VP and board candidate chat rules (for Monday and Tuesday night)

I am posting these for Sandy Bunch Vanderpol.  I, nor any other member of forum staff, NCRA staff, or NCRA board (with the exception of the candidates), have had any input into these rules.  These were devised by Sandy and agreed upon by the candidates.  (I am posting them for Sandy b/c, as y'all know, only forum staff members can attach documents to e-mails.)

You will find a link to the document right under the title for this message (and just to the right of my avatar).  It's named "chatrules.doc."

If you have any questions about these rules, please e-mail Sandy directly at  realtimecsr@calweb.com . If you have problems downloading these rules, either e-mail me at candisbradshaw@gmail.com or e-mail Sandy.

Thank you, Candis, for your help in posting these chat rules. 

Please feel free to submit to me via my e-mail address below any follow-up questions you may have.  Your submission now of follow-up questions may move the chat along at the initial stages, and your submission to me before the chat is very much appreciated.  It would help me queue up the questions to allow for timely posting to the candidates.

Please e-mail your questions to realtimecsr@calweb.com and include in your subject line "Chat Follow-Up Quesiton."

THANKS!

Sandy.

I think the members would like to know if anyone other than the candidate will speaking?  In other words, is anyone allowed to whisper to candidates what the answers should be in the chats?  If so, could we know who is whispering for each candidate?   Also, could this be announced at the beginning of the chat whether or not this practice is being used and who the backup person that is giving their thoughts?  We are interested in this answer for both the v-p race and the director's race.

That made me blink. The possibility hadn't crossed my mind, Shirley.

Truly, I haven't seen any problem with any of the candidates engaging people on their own.

- Jason 

Post to all:  Shirley brings up a very good question, and one that I'm happy will be clarified before the chat events.  The chat procedures and guidelines are set up for the attendees to whisper their follow-up questions, to those questions posted Friday, to the moderator.  It was not clear as to whether candidates would receive whispers form attendees.  I had assumed that there would be no whispering by attendees to the candidates, but it is not specifically stated in the guidelines/rules that were posted Friday.

The intent of this chat event is to hear from the candidates directly, not for the attendees.  Because we all do want to hear from the candidates, there really should be no whispering of answers to candidates from attendees.  However, I do think it appropriate, for instance, for the candidates to appoint their campaign manager to assist with the chat event as relates to the technical aspects of the chat, working with them to make them feel most comfortable during this process.  This assistance could include reminding their candiate that they have missed a specific point in an answer, and giving advice as regards situations such as this.

I have sent an e-mail to the candidates asking for their direction in this regard, whether they would like to have their campaign manager, or a designee of their choice, support them through the chat event.  I'll let you all know how we should proceed after I get the candidates' input.

Thanks for the question.  I look forward to tonight and tomorrow. 

Sandy

Thanks, Sandy. 

We actually would prefer to hear just what candidates think and not their campaign managers or other supporters.  They will not have their helpers there when they are trying to make decisions at the board level so I would prefer that everyone just answer honestly.  Hopefully, they will each give their word that they have no help.  If there is help given, we, of course would still like to know the names of the people that are helping the candidate.

You are doing a great job Sandy.  I know you are very conscientious so are an excellent person to be over this chat. 

Shirley Houston:

Thanks, Sandy. 

We actually would prefer to hear just what candidates think and not their campaign managers or other supporters.  They will not have their helpers there when they are trying to make decisions at the board level so I would prefer that everyone just answer honestly.  Hopefully, they will each give their word that they have no help.  If there is help given, we, of course would still like to know the names of the people that are helping the candidate.

You are doing a great job Sandy.  I know you are very conscientious so are an excellent person to be over this chat.  

  Define "we." 

 So long as the playing field is level, I wouldn't mind (if I could vote) if they have advisers.  I can't imagine an officer making the important decisions they make by using only the information that comes to them at one particular moment in time.  Of course they will spend a great deal of time consulting various resources and considering their decision.  Having someone assist them during a debate does not to me mean they will be a puppet.  I know that in Toastmasters I oftentimes have notes so I don't forget all my points - and then forget to make one of my points.  I've done the same thing many time in various roles in my life.  Doing a presentation, responding in realtime, is a very different process than analyzing a problem over time before voting.  It doesn't have anything to do wtih honesty/dishonesty.  I can't for the life of me see someone who doesn't have a good grounding in the issues looking intelligent and competent if they are just a puppet.  They'll sound like a puppet.

  Having some sense of all the candidates from reading their bios, I can't figure out who it is that could possibly be someone's puppet.  They've all been involved at a state and national level and I've heard no hint that any of them are anything but professional.  Why would they all of a sudden become the mouthpiece for someone else?  or let themselves be used as a mouthpiece.

  I think your instincts are right SAndra.  There is a proper role for someone to assist them in a debate.  Of course, it could be done without someone to assist if the candidates agree to that. I imagine we would learn different things from the candidates - and it would be valuable either way.

The four candidates have consensus that there will be no whispering by any attendee to the them during the chat. 

The "Chat Guidelines/Rules" are amended to include the following:

o   No whispering by any attendee to the candidates at any time.  Should the candidates need technical assistance, they have the authority to whisper to the moderator and/or the designated NCRA Online Forum Staff.

Candis Bradshaw and Lillian Freiler, NCRA Online Forum Staff, will be available to help me, the candidates and the attendees with the technical aspects of this chat.  I have asked them to be available to whisper technical advice to an attendee that may need assistance.  Additionally, I have asked for them, should the need arise, to be available to help me queue up questions.

Are there any questions that any of you could send me now?  I'd like to get a few ahead of time, if you have them, so I can get organized in this regard.  Please email any questions to me at realtimecsr@calweb.com.

Thanks, Sandy.

 One slight clarification to Sandy's post:

Lillian and I will be there mostly helping with technical issues.  Sandy has asked us if she could send us the questions she's asked by participants and help her to ensure all the questions are asked.  Lillian and I are **not** there to affect the mood of the night or the tenor of the proceedings, nor will we dictate what questions Sandy can ask or not ask.  99% of our job is to help out with technical issues.

Also, if someone has trouble logging in or getting into chat, e-mail one of us, and we'll try to help you out.

Lillian's e-mail is crtrptr at aol dot com

Mine is candisbradshaw at gmail dot com

Serge's (who will also be there helping out too) is sobolensky@ncrahq.org

The new chat rules including the revisions discussed in earlier posts.

You can get to chat by clicking on the chat link on the blue menu bar or by going directly here.

The transcript for the Vice Presidential Candidate chat has been posted.

The transcript for the Board of Directors Candidates chat has been posted.