be read from Independence to Istanbul.
> 5. A person most likely not to put your disclaimer in is someone who
> is just creating a web page. Your disclaimer assumes that the person
> reads apo-l. Many chapters do not read it. (or the people who read it
> don't pass the information on) I know for a fact that the active
> chapter at my alma mater does not read apo-l (most don't even
> know/care that it exists) and this a tech school where email is a way
> of LIFE (but they hasve a web page). This sort of thing needs to go
> out on paper (you might even append a section to the publicity
> pamphlet that goes out), and it needs to go out every year... as
> accounts disappear and files get eaten (etc...)
Until APO-L becomes an official part of the fraternity, (Which might
include moving it from Purdue) I don't think that assumption can be made.
I think that Lisa Covi made a census of the chapters that read apo-l
about 6 months ago. I think about 1/3 of the active chapters were
represented. In my section, I know that it is read by 4 chapters, but one
that doesn't has an entry in their schools CWIS. (Georgetown University)
>
> A better way to deal with this to create a national page
> (easier even to jsut use fuzz's stuff but create it as apo.org... I
> know there are alumni who will pay to keep something like a national
> web page up... or even get it for us free)) and have someone keep an
> eye out for bad (erronous) pages. (I believe Randy Finder does just
> that) I would also recommend adding in an APO and the internet section
> to the publicty pamphlet if this sort of thing worries you, as it is
> most likely to reach your intended audience.
I think that for some chapters the only way to force it to be read would
be to have it in the ritual book. :)
apo.org is currently available, the biggest problem may be that the
people who give out domains now require that if you sign up for a domain
and someone challanges whether you have the right to take that domain,
you have to fight it legally, not the poeple who give out domains.
However about 20 social greeks and a couple of honoraries have already
gone there.
I watch less for inaccurate information on chapter web pages and more for
web pages at schools that are inactive with APO mentioned. I'd be happy
to work on that, but I'd have to have more clue on who to report
inaccuracies to.
I'd guess an inaccuracy of this form would be if an all-male chapter
stated in its web page that Alpha Phi Omega pledges only men...
>
>
> <disclaimer for web pages deleted>
>
>
> > In addition, many members have worked long and hard to create
> >electronic text and hyper-text versions of our bylaws, the Pledge Manual,
> >and other Fraternity publications. To prevent any confusion about such
> >docuements, I would ask that this modified version of the above notice be
> >included in the body of their text:
> <copyright notice deleted>
>
> If I read my publications correctly I note that each of them has a
> date and copyright notices attached. So the problem is not getting
> people to copy the publications but rather to use the whole document
>
Which leads to the question of whether a text-only viewing (as by someone
using lynx) is appropriate.
>
> > We hope that these statements will help avoid any confusion among
> >web sites, and also provide a means for interested individuals who view
> >your home pages to contact the National Fraternity. While their use is
>
> Actually the extension group that my section has that found APO
> through the web, specifically avoided using that means of contact, and
> instead talked to the chapter who was closest to them and also had a
> page. So I have my doubts here...
Should we have people designated as APO electronic ambassadors? (i.e.
"If you have more questions on Alpha Phi Omega on this campus contact
jbrother@thisuniv.edu or for more information on the fraternity
nationally or internationally contact jbro@apo.org")
>
> >voluntary, our intent is that you will find them helpful in defining your
> >sites and their connection to Alpha Phi Omega. We greatly appreciate all
> >the time and effort that has been invested in providing an Alpha Phi
> >Omega presence on the Internet, and welcome your comments on how we can
> >continue to support that presence.
>
> I'm extremely happy that the International and Public Relations Committee
> has made this effort... I hope this feedback gives the committee some help
> in defining the task before them. I held this response as long as I did in
> hopes that someone else would raise my concerns.(plus I had a vacation too :) )
>
This is entirely a PRC effort through the Electronic communications
committee. Event though Dave heads both, the committees are separate.
> -John Grossi
>
> Alumni Omicron Iota
> Co-Owner APOSOC-L and Section 94 Chair
>
YiLFS
Randy Finder
Section 84 staff (Historian and Sectional Geek)
--
Leadership, Friendship and Service - Alpha Phi Omega
