The New SlamMaster Orientation Packet Project

[Delrica]

Peace, fellow members and SlamMasters.

As a follow up to the SlamMaster meeting that we all attended on Friday morning, I wanted to open up a thread to field questions that we can include in the new SlamMaster Packet I'm putting together.

So far, Tom Sanchez Prunier, Kirk Hardesty and Charles Ellik have signed on to help out with constructing something outside of the NPS rulebook to help orient SlamMasters.

What we need from you is questions. If you are a new slammaster (ie. just opened your slam this past season before attending NPS) or are a slammaster seeking answers to questions, please feel free to add them here, send me a private message message (use the IM bubble in this post under my profile pic) or shoot an email to slammaster@dcslam.com and we'll do our best to add it to the new SM guide.

I don't know how long this project is going to take or if it will even be approved by the body (SMs, PSI, EC...whoever...) or if it even needs approval to put out, but I want to start the ball rolling on getting ideas out as to what questions to ask.

Even if you think it's a dumb question, ask it. You'd be surprised how many other SlamMasters may have the same question (or already have had to ask the same question).

Also, older SlamMasters: if you can think of questions you wish you had known the answer to when you first started out, put them down to.

We need to start practicing what we preach and pull the next person up with us instead of making them feel small for not knowing.

Let's do it ya'll...for real.

[suziqsmith]

These would help:

explanation of 2W&YI system and the deadlines to complete the bouts,
certification and registration deadlines,
an e-mail & telephone list of SMs who might answer questions in your region.

[Delrica]

Thanks, Suzi.

[jesster]

After NPS, we decided to change slammasters for our venue to give our current slammaster a break.  Is there an official way to do this? 

Also, can two people share slammaster duties?

-Jesster

[Delrica]

After NPS, we decided to change slammasters for our venue to give our current slammaster a break.  Is there an official way to do this? 

Also, can two people share slammaster duties?

-Jesster

your current slammaster should send a letter to steve marsh that details their departure and who will be taking their place.

people can share slammaster duties, but there can only be one slammaster of record (ie. who gets all of the paperwork from psi).  co-sms have read-only access to the slammaster forum, but that also has to be declared by the slammaster of record.

hope it helps and it was an honor to meet you at nps, jesster.

[jesster]

After NPS, we decided to change slammasters for our venue to give our current slammaster a break.  Is there an official way to do this? 

Also, can two people share slammaster duties?

-Jesster

your current slammaster should send a letter to steve marsh that details their departure and who will be taking their place.

people can share slammaster duties, but there can only be one slammaster of record (ie. who gets all of the paperwork from psi).  co-sms have read-only access to the slammaster forum, but that also has to be declared by the slammaster of record.

hope it helps and it was an honor to meet you at nps, jesster.

The honor was mine. 

What's the difference between slammaster and coslammaster?  JUST the posting rights?

-Jesster

[Delrica]

On the forums, yes...that's the difference (posting rights).

In the regular world, your co-sm might actually be running your slam with you (ie. you make decisions together, run the whole shebang together - I think WonderDave and Alison work in that capacity). 

[WonderDave]

Delrica You are correct Allison and I do work as co-slammasters, We both attended the Slammasters meetings but for the Purpose of PSi we are one vote. Allison knows my password so she can post in the SM forum when she feels the need to. Although keeping track of forum activities is one of the duties that is  "mine" It's been a good system for us this year. With only a few minor hitches based on our disparate work schedules.

Here's my questions/ stuff I'd like to see in a new slam master packet:

 How does the grantback program work? How does one go about retrieving money from their grantback account?

Do your W&YI poets have to be certified for the upcoming  Nationals or just  have a valid registration at the Time of the W&YI bout?

Can you be the slam master for more than one venue?

Include a copy of the  Robert's rules document that's in the Slam Master Files.

Explain that their selection Process has to appear on the web/ these forums.

INclude a notice stating that poets must arrive and be registered at Nationals on the morning that competition starts. ( this should cut down on the need for late emergency meetings)

Telll the SM's what forms the poets will have to have signed pre-nats and refer them to the Slam master files for download

Include the emails/contact info for Scott, Steve and the people who are willing to be mentors; Make to note where each Mentor runs their slam.

Maybe a list of fundraising ideas to help get their team to Nats

That's it for now Iffin' I think of anything else! I'll post again. Big Love -WD

If I think of anything else

[Delrica]

Mississippi gotdamn, man! You're awesome!

[WonderDave]

awesome or needy....you be the judge. The only other thing that comes to mind is maybe letting people know how to put their merch in the online store. but a slammaster packet might not be the right place for that.

[damien]

hi,
im new to this and involved in creating a slam community in my town. I want to have a great scene here and honestly am now scared a little bit about the whole slammaster thing. Heres my dilemma. i want to provide for an opportunity to have a team go from my town next year. I would also like to be able to compete to get on that team . how do i go about this so that everything is legitimate?
IT is frustrating because of how small our community is here in silver city, with that said i want to make sure i go about having a fair process and not lose out on participating.
any advice would help.
thanks
D

[kleptocracy]

I would like a detailed explanation of the venue certification process, and reasons behind each of the rules, examples of certification packets that PSI received from other venues.  Even with Delrica's help I found this process rather mystifying.  It didn't feel very transparent to me. 

[simone]

I helped Manchester qualify for NPS this year (proxied for them at SM in April, ran a W&YI in Boston) and I think what would have helped most is a calendar of events and deadlines, even with approximate dates. It would really help the SM plan for the year.

Examples of how other venues run their slam-offs or qualify for the team might also be helpful. "Selected through competition" is pretty vague for a new SM.

[charlesellik]

Folks--

--It seems especially significant to me that most of the questions so far are specifically in regards to PSI operations.  Is the toughest and most complex thing about running a slam figuring out PSI?

--I have to admit I'm no expert on PSI operations, and despite my best efforts I seem to miss something important every year.  So I'll leave those questions to better qualified members.

--On the other hand, I've been working on a slam starter kit for a couple years.  It's all about actually running a slam, especially for new slammasters.  Are there any questions out there that DON'T address going to Nationals or PSI paperwork?

[tabannon]

Gang:

This is a great idea and obviously in need as so many people seem to have questions. From my perspective, it seems like most of what people are asking for already exists on the PSI website and/or in the forums. The problem is, they're not all in the same place. I eventually found all the answers I needed, but it took some searching. My suggestion is this, could someone (Mr. E.D.?) create a central location on the website for all the information that you decide to put in the packet? That way a new slam master (or an ill-informed veteran like me) could always go to the same place to collect the necessary info. I suggest yearly changes to procedure be included and that updated documents get replaced as necessary.