Per my promise at last Sunday's GA, I'm posting the Nonviolent Communication Committee (NVCC) resolution and bylaws. I hope no one finds the the formatting too difficult to read.
[b]NVCC Resolution[/b]
Whereas, Occupy Sacramento and the Occupy movement as a whole wishes to remain nonviolent, attract maximal support, resolve internal differences peacefully, and work towards a world without violence, in which everyone’s needs matter, and in which systems are built to meet those needs,
Whereas, Marshall Rosenberg PhD’s method of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is designed to help individuals and groups accomplish such goals,
Whereas, NVC-based instruction and related services, including but not limited to empathy, mediation, and coaching, can help Occupy Sacramento members, committees, and others learn, integrate, and apply NVC,
Therefore, Occupy Sacramento established the Nonviolent Communication Committee (NVCC) on October 22, 2011, to offer such NVC-based instruction and related services.
This Resolution was passed in accordance with Article III of the NVCC’s Bylaws at the first NVCC meeting, on November 6, 2011.
NVCC Guidelines and Proceedures (AKA Bylaws)
ARTICLE I – NAME, PURPOSE AND ACTIVITIES
Section 1: The name of this committee shall be the Nonviolent Communication Committee (NVCC)
Section 2: The NVCC is organized for the purposes described in the resolution it passed on November 6, 2011.
Section 3: As frequently as possible, the NVCC shall have a representative attend each General Assembly to report on NVCC’s latest activities.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP AND CHAIR
Section 1 – General Membership: Any member of Occupy Sacramento who has attended at least one Occupy Sacramento Nonviolent Communication teach-in; has expressed commitment to learning, practicing, and sharing Marshall Rosenberg’s method of Nonviolent Communication (NVC); and has expressed an intention to contribute to the work and decision-making of the NVCC, may become a member of NVCC, by contacting its Chair.
Section 2 - Chair:
a. Interim Chair: Tiffany Clark shall act as NVCC Chair on a temporary basis, from the inception of NVCC, on October 22, 2011, until the end of the first NVCC meeting, at which point whomever the NVCC elects as its Chair shall succeed her.
b. Elections: The first, non-interim NVCC Chair shall be elected on November 6, 2011, using NVC-based consensus, in accordance with Article III, at a meeting scheduled in accordance with Article III. Approximately every 4 months the Chair shall be up for re-election, also in accordance with Article III.
c. Responsibilities – The NVCC Chair shall:
i. Schedule and facilitate each NVCC meeting in accordance with Article III;
ii. Securely store all NVCC members’ contact information and use it to schedule NVCC meetings and conduct other NVCC business; and
iii. Make decisions and take actions consistent with the NVCC’s Resolution, Bylaws, and any proposals previously passed by the NVCC.
d. Membership Status – Whoever is serving as Chair shall also be considered a member of NVCC.
ARTICLE III – MEETINGS:
Section 1 - Scheduling: The Chair shall facilitate agreement on NVCC meeting locations, dates and times by NVC-based consensus of all participating NVCC members. The Chair shall announce each such agreed upon meeting location, date and time to all NVCC members, along with a proposed meeting agenda, with as much advance notice as possible.
Section 2 - Quorum: At least two NVCC members shall be required to be present in order to conduct business and pass proposals at NVCC meetings.
Section 3 - Meeting Facilitation and NVC-Based Consensus: The Chair and NVCC members shall use NVC-based consensus at NVCC meetings, meaning they shall use NVC empathy and willingness to adjust strategy in an effort to (i) hear and address concerns of all NVCC members present; (ii) discuss and address known concerns of NVCC members not present; and (iii) possibly postpone votes on those proposals for which present NVCC members believe non-present NVCC members would want to participate in person. In the event that full consensus cannot be reached after attempts are made commensurate with the magnitude of the issues being voted upon, as determined by the Chair after hearing from NVCC members present, the NVCC may pass proposals with approval of as little as ¾ of the members present..
Section 4 – Minutes: Any NVCC member who volunteers, and is agreed upon in accordance with the procedures described in other Sections of Article III, shall take notes of what occurred in a meeting, and email those notes to the NVCC Chair as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours of said meeting. The NVCC Chair may edit said notes to reflect additional recollection of what occurred at the meeting, after which he or she shall email the final version to all NVCC members as soon as possible, preferably within 48 hours of said meeting.
ARTICLE IV – AMENDMENTS
Section 1: These Bylaws may be amended at any NVCC meeting, in accordance with Article III.
These bylaws were passed in accordance with Article III at the first NVCC meeting, on November 6, 2011.