Organize the NextGen

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Contents 1 Purpose of this Article 2 (DRAFT) Next Generation Vision Plan 2.1 Purpose: 2.2 The Organization 2.3 Description 2.4 Members 2.5 Activities 2.6 Personnel 2.7 Legal Entity(?) 2.8 Organization history 2.9 Financing 2.10 Implementation Actions 2.11 Supporting information 3 Outreach plan 4 What is a New Urbanist? 5 See Also

[edit] Purpose of this Article

An organization is group of like-minded individuals working towards the same goals.

An effective organization needs its responsibilities delegated to individuals so that there can be accountability. Accountability allows for the progression towards those goals.

This is the place to voice your opinion about the structure and purpose of the NextGen.

How do you think the NextGen should be organized?

[edit] (DRAFT) Next Generation Vision Plan

[edit] Purpose:

The ultimate goal of the organization is to ensure the continuing success of the New Urbanism and its Charter by preparing leadership for the future. It is the intention of the Next Generation to advance the New Urbanism through scholarship, advocacy, and educational efforts by providing a network and forum for discussion in an open working environment that values collaboration and participation.

Primary goals

1) A place for students, young professionals, and even the casual observer to discover, learn, and understand nU (new urbanism).

2) A forum to discuss and debate nU principles and ideas without the intimidation of "professional" CNU discussion boards.

3) A networking environment for people to meet like-minded individuals, find jobs, find mentors, and simply make new friends.

4) An experiment to fuse new ideas, principles, methods, and powerful new technologies of communication with nU. Video conferencing, virtual meetings, IM, MySpace, Google Groups, Wiki!, Facebook??

[edit] The Organization

[edit] Description

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[edit] Members

Membership should be open to any interested person, and established through free registration on the organization’s website. Members will be registered in three categories: Young Professionals of all disciplines; Students; and Mentors.

[edit] Activities

Many of the activities can be conducted through internet interfaces: web pages, wikis, etc. . These activities should provide Educational and research resources A forum for discussion A networking environment And support for innovation- for applying technology to group communication and projects

Additional activities will be conducted in person, although organized with technology applications- Annual meetings Chapter/ school/ city/ state evenets & happy hours.

[edit] Personnel

Board Members- will be responsible for guiding the organization and capable of making binding decisions for the group. 10 members will be elected at large for two-year terms, staggered so that 5 members are elected per year. Chair- member of the board- elected by the board. Presides over board meetings. Oversees operating activities. Treasurer- member of the board- elected by the board. Authorized to raise funds/pay bills. Scribe- member of the board- records meeting minutes and votes.

Aside from establishing a board and officers as part of the legal requirement to eventually establish a legal entity, it will look good on their resumes.

Positions appointed by the board: It is anticipated that appointed positions will be a single person, however, that person may be assisted by a committee of other volunteers whom the appointed agent will oversee and represent to the board.

Or

Organizational Structure:

1) CNU Liason AKA "The Spine": Communicates with the main CNU organizational brain, keeping our goals and purposes coherent and effective.

2) Communications Coordinator AKA "The Whip": In charge of appointing coordinators for NextGen conferences, meetings, chats

3) WebMaster AKA "The Code": Adds, updates and slicks up our website, the main vessel of communication for NextGen-ers.

4) Regional Chair AKA " 'Region' Chief": Main contact for each region/chapter of NextGen, ie. Midwest, New England, West Coast, South, Canada, Botswana, Kuwait

5) Juice Guy/Girl AKA "The Juicer":: Makes sure there is fresh guava juice at every NextGen function, in addition to finger foods.

Possible positions:

6) 'Profession' Counsul' AKA "Profession' Lynx" (links, lynx, get it?): 'Developer' Consul would be someone who is a developer, and would serve as the main networker to liason with NextGen. When someone needs to get in contact with a developer for whatever reason--job, project, info, gossip, date to the prom--the Consul is the "go-to" guy. Same goes for architects, planners, builders, journalists, advertisers, etc. This "position" always develops naturally, but it would help with responsiblity purposes to have a title and position.

CNU Liason- represents the interests of a new generation to the aging CNU board. Appointed by the board for 3 years Communications Coordinator- responsible for organizing conferences, meetings etc. Webmaster- responsible for the design and maintenance of the internet meeting-place

[edit] Legal Entity(?)

The organization will establish itself as a 501c (3), not-for-profit corporation.

(this needs discussion- a legal entity lets us establish useful things like a bank account, but comes with difficult responsibilities like paying bills)

[edit] Organization history

???

[edit] Financing

The organization will fundraise to establish a small endowment to cover operating expenses. Except where funding is secured and approved by the Board, projects are expected to be conducted with volunteer labor. (A separate funding strategy will be drafted and implemented.)

[edit] Implementation Actions

Determine whether legal entity status is desirable. Draft by-laws for organization administration.

Elect board members Nominate appointed positions

 Web master- (& technology team)

Enable registration mechanism Enable voting mechanism Hold discussion for re-design of web site- Perhaps divided by organization activities (see Activities)

Determine projected budgets for operation of activities. Determine (and draft a) fundraising strategy.

[edit] Supporting information

(charter of NU)

(existing web site)

[edit] Outreach plan

Target groups

• Graduate Students
  • Outline views for and against
  • Find out where and why it is and isn't taught
• Young Professionals
• Undergraduates
• ?

[edit] What is a New Urbanist?

Yes, we are mostly designers but for this to be a movement we need to involve a variety of players.

• Designers
  • Architects
  • Planners
  • Landscape Architects
  • Urban Designers
• Engineers
  • Civil Engineers
  • Traffic Engineers
• Social Services
  • Medical Professionals
  • Social Workers
  • Economic Development
  • Employment Coordinators
• Academics
  • Sociologists
  • Design Educators
  • Think Tanks
• Government and Policy

[edit] See Also

Goal