Lone Star Mensa of Central Texas

Special Announcements

Through March 31, 2015

Submit Testing Scores for Free: Now through March 31

You could qualify for Mensa with the scores from intelligence tests you may have already taken.

From Feb.1 through March 31, American Mensa will review previous scores for free.

To submit your application and potentially qualifying test scores at us.mensa.org/join/testscores and include the code FPEFM2015 to redeem this offer.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

March 27-29, 2015

Lone Star Mensa at AggieCon 46: March 27-29 at the College Station Hilton

Aggies like to make everything into a tradition, and this is no different. Started in 1969, this is billed as “the oldest student-run fan convention in the world” and caters to many different fandoms to include Sci-Fi, Fantasy, gaming, Horror, Anime, and more.

Our AggieCon weekend will feature an information booth during the con, a hospitality suite meet & greet open to current and potential members, and a local testing session (see next announcement) to support those prospects in the B/CS area that have long been ignored. http://cephvar.tamu.edu/aggiecon

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

March 28th, 2015

TAMU Institute of Applied Creativity (IAC) Teams With Mensa to Offer Testing March 28th

Texas A&M's Institute of Applied Creativity (IAC) and Mensa will be offering the Mensa Admission Test on Saturday, March 28, from 2-5 pm in Scoates Hall, Room 125, Texas A&M University, College Station.

American Mensa offers a test battery to all prospective members age 14* and above. For those whose first language is not English, a culture-fair test battery is also offered. The Mensa Admission Test takes two hours to complete and includes two tests featuring questions involving logic and deductive reasoning. If you score at or above the 98th percentile on either of the two tests, you’ll qualify and be invited to join Mensa.

The testing fee is $40 (U.S.). This can be paid to Mensa by cash, check, money order, or credit card at the testing session, or you can pre-pay for the testing session by following the link below.

To find out more information about the Mensa Admissions Test, pre-pay for a testing session, sign up for the March 28th, 2015 session, or get on the email list to be made aware of different testing dates in your area visit the American Mensa website for testing, or contact Testing Coordinator Johnnie Vaughn at testing@lsm.us.mensa.org or (512) 867-5658.

*Please note that American Mensa cannot test individuals younger than 14 years of age on the test date; however, these prospective members may submit evidence of prior testing to qualify.

Find out more about Texas A&M's Institute of Applied Creativity at http://creativity.arch.tamu.edu/

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

February - June 30, 2015

Info Booth Exhibit Contest

Can you put Rube Goldberg to shame? Do you have a wild imagination? Did you miss out on that science fair win a decade ago and now want to redeem yourself?

Our Outreach Program would like to display something at our convention booth other than just brochures and pencils. Drag out your mechanical pencils and your CAD programs and let your imagination flow!

Winners will receive an attendance registration for the convention where their display is featured.

There will be 3 categories:

  1. Non-electrical
  2. Electrical
  3. Under 18
Rules are simple:
  1. Be safe.
  2. Be able to be disassembled and easily transported.
  3. Take up no more than 1⁄2 of a 6-foot table or be self-standing.
  4. Ideas must be submitted by June 30.

Submit Info Booth Exhibit Contest entries to Johnnie Vaughn at johnnie.r.vaughn@gmail.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

February 21, 2015

Statement of Support from the Lone Star Mensa Board of Officers

At the regular February 21, 2015 Lone Star Mensa Board of Officers meeting, Board of Officers adopted by unanimous vote the following statement. This statement was based on a similar statement of support adopted by Central New Jersey Mensa. We encourage other members, if you agree with this statement, to share the sentiments, with your endorsement, with your RVC, the National Ombudsman, and the American Mensa Committee (all emails can be found here: http://www.us.mensa.org/aml/?LinkServID=51A16070-E081-4C23-C4CA1E0E18AD7045 ).

WHEREAS the membership of American Mensa, in a free election did express by majority vote that they believed an independent National Ombudsman is vital to the well-being of American Mensa and its members; and

WHEREAS the American Mensa Committee has, through new interpretations of the applicable provisions of the national bylaws, limited the effectiveness of the National Ombudsman by removing many of the privileges of that office necessary for it to remain independent and effective; and WHEREAS the American Mensa Committee has proposed several changes to the bylaws to further deprecate the office of the National Ombudsman and has sent two proposed amendments to referendum that would deprecate the office of the National Ombudsman; and

WHEREAS proposed Amendment 1, a complete rewrite of the bylaws sponsored by the American Mensa Committee, includes provisions to make it impossible for the National Ombudsman to obtain internal documents necessary to the resolution of disputes and complaints; and

WHEREAS proposed Amendment 11, also sponsored by the American Mensa Committee would remove from the mandate of the National Ombudsman the power to promote the general welfare of American Mensa and to obtain justice for its members; and

WHEREAS proposed Amendments 1 and 11 would dis-serve the membership; and WHEREAS proposed Amendment 12, petitioned to referendum by 450 members of Mensa, would restore and protect the ability of the National Ombudsman to work on behalf of the membership;

NOW, THEREFORE,

1. BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Lone Star Mensa Board disapproves of proposed Amendment 1 and proposed Amendment 11, and urges all members to vote No against those amendments on the election ballot; and

2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Lone Star Mensa Board approves of proposed Amendment 12 and urges all members to vote Yes for that amendment on the election ballot; and

3. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Lone Star Mensa Board directs that its Local Secretary send a copy of this Resolution to the National Ombudsman, to all members of the AMC and to other local groups.

Adopted at a meeting of the Lone Star Mensa Board, February 21, 2015, by unanimous vote. We adopted the statement as the board of Lone Star Mensa, not as the Lone Star Mensa membership.

We are uging other members who agree with the statement to adapt it, share it and send it on.

Personally, before joining the board, I did not know what an ombudsman was. I know we have an open spot for one in our area since Ron Edelstein, who had been the LSM area Ombudsman for some time, re-joined our board and could no longer serve. I believe it is a vital position in a group of people, especially at the national level - to help protect individuals. It is like a mediator, in case there are any other Mensans who didn't know.

Here is more info on the role of an ombudsman (non-Mensa) http://www.ombudsmanassociation.org/about-the-role-of-an-ombudsman.php and if you want to find out what an ombudsman does for a local Mensa group, here is where you can download a guide: http://www.us.mensa.org/lead/amc/boardcontacts/board-appointees/?keywords=ombudsman&display=search&newSearch=true&noCache=1

More information about the 2015 proposed bylaws amendments can be found here: http://www.us.mensa.org/lead/amc/elections/proposed-bylaws-amendments/

Leslie L. Stevenson

Vice-president, Lone Star Mensa, of Central Texas

The above statement was based on the resolution below passed by the Central New Jersey Mensa:

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS an independent National Ombudsman is vital to the well-being of American Mensa and its members; and

WHEREAS the American Mensa Committee has, through new interpretations of the applicable provisions of the national bylaws, limited the effectiveness of the National Ombudsman by removing many of the privileges of that office necessary for it to remain independent; and

WHEREAS the American Mensa Committee proposed several 3 of 5 2/18/2015 9:44 PM Fw: Re: [Ombuds] Resolution Concerning Ofice of National Ombudsman changes to the bylaws to further deprecate the office of the National Ombudsman;

WHEREAS a previous resolution of Central New Jersey Mensa disapproved of those new interpretations and urged the American Mensa Committee to restore the removed privileges and to refrain from sending the proposed bylaw changes to referendum of the membership; and

WHEREAS the American Mensa Committee has not restored the privileges of the National Ombudsman; and

WHEREAS the American Mensa Committee has sent two proposed amendments to referendum that would deprecate the office of the National Ombudsman; and

WHEREAS proposed Amendment 1, a complete rewrite of the bylaws sponsored by the American Mensa Committee, includes provisions to make it impossible for the National Ombudsman to obtain internal documents necessary to the resolution of disputes and complaints; and

WHEREAS proposed Amendment 11, also sponsored by the American Mensa Committee would remove from the mandate of the National Ombudsman the power to promote the general welfare of American Mensa and to obtain justice for its members; and

WHEREAS proposed Amendments 1 and 11 would disserve the membership; and WHEREAS proposed Amendment 12, petitioned to referendum by 450 members of Mensa, would restore and protect the ability of the National Ombudsman to work on behalf of the membership;

NOW, THEREFORE,

1. BE IT RESOLVED THAT Central New Jersey Mensa disapproves proposed Amendment 1 and proposed Amendment 11, and urges all members to vote No against those amendments on the election ballot; and

2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Central New Jersey Mensa approves of proposed Amendment 12 and urges all members to vote Yes for that amendment on the election ballot; and

3. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Central New Jersey Mensa directs that its local Ombudsman send a copy of this Resolution to the National Ombudsman, to all members of the AMC and to other local groups.

Adopted at a meeting of the Central New Jersey Mensa Executive Board, February 13, 2015, by vote 9-0-1.

Respectfully,

Allan Marain Ombudsman, Central New Jersey Mensa

 

 

 


Copyright (c) 2015-2016 Lone Star Mensa. All rights reserved.
The Mensa logo is a registered trademark of Mensa International Limited and American Mensa Limited, all rights reserved.
Mensa does not hold any opinion or have, or express, any political or religious views.
Send updates or corrections to the content provider shown above. Send Website questions or problems to the Webmaster