User:Pjhenley

Purpose. Our classes and events are a cornerstone of this makerspace. The majority of our instructors are volunteers, fellow members who choose to spend their time teaching rather than using the space for themselves. They do so because they care about this community and the craft they share. No-shows are disrespectful to these generous instructors, and potentially also compromises the experience for other members who are waiting to take these classes. This policy establishes clear expectations around class attendance and creates a fair, escalating system of accountability for members who do not show up for classes they have registered for.

Scope. This policy applies to all classes and events that have a registration limit. This includes free safety and equipment sign-off classes. All registered members, and non-members attending public events hosted by Tampa Hackerspace, are subject to this policy. For the purposes of this document, “member” or “members” will also refer to non-members attending events at Tampa Hackerspace.

Member Responsibilities. 3.1 Cancellations. Members who are unable to attend a class or event they have registered for are expected to cancel their registration as early as possible. The preferred method is through the Wild Apricot member app, or on member.TampaHackerspace.com. Members may also notify the instructor directly via Slack, email, or other communication methods shared by the instructor. Contacting the board at info@TampaHackerspace.com is also an acceptable method of cancellation.

3.2 Short-Notice Cancellations. Members are expected to cancel their reservations at least 24 hours prior to the start of the event. 24 hours or more before the class. No penalty. This is the preferred and encouraged behavior. Cancelling with adequate notice gives waitlisted members the opportunity to attend. Between 8 and 24 hours before class. Warning only. No fee and no offense will be recorded. However, a pattern of repeated late cancellations (3 or more within a rolling 6-month period) may be reviewed by the Board and treated as an offense. Less than 8 hours before the class. Cancellations within 8 hours of the class start will be treated the same as no-showing the class, and subject to the consequences outlined in Section 4. 3.3 Late Arrivals. Instructors should plan for a 10-minute grace period at the start of class. This will not only accommodate circumstances like traffic, but will allow for attendance to be taken before the class itself begins. Attendees arriving up to 10 minutes late are still welcome to attend. They are responsible for checking in and should not disrupt the class already in progress. Attendees arriving more than 10 minutes late will be recorded as a no-show and subject to the consequences outlined in Section 4. Instructors who do not wish to offer the 10 minute grace period should clearly state this in the description of their class with the following statement. “This class starts promptly at the scheduled time. Any late arrivals will be turned away and may be considered a no-show. Please plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time.”

3.4 Special Circumstances and Appeals. The Board recognizes that genuine emergencies happen. Attendees who receive a no-show record due to an emergency (such as medical situation, family emergency, or accident) may appeal to the board within 14 days of receiving the notification. Appeals can be submitted by emailing the Board at info@TampaHackerspace.com. The Board will review appeals on a case-by-case basis and may waive or reduce the offense at their discretion.

Consequences. When an attendee is recorded as a no-show by an instructor or event host, the following escalating consequences will apply: Offense Fee Consequences 1st Offense No charge Warning email sent; acknowledgement required before registering for future classes or events. 2nd Offense $10 Email sent; Invoice issued via Wild Apricot; existing registrations cancelled; unable to register for new classes or events until the invoice is paid. 3rd Offense $20 4th Offense $30 Each Additional +$10

Fee Distribution. 100% of all no-show fees collected are paid directly to the instructor of the class that was missed. This is a direct acknowledgement of the instructor’s time and effort. In the event the instructor declines payment for the class, no-show fees can be donated back to the general makerspace fund.

Instructor Responsibilities. Instructors are responsible for taking attendance at the start of each class using the Wild Apricot admin app, which allows QR code scanning of member registrations. Attendance records must be submitted promptly after the class so that no-show notifications can be processed, ideally by the following day. Instructors who are unable to use the app may submit attendance via email, slack message, or other agreed upon communication method on a case-by-case basis. The key requirement is that records are submitted in a timely manner. The Board will process no-show records and issue notifications an invoices through Wild Apricot.

Reset Period The board will determine the appropriate reset period after no show offenses. The following options are under consideration:

Option Pros Cons Option A: Time-Based Reset after 6-months Easy to understand; rewards extended good behavior, natural calendar rhythm A member could no-show, wait 6 months, and repeat. This doesn’t require attending or engaging with other classes. Option B: Activity-Based Reset (X classes attended without a no-show) Demonstrates genuine commitment; harder to game the system, reinforces the desired behavior change directly. Slower for active members; could feel unclear if not well-defined. Inconsistent experience for people who may only show interest in 1-2 classes. Option C: No Reset. Offenses Accumulate Permanently. Maximum deterrent; simplest to administer; no ambiguity. May feel disproportionately punitive for a member who offended early and reformed; may discourage long-term members.

Board Discussion Required. The Board should discuss and vote on which reset option to adopt before this policy takes effect. See the rollout documentation for more information. Communication. All no-show notifications and invoices will be sent via Wild Apricot to the member’s registered email address. Members are responsible for maintaining a current emil address in their Wild Apricot profile. First-offense notification emails will include a reminder of the no-show policy, and a link or button for the member to acknowledge the no-show. This acknowledgement must be completed before the member can register for future classes and events. Copies of these emails can be reviewed in the rollout documentation for this policy. Policy Review. This policy will be reviewed by the Board of Directors no later than 6 months after its effective date to assess its impact and make any necessary adjustments.