[no subject]

Subject: Re: Re(2): AIA ONLIN

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THESE INTERESTING COMMENTS ARE BEING FORWARDED TO DESIGN-L FOR DISCUSSION.
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>AIA Online can make our lives as architects better, because in large
>organizations the distribution of information is often equivalent to
>distribution of power. At present, most major decisions in the organization
?
|HEAR! HEAR! YES!

>are made by a small number of executive wanna-bes who do not truly represent
>(IMHO) the majority of the members, and the system is not set up to enable
>individuals to have much say. Once AIA Online is accessible to all members
>it will be possible for individuals to communicate directly and cheaply with
>large numbers of other members, which is likely to result in some fundamental
>changes in the organization, how money is spent, etc. Right now, AIA's
>leaders ("members of the board") have the function of distilling and
>representing the views of members in their respective districts, which, as
>I've indicated, is not done with great accuracy, to say the least. AIA
>Online is likely to replace this distilling function, by providing direct
>input from the members. For example, a recall campaign could be attempted to
>remove certain individuals from office, under pain of witholding dues. Or a
>dues reduction effort could be started, in a populist and democratic fashion.
>I would note that the famous PA article blasting the AIA spread rapidly among
>the membership, if not in print then by word of mouth, and had a great impact
>during the national convention in L.A., which I attended. The leadership was
>clearly and overtly on the defensive, and organizational changes were
>introduced in direct response not to the article--but to members' reactions

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>to it. The point is that when important information is distributed quickly
>it can have significant impact. Look, I don't like the A.I.A. as it stands
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>now, even though I'm a member, and was a delegate this year to the
>convention. But it's the only national organization we've got, and Online,

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>for all its limitations, is the first tool we have with any potential for
>creating change. Regards,Daniel Jansenson.
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