American Mensa Region 10

RVC (or RC) Column

Elissa Rudolph is currently serving as Regional Coordinator for Region 10 as long as there isn't an elected RVC; the Regional Coordinator does all the tasks of the RVC but is a nonvoting member of the AMC.

May 2025

As of this writing (April 16, 2025), I have no definitive answers on the current lawsuit moving through the New York court system. If there is a decision within the next few days, I will share it with everyone as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, I have attempted to connect with Region 10's membership via MensaConnect with limited success. Each local group has its issues different from each other's and we're all busy. So I started reading the newsletters -- now that was an informative journey. I can share some of what I found with you. I read about spring picnics and lots of restaurant experiences described. I was impressed with one local group's visits to several ethnic eateries, all in the same month -- Japanese, Peruvian, Barbecue, Steakhouse, Mexican and Thai! Wow! Most groups have restaurant activities, but what else do they do? Zoom events such as Brain Storming and Christian Bible Study and Book Clubs. Also some Region 10 newsletters published details about the Theodore Talks that discuss Chicago-oriented topics -- the Shedd Aquarium and the Columbian Exposition that came to the windy city in 1893. If you haven't experienced one of the Theodore talks, you can probably find details on MensaConnect; there will be talks in May and June. One local group advertises a "Bring Your Own Book" event that takes place at A. P. Rifools' home. Conversation is permitted during breaks. Interesting concept? Other non-food events I read about were Board Game evenings, museum visits -- one was to the largest natural history museum on the Gulf Coast -- local celebrity talks, and music events such as Watermelon Wine, a country band, and a Jazz Jam at an airport flight lounge. Clearly, Region 10 Mensans are creative in their pursuit of food, entertainment and learning new stuff. In my own local group, we're planning to do more outdoor activities. Coming up in May is a visit and tour of a local wildlife sanctuary. If you read other regional newsletters, you may find -- just as I did -- experiences you might adapt to your own local group.

I hope to have more information about the current state of affairs in my next column. Until then contact me with any comments or questions. Have a great month!

April 2025

Until a permanent RVC for Region 10 is elected, I'll title this column, "the next chapter," because it is for me and you, the membership of our unique area. I'm looking toward the future along with you.

Last weekend I spent time at the National Office in Hurst, Texas, joining with staff members, some of whom I've known for many years, and with new Regional Coordinators like me, and other board members to hear about how RCs can help members connect and expand their Mensa experiences. The new office is bright and welcoming, a no-nonsense workplace, where an incredible amount of work is accomplished, serving us all. I hope to add a few photos to the Region's website so you can see for yourself the new brick-and-mortar home base for American Mensa. Yes, the memorial bricks are there, transferred from the Arlington office.

Much of the work of an RC is familiar to me, having been an RVC for the Florida Region in the mid-2000s. And yet parts of the job are so new, I (and others) needed a refresher course. That was the main business of that weekend -- I learned about new and traditional facets of the RC job so that I could better serve the members of Region 10 for the next three months. When the new RVC takes office, they will have me assisting them in taking over this major position. Other new ideas covered included news about potential partnerships with Farmers Insurance and Sixt Car Rental. More about that in the coming months. For those of you who've read this far hoping to learn more about the pending court case involving ten former board members, here's what I can tell you: this case is moving through the New York court system. You will know when there are new developments I can share.

Meanwhile as I get re-oriented, I hope you will let me know how I can help you. We will both profit from what we learn. Contact me at the email above or through MensaConnect, Region 10. Until the next chapter, happy spring!

March 2025

My new title is RC or Regional Coordinator, like an RVC with some differences.

A Regional Coordinator has almost all the same rights and responsibilities as an RVC. Regional Coordinators are members of the AMC with the right to speak and to make motions. They have the same regional budget as RVCs, the same funding to attend meetings as RVCs, the same responsibilities within the Region as RVCs, and everything else is the same as RVCs except the right to vote on the AMC. The answer as to why this position exists and why it is non-voting is long and complicated; it has to do with New York State law. New York law is important to this because American Mensa is incorporated there.

When a new RVC is elected for Region 10, I will go away (but not far!). I will not run for RVC; I will come back to our local group as Deputy LocSec, where I have been for a few months. I cannot serve in a national office and a local office at the same time.

What happened? Something occurred during the September 2024 AMC Meeting that led to the then-RVC8, 7 other RVCs, and 2 appointees being brought up on charges of having committed acts inimical to Mensa. Such charges are heard by the National Hearings Committee, a body of three former officers who are not currently on the AMC. Each of the 10 was found to have committed acts inimical to Mensa, and one of the penalties imposed was that they were removed from the AMC with immediate effect. That is why there is no RVC10 at the moment and why a fill-in Regional Coordinator is needed.

I never thought I'd be back on the AMC, but I wanted to help out in this time of disarray. It's a short period; there will be an RVC election in the spring, with the new officers beginning their terms at the AG in Chicago.

Please contact me if you have further questions.

February 2025

First Vice Chair Jon Gruebele wrote this column to substitute for the removed RVCs' columns this month.

Happenings at National

We've had some big changes on the American Mensa Board of Directors (AMC). Pursuant to a complaint, the national Hearings Committee determined eight Regional Vice Chairs (RVCs) and two appointed officers should be removed from their offices and be prohibited from serving in any capacity -- including local and regional positions -- for a number of years.

The announcements from our Chair Lori Norris and the Hearings Committee are posted on the national website under Lead -> Board of Directors.

Since you may not be seeing your usual RVC newsletter article, I've been asked to help keep members informed. There have been many questions raised since the announcements were made:

How will this affect me? You probably won't notice a difference. Your local group can still offer dinners, game nights, and various outings. Several Regional Gatherings and the Annual Gathering in Chicago are proceeding apace. Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and online events will continue. You'll still get your Bulletin and Local Group newsletter.

How does the hearings process work? The process is outlined in our bylaws (IX.5). It's designed to have respected, disinterested parties hear the evidence and make a decision. Normally that's our three most recent past Chairs, currently Deb Stone, Timmy King, and LaRae Bakerink. These are people our members elected to lead the entire organization, so presumably they have the wherewithal to conduct a hearing that's fair to both parties. Each side is afforded the opportunity to be represented by counsel, present evidence, and question witnesses. The Hearings Committee is fully independent of the AMC.

Why weren't more details released? Hearings were long ago made confidential to protect all parties in the process. If someone is unjustly accused, they don't want their name broadcast to the world and forever be associated with something they didn't do. Conversely, victims shouldn't be required to give up their anonymity to seek redress. That's particularly important for people who may have been subject to things like sexual harassment. A public hearings process can feel like a second violation.

Who will represent me on the AMC? Members vote in each election for up to 6 representatives: Chair, First Vice Chair, Second Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and RVC. Four of the six are still working to serve you, and a new Second Vice Chair was appointed by the AMC in December. Meanwhile, LocSecs are working to nominate Regional Coordinators (RCs) to represent you. RCs have the same rights and responsibilities as RVCs, but due to New York state law, they don't have a vote on the AMC. They will serve until elections for new RVCs can be held, likely later this year.

What can I do? Renew your membership. Continue to enjoy the friendships and experiences Mensa offers. Sign up for the Chicago Annual Gathering in July. Volunteer to host an event. Join a SIG. Encourage a smart friend to join. Have some fun.

Floreat Mensa!

Comments? Email me at firstvicechair@us.mensa.org

Kay Klasen wrote this RVC column for February 2025 soon before being removed from office.

The holiday season has come to a close. There is still snow on the ground in many areas, we have bright sunshine to be thankful for! The kids are back in school and we are all heading back to work. Oh wait! I am retired, so you may be headed back to your job, but I am doing the work of volunteering. Locally I volunteer at least 20 hours a month to another organization and really enjoy that.

Belonging is very important to our well being and nothing makes me feel better than doing for others, so volunteering fits the bill. As a volunteer organization Mensa also needs our help as members and volunteers. The membership year closes on March 31. If you have not yet renewed, I hope you will head over to http://us.mensa.org/renew after reading this column. (If you prefer to pay over the phone rather than online, call the National Office at 817-607-0060 ext. 199.) This organization thrives because of its diverse membership. Our members are the source of constant inspiration to me.

Please make sure to renew so that you can enjoy all that Mensa has to offer.

January 2025

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Mine was cheery and bright! As I write this column, I am preparing for the AMC quarterly meeting. The meeting information is published on the website at https://www.us.mensa.org/lead/amc/meeting-reports/ Choose the date (2024-12-07), and all the reports and agenda are there. By the time you read this, the mini-minutes may also be available. I have been asked to chair the Principles of Conduct Advisory Task Force, and if all goes as planned we should be working on that by late January after the task force members have been selected.

As I said in my last column, we have many events coming our way. There are still some spaces for members at the MindGames event but they are going fast. The hotel also has rooms still available. Registration for the Annual Gathering has already reached 1,100 participants and keeps climbing. CultureQuest is also around the corner. If you are interested in competing, now is the time to start thinking about setting up a team. Teams are made up of five players and up to two alternates. All participants must be dues-paying members as of next Aptil 1^st. The top 20 teams not only get bragging rights, but also earn cash for their local groups.

For interested local groups, the Bylaws Committee will help with your update! If you request assistance, per the December report they will "review your current bylaws, rolling in as many of the required items as we can, and sending that file back to the local group in Track Changes mode so they can see what we did." This can save you a lot of time and effort, and help smooth the process for your volunteers. Just get in touch with Dan Burg at
bylaws@us.mensa.org.

Past columns: 2024

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