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A propsal by:
     Craig Buchek
     Michael King
     Kara Pritchard
     Steve Pritchard
     Tony Zafiropoulos

We would like to propose a change in the leadership in the Linux Users
Group. We feel that this change is necessary to continue the viability
and active growth of the users group. We feel that it is time for a
cooperative effort, allowing those who want to participate the chance
to do so.


1. New Linux Users Group leadership.

 a. We propose a new LUG leadership group consisting of:

      Craig Buchek
      Michael King (AKA Mike808)
      Kara Pritchard
      Steve Pritchard
      Tony Zafiropoulos (AKA Tony Z)

    This group will handle the operational facets of managing and
    running the LUG. Projects and responsibilities will be
    distributed in an ad hoc manner. Generally this means whoever
    has the willingness or experience that best matches the role.

    We have a good mix of experience and skills:

      Tony Zafiropoulos has skills in business management and
      marketing, and is also comfortable addressing a crowd. He is
      currently Secretary and Public Relations Director for SLUUG.

      Kara Pritchard is skilled in special event coordination and
      Linux community organization (and outreach), as well as
      technical presentation, support, and editorial content.

      Steven Pritchard, like Kara, has over 6 years of experience in
      LUG administration, and is also skilled in technical
      presentation, technical services, and expert reference.

      Michael King has skills in web development as well as
      application development. He is a confident speaker, and can
      effectively lead the conversation and conduct a meeting
      schedule. He has a long track record of commitment to SLUUG.

      Craig Buchek is skilled in technical training presentations,
      special events organization, and is known for his even
      temperament in the midst of heated discussions. He is currently
      a SLUUG Board member, elected by the membership, and is the
      editor of the newsletter.

    The people in this leadership group have made significant
    contributions to SLUUG and the Linux SIG over the past several
    months and years. They have a good working relationship with
    each other as well as other SLUUG members.

    This leadership group evolved on its own for the most part, so we
    do not have any set procedures for incorporating a new person into
    it. However, we feel that if someone were to show interest in
    leading, they would likely be naturally and spontaneously absorbed.

 b. Michael King will be our figure-head.

    While our leadership roles will primarily be done in a distributed
    manner, we recognize the need for a single public figure. We have
    selected Michael because he presently has the least other
    activities taking up his time. He is also one of the most
    well-recognized members at the Linux meetings.

    The figure-head's primary role will be to make sure that we are
    prepared for all our activities. For the first several meetings
    after our transition, he will serve as MC at the meetings, to
    provide some semblance of continuity to the members at the meeting.
    He will also serve as the reporting body to the SLUUG steering
    committee on the LUG's activities and joint activities.

    If at any time Michael is unable to perform the roles of
    figure-head, any of the rest of us are willing and capable to do
    so. In fact, it is likely that over the long term, we will rotate
    the role of figure-head as our various other commitments wax and
    wane.

    The figure-head will hold the title of LUG Chairperson. This is
    primarily to provide a single point of contact.


2. Reasons behind our proposal.

 a. Cooperation.

    We feel that our proposal will provide an opportunity for more
    members of the Linux Users Group to participate in the running
    of the group. Not just those in the proposed leadership group,
    but anyone who wants to get involved in any way. We will be
    receptive to and encourage ideas from the widest audience
    possible.

    We feel that this proposal for more active management of the
    Linux Users Group as well as a deeper infrastructure of human
    resources. Cooperation is built into our model, and cooperation
    is key to the operation of a volunteer group such as the LUG.

    Many of us have offered to participate in various capacities to
    help operate and improve the Linux SIG, but we were unable to get
    Matthew Porter to accept our assistance. Matthew seems to have
    fallen into a pattern of attempting to do everything on his own,
    and has been reluctant to delegate or include other members
    in the meetings and other activities, even when people have
    expressed an interest.

 b. Time to be pro-active.

    With a small group of us in the leadership, we have more resources
    available to take a pro-active position to improve and grow the
    Linux Users Group than if a single person had to do everything.

    If one or two of us become pre-occupied with other activities
    or need some personal time, the others can pick up the slack until
    that person can return to an active role.

    We feel that Matthew's several other obligations and personal
    commitments have kept him from being able to dedicate enough
    time in the LUG to be pro-active and improve the group. This is
    evidenced by his not attending Steering Committee meetings, not
    contributing to events such as the InstallFest, and failure to
    follow through with scheduling presentations.


3. Presentations.

 a. Scheduled presentations.

    The presentation schedule for Linux meetings has not been updated
    in a timely manner. No response has been given when asked for
    information on upcoming presentations so that we can make the
    deadlines for print media. We can only assume that the plans have
    not been made or have fallen through.

    We have come up with the following presentation schedule. (If any
    previous plans turn out to have already been made, we will gladly
    accept those speakers in lieu of the ones below.)

      April 2001:
        Linux Firewalls - Concepts and Implementation
        Speaker: TBA, but we have 3 likely candidates

      May 2001:
        Distro Fever - Round-table on Linux distributions
        Speakers: LUG members representing each distro

      June 2001:
        Linux Hardware - Choosing and using various hardware for Linux
        Speaker: Steven Pritchard (Hardware HOWTO maintaipanies as well as national
    figures in the Linux community. Kara's connections in this area will
    help us immensely.

    We feel a connection with the larger Linux community on a regular
    basis will be beneficial, not just to the members and attendees,
    but to the LUG and SLUUG in the larger national arenas and
    communities. We plan for these types of presentations to occur
    approximately one out of every four monthly meetings.


4. Web site.

   The stllinux.org web site is in a state of obvious neglect. We will
   begin slowly, fixing up what we have, but will likely end up
   rebuilding it from scratch. We will be getting the archives from
   Matthew Feldt's old site, so we can include the content from as far
   back as possible.

   Michael will be the primary web architect. Steve and Kara will
   assist in the redesign. Tony and Craig are not very good at web
   design, but will be able to update the site's content, specifically
   information about upcoming events.

   The web site will be hosted by the Pritchards. We will consider
   moving the web site to a SLUUG server only if the server runs Linux
   and is in a more stable and accessible location than the
   Pritchards' home.


5. Name.

   As originally proposed several months ago, we will be using the
   name St. Louis Linux Users Group. ("Users" has an "s" but no
   apostrophe.) The LUG name will be a "doing business as" of SLUUG.


We have carefully considered this proposal. Some of us were quite
reluctant to do this. But we have all come to the mutual agreement
that this is what is best for SLUUG and the Linux Users Group. We
feel that we have erred on the conservative side, and the most
conservative of us are in agreement on this proposal.


Craig Buchek
Michael King
Kara Pritchard
Steve Pritchard
Tony Zafiropoulos