SAGE Governance Restructuring (01 Jul 2004)

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To: sage-members@sage.org
Subject: [SAGE] SAGE Governance Restructuring
Date: Thu, 01 Jul 2004 15:35:45 -0500
From: David Parter <dparter@cs.wisc.edu>

As you probably know by now, the USENIX Board of Directors has dissolved
the SAGE STG, with a committment to continuing to serve the system
administration community, and an option for an independent SAGE to be
formed, to which USENIX will transfer SAGE assets and services.

There has been no public discussion of this because we have been
operating in a constantly changing situation in a very tightly
compressed timeframe -- about 3 weeks, including this week at the
USENIX annual technical conference.

Early next week the sage executive committee will have a conference call
to catch up and take stock on where exactly we are. Immediately after
that, we will update everyone on the situation.

It is our intent to form a small transition team (with some members from
the current sage-exec and some new members with relevent experience) and
a wider advisory council to guide the formation of an independent SAGE.

The exact direction and steps we take will depend on the feedback from and
participation of the community. Members of the exec who are at
USENIX have been having extensive conversations with various members
of the community at the conference.

The three milestones for an independent SAGE are:

    1. creation of a nonprofit SAGE organization and application for 501c3
       status
    2. transfer of services and assets
 
    3. successful operation and viability as an organization

To answer some already frequently ask questions:

    1) What about LISA? 

       USENIX will continue the LISA conference. SAGE will continue to
       be a co-sponsor, and share in the revenue. LISA will continue
       to be SAGE's primary annual conference.

    2) How will this affect services?

       All current SAGE services and activities will continue, until they
       are transfered to an independent SAGE.

    3) Who will manage SAGE services in the interim?

       The USENIX Board of Directors has appointed a committee to
       oversee SAGE operations. It currently consists of Jon "Maddog"
       Hall and Geoff Halprin (USENIX Board and SAGE); David Parter
       (SAGE); and Mike Jones (USENIX Board). Another SAGE member may
       be added.

The compressed timeframe of the discussions with the USENIX Board and
the decision by the USENIX Board to dissolve the SAGE STG immediately
have prevented us from consulting the wider community before now.
Despite the obvious turmoil and uncertainty, this is an exciting
opportunity for SAGE.

Reporting from USENIX,

       David Parter and Geoff Halprin