Seeding the Future: Cultivating Leadership with DAOs in University Societies
Introduction: Lessons from a University Life
When I was a struggling university student, living off Ramen and Beer, I needed some dental work done. At the university I was attending, Simon Fraser University, part of your mandatory student fees went into a medical/dental plan. This plan covered a certain percentage of my dental care and I would have to come up with the remainder. In searching for a dentist, I found one in Vancouver who wouldn’t charge you the remaining percentage. While it was beneficial for me at the time due to my tight budget constraints as a university student relying on student loans and a part-time job, this arrangement also turned out to be advantageous for my dentist. Upon graduating and securing my first teaching position, I continued to visit the same dentist, now equipped with a superior dental plan and increased financial resources for treatments. I remained loyal to that dentist for approximately seven to eight years, appreciating his high-quality care.
Building Foundations: Strategic Long-Term Relationships
So what the hell does my dental work have to do with DAOs or InvArch? Nothing actually. It is what the dentist did which I think is a cleaver plan for InvArch and DAOs to begin to infiltrate regular society and permeate our collective social democracy making. My dentist was astute and forward-thinking, recognising the potential to build long-term relationships with university students who could become his steady clients. He understood that these students might one day be influential figures in various fields, such as CEOs, computer engineers, artists, and politicians. Similarly, InvArch Nation could adopt this strategic approach to promote DAO infrastructure across different societal sectors.
DAOs in University Clubs: Pioneering Governance and Management
One aspect I enjoyed during my university career was being active in clubs. Not the loud kind with good music and people dancing (although I did spend time in those ones as well 😉) but the kind where like minded people came together to commune and do things in their collective interest whatever that may be. At the start of the academic year, with the last of the summer sun casting its glow over SFU Burnaby Mountain, the Convocation Mall would come alive with the SFSS Clubs Days. Organised by the Simon Fraser Student Society, this event atop Burnaby Mountain was a cornerstone of campus life, welcoming students to a new year of engagement and opportunity. During my years at SFU, I participated in a number of clubs and even started one of my own. Reflecting on my involvement in those clubs and the time I invested, I’ve come to understand that university clubs represent an ideal scenario for implementing DAOs. Beyond that, they offer a prime environment for future societal leaders to familiarise themselves on working within DAO Interfacing Systems.
Clubs at university can be many things and every university has its own policies around clubs. If you want to start a club at most universities there is usually an application process to do so. Clubs are typically required to uphold certain standards, such as adhering to a code of conduct that prohibits bigotry, racism, and hate. They must also clearly outline their financial management practices, governance structures, main objectives, and the ways in which they will contribute to the broader university community. These aspects are crucial for gaining approval from the university or its student society. Given these requirements for club operations and governance, there’s a significant opportunity to enhance and streamline these processes. Much of this process and design could be expedited and collective oversight increased through leveraging blockchain technologies and DAO Interfacing Systems like InvArch. By adopting these advanced tools, clubs cannot only meet but exceed their governance and operational standards, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency within the university’s social ecosystem.
DAO Interfacing Software like InvArch can democratise the decision-making processes within student clubs by using smart contracts to facilitate voting on various issues, from electing leaders to approving budgets or event plans. Every member could have a vote, weighted perhaps by their level of involvement, contribution or elected position, ensuring decisions reflect the collective will of the club members. This system can eliminate bureaucracy and streamline operations, allowing for quicker and more representative decision-making. For instance, universities like Oxford and Cambridge with numerous historic societies, or large North American institutions like UCLA or the University of Toronto, could manage their diverse array of clubs more efficiently, ensuring students’ voices are heard directly. Depending on how these student societies decided to construct themselves, they could be highly complex with various committees and DAOs or DAOs layered within DAOs layered within DAOs. Obviously at some point too much complexity could become more of a hinderance than the current system. The beauty of DAOs, and the brilliance of InvArch’s DAO Interfacing Software or their protocols like OmniWay, is that there is no right way to socially and economically organise; or put using positive centric language we could say that: with InvArch there are “omni-ways” to socially and economically organise.
By leveraging DAO Interfacing Software, clubs can manage their finances on a transparent blockchain ledger, ensuring that all transactions are visible and auditable by members. This transparency can help prevent mismanagement of funds and foster trust within the community. Allocation of, and payments with, funds and assets could also be executed instantaneously once voted upon. For example, student societies at universities with substantial budgets and memberships, such as SFU’s Simon Fraser Student Society or the London School of Economics’ societies, could benefit from a transparent ledger. This would ensure that funds allocated for events, projects, or charitable causes are used as intended, with members able to track financial activities in real-time.
Streamlining membership onboarding and event management is another pivotal advantage offered by DAO Interfacing Software like InvArch. In many universities, students automatically become members of a student society with their enrolment, and a portion of their student fees is allocated to these societies. For example, enrolled students at SFU are automatically members, and pay dues to, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS). DAO technology can refine this process, making membership management and fee allocation not only seamless but also transparent. With smart contracts, student societies can automate these processes, ensuring that membership is up-to-date and financial transactions are accurately recorded and executed. This automation extends to event management as well, where tasks such as ticket distribution, event registration, and even feedback collection can be efficiently managed through blockchain. For instance, large student organisations like the University of California, Berkeley’s ASUC or the University of Manchester’s Student Union could significantly benefit from such automation, reducing administrative burdens and enhancing the student experience. Ultimately, the adaptability of DAO systems, supported by platforms like InvArch, allows for a tailored approach to organisational management, enabling societies to focus more on student engagement and less on bureaucratic intricacies.
Preparing Future Leaders: The Broader Impact of DAOs in University Student Societies
In conclusion, the integration of DAO Interfacing Software like InvArch into university student societies is not merely about enhancing operational efficiency or transparency; it’s about preparing the next generation of leaders for a future where decentralized governance and blockchain technologies play a central role in society. By introducing these innovative systems within the microcosm of university clubs and societies, we’re not only optimising their day-to-day functions but also ingraining a profound understanding of DAO principles and interfacing in students who will eventually shape our world. As these students transition from university clubs to leadership positions in various sectors, their early exposure to DAO systems could catalyze widespread adoption of these technologies, fostering a more transparent, democratic, and efficient future in every aspect of societal governance. Thus, leveraging DAOs in university settings plants the seeds for a broader societal transformation, one that aligns with the ethos of decentralized and inclusive decision-making that will define the future landscape of global leadership and collaboration.
cr0n_dist0rti0n is a member of the InvArch Embassy DAO and holds InvArch Network’s $TNKR and $VARCH tokens
