Quality Unit!!

[Cubmaster Jerry]

I received in the mail the other day an envelope from Council. This envelope contained a congratulatory note along with a ribbon for our Pack flag recognizing our Pack as a Quality unit. Woo Hoo! What an accomplishment! Way to go Scou... WHAT!?!? Just hold on a second! We didn't get Quality unit. We weren't even close on requirment #1, Training. And we didn't have an ASM last year so can't count #2. After inquiring with the DE I determined from the explanation that the coverage period for QU 2005 ended at the time of our recharter in Feb 05. We didn't meet requirement #1 until just recently and didn't meet #2 until Sep 05.

 

This issue with our Quality Unit award is on the heals of a question from the District regarding whether or not we wanted to have our graduating Webelos transfer, on paper only, to the Troop before the end of the current calendar year. They could physically remain with the Pack until they crossed over at Blue & Gold in Feb. We declined.

 

I know what I am going to do. What would you do?

 

CMJ

[scoutldr]

On the second page of the QU form, it clearly states, "Units with December Charter expirations are the first to use the new year's forms and recognitions. So, if your charter year ends in Feb 06, then you would submit the 2006 form and note accomplishments from Feb 05-Feb 06.

[Lisabob]

I don't know how common it is, in terms of councils pushing QU on units that didn't earn it, and getting creative with the facts to justify their actions. I do know that something like this *MAY* have happened with the pack I was affiliated with. The first two years my son was in the pack, they received the QU designation. In the first year I had no idea what that meant (not a leader yet) but in the second year, after becoming a leader and reviewing the various records I knew for a fact that this was inaccurate and had been for a good long time.

 

So after explaining this to the pack committee, I contacted our UC, told him so, and returned the award. Initially he was quite insistent that we'd earned it but when I went through point by point to describe the ways we had not, he agreed that there was an "error" and upon further checking, he said the council had made a paperwork mistake and we hadn't earned it after all.

 

This may have been an honest mistake but I always had the sense that the council was just awarding QU status left and right to any unit that didn't pay attention, because it boosted both the district and council numbers.

 

By the way in following years the pack worked hard to meet and exceed the QU requirements and they now regularly earn the award. But in general, as a result of the above experience I'm pretty unimpressed when units tout their QU status as a recruiting point or anything like that.

 

Lisa'bob

[Prairie_Scouter]

While I wouldn't doubt that there are councils and districts that do things like that because the compensation of the paid professionals is so tied to things like this, I'd still say that the majority of units are getting these awards legitimately. Personally, I still think it's pretty cool to have a unit that's met all of the requirements.

[Cubmaster Jerry]

scoutldr - right. So our new 2005 QU ribbon would reflect accomplishments for Mar 04 - Feb 05 right? During that period we did not meet the necessary requirements.

 

lisabob - that is exactly my assessment and my intention (once I discuss this with my committee)

 

Praire_Scouter - I would mostly agree (and probably gamble) on the fact that our receipt of this seemingly unearned award is a minority case. (notice the hesitation to completely agree)

 

How can I as a leader retain this and present it to the Pack as being legitimately earned? There is no way I could if that is the case.

 

CMJ(This message has been edited by Cubmaster Jerry)

[AkelaT]

My council tried this trick as well with our pack the first year in order to help a troubled district look better than it really was. I have always told my boys that an award you did not earn or deserve means nothing. The boys as a group wrote a letter to the council and returned the QU award. The upside is that every year since then the pack has earned the QU award and the boys and adults are really proud of how far the pack has come.

[gwd-scouter]

In my experience as a Cubmaster and Scoutmaster, our Council has never on its own sent a letter and ribbon to those units that earned the award.

 

Each unit would fill out the quality unit form at recharter, check off the items accomplished, and then have to beg for months to get the ribbon. We'd send in our check to pay for the QU strips, check would be cashed, strips received, but would NEVER get the free ribbon (still waiting for QU/100% Boys Life ribbon for last year).

 

I have no idea what our Council did for those units that didn't actually earn Quality Unit. I have been under the impression over the years that the units themselves checked off the list and that the Council took them at their word.

 

As for units that fill out the paperwork and clearly show that they did not earn the award and Council awards it anyway - just another SNAFU in the lines of communication I guess.

 

I think it's wonderful that those of you that received the award that wasn't honestly earned are returning it as an example to the boys and parents of your program. The younger Cubs, however, may not really understand what QU means, but they can certainly undertstand the meaning behind what you are doing.

 

 

 

[greenSM]

If memory serves, the CC and the UC are required to sign-off on the QU app. It is far more likely that the unit or district is playing fast and loose with the paperwork than the Council (and there is no love lost between me and Scout Scouncils).

Remind the committee that, as Scouters, "a scout is... honest" applies to them too.

[Beavah]

It is far more likely that the unit or district is playing fast and loose with the paperwork than the Council.

 

Yah, I've certainly seen DE's actively move units into the "Quality Unit" column who had initially submitted no paperwork or paperwork that said "no." Usually the brighter ones do this by nudgin' the unit leader and unit commish. "You're goin' to get trained for next year, right... well that's OK then." It's a small step from that to just fixin' the paperwork yourself, eh?

 

I'm not fond of either practice myself, but it isn't uncommon. Yeh teach a good lesson by publicly returnin' the award, though it's too late to prevent it from figurin' in the district and council stats that are used for evaluation. And we all know that quality of service and honesty aren't part of the regular professional evaluation unless you've got a very active board, eh?

 

 

[purcelce]

Hey Jerry,

Where have you been hiding at? We miss you in Fantasy football.

[commandopro]

Quality Unit can be earned at anytime during the year. For example a Unit that recharters in December 2005 is given the 2006 Quality Unit form. It is possible that the Unit qualifies the date that they recharter their unit. However, the vast majority of units are not in that situation.

 

Let's say that you have had a sudden influx of new leaders during the fall that haven't been trained or you have just lost your ACM. Well that doesn't mean you are penalized and cannot earn the Quality Unit Award for 2006. It just means that you will not earn the award until you have enough trained leaders or a trained ACM. That can happen anytime before you recharter for 2007.

 

This is all a moot point anyway. The Centennial Quality Unit Award begins in 2007. Unit will no longer be able to earn the Quality Unit award at the time of Recharter. Rather this recharter you and your district will agree on goals for improvement for your unit in predetermined categories. Then your progress towards these goals for your unit will be reviewed in October, 2007. Your unit will be designated a Quality Unit once you have achieved the goals and October 31, 2007 has past.