Published on Arisia Inc. (http://corp.arisia.org)
Arisia Policies

The Lens

POLICIES
of Arisia, Incorporated

Revised February 24th, 2008

CORPORATE POLICIES

MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

  1. Dues for all members are payable on Sept 1 of each year.  Any member who joins during the year shall be pro-rated to the following September 1st.  All memberships expire Sept 1st.  There is an automatic grace period until the start of elections at the Annual meeting.  The eboard may choose to extend the grace period for all members.  Any member who has neither paid their dues, nor requested a hardship waiver, shall have their membership expire at the beginning of elections of the Annual Meeting.  The clerk shall notify any member who has neither paid their dues nor requested a hardship waiver by September 1st.
  2. Members who request a waiver of dues or makes other dues arrangement due to financial hardship shall remain confidential and will not be reported in the minutes.

CORPORATE MATTERS

  1. The Executive Board shall appoint the next Convention Chairman. This appointment shall be made no later than the Annual Meeting.
  2. Where space permits, a notice that Arisia, Mentor of Arisia, and the Arisia Lens, are service marks of Arisia, Incorporated shall be affixed. Preferably, the most prominent appearances of the name should bear the superscript of SM.
  3. The Clerk shall receive INSTANT MESSAGE, the newsletter of the New England Science Fiction Association, and other newsletters, and make it available to the Executive Board members.
  4. The executive board has the authority to approve and set ad rates where not otherwise set by the membership in bylaws or policies. Such rates must exceed marginal costs.
  5. Only the Executive Board of Arisia, Incorporated may speak on behalf of the corporation.
  6. The Clerk is responsible for the timely distribution of Arisia mail from the mailbox to the responsible individuals.  The Clerk shall make an archive copy of all appropriate paper correspondence.  This task may be delegated.
  7. No Corporate or Convention entity may enter into any agreement that violates any Corporate or Convention Bylaw or Policy or any applicable Federal, State, county or municipal laws, regulations or codes.
FINANCE
  1. The Executive Board has the authority to look into bonds for future plans--not immediate needs.
  2. Any two members of the Executive Board may authorize issuing of promissory notes.
  3. There will be a thorough review of the books every time there is a change of treasurer unless the outgoing treasurer has been in office for less than a year.
  4. Corporate dues should be sufficient to cover basic corporate expenses unless that amount would be clearly excessive. When more specific figures are available, corporate dues will be reviewed according to this principle.
  5. Anyone receiving income must report the source of that income for IRS purposes. All expenses are to be accounted for exactly.
  6. All persons with budgetary authority must keep track of the budget balances in consultation with the treasurer.
  7. All money received by the Corporation from any source for any purpose, excluding convention business, must be recorded in a receipt book maintained by the Corporate Treasurer for such purposes without regard to the form the payment is received in; further, a receipt of payment must be returned to the payer as soon as possible after receiving the payment.
  8. Treasury Staff shall not send any amount of cash through the mail.
  9. Anyone being put on the Hotel Master Bill but not being comped will provide an imprint of a credit card to the Treasurer before keys are handed out.
  10. The Treasurer shall publish in each Mentor a balance sheet listing balances of all accounts, and the balances of fund reserved special purposes.

MERCHANDISE

  1. All corporate members of Arisia, Incorporated shall receive a 20% discount on all Arisia merchandise.
  2. The Executive Board has the authority to set merchandise prices.
  3. Three (3) Sales Shirts from each year will be kept for Archival Purposes; Sales Shirts from years preceding the current year which are determined by the Executive Board, in consultation with the Corporate Sales Officer, to be excess will be donated to a charity of the Executive Board's choosing.  Furthermore, Lens T-shirts shall be considered an acceptable replacement for 1990 Sales T-shirts, but that actual 1990 Corporate Sales Shirts be preferred, if available.

MEETINGS

  1. All reports, announcements, and items for submission to the corporate newsletter shall be submitted in writing. Oral reports and announcements shall be reported as best as possible.
  2. All major matters of new business shall be submitted to the Executive Board in writing prior to a meeting of the membership for review prior to discussion.
  3. Motions or proposals that touch on areas covered by any standing committee or corporate official shall be deferred to said committee or official for review and recommendation prior to being brought before the membership.
  4. Meetings shall be set at those places and times which are convenient for the majority of the membership and not restricted to weekends only.
  5. By Action of the Membership, the Default Location, Time and Place for Corporate Meetings for the '06-'07 Membership Year is the Third Sunday of the month, at 2:00 PM; at MIT Building 66 room 168 (or an adjacent room along the same corridor).

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

  1. The correct honorific to address the president is El Supremo.
  2. The Executive Board shall establish a Long Range Planning Committee to be responsible for researching long-term issues facing the corporation. The number of members shall be set at the discretion of the Board and the interest of the membership.
  3. The Executive Board shall establish a Merchandising Committee, to be responsible for making and selling of all items of merchandise that the corporation sells. The number of members shall be set at the discretion of the Board and the interest of the membership.
  4. The Executive Board shall establish the position of Corporate Inventory Control Officer.
    1. All keys handed out for Arisia storage be numbered on at least one side of the key with the following number scheme: Set Number.Key Number. For example: 1.1 would be set 1, key 1; 8.4 would be set 8, key 4.
    2. The Executive Board shall maintain a sign out record (including contact information) for keys to Arisia Incorporated controlled areas.
  5. The following process shall be observed when selecting a Convention Chairman:
    1. The identity of all candidates shall be public knowledge.
    2. When there is more than one candidate, each candidate must be interviewed.
    3. The selection process will start no later than April, and allow the membership to vote to confirm the Executive Board's appointment no later than July.
      POINT OF INFORMATION: The Executive Board selects and appoints the Convention Chairman so as to avoid a popular vote. The Executive Board is expected to use their judgment when making their selection, and should be able to substantiate the decision if questioned by the membership.
    4. The resumes of all candidates will be published in the Corporate Newsletter.

MISCELLANEOUS

  1. The clerk may provide two issues of Mentor to non-members who attend meetings or who otherwise show or are thought to be interested in Arisia.
  2. Contact information for individuals (for instance, in MENTOR) should not be posted to the Web in searchable text form, unless requested otherwise.

 

CONVENTION POLICIES

  1. Advertising Rates (to be adjusted if costs change).
    1. Professional ad rates
      Full 1/2 1/4 Center Color Bleed Inside
      Cover      		 Out
      Cover
      $500 $300 $200 +$500 +$500 +$50 +$400 +$800
    2. Semi-Pro: 50% for page rates and  no discount for extra charges
      Fan: 25% for page rates and no discount for extra charges
      In all cases, round up to nearest $5
    3. In addition, we have added the following rates for the souvenir book to use if need be:
      1/3 1/6 Business card Bitty/blurb
      $250 $150 $100 $50
    4. Pocket Program & Restaurant Guide rates:
      Pocket Program same as Souvenir Book (because of high cost of publication among other things).
      Restaurant guide $300, $200, $125, discount for advertisers to give a discount to Arisia attendees. 
    5. NO coupons in lieu of payment for ads.
    6. Prices quoted are for camera ready copy.
    7. A special 10% discount may be deducted for any advertisement that reaches us by ____. Payment is due upon submission of advertisement.
  2. Art Show Rates
    1. The standard unit of Art Show panel space shall be four foot by four foot (4' x 4') in size. The standard unit of Art Show table space shall be as close to a thirty-inch by six-foot (30" x 6') table as can be provided.
    2. The cost for panel or table space shall be seven-dollars ($7.00) for each quarter unit of space.
      1 Table 6' X 30" $28 1 Panel 4' X 4' $28
      1/2 Table 3' X 30" $14 1/2 Panel 4' X 2' $14
      1/4 Table 1.5' X 30" $7 1/4 Panel 2' X 2' $7
    3. The cost for floor space for free standing art shall be the same as for table space.  Oversized pieces of art will be charged at a special rate.
    4. All high school students, and any college level art student enrolled full time in an accredited degree granting institution shall have their first unit of space fee waived.
    5. The Print Shop has a limit of three to ten copies per unique image.  One copy of each item must be displayed on the artist's panel or table.
    6. There shall be a fifteen-dollar ($15.00) service charge to process mail-in art. Sufficient funds must accompany the art to cover return postage and insurance. Any surplus will be returned to the artist.
    7. The Arisia Artist Guest of Honor shall not be charged any Art Show or Print Shop fees or commissions.
  3. Dealer Rates
    1. The fee for the Dealers Room is $100 per table.
    2. The fee for the Dealers' Row is $100 per room, and does not include the cost of renting the room from the hotel.
    3. Dealers fees do not include memberships.
  4. Registration Policies
    1. Each convention will set an upper limit of 2500 memberships.
      1. The organization will monitor how early in the Convention the limit will be exceeded.
      2. The Convention Chairman will be allowed to increase the membership cap by 200 memberships before convening the Executive Board of Arisia, Incorporated, in order to increase the limit further.
      3. The Convention Chairman will consult the Division Heads, if possible, when approaching the limit with special attention to Member Services and the Security Department (Operations Division).
    2. Membership Rates
      1. The year-ahead rate is $30.
      2. The pre-reg rate:
        1. Until March 31st is $35.
        2. April 1st through September 30th is $40.
        3. October 1st through December 31st is $50.
      3. The at-door (after December 31st) rate is $60.
      4. The rate for college students (with ID) under 25 is $25. [For Arisia '09 and beyond, the student rate applies to all students (with ID) aged 13-25.]
      5. The rate for children, babysitting and Fast Track shall be equal to the rate for adult memberships.
      6. A membership discount of $5 may be offered at parties that are promoting Arisia at other conventions.
      7. The rates for at-con registration shall be as follows:
        Full weekend $60
        Friday only $20
        Saturday only $40
        Sunday only $30
        Monday only $10
    3. The schedule of discounts for group memberships shall be set as follows:
      Size of Group Discount
      10-14 memberships 5%
      15-19 memberships 10%
      20-29 memberships 15%
      30+ memberships 20%
      To qualify for the group discounts, the number of memberships must be bought with one check (or credit card, or exact amount in cash). A contact person must submit all the names of the group members. Group memberships must be purchased no later than six weeks before the convention or at the end of the pre-reg period--whichever is earlier.
    4. Memberships that are paid with "REAL MONEY" are transferable within type (child to child, adult to adult) from one person to another, but only for the year in which they are bought. This includes "guest of X" memberships, and normal transfer regulations, letter and ID, apply. Anyone wishing to transfer a membership to another year must have the approval of both the original year's Convention Chairman and the new year's Chairman.
    5. All "NO-CHARGE" memberships and admissions to Arisia are non-transferable. These include Program Participants, Press, GOHs, Earned Memberships, Gift Memberships, Kids-(or Adults)-In-Tow.
      1. EARNED MEMBERSHIPS are defined as memberships acquired by anyone who puts in the required 12 hours of non-excluded time working on the convention. Exclusions include:
        1. Time spent participating in a program item.
        2. Time spent while making or attempting to make a personal profit, such as dealers and live role-playing organizers.
        3. Hours put in before or after the convention must be documented, and will be counted toward the time limit required. An Earned Membership is good at any one Arisia Convention within two conventions of the convention in which it was earned.
        4. Hours worked before a particular convention may count towards an earned membership for the current convention. To qualify, the pre-convention hours must be recorded on a separate timesheet and all pre-convention hours are applied to the current convention's membership (i.e., if a volunteer works 24 hours pre-convention, the volunteer may not apply 12 hours to the current convention's membership and the remaining 12 hours to the next year's convention).
      2. GIFT MEMBERSHIPS are obtained from the Convention Chairman or their delegate. These are "no-charge" memberships which include Program Participants, Press, GOH, Staff and Committee who have not earned a membership, Exchanges (equipment provided by an individual who otherwise does not work the convention), and any other "non-paid" memberships approved by the Chair.
        1. With the exception of Program Participant, Press, GOH, and Exchanges, a person can not receive a gift membership in two consecutive years.
      3. KIDS-IN-TOW/ADULTS-IN-TOW: are required to always be with a person with a membership when they are in any convention area. This does not apply to any other "no charge" membership.
    6. There will be no distinction made on badges between paid and "no charge" memberships. This does not include Program Participant ribbons, or Kids-In-Tow or Adults-In-Tow indicators.
    7. The number of Earned Memberships generated at one convention shall be "transferred" to the next convention at a value of $8.00 per Earned Membership. These funds are to be made available to the next convention no later than three months following the preceding con.
    8. Lost badges shall be replaced for a one-time fee of $5.00. The fee shall be refundable upon return of original badge. The second time a lost badge replacement is requested the party will be required to purchase a replacement membership at full price.
    9. Memberships may not be sold for a single function (e.g., Masquerade or a concert).
    10. All past Arisia GOHs and Special Guests receive comp memberships in future Arisias, if requested.
  5. Each Convention Chairman is allowed to select the Guests of Honor for their convention.
  6. Each Convention Chairman is allowed to make use of the Arisia Lens on gifts for their Div Heads.
  7. Concerning line item transfers within the Convention Budget,
    1. A Convention Chairman may transfer funds from the contingency fund in the Convention Budget in accordance with Section 9.4 of the Bylaws.
    2. A Division Head may, with the approval of the Convention Chairman, transfer funds between any other line items in the Convention Budget within that division provided that:
      1. The total sum of income and expenditures remain unchanged.
      2. The Division Head shall report each transfer to the Corporate and Convention Treasurers.
      3. Transfer of funds between divisions may be made, with the approval of the Executive Board after the last Corporate Meeting before the convention.
  8. Any person holding a party to promote an Arisia Convention shall be allotted twenty dollars ($20.00) as gratuity for the maid. Further, said person may be compensated for any additional charges placed by the hotel upon the party room for cleaning purposes. Finally, the Convention Chairman may authorize up to the cost of one room night be paid if the party host attended the convention for the sole purpose of publicizing Arisia.
  9. Anyone bringing a lawsuit against Arisia, Incorporated, or any Arisia function, event, or subsidiary, shall not be allowed to attend any Arisia convention until said suit is resolved.
  10. Anyone working 8 hours at the convention will receive a Team Arisia T-shirt. Anyone working 12 hours will receive a free membership.
    1. Pre-con work shall count toward T-shirts and free memberships, exclusive of time spent in meetings.
    2. Work involved in set-up and tear-down, including loading and unloading the logistics vehicles, shall count double for volunteer benefits.
  11. All dealers (both Dealers' Room and Dealers' Row) are required to sign a liability waiver (to indemnify Arisia from stupid things dealers do) as part of the dealers contract.  The eboard shall provide the wording of the waiver.
Source URL: http://corp.arisia.org/policies