My Concerns about the 2023 NCS
National Governance 5 Comments 
2023 NCS, blue book, gsusa, national council, national delegate, OFFICIAL scarf, roberts rules
We’re a little over two weeks away to the start of the 2023 National Council Session, and I’m trying to get these SWAPs made in time. It’s slow going. But I’ll get there. Look for me. I’ll be the one in navy and wearing an OFFICIAL scarf.
I have to admit I’ve had some very, very wild mood swings over the past few months when it comes to this NCS. I’ve experienced a different perspective this time around since I’m serving on a council resource team for a proposal. I’m going to keep the specifics to myself, but it has been very disappointing and discouraging to see how things have been handled. I feel that councils who have proposals that GSUSA doesn’t support are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to trying to rally support. I’m saying this ahead of time so that it doesn’t come across as sour grapes depending on what happens with the proposal.
But aside from that, I have very grave concerns about this NCS. First, girls are serving as presiding officers, and I really do not feel like this is a wise thing to do. When I asked about this, I was told that actually they would be “co-presiding officers” with National Board members. Robert’s Rules doesn’t say anything about “co-presiding officers,” so I question whether this can even be done, but still – girls will be presiding officers whether it’s “co-chairing” or not. I covered this topic back last November when Blue Book changes were made, and I haven’t changed my position on it. The NCS can get very chaotic and testy, and this risks putting a girl in an awkward position all for the sake of optics. Or perhaps, the ones running the show think delegates will act differently if a girl is serving as a presiding officer and will be less likely to push back or appeal the decision of the chair. That’s manipulation if that’s really what’s going on, and it’s using girls on top of it.
I don’t get it. We’re all about progression in Girl Scouting, except when it comes to the NCS, I guess. It’s like giving a beginning driver the keys to the car in a Buc-ee’s parking lot and telling her to leave the lot, merge onto I-95 South, and drive down to Savannah on a Friday afternoon. If I as a troop leader decided to take girls who had never spent the night outdoors on a three-night backpacking trek and things went badly, I’d be roasted and possibly would even lose my volunteer status. We incorporate progression for certain reasons with one being protection of the girl both mentally and physically. It’s very possible that the girls would rock the backpacking trek – but most likely, they’d struggle which is why we teach outdoor progression. In this case, it’s very possible that the girls serving as presiding officers will successfully run the sessions, but is the risk of being embarrassed in front of thousands of people worth it? I truly fear for the well-being of the girls, and I don’t feel like we’re being careful enough here.
Not to mention, I saw the results of the National Delegate survey from a few months ago. Only 32% of adult delegates and only 66% of girl delegates thought girls should serve as presiding officers. It’s obviously not a popular opinion. Why is GSUSA purposefully ignoring the wishes of the National Council?
I am also concerned about the preparation of National Delegates. I wonder how many councils actually held training for their delegates, or did they just direct them to go watch the videos on the delegate website and that was that? And how many of those delegates actually did it? Or watched them while multi-tasking and caught about 50% of what was said? You get the picture.
I also have concerns about how parliamentary procedure will be handled during the NCS. I wish I could go into more detail about this, but it would turn personal, and I can’t go there publicly. Just remember that an assembly can vote to remove the chair (presiding officer) if it feels that things aren’t being handled properly and fairly.
It’s been six years since we’ve had an in-person NCS. I hope I am just being Chicken Little, but I am a little scared for what’s about to play out because I’ve seen what happens when things don’t go well. It’s ugly. Proposal 3 in 2017, anyone?
As for the future of the NCS, I think there are clues in this slide from a recent CEO call:
Why did GSUSA poll CEOs about holding the NCS virtually when the proposal about a virtual NCS hasn’t even been voted on yet? I guess they are confident about the proposal passing. It just seems to be very premature to ask these questions now. Are they going to survey the National Council too? If anyone assumes it’s okay to pass the proposal about a virtual NCS thinking that it’ll only be used in emergencies, this slide should make you rethink that.
My guess is one day the NCS will be held separately from the “girl event” (notice they don’t even use the word “convention” anymore), and it’ll be the equivalent of a glorified virtual annual meeting where delegates log in and passively vote on a few proposals with little debate or discussion. That seems to be what is being telegraphed.
I will be the first to admit that I’m a big worry wart, but I’m just being honest. But I know I’m not the only one. Like Han Solo said:
Why hold it virtually if it doesn’t have to be that way? Do they not remember the chaos of the 2000? online convention? Somebody at the microphone every two seconds.. 🙁 I agree with you about girls presiding.
Are you a delegate, Amy?
No, I’m not.
This is going to be so FUBAR, holding it at Disney World, in JULY and having a “Girl” event at the same time? Oh, and perhaps entire families along to “hit the the parks” while business is being conducted (really, we expect that delegates will be paying attention and willing to debate when all of Disney World is calling)???
Girl Scouting as many of us knew it is long gone. This is just another symptom of it.
I want to reword what I said above:
This is going to be so FUBAR, holding it at Disney World, in JULY and having a “Girl” event at the same time?
Oh, and perhaps entire families along to “hit the the parks” while business is being conducted (really, we expect that delegates will be paying attention and willing to debate when all of Disney World is calling)???
Having girls running it? That was what the GIRL CONGRESS was all about! It was held a couple days BEFORE the NCS! One, it got a lot of the “bugs” in the equipment out. Two, it was where girl voices were heard, some of their proposals would actually make it to the NCS!!! (At one time) and Three, it was training for the girls because they actually “WORKED” the floor of the session, being runners and such.
In so many councils we have LOST the democratic-representational form of governance. It’s not delegates that decide or propose anything , but the employees. Having council employees on the boards and as delegates? Isn’t that a conflict of interest??? Who represents the membership?
A member is a DUES PAYING person. All those parents that registered – they are members!
Girl Scouting as many of us knew it is long gone. This is just debacle over proposals, and the lack of delegate training is only another symptom of it.