La Petite Reunion au sujet des Membres Sociaux
Le 28 Avril, 1996

  Pendant cette reunion, nous avons discute la methode par laquelle on
devient un membre social.  Dans ce courrier electronique, il y a
premierement un petit resume de la discussion.  Apres cela, il y a une
proposition qui corrige plusiers de choses qui sont casses maintenant.
Il y aura un peu de discussion au sujet de cette proposition a la
prochaine reunion, et nous voterons.
 
Current view of a social member: 
    A social member is a resident member except that he or she does
  not have a tache, pays only half of the normal amount for supplies,
  and can have membership terminated.

Overview of current system:
1.  Someone expresses interest in the house.
2.  There is a brief discussion.
3.  We vote.

Positive aspects of current system:
  -We have social members.
  -There is voting and discussion.
  -The interested person introduces him or herself at a meeting.

Negative aspects of current system:
  -We vote before we get to know the person.
  -It is a one-step process.
  -The ability to speak French is not stressed.
  -There is no way to gauge the person's interest in the house or
   ability to take on house resposibilities.

Possible New Ideas:
1.  Trial membership period during which the person cooks and eats with
    the house. -- This gives the house a chance to evaluate the person,
    but the financial aspect must be dealt with.
2.  Have two separate votes: one for social membership itself and a
    later vote on whether the social member can move in.  
3.  Make sure that the new person speaks French by having him/her/it 
    introduce him/her/itself in French.
3.  Plan presented by Austina:
    1.  The interested person talks to the president.
    2.  The president informs the house.
    3.  There is discussion.
    4.  If the house consents, the interested person takes on certain
        responsibilities (such as cooking) for a trial period of 
        undetermined duration.
    5.  The house may vote to accept the prospective member as a social
        member at its leisure.  The prospective member is not informed
        of these votes.
4.  Plan presented by Jon Sievers:
    1.  The person expresses an interest in La Maison Francaise.
    2.  There is a one month trial period during which the person has
        house responsibilities (such as cooking).
    3.  At the end of the trial period, the house votes on the
        prospective member.
5.  Methods of terminating a social membership:
      (This is difficult to do gracefully.)
    1.  To have the termination discussed at a meeting, require that a 
        petition signed by a certain fraction of the house be made.
    2.  Enumerate certain things that will result in automatic
        termination of social membership, such as negligence of 
        house duties.  The automatic termination could be overridden by
        a two-thirds majority vote.
    3.  The social member should be there to defend him/herself.


Concerns:
  -How to deal with house bills of social members (during and after a
   trial period).
  -How housing lottery will work.
  -What to do with freshmen who express interest during Rush but don't
   get a room.  Will they lose interest if they have to go through the
   standard social membership procedure?
  -How to end the membership of a social member.
  -How to introduce a social member to the house.
  -How to make sure that the person knows French before becoming a full
   member.
  -How to make sure that the house makes an informed decision.
  -Who should be the liaison to the prospective member?
  
Le nouveau proposition:

  La personne qui s'interesse a La Maison Francaise parle au president.
Le president dit a LMF qu'il y a quelqu'un qui veut etre un membre
social.  La personne peut manger gratuit depuis une semaine pour que
tout le monde puisse faire la connaisance de lui.  Apres la semaine
gratuite, on lui donnera un compte temporaire avec le tresorier.  Un
membre de la maison, possiblement le president ou vice-president, est la
liaison entre la maison et la nouvelle personne.  Si la liaison et la
maison veulent, nous pouvons lui inviter a cuisiner avec nous pendant
que nous decidons.  Il faut que le nouveau membre parle au moins un peu
de francais.

  Pendant une reunion auquelle la personne n'assiste pas, nous la
discutons, et nous decidons ce que nous voulons faire.  Si nous l'aimons,
nous la faisons un membre social.  Si nous ne l'aimons pas, nous la donnons
"l'epaule froide" ou nous trouvons quelque methode pour lui dire que nous
ne l'aimons pas.  Si nous ne sommes pas certains, nous pouvons attendre
et la discuter encore a la prochaine reunion.

  Le statut de membre social peut etre termine si le membre ne fait pas
ses responsabilites, parmi lesquelles est de parler francais.  Si nous
votons et nous avons 67% qui ne veulent pas que le membre parte a cause
de son negligence de ses responsabilites, il peut rester.  Une methode
differente de termination est a faire un petition avec les noms de 50%
de membres pour avoir une discussion a la prochaine reunion.  A la
reunion, 67& doivent voter pour le terminer.

(compte = account
 statut de membre = membership)