SYCAMORE SURVEY
July 1999
July 1999
[These survey results are from the August, 1999 issue of the Sycamore Islander.]
The following is a tally of the responses from regular members (33), senior members (11), honorary members (2), applicants on the waiting list (6) and anonymous (9). The total number of surveys received was 61 out of an Islander mailing list of about 400. Some respondents did not answer all of the questions which explains why some numbers do not total precisely.
| The club currently allows one Large Party per weekend. Large Parties should be allowed ... | |
| As they are now (one per weekend) | 33 |
| Only one weekend a month | 7 |
| Only two weekends a month | 16 |
| Twice per weekend | 2 |
| No restriction | 1 |
| The club currently limits a Large Party to 35 people or less. Large Parties should be limited to ... | |
| As they are now (35 people) | 31 |
| 30 people | 3 |
| 25 people | 9 |
| 20 people | 6 |
| 15 people | 1 |
| over 35 people | 8 |
| The club currently limits the time allowed for a Large Party to 6 hours or less. Large Parties should be limited to ... | |
| As it is now (6 hours) | 36 |
| 5 hours | 5 |
| 4 hours | 16 |
| 3 hours | 1 |
| 2 hours | 0 |
| over 6 hours | 2 |
| What is the allowable nature of a Large Party on Sycamore Island? Mark all you would allow or disallow. | ||
| Allow | Disallow | |
| Family and friends | 59 | 1 |
| Member memorial services | 59 | 1 |
| Member weddings | 58 | 2 |
| Classes | 44 | 15 |
| Office parties | 34 | 23 |
| Company retreats | 22 | 37 |
| Member sponsors party for a friend's wedding (or other ceremony) | 14 | 43 |
| Member sponsors party for a friend and friend's guestlist | 10 | 48 |
| Member awards attendance at Sycamore Island party as prize in fundraising effort | 9 | 52 |
| Member advertises publicly and charges guests | 0 | 60 |
| Should the club have a club Officer or Supervisor present during at least part of every Large Party? |
| Yes | 12 |
| No | 33 |
|
The club currently may suspend a member's Large Party privileges for two years for an infraction of the Large Party rules. How should the club enforce Large Party rules? (Place the number corresponding to the level of enforcement you think desirable in each of the square brackets [ ] below. 1) Infraction too petty. Club should relax and "get a life." 2) Club should call member and complain. 3) Club should suspend member's privileges to host Large Parties for some period of time. 4) Club should suspend member's privileges to bring any guests for some period of time. 5) Club should suspend member's privileges to visit the club for some period of time. 6) Club should expel member. |
| Enforcement level for 1st time infraction --> | [1] | [2] | [3] | [4] | [5] | [6] | [%] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
If the party goes too long (1 hour or more) |
12 | 23 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 35 |
If the party goes too long (less than an hour) |
30 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
If the party has more guests than scheduled (7 or more than expected) |
5 | 26 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 40 |
If the party has more guests than scheduled (less than 7 more than expected) |
21 | 22 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
If the party leaves party rubbish on the Island |
1 | 17 | 24 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 68 |
If the member-host does not attend the party |
1 | 6 | 23 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 88 |
If the member-host comes late or leaves during the party |
3 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 65 |
If the member or guests take out unauthorized canoes from the canoe shed |
1 | 15 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 72 |
If the member or guests do not sign in |
4 | 33 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 33 |
If the member or guests consume alcohol at the party |
4 | 12 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 72 |
If the member or guests play amplified audio equipment |
3 | 16 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 66 |
If the member or guests bring a dog or dogs on the Island |
3 | 13 | 17 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 71 |
% = respondents that thought 1st time infraction should result in suspension of a member's privileges
| Enforcement level for 2nd time infraction --> | [1] | [2] | [3] | [4] | [5] | [6] | [%] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
If the party goes too long (1 hour or more) |
2 | 8 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 79 |
If the party goes too long (less than an hour) |
14 | 17 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 31 |
If the party has more guests than scheduled (7 or more than expected) |
1 | 9 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 78 |
If the party has more guests than scheduled (less than 7 more than expected) |
6 | 13 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 59 |
If the party leaves party rubbish on the Island |
0 | 1 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 4 | 98 |
If the member-host does not attend the party |
0 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 95 |
If the member-host comes late or leaves during the party |
2 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 89 |
If the member or guests take out unauthorized canoes from the canoe shed |
0 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 93 |
If the member or guests do not sign in |
0 | 16 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 70 |
If the member or guests consume alcohol at the party |
1 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 82 |
If the member or guests play amplified audio equipment |
1 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 6 | 85 |
If the member or guests bring a dog or dogs on the Island |
0 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 7 | 87 |
% = respondents that thought 2nd time infraction should result in suspension of a member's privileges
Notes on the Survey Results
A few members were confused about the construction the enforcement question. Quite a few others simply elected not to give answers on what the club should do regarding a second-time infraction. The results therefore show significantly fewer responses than the total number of surveys received. This is also true for the question on whether an officer should be present for at least part of a large party, and may owe its meager response (45 out of 61) to its unfortunate position at the bottom of an otherwise busy survey page.
Summary of the Large Party Survey's Results
-- The current rules limiting the number, size and duration of large parties is generally endorsed (63%). A minority (37%) would like further restrictions.
-- Some rules clearly stand out for stricter enforcement than others. A majority (65%-72%) has little tolerance for alcohol, dogs, boom-boxes, leaving rubbish or taking out unauthorized canoes - even if it is a first offense. And woe to those who do not attend all or part their own large party (88%)! On the other hand, a majority is actually tolerant if a party goes a little long (65%) or has a few more guests than expected (60%).
-- A majority (75%) do not feel it is necessary for a club officer to be present for even part of a large party. A couple of respondents noted in the margins that it was too much of an imposition to be asked of the club's officers.
-- Large parties can be for family and friends (98%), office parties (60%), classes (75%), member weddings (97%) and member memorial services (98%). Parties considered inappropriate, by wide margins, are sponsoring a friend's party (83%), sponsoring a friend's wedding or other ceremony (75%), making money on a party (100%), or fundraising (85%).
-- The margins of many surveys contained notes. One note pointed up the divide in the club on rule interpretation: "limit [on party size should be] smaller because you will always have more [guests]." Too some, just being in the compliance ballpark is good enough, while others see each infraction of a rule as something broken, not bent.
-- Tryon Wells
