A Few Ground Rules

Just to make sure we stay focused and are able to address the issues that are most important to our organization in a constructive manner, we would like to submit the following ground rules for this discussion.

1. We have a comments policy on our blog which will remain in effect throughout this conversation.
   
   We reserve the right to delete comments if they are:
   • spam
   • hate-filled or abusive
   • off topic, especially if their intent is to derail the conversation for the poster's own purposes
     
     
2. We are asking for CONSTRUCTIVE feedback. We will of course read all of the comments, but we will only approve those that provide: constructive criticism, ideas, suggestions or help move the conversation forward.
   
   
3. We ask you to stay on topic.  We’ve dedicated one full day of focused discussion for each of three big topics we’ve heard a lot about.  In addition, we have an additional "Grab Bag" day for all other ideas and suggestions. So if you really want to talk about audience size, for example, please save it for the “Grab Bag” day.
   
   
4. Before making a suggestion, consider these questions:
   • What are the goals of the Innovative Theatre Foundation?
   • What best serves the OOB community as a whole?
   • What are the ramifications of making these changes?
     
     
5. We will use your feedback to help prioritize new developments and improvements to our system. Some ideas raised here may help us make adjustments as early as next season (starting in June 2012). Some ideas may require further elaboration and development and/or infrastructure changes in order to be addressed. And some feedback (we hope very little) will not be able to be addressed in a way that makes everyone happy, especially in a community as large and wonderfully diverse as ours.
   
   We promise we will do our best.
   
   
6. Finally, there are a few things that are NOT on the table for discussion at this time.

• Changing our name
• Changing the judging system (It is a peer evaluation system, and a fundamental aspect of our mission)
• Excluding groups/companies/artists/productions from participation based on the type/genre of theatrical work they do
•  Honorary Awards or the Outstanding Stage Manager Award