For those who lack dedication...

[JBotAlan]

Originally Posted by Pi Is Exactly 3

This year has been quite frustrating for myself and other members on the team. We have several new members, which is good for our team. Many are freshmen and sophomores. The problem is that some of them do not come to meetings and build sessions or, if they do, they sit around, argue with each other, mess around, do their homework, or sign in and leave. Now I don't tolerate such behavior and I try to get them to work as much as possible, but there's only so much I can do.

We are considering not allowing members of the team go to competition who we feel have not contributed enough to the team or don't show up enough. Is this a good idea? I realize it may be harsh, but we're starting to find it necessary.


PS: I realize there are other threads regarding the lack of dedication of team members, but I didn't feel that they addressed this specific issue. So I did search and I apologize if I didn't search hard enough.

Try leaving messages like the ones Zac Hitt, our captain, left on my machine. www.geocities.com/jakethebrikhed/ZacGayness.mp3

Seriously, try assigning important jobs to each person, and call persistantly. That way, you know if they are still part of the team, or if they quit, so you can stop wasting your time and energy calling them. That in itself should do it. Good luck.

[macurtis]

The policy on my team is that we put in a certian amount of hours and the quality of what has been produced in that time is evaluated and on top of that, we're required 2 community service projects and at least Ds for grades in our classes to go to regionals or even the championship. But that's our policy on who goes to competitions and who doesn't.

[JakeGallagher]

Our team has always had people on it that weren't quite dedicated. While we wouldn't dream of cutting people off the team, we do have rules that are in place to prevent undedicated members. Without fulfilling the requirements, a person isn't allowed to attend the competition unless they take an unexcused absence and get themself there.
First, you have to attend a certain amount of fundraising...depending on how much time/effort each fundraiser takes changes a little of the weight of the event. For example, if you show up for an event, and don't help plan for it or help set up/clean up...you don't get a lot of credit for the fundraiser. If you planned the whole thing out and were there for the whole time, you get extra props.
Next, each member has to attend at least half of the meetings since they joined the team. Only half of the time is required because there are people that just can't make every meeting. The reason may be that they have sports, or they can't get a ride...Whatever it is, if you can only make the weekend meetings, that's just as much time as all the week meetings together.
If you don't fulfill these two attendance rules, chances are that you are one of the people that really doesn't care about much other than getting out of school for the competition. If you are someone who just couldn't make it to the meetings, but you worked hard at everything you did...you do get an exception.
It may sound mean, but if people are just going to show up to screw around at the meetings (possibly endangering others), and they just want to be on the team to get out of school come comp time...they shouldn't be there at all.

[Liz C]

Originally Posted by JBotAlan

Try leaving messages like the ones Zac Hitt, our captain, left on my machine. www.geocities.com/jakethebrikhed/ZacGayness.mp3

Seriously, try assigning important jobs to each person, and call persistantly. That way, you know if they are still part of the team, or if they quit, so you can stop wasting your time and energy calling them. That in itself should do it. Good luck.

Yeah, I agree. We call people, e-mail, post on the team's forum, and "stalk" them in homeroom/halls. Calling has proven to be the most efficient, though.

But with the issue of letting them go to the regionals: we have a small team, and would love for everyone to be extremly dedicated, but sometimes, people just aren't that into it...until they see it for themselves at a regional. If you take them to a competition, chances are they'll get hooked.

You could tweak your policy a bit, and require a certain amount of hours that they give to the team, and keep a log in the workshop. If they still don't commit, than you might want to inform them that you cannot consider them a member because of their lack of dedication. Its a somewhat long process, but it helps us keep those who just were a little hazy about robotics in general for their first year.