[amsat-bb] Is AMSAT an educational organization?

[Joseph Armbruster]

Bruce,


When people get together to start a club, let's say for woodworking or any
other craft, they likely have some gear, have some outreach taking place,
are up to doing some good and probably end up doing it because people ask
them to set up a charity so they can donate to it (for $ reasons).  That,
and maybe because it is easier to rent space, get insurance, for
activities, etc...  When most groups go to set up an entity like this, the
Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and all the legal documents are usually
drafted quickly, just to get it going, without a serious amount of thought
given to the problems that can occur.  Because, at the time, it's usually a
group of people that are already working really well together, getting
along and they just want to spend the minimum amount of $ to get it done.
That's what I imagine at least.  Unlike, say, what lots of companies do,
putting up a ton of capital in to make sure every i is dotted and t is
crossed and every path of the corporate/social decision tree of chaos is
accounted for (like having codes of conduct and anti-discrimination rules
written up that noone ever actually reads but are just there to be used to
defend the business in-the-event-of-some-issue).  Because unfortunately in
the business world there are people out there, on a mission to explicitly
screw everyone over.  I do not see what cherry-picking on all this really
matters in AMSATs case.  Does it somehow?


I think it's an entirely scientific practice to share your experiences and
findings with others.  It's above my pay grade to determine whether that's
education out of Websters dictionary or the proper noun of Education out of
the wizard-of-smart dictionary or defined term in some legal document.


Joseph Armbruster

KJ4JIO



On Sun, Aug 9, 2020 at 1:18 AM Bruce Perens via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
wrote:

> Robert Bankston says no. But IARU says yes! From
> https://www.iaru.org/on-the-air/satellites/
> "AMSAT: The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation was first formed in the USA
> in 1969 as an educational organisation".
>
> Hmm. Is there anything to that?
>
> The bylaws submitted with the articles of incorporation of AMSAT say
> "exclusively for scientific purposes", but right after that, they say "B.
> Encouraging development of skills and the advancement of specialized
> knowledge in the art and practice of amateur radio communications and space
> science."
>
> That is very definitely an educational mission.
>
> What AMSAT is _not_ is an accredited institution of higher learning, or any
> other form of school that would require licensing, certification, or
> accreditation. But it is educational. Surprise :-)
>
> The rest of your message, Robert, is more denial than argument. I will
> address it if you can muster a cogent argument.
>
> Thanks
>
> Bruce
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