THE Fabricated Players have removed the word “Trust” from Trustees
Following an extensive governance review, the society’s Trustees will now officially be known simply as “Ees”.
Chair Jenny said the change demonstrated the organisation’s commitment to openness.
“We looked carefully at the word Trustee and realised the first five letters were making quite a significant claim.
“We couldn’t find sufficient evidence to support it.
“So we’ve removed them.”
The society currently has four Ees, although nobody is entirely certain what an Ee does.
This includes the Ees.
Brian, who has been an Ee since Tuesday, said: “As I understand it, we have ultimate responsibility for something.
“I’m not sure what.
“I was hoping somebody would explain it at the meeting.”
The change follows several months of questions from members about the role of the Trustees, including what powers they have, what decisions they make and why three of them appear to have been appointed without anybody remembering it happening.
Rather than answering these questions, the Trustees established a Trustee Terminology Working Group.
Its 47-page report concluded that the main problem was the word Trust.
“The title was setting us up to fail,” said Jenny.
“If you call somebody a Trustee, naturally people start expecting trustworthiness, accountability and responsible governance.
“That’s a lot of pressure on volunteers.”
Several alternative titles were considered, including Mistrustees, Distrustees, People Currently Holding Some Sort of Legal Responsibility and Those Four Over There.
However, the committee felt “Ees” was more modern.
The rebrand has already required changes to the society’s constitution.
References to the Board of Trustees have been replaced with Board of Ees, while the Annual Trustee Report will now be called the Annual Ee Report.
Official correspondence will carry the statement:
THE FABRICATED PLAYERS IS GOVERNED BY ITS EES
Jenny admitted this might require further explanation.
“We’ve produced a leaflet explaining what an Ee is.
“Unfortunately, while writing it we realised we didn’t know.”
Members attending Thursday’s governance meeting repeatedly asked what responsibilities the Ees actually have.
Treasurer Malcolm said the question was “outside the scope of the terminology review”.
Another member asked how Ees were appointed.
Jenny replied that appointments were made “through the normal process”.
When asked what the normal process was, she said that information was held by the Ees.
Members also wanted to know whether they could remove an Ee.
The Ees have agreed to look into it.
Brian said: “There probably is a mechanism somewhere.
“But obviously we’d need to be satisfied that removing an Ee was in the best interests of the Ees.”
The society insists removing “Trust” does not mean members should actively distrust the Ees.
Instead, members are being encouraged to adopt what the committee calls “trust-neutrality”.
Guidance advises members to neither trust nor distrust an Ee until sufficient information becomes available.
No information will be made available.
The first official meeting of the Board of Ees will take place next Monday behind closed doors.
Minutes will not be published because the Ees believe this could lead to “unhelpful speculation about what Ees actually do”.
Jenny said the rebrand had already improved relations between the leadership and ordinary members.
“Previously people would say, ‘I don’t trust the Trustees.’
“Now that sentence doesn’t make any sense.
“So I think we’ve solved it.”
The Ees are expected to formally approve the changes at their next meeting.
Nobody remembers approving them becoming Ees in the first place.
The Ees say that is a matter for the Ees.
