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6 March Letter from EC
As is the case with EC communications, what they say is not always confirmed by investigating the facts.
6 March 2019
Dear Members
This is to let you know Judy Mayne will be returning to the role of Centre Director, at the request of the Executive Committee and FPMT International Office. Judy’s return will be a short term measure in response to the ongoing vacancy of the Director position at TI.
We will have an AGM in a number of weeks when the following positions on the Executive Committee will be open to members to vote on:
Assistant Director, Geshe Care, Secretary, Treasurer, Members’ and Residents’ Representatives.
The positions of Centre Director and Spiritual Program Coordinator are not open to a direct vote by members at an AGM, because these roles require consultation with FPMT Inc and in the case of an appointment of a Centre Director, advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
According to the Rules, all positions are vacated at the AGM other than those appointed by FPMT. The Centre Director, Treasurer and Secretary are the Office Bearers and are the only ones who have to be elected; extra people may also be elected but the numbers are up to the Members who vote on the night (or day). There is also nothing in the Rules that disallows voting for the SPC; their final election is up to FPMT, though. “21 b) The SPC may only be appointed and may only be removed by FPMT Inc.” Nothing in the Rules says the EC is the only body who can put up names to Rinpoche.
I find it amusing to read the reference to “advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche” which has been rejected by this EC.
The Executive Committee that you elect at the AGM will then be responsible for liaising with FPMT Inc and consulting with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, for the appointment of the next Director of Tara Institute. This is an opportunity for each member of Tara Institute to have a say in the future of our dharma centre.
In order for you to be eligible to vote at the AGM in 2019, please ensure your financial membership at TI is up to date.
If you are interested in nominating yourself for one of the available positions on the Executive Committee at the AGM in 2019, please leave your details with the Tara Institute office so someone can contact you with further information.
Eligibility is another key question that needs to be addressed. My reading of the Rules seems to be clear that Life Members are definitely eligible to vote and stand for office but it is not at all clear who else has been correctly processed as a Member according to the Rules. Paying money is not how one becomes a Member; there is a detailed process that has to be followed and so far, I have not found anyone who says they became a Member according to the correct process according to the Rules.
We will have further updates to all members about the AGM shortly.
Regards
Gabrielle Wallace
Acting Centre Director / Geshe Care
Another letter followed this one and it appeared on the TI website. It attempted to correct some of the misstatements found in this one from Gabe but it also introduced additional wrangling of the Rules.
See comments here.
Letter to Members from the Members’ Representative, 4 January
Happy 2019. I hope you are resting and relaxing to build up more strength for the new year. As you may know, we are starting the 2019 with significant changes to the Tara Institute Executive Committee. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has made two appointments — Peter Guiliano is the new Centre Director and Frank Brock is the Assistant Director. They will lead Tara Institute into its next phase of growth. As your representative, I would like to thank our outgoing CD, Judy Mayne, for all the hard work she has performed (much more work than meets the eye) over an incredible ten or more years. In your name, I also welcome Peter and Frank, and look forward to what they have planned. Important changes are in the pipeline, so please take time to read Peter’s first message to you below. And I encourage you to email him if you have anything you would like to say.