Approved on April 14, 2022
- Definition
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are sub groups of the Black Rose. They are not intended to be separate clubs.
- Creation
A SIG’s creation must be approved by the BR Board of Directors. The champion of a SIG should submit a proposal to the board outlining the SIGs mission, audience, examples of proposed activities, and any special rules.
- Leadership
All references to “SIG Leader” and “SIG Coordinator” are to be considered equivalent.
- Definition
SIGs are typically self-governing. Often a single person acts as the SIG coordinator and is the same person as the original SIG Champion. However, the SIG may choose to have multiple coordinators. If a SIG becomes inactive or loses its coordinator the Board may appoint a new coordinator to facilitate the revitalization of the SIG.
- Qualifications
All SIG coordinators are considered BR staff members, and as such, must be appointed by the Board. All SIG coordinators must be current members of BR and also must have a signed Confidentiality Agreement on file with the Membership Department. The Board may alter or revoke appointments if the mission of the SIG or the interests of the Corporation would be served thereby.
- Membership
- Qualifications for Attendance
SIGs are to be open to the general BR population whenever possible and not be by invitation only. Certain SIGs, by definition, may be intended to serve certain populations, and such SIGs may restrict attendance accordingly. However, all members of the Black Rose who fit the definition are still welcome and the SIG has the duty to inform the entire membership of their activities.
- Membership records
Individual SIG leaders who host events in their personal residences may follow different procedures than those SIG leaders that meet in public venues. The SIG leader hosting an event in their home may request to see a valid photo ID from each attendee so they can write down the names and addresses on a list to be held in their possession exclusively. Then a SIG Card shall be signed and given to the attendee who may then use it at future meetings of that SIG. Before beginning this procedure, the SIG leader shall post in any emails or social media notifications that a valid ID will be required to attend the event in the residence of the SIG leader. The list shall be held in accordance with BR privacy policies.
- Age
No one under the age of 18 may be present at any SIG meeting/function.
- Activities
- Application of BR rules
All BR polices and procedures that apply to general BR events shall also apply to any SIG activity, unless stated in the original proposal for the SIG and approved by the Board.
- Reporting to the Board
SIGs are required to submit a brief email report monthly to the Board outlining their activities for the month/ previous month. This must be submitted no later than 3 days prior to the monthly board meeting. It should be sent to secretary@br.org with a cc to the SIG Liaison to the Board.
- Funding
SIGs are generally to be self-supporting in their activities. In exceptional cases, SIG leaders may request some reasonable additional funding to support a special event or activity
- Scope
Meeting content or activities should be SIG specific. SIGs are not supposed to duplicate regular BR meeting topics. They should pertain to the “Special Interests” of the group. They may be rooted in a general topic but the treatment should be much more specific or detailed than would be given at a regular session of the BR. If a SIG has difficulty coming up with meeting topics that are not duplications of standard BR topics then they should consider either decreasing the frequency of their meetings (quarterly instead of monthly) or disbanding as no true “Special Interest” exists.
The intent is that SIGs are not to be separate groups but gateways to the larger BR organization.
- Electronic resources
SIGs may host a web page on the BR site that gives more information about the SIG as well as act as a repository of SIG specific information. Similarly, for each SIG we require the use of a generic @br.org email address that is auto-forwarded to individuals within the SIG. This depersonalizes the SIG and facilitates the transition should the coordinator wish to leave their job. It also allows multiple recipients to inbound email requests. It provides an air of credibility to the SIG and to Black Rose in general. Coordinators are required to use coordinator@br.org email addresses when conducting official SIG business.