DCN INFORMATION PROVIDER COMMITTEE MEETING NOTES

[These are draft notes until approved at a subsequent IPC meeting.]

DATE: 04/01/98
TIME: 6:15 - 7:30 PM
LOCATION: City of Davis Computer Lab, 600 A Street.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Graham Freeman (not voting), Anne Hance (Chair),
                 Paul Healey, Steve McMahon, John Movius, Kari Peterson,
             Richard Yamagata.

VISITORS:        John Batchelder, John Chiles, Richard Lowenberg,
                 Stewart Savage.

NOTE TAKER: Paul Healey


A  Approval of Agenda

   Approved.

B. Approval of IPC Memberships and additions to email list.

   After a thorough vetting by John Movius, new members Kari Peterson and
   Graham Freeman were approved by consensus.  Following our
   two-consecutive-meeting rule, Graham will have voting status at the May
   meeting.

   In the course of discussion John Movius suggested adding the subject of
   Board and Executive Committee meeting reports to new business.  This was
   done.  John also raised the question of whether Executive Committee
   meetings are subject to the California Brown Act.  That topic was included
   with the new business regarding Board and Executive Committee reports, to
   be take up at the next meeting.

   Jean Mecorney was added to the IPC email list. As an aside to this,
   Richard Yamagata raised the question of concealed subscribers to lists --
   i.e., listeners not known to other subscribers.  Web team chair Steve
   McMahon assured all that this is a function not available or implemented
   with our current list server, Majordomo.

C. Housekeeping

   1. Approval of 03/04/98 notes.

      Approved.

   2. (Note that discussion of membership procedures will be on May 6.)

   3. [Added] Call for Proposals

   Chair Anne Hance proposed the addition of an extended deadline (June 1) to
   the Call for Proposals, to cover exceptional cases.  It was agreed that an
   explicit request for extension would have to be submitted in each case.

D. Content Review

   1. Discussion of on-line forums (summary).

   The principal subjects here were forum moderation and forum topics. It was
   agreed that some form of moderation is necessary, and [in line with the
   conclusions reached at previous meetings] that moderation should be
   limited to the maintenance of decorum.  Moderators must be knowledgeable,
   and this can be promoted through some combination of on-line FAQs,
   training and on-the-job experience.  Good outreach is another important
   factor.  Two types of learning are involved: 1) The strictly technical
   (using the software), and 2) Good judgment, which might be fostered
   through moderation conferences/workshops.  Workshops are more important
   than "theory".  Richard Lowenberg mentioned that he had facilitated a
   moderators' forum at Telluride, and offered to do that at DCN.

   The possibility of limiting participation in forums to residents of the
   local region was suggested, and the importance of avoiding content
   "editing" was re-emphasized.  There was one "blue sky" proposal, according
   to which forum participants themselves could vote to eject disruptive
   contributors.

   As to forum topics, the general view was that DCN should initially "seed"
   the topics, facilitating the creation of new ones as the need arises and
   according to the interests of the participants.

   2.[Subject added] Content Development

   Richard Yamagata noted the relation between Strategic Planning and IPC
   content development.  The IPC has not really decided on its focus, and the
   committee could review the list of priority goals at intervals of six
   months to a year.  Richard also mentioned the on-line business roundtable
   [an idea which has been floating for some time now].

E. Reports

   Web team -- The Voter Information Project open the campaign forum starting
   May 1, and the YoloLink project is on again.

   Water Resources Association -- A meeting is being set up.

   Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center -- A minor hitch here, in that
   the leader did not understand the committee's letter of approval.

   Yolo Land Trust -- Henry House could not be reached.

F. Potential new members -- none proposed.

G. The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:30 p.m.