who chooses adult members?

[Lisabob 13]

This is a newbie sort of a question and I am looking for information rather than debate. Can someone help me understand how adults are chosen to join OA? In particular, who chooses them and based on what criteria (supposing that there are more eligible adults than OA nominations allowed) It was mentioned recently at a troop committee meeting that our troop has some eligible adults but because our OA lodge has not been in good working condition in the last few years, there is some confusion about how exactly this works.

 

Thanks for your assistance.

[emb021 16]

The Guide for Officers and Advisors (pg 21) gives the information on adult selection.

 

Further, the FAQ section of the National OA site also gives info: http://www.oa-bsa.org/qanda/

 

As I recall, the troop committee selectes the troop adults to put forth. A troop can nominate 1 adult for every 50 youths selected for OA membership. Troop adults must meet the same camping requirements as the youth.

 

Adults who work at the district/council levels can also be put forth for OA membership. They don't have to met the camping requirement, but am uncertain who puts them forth.

 

 

 

 

 

[Secret DE 10]

First off, Adults are selected to become members of the Order of the Arrow, not as an honor, but rather for what they can do to help the Order and its members. Each Troop Committee that holds an election is authorized to select one person from the unit that can be selected each year. At the unit level there are a few considerations. The ratio is actually one adult per fifty youth, so a unit with 51 youth can nominate 2 adults, 76 you can nominate 3 and so on and so on. These nominees must meet the camping requirements just like our youth.

 

At the District and Council Level the District Chairmen, Council President and any Professional (excluding the Scout Executive ==> he is the next category) can make nominations to the Order for District and Council level Scouters. The Professional or District Chairman is not allowed to nominate someone from a unit, only a District or Council related individual. These people generally must meet the camping requirements, but at the discretion of the Lodge Advisor they can be waived.

 

All nominations from unit committees, Professional Scouters, District Chairman and the Council President are subject to the review of the Lodge Adult Selection Committee. This is usually made up of the Lodge Advisor and other Adult OA members.

 

Now the Scout Executive is a completely different matter. The Council Scout Executive is the Supreme Chief of the Fire. As such he is allowed to nominate any adult he wishes to membership in the Order of the Arrow. This is how I became a member of my Lodge. The Supreme Chief of the Fire's nominations are not subject to review. You basically get a letter congratulating you on your selection and you choose an Ordeal of your liking.

 

That is adult selection in a nutshell. I hope it helps.

 

Secret DE

[Lisabob 13]

OK thanks, that is all in line with what I thought I knew.

 

Now for a troop, supposing that there are more adults who meet the minimum requirements than a troop is allowed to nominate, are there additional selection criteria that troops can suggest? For example, can a troop suggest that in choosing the 1-2-3 adults allotted to them, that committee members use a rubric made up by a committee chair (or SM, or someone else) to rank the candidates? Is it entirely at the discretion of the committee members to vote for whomever they please for any reason at all (again assuming all the candidates meet the minimum criteria)?

 

These are all hypothetical questions at this time and I am just asking to seek clarification on how troops typically handle this when there are more qualified adults than the troop has the authority to nominate. I know that this will be the case for our troop, owing to a large and active adult scouter corp, several newer committee members with no prior OA knowledge, a weak OA lodge that is trying to rebuild, and a lack of OA elections at the troop level in the last few years.

[Secret DE 10]

Lisabob,

 

I am sure you are going to get a whole lot of opinions on this question, but to me it is a no brainer that the Scoutmaster should be first on the list. After that I would look at who has the ability to help the not only the Order, but also your elected youth understand their role in the unit has members of the Order of the Arrow. When in doubt listen to the election team and select your Committee choice based upon those criteria.

 

Secret DE

[GernBlansten 10]

Lisa,

You are in a unique situation. You have too many eligible adults than you have slots available for recommendation to the OA. Usually, in our unit, either the adults don't meet the camping requirements or are already OA. In this situation, I'd be inclined to let the PLC make the choice. The troop committee can be too political.

[Oak Tree 15]

Lisabob,

 

I can tell you what I believe to be the case, and how we have handled it.

 

The sample form on the OA site says simply that the unit committee may recommend the adults. The signatures at the bottom are from the SM and CC. I would argue that the committee is free to use any method it wishes in order to decide on the recommendations.

 

In our troop it was just based on a conversation between the SM and CC. This is not really an issue that we wanted to bring to the entire committee, as it can almost seem like a personnel discussion, and with the bonus of a relatively large number of participants. Most of our committee isn't all that interested in this question anyway, I don't expect.

 

So you could do it by secret ballot, or by consensus discussion - but I like the simple version of a decision by the CC.

 

However you do it, the unit committee can use whatever criteria they like - although they are supposed to do it based on the potential for future service, and not as a reward or honor. We tend to focus on their current level of cheerful service. We also take into account whether their son is running for, and elected into, the OA - it seems more likely that a dad will participate if his son is also in. And we look at whether there are any other issues surrounding the Scouter - would anyone view it as an inappropriate honor for this person?

[scoutldr 726]

It sounds like Lisa's dilemma is that all the adults are equally qualified, and they just can't decide. I would suggest drawing a name out of a hat, rather than add unit-level requirements to the OA criteria.

[Lisabob 13]

Yes scoutldr, I expect that is what will happen, leading then to a situation where personalities (the eligible individuals' and the committee members') come into play. As we have a large committee too, I am not sure this is to the benefit of anybody. Trying to think about how to forestall such a situation. Thanks for people's input into the matter.

[Gunny2862 11]

I don't know much about the OA!

In fact I was just tapped, "called out" on Saturday. Purple diamond.

 

There was some discussion about a member of the "Key 3" who was supposed to show up to do the actual "sign off"? on adult prospects. None of whom were there but apparently one or more of them phoned in(or showed up and immediately departed) an assent for myself and a couple of others.

What positions are these Key 3 people? If that can be told to an as yet non member.

 

Lisabob - has a lottery OR an future contribution ranking been considered? If the latter I would think that only current OA members who may have a better understanding of what is really going to help the Chapter and thus be best for the Troop should do that ranking.

 

Then maybe you could say that that would be the criteria from now on - since in my limited knowledge that seems to be what the OA actually is supposed to use in determining candidates OR that if everyone stays active that you might clear that list of current prospects before adding any others but even that assumes that they WOULD all be selected which may not be the case.

[emb021 16]

"What positions are these Key 3 people?"

 

It depends on which Key 3.

 

In the OA, the Key 3 are the youth officer, adult lay advisor (volunteer) and adult staff advisor (professional) at a particular level. There are Key 3 at chapter level (Chapter Chief, Chapter Advisor, usually DE), Lodge level (Lodge Chief, Lodge Advisor, Lodge Staff Advisor), Section (Section Chief, Section Advisor, Section Staff Advisor), etc, etc.

 

In the BSA, the Key 3 are the commissioner, elected leader, and professional at that level. You have Key 3 from the district level up to national: District Commissioner, District Chair, DE; Council Commissioner, Council President, SE; etc etc

 

 

[John-in-KC 311]

emb,

 

And there's even Key 3 at unit level:

 

Program Officer (Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Varsity Coach, Advisor)

Committe Chair

COR (or IH/COR)

[Gunny2862 11]

Well since my CC was there and I think I could reasonably assume (and that is what it is) that at least one of the OA key three would have to have been there that is was either a district or council key three who took care of us.

Thanks for the input!

[Gunny2862 11]

Well since my CC was there and I think I could reasonably assume (and that is what it is) that at least one of the OA key three would have to have been there that is was either a chapter or council key three member who took care of us for our election/recommendation on the adult side..

Thanks for the input!

[MarkS 11]

I believe the Scout Executive must approve any adult nominated by the units in a council and that he can also waive the long-term camp camping requirement if the adult is unable to attend due to reasons of job security or health (must still have 15 days and nights of camping but can all be short-term/weekend camping).(This message has been edited by MarkS)