On the 2nd October 2011 I
published an article entitled 'Will the Torrevieja U3A Newsletter change to a Democratic Format?' in which I questioned the fact that
the association did not offer the facility of the 'Right to Reply' to
articles published in the quarterly newsletter.
I included extracts of my
correspondence with the Chairman of the Torrevieja U3A in the article
and made the suggestion that “the
committee being responsible for the editorial policy of the
newsletter give consideration to a democratic format which allows for
third person comments”.
I also
made the point that having received a reply of “the
matter will be discussed at the next Committee meeting. I will inform
you of the Committee's decision in due course”,
I would wait with hope; but not too much! Would the Committee be
prepared to provide a facility for the readership to comment on the
words of the inner clique of the newsletter columnists? I said then that I believed it would be an obvious yes
for complimentary comments, but for questions and criticisms, that's
another matter. I asked the questions “It can't be one without the
other; or can it?” and “Or will the decision be to continue to
offer neither?”
Since
that time the management committee of the U3A have discussed this
matter during two meetings and on the 28th
November 2011 I received the following email from the Chairman of the
Association.
In
my last letter to you I indicated that the matter of a ‘Right to
Reply’ was being considered by the U3A Association’s committee;
and that you would be informed of our decision.
On
Saturday 12/11/11 (our last committee meeting) a draft policy of a
Complaints Procedure and a Right to Reply procedure were examined. I
am pleased to be able to report that, after considerable discussion,
both policies were accepted by the committee and will now form part
of our Association’s structures and procedures as from 1st January 2012.
A
copy of these procedures is now available to members and from today,
can be accessed via the link at the foot of the About Page on the U3Awebsite. The original Aims of the Association and the Terms and
Conditions of Membership are also posted there. Hard copies of these
policies and procedures will also be available from the Chair at the
monthly meetings. The Association continues to grow and as we do so
new procedures will inevitably be required.
As
a further result of your comments we have also formed a sub committee
to examine the future of the Newsletter, and how it can be changed to
improve communication within the Association. The results of the sub
committee’s deliberations will be promulgated to the members in due
course.
Once
again I thank you for your original request that has resulted in
improving the Association’s procedures and structures. It is only
with the help and support of members like yourself that we can
improve for the benefit of all.
It
is very pleasing to receive such a positive decision from the
Committee in the knowledge that I have perhaps assisted in the
improvement of the Association to the benefit of the members
including myself.
I
compliment the members of the Torrevieja U3A Committee for their positive
forward looking decision.
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