The following is a quick reference for the criteria applied by the Electoral College to local bodies. Most of the criteria come directly from the Camp, Oasis, and Lodge Master’s Handbook (COLMH), though some elements have been interpreted by the College or have been resolved since it was issued and will be updated in the next revision. The COLMH is available to local masters and deputies from the Document Control Officer or in the Watering Hole Masters’ Intranet.

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Jump to: All Camps Oases Lodges

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All Bodies

• Financial records
• Mailing address
• Public website registered to a Virtual Valley email address, ideally created within the Google Workspace (request here)
• Virtual Valley Workspace (provided by U.S.G.L.)
  • officer and administrator emails
  • contact email
  • google groups
    • local and regional leadership groups
    • member discussion group
    • public announcement list (optional)
  • shared drives
    • Masters’ Drive
    • Leadership Drive
  • local body calendars (optional)
    • public online calendar (required for participation in the Education Committee’s Public Event Calendar
    • public local calendar)
    • private member calendar
  • Google Meet capabilities
• Mentor: All local masters are assigned a mentor.
• Panelist: The National Grand Master General announced the Man of Earth Delegate Nominating Panel in April of 2012 e.v. The Electoral College strongly encourages all local bodies avail themselves of the privilege to participate in this program.

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In addition, each level of local body status bears additional requirements, as detailed below.

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Camps

• Third Degree Master
• Two First Degree members
• Classes: COLMH requires Camps “to provide such membership services and activities within its local area as are appropriate to the Man of Earth Grade, and as it is capable of providing.” The EC interprets this as at least six classes, lectures, or discussion groups per year.
• Masses: There is no requirement for Camps to offer celebrations of the Gnostic Mass.

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Oases

• Third Degree Master
• Two Third Degree members
• 0-III initiation equipment
• Mass facility: This is interpreted by the EC as necessary for the celebration of the Gnostic Mass (see below).
• First Degree Deputy
• First Degree Secretary
• First Degree Treasurer
• Classes: The COLMH states, “(Oases) should provide instruction in the form of classes and/or written material.” The EC interprets this as offering at least six classes, lectures, or discussion groups per year. Note that the same criteria is currently applied to Camps.
• Masses: The COLMH states, “(Oases) should endeavor to celebrate the Gnostic Mass on a regular basis.” The EC interprets this as celebrating the Gnostic Mass at least six times per year.

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Lodges

• Vth Degree master
• Two Third Degree members
• 0-IV/PI initiation equipment
• Mass facility: This is interpreted by the EC as a necessary criteria for the celebration of the Gnostic Mass (see below).
• Initiation facility: The COLMH states, “Lodges are expected to establish, or secure the use of, a dedicated lodge facility in which to conduct local O.T.O. functions and events. Such lodge facilities should be rented, leased, owned, or otherwise controlled by the Order of the local body, and should be clearly and permanently set apart from the normal private living quarters of any lodge officer or member.” The EC interprets this to mean either 1) a dedicated, full-time facility used for no other purpose or 2) a regular by-the-day rental of a consistent commercial facility, i.e. another fraternal hall.
  • See also “Electoral College Clarification on Lodge Space” from the Fall 2011e.v. meeting.
• First Degree Deputy
• First Degree Secretary
• First Degree Treasurer
• Classes: The COLMH Oases criteria for “instruction in the form of classes and/or written material” applies to Lodges as well. The EC interprets this to mean at least twelve classes, lectures, or discussion groups per year.
• Masses: The COLMH states, “All lodges are expected to celebrate the Gnostic Mass as often as possible.” This is interpreted by the EC as at least twelve times per year.

 

Please note that these are minimum requirements, not ideal goals, and not suitable activities to take on the greater responsibility of an application to change the local body status level.