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Draft Charter

Page history last edited by sheadley 15 years, 5 months ago

Past Iterations of the Charter

 

Documents and Transcripts related to charter development

Draft Charter

This version of the charter has been tweaked for spelling and grammar and comments removed by Oz, 5 October 2008.  Rev. 7 October 2008.

 


Charter of Port Spinoza

 

Mission

 

Port Spinoza is a Second Life community with a theme based on Age of Enlightenment Netherlands. In that age people began to question the world view handed down to them by prince and church, and to weigh ideas with their own rational thought, scientific experimentation, and though critical dialog. Port Spinoza is dedicated to promoting that kind of examination of our political, social, and spiritual assumptions.

 

Port Spinoza is a community of learners. Our mission is to provide a home in Second Life for people who see learning as an integral part of their lives, and to provide opportunities for our members and visitors to engage in activities that support exploration, learning, and growth. To do this the Port Spinoza community: 

 

  1. Hosts people, events, and ideas that encourage thoughtful, pluralist discourse among community members and with other individuals and groups.
  2. Encourages individual learning and scholarly activity by providing space, activities, opportunities for collaboration, and accountability.
  3. Openly pursues knowledge through exploration of the life of the mind, spirit, and culture.
  4. Engages with global human society and culture through presentations, seminars, exhibits and experiential learning activities.

 

Vision

The Port Spinoza community seeks to become a premier learning space in Second Life. Through our work as learners and educators, we seek to be known as a community of people with many backgrounds, gifts, and needs who are joined together in seeking knowledge and learning about life.

 

Educational Program

 

The key aspect of Port Spinoza is its educational mission. Every resident of Port Spinoza must belong to and participate in at least one educational society.

 

When you join the community you will be enrolled as a member of the society for liberal studies. All residents remain members of this group and are encouraged to join other approved associations as well.

 

Residents are required to participate by giving a talk, preparing an exhibit, conducting a performance, or organizing an educational event to which the community is invited at least once every calendar quarter. Group events and exhibits are encouraged and individual participation in their planning and implementation is credited to both individuals and the group.

 

Membership

 

Port Spinoza recognizes that people come to SL for many different reasons and stay for others. As an educational community, we feel that it is important that people experience SL in its many manifestations before deciding definitively to settle in Port Spinoza.

 

To become a resident of Port Spinoza you must apply to the membership committee. By joining Port Spinoza you agree to abide by the Second Life TOS and do your best to treat all your fellow residents in an egalitarian spirit, with respect and consideration, listening carefully to other's concerns. You also agree to participate in the community's educational mission.

 

Every resident must pay a monthly membership fee. The rate is calculated to cover the costs of supporting the community as well as to provide a reasonable fund for future growth. In some cases, individual resident fees may be covered by a society of which they are a member.

 

The community may reclaim land where the membership fee has not been paid for two months. In an emergency please contact the clerk of the Public Works committee who can arrange for additional time to catch up on payments.

 

The residents’ council may waive the membership fee for individuals who have been asked to do specific work for the community. In order to make Port Spinoza membership accessible to those who could not otherwise afford it, the community may also raise funds and provide scholarships.

 

After being a resident for at least three months, you may apply to the residents’ council to become a long-term member. No person may remain a resident for more than six months without becoming a long-term member. To apply for long-term membership, submit a request in writing to the clerk of the membership committee. All long-term membership applications must be approved by the residents’ council.

 

Prims and Land Use

 

Each resident receives a plot of land with a house and substantial prims. Additional space is available for building or group projects.

 

Residents are welcome (but not required) to have a shop in their house selling their own work, or other art, crafts, or educational materials and tools. Most of the structures are designed to house a shop in the lower floor. Shops must maintain an outside appearance that is consistent with the Port Spinoza theme.

 

Displays of pornography or gratuitous depictions of violence are not allowed in public spaces or any space visible from public areas of Port Spinoza. The residents' council (as described below, without the content owner) may exclude any content from the regions.

 

A resident may replace the house on their plot(s) only with a structure that has been approved by the Public Works committee. Any substantial change in the outward appearance any structure, or any substantial addition, must be approved by the Public Works committee. Note that building a house that meets our standards will be difficult for a non-expert builder.

 

Port Spinoza Societies

 

Port Spinoza societies include both groups organized within Port Spinoza and outside organizations who wish to participate in the project. By becoming a Port Spinoza society, a group may (but is not required to) offer membership credit to Port Spinoza residents in exchange for their participation in the group.

 

Societies must apply to the residents’ council for affiliation with Port Spinoza. Any such group:

 

  1. Must agree not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, age, or sexual orientation, and not to promote such discrimination.
  2. Must offer opportunities for serious research, study, scholarly debate and discussion as part of membership.
  3. Must have at least two Port Spinoza residents as members.

 

Approved societies need not have an educational mission as their primary purpose. Groups with religious, scientific, cultural, artistic or social change goals are acceptable as long as they provide appropriate educational opportunities. Any Port Spinoza society may lease property as their headquarters.

 

Decision Making and Administration

 

Port Spinoza is run by the committee of all residents (the Residents’ Council) using a consensus decision making process based on a Quaker model. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus_decision-making , especially "Quaker Model" for information on this process.) The council selects a clerk who will run council meetings. The council meets each month to decide on membership and community policy. Where there are serious disagreements, decision making may be restricted to long-term residents.

 

The residents’ council has at least three subcommittees to manage the business of the community, with members appointed by the council:

 

  1. The Public Works committee evaluates and submits recommendations on building, manages the day to day operation of the islands, and keeps track of fees and payments. One member of the Public Works committee will serve as treasurer.
  2. The Membership Committee recruits new Port Spinoza residents, evaluates and recommends applications for long term membership, and explains and promotes Port Spinoza to non-residents.
  3. The Educational Program Committee coordinates resources to promote the educational activities of Spinoza's societies, organizes events and activities, and manages the use of public meeting and display areas.

 

The residents’ council will appoint a clerk for each subcommittee for six months terms. Other subcommittees may be formed as needed and approved.

 

The residents’ council may not make any decision that violates the legal responsibilities of the official island owners nor any that that endanger the owner’s non-profit status.

 

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