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Report on BOT Vote on USNA Out Chapter Application In the Central Region Newsletter that preceded this one, I indicated that I would give a fuller explanation of the December 5, 2003 BOT vote rejecting the application of the USNA Out Chapter application. Just prior to the vote, the Alumni Association staff prepared and distributed to the BOT a position paper analysis on the application. I am presenting that analysis in this Newsletter for your information. As you’ll read, the Association Staff recommended against approval on several grounds. In summary, the Staff felt that the mission of USNA Out did not support the Alumni Association mission and the geographic diversity of chapter members was inconsistent with the geographic focus of other Association chapters. One Trustee did raise the issues that the RV Chapter might not be geographic, and that the Bylaws were not specific as to mandating a geographic focus. The Chair asked the Governance Committee Chair to look into both issues raised by the Trustee and report back to the BOT at its May 2004 meeting. A written resolution was then passed to the BOT for its review, and after some study and discussion, the BOT voted unanimously to reject the application. My analysis agrees that USNA Out is a special interest chapter and I believe such chapters tend to fragment, not unify the alumni (as geographic chapters do). I also believe that geographic chapter membership is open to all alumni, whatever their special interest might be. My concern is that by approving special interest chapters we would then get other fragmenting applications, such as for Navy Cross awardees, submariners, Vietnam Vets, etc. (to give a few examples of what might happen). In my personal experience, there are other venues for special interest groups to get together. In my case, my submarine school class has triennial reunions where we are able to visit with one another, and classmates include those from NROTC, OCS, and other accession sources. The remainder of this Newsletter presents the Staff’s analysis, and the resolution approved by the BOT.
ASSOCIATION STAFF ANALYSIS
Issue Paper USNA Alumni Association Board of Trustees December 4, 2003
Issue
Whether the proposed “USNA Out Chapter” furthers the essential mission of the USNA Alumni Association and otherwise meets all qualifications for certification as an official USNA Alumni Association chapter, under the Association’s express guidelines and established chapter formation practices.
Background
On November 11, 2003, Mr. Jeff Petrie (USNA 1989) delivered to the Association a request for certification of a new chapter whose 32 charter members are gay or lesbian graduates of the Naval Academy.[1] Mr. Petrie, as president of the new organization, has explained to the Association and to the press that the chapter is to be a national chapter for homosexual graduates, with the signal purpose of supporting gay and lesbian midshipmen currently at the Academy–hence the name “USNA Out Chapter.” The Mission Statement contained in the proposed Bylaws includes, in part, the following organizational goal:
To serve, support, and further enhance the United States, the Naval Service, the Naval Academy, and its members by assisting in positive projects involving gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered midshipmen; alumni; officers and enlisted men and women in the United States Navy and Marine Corps.
The Bylaws of the proposed “USNA Out Chapter” state that the new chapter will be based in San Francisco, California, but the Bylaws do not limit membership to residents of that city. The list of charter members submitted with the application includes some individuals who live neither in San Francisco nor the State of California, indicating that the membership of the proposed new chapter will not be geographically restricted.
Findings
The following are the findings regarding the proposed new chapter:
· The Mission Statement of the proposed new chapter is inconsistent with the Mission Statement of the Alumni Association.
The Mission Statement of the Alumni Association embodies a principle of general inclusiveness: “To serve and support the United States, the Naval Service, the Naval Academy and its Alumni . . . and bind alumni together.” The Association is to achieve this mission by “seeking out, informing, encouraging and assisting outstanding, qualified young men and women . . . .” Implicit in this statement, and in the mission itself, is the inclusive modifier, “all” – all “outstanding, qualified young men and women” are the subjects of the Alumni Association’s efforts. Both the mission and the methodologies employed to fulfill it reflect a philosophy consistent with the principle around which the Naval Service is organized, “unit integrity.” Accordingly, the Alumni Association’s Mission Statement reflects a guiding principle of inclusiveness.
The Mission Statement of the proposed new chapter, however, focuses chapter efforts on projects directed to a discrete group midshipmen–those that are gay and lesbian. This focus is reinforced by the name of the organization itself, which colloquially refers to the public “coming out” of gays and lesbians. Thus, the Bylaws of the USNA Out Chapter reflect a guiding principle of limitation that is inconsistent with the Association’s mission. The Alumni Association does not certify chapters that are based upon a limitation of mission.
· The organization of the proposed new chapter differs materially from the organizational principle historically applied by the Association and followed by all other chapters.
Whether it is by state, city, region or other locality, all Alumni Association chapters are formed around a geographic organizing principle. This well-established principle is mission-enabling, as it provides a mechanism for gathering together all alumni in a given area, so that their collective interests and talents can benefit the chapter as a whole.
Unlike the other Alumni Association chapters, the proposed new chapter will have members who are residents of many different states and regions, as evidenced by the list of charter members that was submitted with the application, most of whom do not reside in San Francisco. The proposed new chapter therefore does not follow the basic organizational principle historically followed by the Alumni Association in the establishment of new chapters. (See the attached excerpt “Organizing a New Chapter” from the Board of Trustees Operating Manual.)
· The targeted membership of the proposed new chapter differs materially from the targeted membership and the membership principles of the Alumni Association and its existing chapters.
The Bylaws of the proposed new chapter do not expressly limit the membership of the proposed new chapter to individuals having particular personal characteristics or interests. However, a de facto exclusivity of membership is created because of the special focus in the Mission Statement on projects that involve only gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered individuals. Moreover, Mr. Petrie, the chapter’s president, has described his organization as a national chapter comprised of gay and lesbian graduates of the Academy; and the name of the organization, “USNA Out Chapter,” clearly refers to gays and lesbians. This limiting, exclusive approach to chapter membership is contrary to the Alumni Association’s open, inclusive membership principles and practices, all of which are based on non-personal criteria applicable to all potential members. The philosophy of unit integrity that undergirds the Association’s mission is not supported by limiting or excluding, or appearing to limit or exclude, any person from membership based on characteristics or special interests. The Alumni Association does not certify new chapters whose membership is restricted, or appears to be restricted, on the basis of particular personal characteristics or special interests.
· There is no precedent for the certification of a special-interest chapter of the Alumni Association.
It has been asserted that the proposed new chapter should be certified because the Association’s existing RV Chapter is a “special-interest” chapter that serves as a precedent for the requested certification of the proposed “USNA Out Chapter.” To the contrary, the Association views both the organizational principles and mission of the RV Chapter as consistent with the Association’s own mission, as well as the express guidelines and established practices for chapter formation
The RV Chapter serves a segment of the alumni population that is transient by nature and for whom full participation at a fixed-location chapter is not practical. Graduates who are RV owners typically spend part or all of the year traveling the country–they are roamers. Thus, the specific geographic situs of the RV Chapter changes from meeting to meeting as the members make their way to previously published Chapter “Come Around” locations. More importantly, the projects and focus of this group are not aimed at benefiting a particular subset of the Brigade of Midshipmen. Thus, the Association does not view the RV Chapter as a special-interest chapter.
Recommended Action and Rationale
Recommendation: It is recommended that the application for the proposed new “USNA Out Chapter” be denied.
Reasons: The recommendation for denial is based on the following findings:
· The Mission Statement of the proposed new chapter is inconsistent with the Mission Statement of the Alumni Association. · The organization of the proposed new chapter is at odds with the geographic organizing principle historically applied by the Association and followed by all other chapters. · The targeted membership of the proposed new chapter differs materially from the inclusive membership and the membership principles of the Alumni Association and its existing chapters. · Certifying a special-interest chapter would be contrary to the policies, principles and established practices of the Alumni Association.
Comment: The denial of certification of the proposed new chapter will not exclude anyone eligible for Association and chapter membership from taking part in alumni affairs or functions. On the contrary, the recommendation is made: · to encourage all alumni to join and support their local Association chapter; · to avoid creating any real or apparent pockets of “exclusivity” within the established chapter network; and · to keep the current chapter network, which experience has shown works well to preserve the guiding principle of “unit integrity,” from being undermined by a deflection of purpose and mission to special interests.
RESOLUTION APPROVED BY THE BOT
UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC.
RESOLUTION
The Board of Trustees of the UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC., at a duly called meeting held on December 5, 2003, approves the following resolution by unanimous vote of the trustees of the Association and directs that the same be filed with the records of the Association.
WHEREAS, the proposed “USNA Out Chapter” has applied to the Association for formal certification as chapter of the Association pursuant to Section 3.1 of the Bylaws; and
WHEREAS, the Association has reviewed the application and found it NOT to be in conformity with the essential mission of the Association, with the Bylaws, and with the requirements set forth in the Board of Trustees Operating Manual.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that application for certification of the “USNA Out Chapter” be and it is hereby denied for the specific reasons set forth in the STAFF RECOMMENDATION attached to this resolution.
December 5, 2003 Carlisle A. H. TrostAdmiral, USN, Retired Chairman Board of Trustees
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