Membership

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Membership

Who is a member?

Do not edit this page. This page is the official process that Noisebridge has agreed by consensus. If you wish to modify it, you should bring up your desired changes at a weekly meeting.

Though there is no fee or membership dues for being a Noisebridge member, we ask that folks contribute according to their ability and how much they use Noisebridge. For a lot of folks, the best way to give back to Noisebridge is to contribute to our operating expenses with a regular monthly donation. Others prefer to contribute by helping out as a docent, teaching lots of useful classes, or repairing the space. If you're not sure how best to give back to Noisebridge, you should get in touch with a member

There are two categories of membership at Noisebridge.

Associate Members

Being an associate member of Noisebridge is a lot like being a member of a gym or a chess club. Associate members can come to Noisebridge to hack and learn whenever they want. Associate members can bring their friends, colleagues, and collaborators to Noisebridge to work on projects with them.

Becoming an associate member is relatively straightforward. You can do it in the space or online.

To become an associate member in person:

  1. Fill out top part of the application form. There should be blank forms in the membership binder, or you can print your own.
  2. Put your completed application form in the binder at the space.
  3. Persuade four current full or associate members to sponsor your application by signing your application form.
  4. That's it!


To become an associate member online: create an account on this wiki, edit your user page to introduce yourself and have the [[Category:Applicant]] tag. You can use whatever name you like, and tell us as much or as little about you as you'd like. Folks still need to know you when they meet you at Noisebridge though, so if you use an opaque pseudonym, you might have to introduce yourself a lot in person. For examples of how folks like to introduce themselves, you could check out the wiki pages of some existing associate members.

Once you have your wiki page, you need to get four people to sponsor you. They do this by editing your wiki user page, adding a little note that they're vouching for you. The people who can sponsor you are:

  1. any full member, or
  2. any associate member who didn't become an associate since the last Tuesday meeting.

Once four folks have added a note of support on your wiki user page, you can add yourself to the Category:Associate Members, and you're done, congrats! Now you can come to the space whenever you'd like, and bring folks with you. However, you can't sponsor other folks until a Tuesday meeting has passed since you became an associate.

Now would be a good time to make sure you've introduced yourself on IRC, at a Tuesday meeting, and on the discussion list; joined other mailing lists you'd like, ask for an account on some of Noisebridge's shared machines, sign GPG keys with folks, or ask someone to set you up with a door code. Happy hacking!

Full Members

Being a full member of Noisebridge is different. Lots of folks come to Noisebridge to hack and learn: you don't need to be a full member for that. At Noisebridge, membership is something different: it means taking responsibility and committing to help to maintain, improve, and govern Noisebridge. As a full member of Noisebridge, you don't just come here to hack and learn, you actively work to improve what you see around you, help to deal with problems, and make this community better than it is today.

Noisbridge's full members are the only folks in our community who are empowered to fully participate in Noisebridge's consensus process. This is a heady and awesome responsibility, and it is likewise an involved process to become a full member. Here's how it goes

  1. Fill out top part of the application form. There should be blank forms in the membership binder, or you can print your own.
  2. Put your completed application form in the binder at the space.
  3. Persuade two current full Noisebridge members to sponsor your application by signing your application form.
  4. Every meeting, there is a standing agenda item to read all the applications in the binder. You do not have to be present when your application is read.
  5. Once your application has been read out at four meetings, and you have obtained two sponsors, you are up for approval.
  6. During that meeting you may request that Noisebridge consents to have you become a member, but you may put this off until the next meeting (or the next &c.). If you are unable to attend meetings, another member may proxy your request.
  7. During the meeting at which you request that Noisebridge consents to have you become a member, those present may ask you (or your proxy) questions.
  8. After those present are finished asking questions, you are asked to leave the room, and your application is discussed without you present. The meeting may then choose to agree to have you become a member of Noisebridge.
  • Once Noisebridge has agreed to have you as a member, give the secretary your application form. You're done!

At any time, anyone can look in the binder and peruse the applications. If an existing member has any concerns with any of the applicants, they should take time during that month to try and resolve the problem. They may ask another member to be a proxy for them to either help resolve the problem (preferred) or to voice their objection at the approval meeting.

The membership form may be downloaded here. There are copies at the space (until we run out). If we are out of forms, you should print some more! The binder is located on the desk at the entrance, next to the donation bin. Note that these items might be relocated through the space over time.


Being a Member of Noisebridge

As a member of Noisebridge you are our ambassadors and advocates to the world, maintainers of our physical and digital infrastructure, and probably pretty cool. Here are some things that you should do.

  • DO: Contribute to Noisebridge. Help us pay rent with a regular donation, but help out in other ways too!
  • DO: Be excellent to everyone. Follow our community standards and anti-harassment policy, and teach others about them.
  • DO: Represent Noisebridge. Go out into the world, visit other hackerspaces, make awesome projects, and tell everyone how great Noisebridge is.
  • DO: Keep your contact info up to date. For associates, this means your wiki user page. For full members, this means emailing the secretary.


Hiatus, Departure, and Suspension

Members can leave Noisebridge. If an associate wants to leave, they just need to delete the attestations and the category from their wiki user page. You can also delete your wiki account, but you don't have to. If a full member wishes to leave, they have to inform the treasurer and secretary.

In either case, once you leave, you need to go through the whole joining process to become a member again. For associate members, your sponsors can be the same, but they need to add their comments to your user page; you can't just copy and paste their previous attestations.

Noisebridge also allows members to go on Hiatus if they wish to temporarily suspend their membership. Hiatus may be used when a member will not be involved in Noisebridge for an extended period, such as if they are traveling. Being on hiatus is more important for full members, though associates are welcome to go on hiatus too.

Noisebridge may also suspend someone's membership. A full member is not entitled to full participation in the consensus process around a proposal to suspend that person's membership. If a member has been suspended, they shall no longer be considered a member of Noisebridge for any purpose, including but not limited to, full participation in the consensus process.