Description
Description
This is a proposal to purchase a renewable annual Pro Plan account from Zoom Video Communications for access by ProgCode Operations Staff in fulfillment of the ProgCode mission.
Problem
For the most part, ProgCode is a virtual community. It relies in great part on technology such as messaging, collaboration tools, and videoconferencing to connect our members. ProgCode uses Zoom as its preferred videoconferencing tech, due to its ease of use, features, and superior performance compared with other videoconferencing sources. It is a necessity for meetings, onboarding sessions, the Virtual Conference, and, most recently, the first ProgCode podcast.
A free Zoom account limits a meeting of three or more persons to 40 minutes, which is impractical for most ProgCode needs. The lowest level paid account (i.e., Pro Plan) allows up to 100 conference participants for an unlimited time period. Since our founding, ProgCode has relied on the use of individuals' personal paid Zoom accounts, which has worked well but leaves the community exposed to the risk of lack of access. Now that fundraising has improved, ProgCode can afford the annual fee of $149.90. The account also could be enhanced for webinar services on an as-needed basis for special events such as the Virtual Conference.
Benefit
A centralized videoconferencing service account will facilitate continued community use for meetings, onboarding sessions, podcasts, special events, and such other uses which fulfill the ProgCode mission. This will reduce community reliance on paid accounts owned by individual members and increase the reliability of the service when needed. A ProgCode account also may be used in conjunction with other personal paid accounts of Staff members to provide greater scheduling flexibility, such as conducting two or more simultaneous videoconferences.
Expenditure Analysis
This proposed solution would require a minor annual expenditure (currently $149.90). The requirements of Issues #198 and #236 are applicable, as follows:
Proposals seeking consent for implementation of budget requests and/or change process should not contradict ProgCode core objective and should pass this four-pronged test when considered by operations:
- Is this proposal non-partisan in nature? Yes
- Is this proposal aligned with ProgCode's mission of removing the influence of big money in politics? Yes
- Does this proposal seek to empower the grassroots by supporting the creation of open source tech? Yes
- Is this proposal sponsored or funded by an outside organization? If yes, the source of the funding must be disclosed. No
Plan
- Community discussion of all elements of this proposal at the 09.17.2018 Community Operations Meeting.
- Vote for consent to implement the standard change to purchase a renewable Pro Plan Zoom account for access by all ProgCode Staff for the benefit of and use by the ProgCode community.
- Notify the community of the vote taken by posting a #team-announcement and sharing the video URL in #operations immediately following the 09.17.2018 Community Operations Meeting to allow additional votes & feedback during the standard 72-hour waiting period before ratifying the vote.
- If vote passes, purchase a renewable Pro Plan Zoom account under the ProgCode Administration account.
- Reassign all recurring ProgCode meetings and schedule all future ProgCode meetings to the ProgCode Zoom account, to the extent necessary or convenient to Staff.
- Grant login access to the Zoom account to all current and future ProgCode Staff members, on an as-needed basis.
- Operations Staff to create a standard process for use, maintenance, and security of the ProgCode Zoom account.
Decision Making
Consent to implement a standard change per the Change Process
Optional Information
Reference link(s)
Community Discussion History:
- 02.26.2017 - Issue 81 "Funding Framework"
- 05.15.2017 - Issue 198 "Four Pronged Test for Mission Alignment"
- 06.18.2018 - Issue 236 "Standard Change - Budget Expense Requests"