Talk:Student Pugwash USA

I would like to invite your comments on Student Pugwash USA's current mission statement. Specific questions:

Given what you know or have reviewed, is SPUSA's mission acceptable as is? (E.g., accurate, relevant, succinct, complete)
If not, what needs to be changed and/or how should it be changed?
Any other specific thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks, Dann (26 November 2003)

Initial Responses

Cameron

Daniel

Dann

Not completely.
Suggestions:

a. Clarify Societal Issues Addressed by SPUSA

I would like to see more explicit reference to our issue areas (e.g., biotech ethics) as well as tie-in to themes (if not positions) of Sr. Pugwash manefestos, e.g., the Russell-Einstein Manefesto (alternatives to nukes) and the Gronigen Manefesto (ecological sustainability). SPUSA could be one means by which the spirit of these manefestos permeate our national (and global) consciousness and conscientiousness.

Denis

I would hope that through this dialogue, we could devise some clear and simple statements that define SPUSA's raison d'etre and how it goes about pursuing it. My personal bias is that a mission statement should focus on what, not how. With the understanding that this is meant only as an example of how we might go, the following is one way we might to. The language isn't right, but it's a potential format we might adopt.

Denis Mission Format

Mission: The mission of Student Pugwash is to prepare young people for life-long efforts to promote the socially responsible application of science and technology.

Principles/Approach:

Student Pugwash engages young people in examinations of the ethical, social, and global applications of science and technology
These examinations create public discourse about the role of individual responsibility in selecting a career and in producing and applying scientific and technological advances
Through SPUSA activities, students are prepared for making these concerns a guiding focus of their academic and professional endeavors.
Guided by a respect for diverse perspectives, SPUSA doesn't adopt advocacy positions on issues. Instead, it focuses on helping create a framework within which students can understand the issues at stake, become trained in social activism, and contemplate their ethical and moral responsiblities to themselves and to society as a whole.

Or something like that!!

- Denis (via email, Monday, December 01, 2003 4:11 PM)

Paul's Reply

Damn, you're good, Denis!

- Paul (via email, Mon, 01 Dec 2003 15:07PM)

Alan's Reply

Paul, even though I agree with you, you're going to give Denis a swelled head!

However, Denis, I have to say, Paul is right; I like the approach and the particular words used. I'm sure there will be some nuanced opinions, but I think as stated it is very good. Are we going to discuss this at the meeting?

- Alan (via email, Mon, 1 Dec 2003 12:18PM PST)

Paul

Tim

Victoria

Additional Responses

Dave A.

I know that we went through this same process about six years ago or so and it seems that another effort has been made to update the mission statement since then, as the one posted here is different from the one we agreed on at the end of the 1990s. Because Student Pugwash has always suffered from institutional memory problems I guess we will revise the mission statement every four years or so. Sigh. Changes I would make to this one: I would take out "lead discussions." I know that wasn't in there before and it makes Student Pugwash USA seem like it could possibly be the most boring organization on the face of the planet, which I don't think we are going for. I would also not use the acronym SPUSA, it sounds too much like Spew. Student Pugwash USA written out sounds much better and it then uses the word Pugwash which is a fun word and not boring at all. The whole last line seems like it was drafted by a very tired board of directors. . . I'm not even sure what it means. First, when was Student Pugwash ever about individual responsibility. As I recall, we are about social responsibility. What is individual responsiblity anyways? Putting on deoderant every day?

Mission statements should not be changing every few years. That is a sign of a struggling organization. Come to think of it, I would can this statement and I would go back to the one that was developed at the end of the 1990s. As I recall the mission statement that was agreed on at that time was word for word identical to the mission statement developed at the beginning of the organization. What was refreshing was to see how, as an organization, we didn't need to be constantly changing our long term strategic goals. The vision of Student Pugwash USA in 1979 was as relevant as Student Pugwash USA in 2000. Maybe some of our tactics for reaching those goals have changed and developed but it should still be the same organization.

By the way, hi everyone!

David Andersen November 26, 2003

Aha! I found the mission statement that was agreed upon circa 1996-1997.

1990s Mission Statement

"The mission of Student Pugwash USA is to promote the socially responsible application of science and technology in the 21st century. As a student organization, Student Pugwash USA encourages young people to examine the ethical, social, and global implications of science and technology, and to make these concerns a guiding focus of their academic and professional endeavors."

Dann, when did the board approve the changes that are in the mission statement you posted?

Dann's Reply

Hey Dave, thanks for your insights and resurrection of the previous mission statement ... I have no idea when the mission statement changed nor where I was at the time (hmmmm). What's provided in the article here is verbatim from the current Student Puwash USA Web site.
Pugwash is a fun word: I believe it's derived from the native Micmac term "Pagweak" (PAG-we-AK), meaning "shallow water," which aptly describes the waterbody immediately off the shore of the village of Pugwash, Nova Scotia. (Good thing they didn't translate it into English first, or this organization might be caled "Student Shallows USA")
Fun appears nowhere in the mission statement, however, even though I know that's a big part of wht you and I have stuck around so long, eh? Have to think more about that one...

- Dann (6:15 on 27 November 2003)

Dave again

I just want to re-iterate that the mission statement on the Web page is not the mission statement as approved by the board in the mid to late 1990s. My suspicion is that when the new Web site was made a staff member made changes on their own. Again, an institutional memory problem. Thus any discussion of a change in mission statement should be about the actual mission statement which I posted above. When we went through this process before it was a similar situation: the original mission statement had been changed so much that it was convoluted and confusing. Sandy, however, found the original mission statement (as posted above) and the board voted that we should keep it.

In my opinion Student Pugwash USA's mission statement as it reads now is quite good for a number of reasons. First, its focus is on promoting the socially responsible use of science and technology across the board, not just preparing young people to be more socially responsible. I was involved in Student Pugwash in college because it was a Student organization that was challenging the way we thought about the world. We thought that we could be influential not just in the future, but right now. Denis' statement that the mission is to "prepare" young people, while well intentioned, comes across as somewhat patronizing to me. Kind of like an adult telling you that medicine will eventually be good for you. Second, the mission statement shows that the focus is on global concerns. Its global perspective was why I stayed involved and, I believe, why many have been attracted to the organization. Third, it emphasizes that it is a student organization. Another reason to not use an acronym is to remind people that first and foremost Student Pugwash USA is about students and how students can change the world right now. One thing I hope I never did as a student leader, board member, and staff member was quash that idealism and the idea that what we do today makes an important difference. Finally, the ultimate focus is about professional careers. Yes, we want our members to pursue socially responsible careers. However, first and foremost we want Student Pugwash USA to be an important addition to their education right now.

I'm just trying to save the board a bit of time. The mission statement doesn't need to change, but we do need to make sure that it doesn't change when staffs change. Otherwise we will continue to have this discussion for the next 100 years.

December 2, 2003

Dann's synthesis

Dave, you are one of the few (only?) people to have played a significant role as a Student Pugwash campus leader member AND National Chapter Coordinator -- so, your insights are very helpful, thank you. In our memo to the Board (see draft at bottom of page), I suggest that we include David's recommendation to "Restore the Original Mission Statement" as stated above as one important (and easy) option for the Board to consider (see Proposed Recommendations, below).

In addition, I have included in the draft memo one means to ensure the mission is not missplaced in the future.

Dann, 2 December 2003

Jeff P.

Actually, I think Pagweak is the Micmac word for "more mosquitos per cubic meter than you would believe imaginable."

I think the mission statement is fine as far as it goes, and that's because it simply doesn't go all that far. What's the point of a mission statement in this organization? Our M.O. for as long as I've been around is to have a strong ED, a committed but generally hands-off board (excepting emergencies [and fundraising???]), and to keep students and others on very long and not-tightly reined in leashes.

The general reason for a mission statement is to keep a large group working towards the same goals. In our case, it probably won't affect the students -- except for advertising value, and there are better ways to do that. A good ED will be on the right track regardless through interaction with the board; a (hypothetical!) bad ED won't be affected by a static document. So -- what's the point, exactly?

That having been said, taking as given that we need a mission statement, and taking as given that we need a new one, what's missing here is that everyone IN Student Pugwash always talks as if we're on an evangelical mission to spread the word and change the world. Somehow this never makes it onto the printed page. Dann, I don't remember you standing on a table and yelling to other students, "create effective change and understand the issues at stake!"

This mission sounds awfully polite, rather tame, and kinda boring. And it's quite possible that the new SPUSA is a bit more polite, tame, and boring than I remember it -- impolite and exciting had its drawbacks as well.

Dann's reponse

Thanks for your inputs (and reminder of my tabletop pugvangelical days at Penn), Jeff! See Discussion below for follow-up questions...

Discussion

[Dann, Dec 2:] A few discusion questions for our collective consideration -

1. Do either the 1990s Mission Statement and/or Denis' Mission Format above adequately communicate "spread the word and change the world" (as both Jeff and Dave noted as important)?

Responses:

2. As a lightening rod and marketing tool, should our mission statement be more "polite, tame, and boring" or more "impolite and exciting"? More "issue-oriented" and/or "fun?" If so, how to change it accordingly?

Responses:

Proposed Recommendations

(Dann says: Here's a first cut at the draft memo to the Board. Please feel free to edit this as you see fit. We'll can make revisions to this the subject of our phone call.]

Draft Memo

TO: Student Pugwash USA Board of Directors

FROM: Ad Hoc Committee for Mission Statement Review (insert names here)

RE: Organizational Mission Revision - Options and Plans

In deliberating over Student Pugwash USA's Mission Statement, this ad hoc committee has identified the following options for consideration by the Board:

Retain the mission statement currently in use (though of unknown origin?) Restore the previously Board-approved 1990s Mission Statement Reformat the mission statement per Denis' Mission Format Other (insert your proposal here) A strategic combination of the above, as follows: (clarify your proposed combo here) The committe recommends that one of these options be selected at its next (December 2003) Board Meeting, and any associated changes put in place by the following (Spring 2004) Board Meeting. To prevent loss of institutional memory regarding the mission statement, the Committee further proposes that: The finalized mission statement be ratified and incorporated by the Board into the by-laws of the organization (Board, Spring 2004) The mission statement be updated accordingly on the Student Pugwash USA Web site included in [all?] future Student Pugwash USA proposals, event packets/agendas and publications (Staff, Fall 2004) The Executive Director note in employees' job descriptions their role in "Communicating Student Pugwash USA's mission (as stated in its by-laws).") (Executive Director, Fall 2004) Other (insert your proposal here)