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  • From: "Danyl Strype" <strypey AT riseup.net>
  • To: "Creative Commons Aotearoa New Zealand discussion" <cc-nz AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Cc-nz] CCANZ in 2009/2010
  • Date: Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:39:59 +1300

Kia ora koutou

I'd like to extend a huge vote of thanks to both Jane and Stephanie for carrying this administration of this project through some difficult transitional times. The Council for the Humanities and the Royal Society and the various players involved would have had their own concerns and agendas, which I imagine would have made for some long and stressful meetings. Sunlight is the best disinfectant and I firmly believe that CCANZ needs to be run in a transparent fashion. However, but we also have to deal with the requirement imposed by iCommons to work under the administrative umbrella of an established organization, and the veils this may throw over things from time to time.

In hindsight it's clear what a driving force Dr Brian Opie was in the Council, the HRN Board, and CCANZ. His unexpected retirement resulted in a lot of dropped balls all around, including the calling of HRN Board meetings. Jane seems to have taken the blame for much of this, I think unfairly. The way she has managed to keep various plates spinning, in the absence of clear decision-making and communcation processes, and administrative support, required her to perform above and beyond the call of duty. Jane your efforts did not demonstrated a lethal competence, and you will be as asset to any organization lucky enough to hire you in the future. I hope we can convince you to stay involved with CCANZ.

To me it seems clear to me that the CCANZ community needs to organize itself to some degree, so that we can provide some feedback and support to our paid staff (ie Jane ;) I'd like to reiterate the suggestion for some kind of CCANZ meetup at the Linux.org.au event in Poneke in late Jan, although I'll be in Te Wai Pounamu at the time, and won't be able to make the event myself. Such sector meetings are one way to bring CC folk together. Beyond that, I agree there is a need for another public meeting, which brings together reps from a range of sector groups, and I'd like to see this happen in Feb/ March.

He mihi nui
Danyl


Quoting "Jane Hornibrook" <janehornibrook AT gmail.com>:

Thanks Paul Suthland, Ian Thompson and Paul Reynolds for your thoughts. I
will try to answer some of your queries.

Curiously I'm making this point despite, as far as I know, still being a
Board member of the the Humanities Network Board.
Given that it hasn't met for an eaon - and its current status is unknown -
this is hardly surprising - but it is, at least to me, another part of my
concern.

I can't answer on behalf of the HRN board as to why it hasn't met over the
2009 period, but that in it's absence I was fortunately able to report
directly to the Council for the Humanities. Dr Lousie O'Brien retired from
the Humanities Research Network early this year, and I have been attempting
to maintain it's website at a bare minimum since then as there hasn't been a
replacement for her.

I cant see the two forums mentioned - i looked at
http://www.humanitiesresearch.net/collaborative_forum/digital_strategy maybe
I am looking in the wrong place.

Try here:
http://www.humanitiesresearch.net/forums/general/humanities_within_the_royal_society

An explanation (without implying an excuse) as to why there has been a lack
of transparency surrounding the developments within CCANZ.

In answer to your question Paul about the lack of work being done on CCANZ
during February 2010 (and your reference to academic holidays), there are no
academics working on this project. In fact, CCANZ has consisted this year of
Stephanie and of myself, an inexperienced graduate, employed to maintain the
"website", on part time hours, with little to no organisational resources
and with zero certainty about any future of CCANZ two months in advance.
This scenario hasn't left much room for the publication of discussion
papers. If leave was not taken during the month of January, and discussions
started back in February, CCANZ would not be able to sustain its part time
staff during the critical period of mid-2010 when funding and project
jurisdiction matters will be finalised.

Of course CCANZ should not be run like this, hence the purpose of the HRN
board. Stephanie and I have not forgotten that CC needs an independent and
multi-sector governance for CC next year within a new host, and the RSNZ
have also recognised the need for a revived independant structure in the
spirit of the HRN board.

CCANZ founder, Dr Brian Opie retired from the Council in 2008, and Stephanie
Pietkiewicz has been extremely helpful in initiating discussions with
various parties and intuitions about the way forward for CCANZ, and
advocating for the project within the Council for the Humanities (which has
unfortunately decided at this late stage not to keep it). It was never my
wish to keep the intentions of the Council and its decision on CCANZ
"veiled", but have found the dynamics around it's negotiations with the RSNZ
(which invariably include those of CCANZ) haven't made it easy for either
Stephanie or I to initiate public feedback.


For these reasons I have failed to

1. Encourage the appropriate people to maintain the HRN board function, or
encourage more transparency for Council business.

2. Develop a system whereby the community and stakeholders can become
involved in the beginning of the decision making process.

3. Acquaint myself fully with the process in which CCANZ was first brought
to New Zealand, and realise the protocols and procedures that should
surround further actions.

I am deeply sorry for this incompetency, and that I've let you down. I will
try my to ensure that the project is furnished next year with the relevant
expertise and experience when I leave the CCANZ as soon as I am able.

With regards,

Jane

--
Jane Hornibrook
Creative Commons Aotearoa New Zealand
Ph +64 4 472 9488
Cel +64 2761 98139
www.creativecommons.org.nz
A project of the Council for the Humanities
www.humanities.org.nz




--
"A free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular."
- Adlai E. Stevenson Jr

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and
those who matter don't mind."
- Dr Suess

http://strypey.orconhosting.net.nz/contacts.html



  • [Cc-nz] CCANZ in 2009/2010, Danyl Strype, 01/06/2010

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