Cburkhardt

Surely materials will get distributed after this week.  There were over 2,000 people listening to the broadcast today and all council Key-3s discuss it tomorrow. There is no secret about any of this.  

I heard the following quote: "Everyone is going to become an adult at 18, and we are no longer going to have youth programming for 18 year-olds".  So I think that means the ambiguous status of 18- 21's will be over.

Did not mention this earlier, but not surprisingly, councils can grant advancement extension of 3 months in order for Scout to earn Life and Eagle.

When will changes be communicated?  

Remember the way national decision making works is that the Executive Committee (about 12 people) gets the research, "recommends" a decision to the Executive Board (about 120 people, including the National Advisory Council), which then adopts the decision.  The Executive Board will meet privately in in early June.  So the key changes are officially public then.  However, all of this is going to be swept through the media by the plaintiff attorneys and somehow used to encourage additional men to file claims.

NYLT seems to have a core of Scouts but in our council they seem to be high school aged.  So, I don't this it will impact us as much.

Sentinel:  Yes.  18 is the end of youth programming.  There was no mistaking what was said.  I think that it probably goes to focusing the organization on fewer things and doing them well. 

I was an active OA member and Explorer in the 70s-80s (back when Exploring was the "Venturing" program of the time).  I don't think the change will gut either program. 

Venturing membership is imploding for reasons I am not entirely aware of.  Freshman/sophomore Girls in my Troop want to earn Eagle and be Scouts.  They are not particularly drawn to Venturing.  I think the losses in Venturing are a function of professional and council volunteer time being sucked-away by all of the tough dealings we have been having.  The teen program has never been a strong part of the BSA -- the exception being Exploring in the 50's and again from the mid 70's through mid 80's. 

OA folks who are over 18 are pretty-much acting in adult roles except for the chiefs above the council level -- and many of them are college aged.  Frankly, those above-council youth structures will probably be downsized (no sections/areas/regions any more) because they are expensive to operate and require robust regional program volunteers and staff -- which will no longer exist.  Probably a national Chief/Vice Chief and a few others to represent whatever structure they coe up with the be between the council and national.  OA folks will be encouraged to become active in their Councils, which will be larger and offer a more-sophisticated leadership challenge for the chapter/lodge chiefs.   

PACAN:  I think aspects of the program will change.  They said there will be a national "re-branding" of the organization coming out of bankruptcy.  A re-branding after what we will have gone through by then (and the previous 5 years) does not take the form of a new logo. 

I have no inside information, but I'll predict that we will drop "Boy Scouts of America" or "BSA" for a new name, and this might be influenced by the GSUSA trademark litigation that I believe the bankruptcy judge will allow to go forward this summer.  If we abandon the BSA name and the GSUSA litigation prevent us from using the generic "Scout" label for our girl program -- we just might become the "Explorers", as that is a name we undisputedly own. 

We will re-evaluate uniforming and simplify the blizzard of complexity and expense that is now the Cub Scout program.  We will become intensively more outdoor in program emphasis.  There will be complete emphasis on "outdoor fun" and a backing-away from "character building".  

I summarized about 45 minutes into two brief paragraphs and admittedly left out a number of things.  Gone will be the "legacy" electronic system we have.  It will be scrapped and replaced with a modern cloud system for everything.  All program books and materials would go electronic.  They stated that everyone will be "adult" at 18, so I think OA is included in that.  

As to the size of national, I think they will do only program and have maybe 20 professionals operating a simple structure to maintain contact with councils.  Maybe 100 volunteers to support them.  Stem was not mentioned, but is pretty exotic under these circumstances.  I predict councils will drop it.  The spin off of Sea Scouts did not cost a dime.  The nautical program (I am a quartermaster) has been wedged into the larger teen program since after WWII, and this never worked.  Keeping these 5,000 folks in a separate division is the right way to go.  Another option would be to spin them off to the Coast Guard.  They already are the official youth program of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, which might be able to do a better with it.

While it was not announced as a change, the incoming National Chair made clear that councils which do not operate well will be merged.  While he did not say this precisely, I think he meant that national will quickly pull the charters of unsuccessful councils.  That meant terminating council executive boards and marshalling the assets into a new entity.  I've been mentioning this for a while to the displeasure of many commenters, but that is what I see happening.  If you are a council, district or large unit leader, I advise that you begin now to evaluate what is in the best interest of your Scouts.  Cluster together with nearby council buddies and figure out now which single property you can argue to the court is "essential" to offer program to your Scouts.  Otherwise, a bankruptcy judge in Delaware is going to make all of those decisions for you.      

Tomorrow:  There is a Zoom video for the Council Key Threes tomorrow afternoon from 3:30 to 4:30 (Central), during which there will be a lot more specifics discussed.  Much of what will be shared are the recommendations of the Executive Committee to the Executive Board.  However, an accurate way to look at this is that we are no longer really in charge of our own destiny.  The bankruptcy court and the litigants before it will decide what happens.  

More:  This is information that came directly from a widely-viewed general session at the virtual national meeting.  The content was delivered directly by the National President/CEO, General Counsel and both the incoming and outgoing volunteer National Chairman.  The news was delivered very directly.  Readers of this site will perhaps be most interested in knowing that the program won't change, except for the ending of Venturing and Exploring program after age 17.  The big impact of the way the bankruptcy has trended after the virus is that it has dragged and the plaintiff attorneys have experienced great success in identifying large numbers of clients.  After a major advertising campaign this fall to identify more claimants (unfortunately scheduled during our recruiting season) there will bean even bigger number.  The principal change is that now council assets be impacted in a significant manner.  This is because the liability will be greater than expected (very large numbers of victims), the insurance companies are "pulling out", and the national assets will be insufficient to pay.  

Friends, The initial announcements portend that we will be a different organization very soon.  No more youth program past age 18.  National will limit its activity to council services only.  We will have a single "onboarding" membership platform.  The regions and areas will be discontinued in favor of a downsized system.  The organization will be rebranded after the bankruptcy is completed.  Local councils will be significantly impacted, as the plaintiffs are primarily aiming at council assets. This includes camps, offices, everything.  The BSA has had a very difficult time with the bankruptcy process, which will now be dragged out and more expensive because the insurance companies are litigating to get out of any liability.  In essence, the opposition "wants it all" and that includes council assets.  As we are recruiting this fall the BSA will be paying for a national media campaign to be sure 95% of men over age 50 know about the claims bar date in November.  We will be smaller and with far fewer assets.  This will be front page in the papers tomorrow.

Summit is huge.  They have vast camping sites, program areas and bath facilities because they can serve up to 50,000 during jamborees.  Having up to a few thousand wound be easy to handle.  If there is any place that could do this, it would be the Summit.

Great.  We have that circumstance in some of our local all-girl Scouts BSA Troops.  The new web site apparently carries-over some "legacy" language from the old relationships web site which implies that all Packs and Troop are all-male.  Ambiguity that will surely get ironed-out.

Dear Latin Scot: 

Will a female in a all-girl Scouts BSA Troop or all-girl Den be able to earn its awards?   

The CoJCoLDS chose to cut its ties with the BSA in an absolute and very public manner.  I certainly disappointed me, but every faith has its right to offer programs if it choosing, and we are no longer an approved part of their church program offerings.  Church members played an outsized role at all levels of the BSA and they will be missed.  I wished them well with their effort to establish a substitute program for Scouting. 

I think it is fine that some Church members have chosen to individually continue with the BSA in units whose chartered partners are not related to their church.  It is natural for them to form a group and I wish them the finest.  I looked at the nice web site and did notice the group is using the discontinued term "Boy Scouts" rather than "Scouts BSA" for our 11-17 year old program.  Any explanation for this obsolete usage?   

You have the option to educate others that requiring families to over-subsidize a camp (especially if it is of marginal quality) is not a worthy request.  Urge its closure and consequent reduction of council operational costs.  Go to a different council camp of distinction.  The cash has run out and there will be no suddenly-appearing pot of gold. 

30 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

@Cburkhardt

Does Summit offer a patrol cooking summer camp option?

The Summit has been a dining hall operation.  First in elaborate tents and now in a proper inside dining facility.  For this summer I do not know if they will offer patrol cooking or "hot pack".  I will know I a few days and will share that information.

I hope the Summit becomes the preferred Scouts BSA summer camp for a large territory.  Council camp property closures during the BSA financial meltdown amid the virus crisis can cause this to happen.  As long as we do not lose it in the bankruptcy, the Summit will be there to operate every single year and will become increasingly nicer, generally known and popular with he Scouts.  Many long-time adults do not like the Summit because it is new, the construction scars (until a year ago) looked raw, and its development caused a BSA financial crisis.  However, I have yet to meet a Scout who did not really love the place after staying there.  Those Scouts will start becoming the Scoutmasters of the future within 5-10 years. 

A challenge for the Summit has been to develop a good use for the facility during non-Jamboree years, but the staff has been so consumed with constructing and financing the place that it was difficult for them to focus on that.  The bankruptcy and virus financial meltdown will cause councils to disfavor overly-subsidized camps and provide the opportunity to make Summit work as a super summer camp.  If we hold on to it, the place is going to become a beloved place for Scouting families  as treasured as our finest national park properties.       

Good information to know.  As for the range arrangements, they are larger than those on military bases, with hundreds of shooting positions.  I guess they need that when 40,000 scouts are there and all want to shoot.

Troops in the Northeast and Southeast should give serious consideration to the Summit for summer camp.  It will run for all weeks in July and the first week of August.  $415/week and you get the experience of being at the Jamboree site.  Advanced medical facilities, plenty of open room to distance single tents, huge program areas (designed for thousands but used by hundreds during summer camp) to accommodate social distancing and a very mature program staff.  If summer camp is going to take place anywhere, it will be at the Summit.

The Summit will open.  It is a good bet because the BSA has a great and trusting relationship with the state and local governments there.  It also has very advanced medical clinical facilities and emergency transport capabilities because of the Jamboree physical arrangements.  Single tenting of Scouts is easy given the broad fields to camp in and program facilities (such as shooting range and rock climbing faces) are massively over-built for a summer camp.  They can easily spread the Scouts by using every third or fourth program position.  If there is any facility that can handle it and any political relationship that can allow it, it is the Summit.   

National Capital Area Council has closed Goshen Scout Reservation for the summer, as will as all of its other properties and camp activities.

Now is the time to look back at all of the suggestions made on this site earlier in the year to focus the councils on the units and districts.  The PPP loan/grant infusions should be used to preserve our field and program staff.  Councils should act now to make permanent many of the furloughs of personnel who are not essential to provide unit service and program.  The virus circumstance will allow councils to sort who is and who is not necessary to support units.  Residential camping properties that are big revenue losers will be extreme revenue losers this year, because there will be no camp fees coming in.  Many will never re-open and Scouters will be open to going elsewhere after we resume in a year (or maybe two).  It will all become quite clear.  Will the key volunteer leadership at the council level act rationally or will they "go down with the ship" 

As for national, look for the furloughs to become permanent.  Liability insurance rates will continue to climb, but personnel costs will be cut by 2/3.  There is little left to "manage" at this point.  Responsible councils will be on their own and will receive little guidance from natinal executives.  Irresponsible councils will be no more. 

Every healthy NFP organization has regular and significant turnover on its Executive Board.  It just keeps things fresh and inserts a form of natural transparency because newer board members usually enjoy polling their friends on important issues being considered.  It also allows for the most successful volunteers to bring their top council experience to the decision-making.  The BSA national structure includes many fine scouters with great council experience -- many have been council presidents.  However, too many in the key positions have served in national roles for over 20 years and have not been in a local volunteer capacity for that entire time.  Once someone is on that national structure they tend to cease direct local involvement.  National structure activity can involve a lot of time and travel, so most members are either retired or independently wealthy.  Having term limits whereby no person could stand for re-election after serving 8 years would retire over 2/3 of the national executive board.  Term limits would be very good.

What is your most-important recommendation to members of national BSA committees, who will gather next week to consider changes in response to the bankruptcy and COVID-19 virus?  Make a one-sentence proposal, and support it with a 5-6 sentence paragraph.  Please keep it to a single subject.  Here is mine:

Proposal:  Spin-off the BSA National Foundation into an independent organization that supports local and national BSA organizations.

Support:  Donors want to support the BSA but fear new contributions will be used to pay post-bankruptcy claims against the local councils or the national organization.  An entirely separate foundation with the purpose of raising and distributing contributions to specific local or national BSA entities can provide a secure means by which future BSA missions can be supported.  A combination of unit, council and national volunteers serving on a new foundation board would have the duty to see that gift agreements and bequests to specific BSA entities are strictly adhered-to in the collection, investment and distribution of funds.  Every council would benefit from national-class foundation services and donors would know their gifts and bequests would be used as they intend.

General Session is on May 20 from 4-5 PM (Central).  Business Meeting is May 22 from 3-4 PM (Central).  Many opinions expressed on this site over the past several months have been reviewed by national decision makers.

The Annual General Session and Business Meeting will include significant announcements and you should view it, if possible. 

When the National Annual Meeting (NAM) is held in the "normal" format, any scouter can register and attend, but has to be approved by the local Scout Executive.  I have never heard of someone wanting to go that was not approved by the local SE.  Each council sends a group and it is fun to pal around for a few days.  These meetings are three-day conventions, held at a major convention center and usually attract about 3,000 people.  The cost to attend is reasonable, but the hotels at the convention centers usually run about $250/night.  I have attended about 8 of these over the past 30 years.  The NAMs are usually pretty enjoyable, with seminars and presentations being offered covering just about every scouting interest.  Attendees select to attend some of the "pay" events, such as the region luncheon (when the Silver Antelopes are presented), Americanism breakfast, Foundation recognition dinner (the fancy "dress-up" event of the NAM) and the closing dinner (when Silver Buffalos are presented).  The cost of these events is nominal.  Everything else is included in the registration fee, including all of the seminars and the annual general session, national key three presentation and annual business meeting.  The only votes taken in public is a voice vote on the new members of the National Executive Board and National Officers.  Only members of the national structure and the council delegates (elected locally) get to vote, as they comprise the legal entity known as the "National Council".

What is not generally advertised is that the members of the national structure arrive a couple of days early and conduct their business (they meet three times a year, the other two meetings being at a hotel at DFW airport).  These are serious, lengthy meetings where votes are taken on suggested policies and activities, some of which are then recommended up to the National Executive Board for consideration.  This year I expect they will change (probably downsize) the national, region and area structures.  The resources are no longer there to operate the previous structure, which has already been downsized through virus-related furloughs.  The speeches at the general session and business meeting usually announce and go over these matters.  If you can get your local SE to approve you, you might be able to be invited to view this year's event, which is on Zoom (you need an entry code).  There is no fee this year. 

Earlier in the year I posted an entry  which became a lengthy discussion on the national structure and how it might be improved as a result of the bankruptcy.  That was before the virus hit, so the possibility of significant change has increased.   Below I have pasted the portion of my entry which describes the national structure.

[From earlier this year - Describing the National Structure]

Volunteer Structure.  The National Council provides an exclusive charter to Councils to offer Scouting in a geographic territory.  It is comprised of National Council members elected locally to represent councils and other volunteers otherwise part of the national structure.  The National Council elects a huge National Executive Board during each national annual meeting and that National Executive Board thereafter elects various officers.  The officers comprise an “Executive Committee”.  So many people want to be on the National Executive Board that there is a companion National Advisory Council, whose members are privy to all confidential information and are allowed to attend Executive Board meetings – they just do not get to vote.  When the National Executive Board meets during its three regular meetings each year (twice in Dallas and once at each national annual meeting), it is in a room with over 100 members and many relevant staff.  Prior to each National Executive Board meeting there are 2 or 3 days of pre-meetings by “national committees”.  The more-important national committees are “Standing” committees and are dominated by Executive Board and Advisory Council members.  The committees without “Standing” status are comprised of council, area and region scouters with a few Executive Board and Advisory Council members.  Often the chair at the region level for a subject area will serve on the national committee for that subject area – but not always.  

In total, I guestimate there are about 500 volunteers formally involved in the various national committee/advisory council/executive board policy roles.  Admission to membership on any of these is tightly controlled.  It is very expensive and time-consuming to participate in any of these national roles.  Turnover of Board and Advisory Council membership is very slow, with maybe 6-7 new people replacing people who have died or become otherwise unable to serve.  Recently, membership was frozen and no new people being admitted.    All national meetings are confidential, and only national volunteers are allowed to attend – and even then only meetings directly relevant to their appointment.  The policies of the BSA generally originate in various national committees and are “reported up” to Standing committees for consideration.  A few policies or actions are recommended to the Executive Board.  After that, the smaller Executive Committee will usually decide the big issues in private.  Some policy matters are discussed and voted upon during the National Executive Board meetings.  These would more-typically be among the most potentially-controversial decisions that Executive Committee does not want to make alone.

The four “regions” and their component multi-council “areas” are delegated full authority to implement national policy and programs, and are therefore a part of the national structure.  They do not make policy – they implement it.  This includes everything from enforcing compliance with national policy standards, reviewing membership and advancement appeals, organizing a few national program activities (like jamboree sub-camps and OA activities) and reviewing (and even revoking) council charters.  When a merger of councils is arranged or mandated, it is the region volunteers and the few staff members who work with them who do it.  The key region/area volunteers with influence are former council presidents.  The remainder are experienced former council program people (commissioners, etc.).  I will guesstimate there are probably upwards of 2,000 region/area Scouters.

Professional Structure.  There are credentialed professional Scouters who are assigned to staff every one of the above structures and volunteers.  Most are former council Scout Executives.  These consist of Area Directors, Region Directors (considered one of the “top jobs” among professionals), substantive department directors in the national service center, and ultimately the Chief Scout Executive and 4-6 Deputy and Assistant Chiefs (considered to be the very “top jobs”).  There used to be region service centers – but these were sold-off and now staff in Irving, TX support all national professionals.  Currently the top professional position (normally the Chief Scout Executive) is the “CEO” and is not currently filled by a credentialed professional Scouter.  This is likely because of the skills needed during the course of the anticipated Ch. 11.  Professional Scouters who are identified to move up the professional ranks alternate between national and local council positions.

Issues.  The national structure and the individuals associated with it who have made the policy decisions and led the national movement over the last thirty years are largely responsible for where we are now policy-wise.  The national structure sets the vision, makes the decisions and tightly controls implementation and public relations.  With few exceptions, the Executive Committee received advice, made the decisions in private and announced and implemented the policies through the national structure.

Observations.  More regular turnover on the Executive Board and Advisory Council and injecting additional transparency might upgrade consideration and implementation of important, existential matters.  Some of the big decisions made – or not made – have variously had positive and catastrophic impacts on the BSA and its members.  Several decision makers and board members have been in place for 20 or more years and many intend to continue serving for life.

Possibilities.  The Bankruptcy process will likely force significant change.  The entire region/area volunteer and professional structure might be discontinued in lieu of direct management from the national service center and adoption of a greatly “deregulated” approach.  A more-independent legal structure might be adopted, whereby councils would have charters but be far less regulated and directed by the National Council.  For example, perhaps every council would offer not all BSA programs, and councils might be more on their own in terms of support services, like insurance, personnel and property development.  The BSA national foundation might be spun-off as an independent organization so that future major donor contributions would be protected from lawsuits seeking to attach BSA assets.  The national policy structure and process might be discontinued in lieu of a more-nimble approach.  The current Executive Board/Advisory Council might be discontinued in lieu of a smaller and more transparent structure.  Possibilities like these would dramatically reduce national financial overhead.

The National Executive Board, National Advisory Council, standing committees and other committees (which number about 40) will have closed meetings.  Those schedules are not generally published and non-member guests are not permitted.  These meetings take place first, so that decisions made can be announced at the large general business meetings.  Look for significant structural decisions on the national structure to be announced during the general session.