Can You Keep a NCS Secret?
National Governance 7 Comments 
2023 NCS, democratic process, gsusa, national delegate
We’re down to single digit days before it’s time for the 56th National Council Session (NCS) to commence, and GSUSA has finally — FINALLY — sent out a “What You Need to Know” email for all of us guests. My travel anxiety kicked into high gear a few days ago, and I had been forced to find out things piecemeal from friends who are delegates and Facebook groups which wasn’t helping matters. Lots of rumors about security and water bottles and social media guidelines were swirling around, but now GSUSA has OFFICIALLY published a guide (and an app!). But there’s something weird right at the very end of the guide.
The very last page of the 15 page document details the social media and communication guidelines that attendees of Phenom and the NCS are supposed to follow. Most of it is pretty standard, but there is one thing that strikes me as odd. The document states that attendees aren’t allowed to share “National Council Session voting outcomes.” What?
This is very bizarre and has never been a policy for past National Council Sessions, as far as I know. Why the secrecy? National Delegates should most certainly be able to share what happened with their constituents. When asked, are they supposed to say, “Sorry, can’t tell ya. You should have paid $450 for a ticket plus travel expenses to find out yourself if you didn’t want to wait on GSUSA.”
Later on in the document, it shares that “GSUSA will share official updates with councils regarding the National Council Session voting outcomes once final decisions have been made.” When’s that going to happen? Knowing GSUSA, it’ll be a couple of weeks, and there will be a spin attached. And what is meant by “once final decisions have been made?” The final vote IS the final decision!
We are a nonprofit — not a secret society. Voting results consist of numbers and facts, and there should be no spin attached. Members of this organization should be free to make up their mind as to how they want to interpret the voting results. This year’s discussion topic is the democratic process, for J-Low’s sake! There is nothing democratic process-like about being hush hush with voting results and waiting for GSUSA to proclaim them from on high.
What’s going on? Are they scared of something? Or is this only about control? Neither one justifies this policy in my opinion. Nonprofits are supposed to promote transparency, not secrecy.
This is troubling. Hope to hear more.
Reverse Psychology maybe? You know it’s now a challenge to the masses.
It’s never good when they try to do things behind closed doors. There needs to be accountability.
Usa it about the possible GS Promise update? Then I can see it. Don’t want too many variations of that going around if it does change. But yes, I won’t be there, and I want to know while in Florida! Dannng that’s infuriating that I’ll be there and won’t know. 🙁
I can’t afford to attend, so please share what the council does… damn the guidelines. Remember the not asking permission rule by Juliette Low. 🙂
Just glanced over the document… tell the security about your pins!! Say what??? Delegates are supposed to wear their uniforms!
Maybe not everyone is attentive as you are about reading the fine print. I don’t always manage to read pre-event materials before the event. But it does sound like they want to be the first to report the news so that they are prepared for any blowback.