<html><head></head><body><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii" class=""/><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div dir="ltr" class="">I also believe that persons who are unable to use travel opportunities due to visa refusals should not be penalised and we should work this into our criteria.</div></blockquote></div><div class=""><br class=""/></div>I agree with this. If our Operating Procedures are unclear on this point, I would suggest we revise them to clarify the intent (which I believe was to ensure a fair and equitable allocation and rotation of resources, and not to penalise those who find themselves unable to travel because of circumstances outside of their control).<div class=""><br class=""/></div><div class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div dir="ltr" class="">I still think a brief write-up is necessary for institutional memory. </div></blockquote><div class=""><br class=""/></div><div class="">I too think this is important.</div><div class=""><br class=""/></div><div class="">We should learn from this.</div><div class=""><br class=""/></div><div class="">Ayden<br class=""/><div class=""><br class=""/><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On 1 Sep 2018, at 08:25, dorothy g <<a href="mailto:dgdorothydg@gmail.com" class="">dgdorothydg@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"/><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class="">Thanks for taking the time to respond. I am glad Benjamin got a personalised apology. The 'personal reasons' I referred to were in Bruna's response to Wisdom and I assume referred to the reasons he (B) did not use his previous travel opportunity. I still think a brief write-up is necessary for institutional memory. I also believe that persons who are unable to use travel opportunities due to visa refusals should not be penalised and we should work this into our criteria. I accept that your explanation that this is not relevant to the current situation. <div class="">Let me take this opportunity to express my appreciation for all of you who volunteer to keep this group on track. I know how much time it takes me just keeping up with the messages and information and most of us have day jobs as well. This is a blip we will get over it.</div><div class="">best regards</div><div class="">Dorothy</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br class=""/><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Sep 1, 2018 at 1:34 AM, Michael Karanicolas <span dir="ltr" class=""><<a href="mailto:mkaranicolas@gmail.com" target="_blank" class="">mkaranicolas@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br class=""/><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi Dorothy,<br class=""/>
<br class=""/>
You raise some very valid points, I think. In terms of the fact that<br class=""/>
we were late to catch Benjamin's ineligibility - I think you are 100%<br class=""/>
correct. I don't really have an excuse. As soon as someone mentioned<br class=""/>
the eligibility issue, it seemed very obvious, and silly that we<br class=""/>
hadn't caught it before - and I genuinely regret not realizing it<br class=""/>
sooner. More than anything else, I think the way this unfolded was<br class=""/>
very unfair to Benjamin. We've written directly to him apologizing -<br class=""/>
and I think he has every right to be upset, because I know it sucks to<br class=""/>
have that announcement go out and then get pulled back. At the same<br class=""/>
time, I think the bylaws are clear, and while the first announcement<br class=""/>
shouldn't have gone out, I think that once we realized he was<br class=""/>
ineligible we had no choice in terms of his funding.<br class=""/>
<br class=""/>
In terms of the phrasing of "personal reasons" - I'm not 100% sure<br class=""/>
which email you're referring to, as I can't find it in this chain, but<br class=""/>
I believe it is our policy not to consider visa status in weighing a<br class=""/>
travel application - precisely for the reasons you mention. Anyway -<br class=""/>
Benjamin's visa status for Spain played no role in this discussion,<br class=""/>
nor did Dina's status, or Shahul's, or any of the other applicants.<br class=""/>
<br class=""/>
Best wishes - and very happy to discuss this further, or answer any<br class=""/>
further questions or concerns on what happened,<br class=""/>
<br class=""/>
Michael<br class=""/>
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