Census 2005 Recommendations

Census 2005 Recommendations^[1]

Officina Census CFBQ

Caeso Fabius Buteo Quintilianus, Censor

Gaius Moravius Laureatus Armoricus, Caput Censoris Officinae Ductus CFBQ

Marcus Moravius Piscinus Horatianus, Scriba Censoris Census Primus

Scribae Censoris Officinae Census:

Quintus Cassius Calvus; Marcus Octavius Germanicus; Marca Hortensia Maior; Aulus Apollonius Cordus; Gaius Fabius Buteo Modianus; Marcus Antonius Biachius; Marcus Curiatius Complutensis; Manius Constantinus Serapio; and Marcus Lucretius Agricola.

In the course of conducting the census various aspects of Nova Roma were revealed. Recent laws that distinguish different categories among cives and socii make possible the use of the census to analyze Nova Roma's membership and to identify strengths and weaknesses in the organization. Further discussion of these observations are available in the Addenda to the Census 2005 Report. From these observations the Officina Census forwards the following recommendations:

o That the census be conducted at the beginning of the year rather than in summer months, so that its completion would correspond with 21 April, Dies Natalis Urbis. A practical reason for this recommendation is that during the summer months many cives are away either on vacations or on school holidays and thus do not have access to their computers, so that response to the census is generally poor. A second reason is to tie the census into historical religious and political themes. The census could be conducted beginning with the dies comitiales in the latter part of January, tied then with the purification rites of February, and then with the religious rites historically performed by Republican consules during March. Reporting of the results of the census would be due prior to 21 April and their announcement could made over into a renewal of Nova Roma. Playing on such themes might better solicit citizen participation in the census and would return the census to its religious context.

o That the census codes used in the file system be coordinated with the status codes. Currently when the status of a member is changed, the census code remains the same. This causes a complication in extracting information. Limiting which census codes could be used in the different categories of membership status would create a more flexible informational system and better allow censores to access information. Much of the time-consuming work of the census would be eliminated as the coding system would then allow easier and more accurate extraction of information from the files. The Officina Census would then have more time available to locate and correspond with members, better encouraging participation with the census, while the tedious task of counting was better handled through the filing system.

o That the nature of provinciae be reconsidered and their organization be more fully integrated into the overall organizational structure of Nova Roma.

o That a new provincia be organized for the Caribbean region in order to encourage further recruitment there. Interest has already been expressed by some cives in this region. Membership levels suggest that other very small provinciae could be formed in Chile, Ecuador, and possibly Peru.

o That a review be conducted of provinciae Venedia and Sarmatia to determine whether these remain viable.

o That a review be conducted of the provinciae of North America to delineate new boundaries that will create more efficient provinciae based on current clusters of population rather than on geographical areas. As the provinciae of this region are presently constituted, the distances involved make administration and communication impractical. Difficulties with recruitment and retention of membership exist throughout Nova Roma, but the size of the provinciae of North America work against a practical solution for these problems.

o That performance of an individual provincia be assessed in the three areas of recruitment of new members, retention of members, and participation of cives as assidui. See the Addenda to the Census 2005 Report for further discussion.

o That special recognition be given to propraetores/propraetrices M. Curiatius Complutensis, M'. Constantinus Serapio, T. Iulius Sabinus, Arnamentia Moravia Aurelia, M. Flavius Philippus Conservatus and Sal. Sempronia Graccha Volentia for their exceptional cooperation with the Officina Census in this effort.

o That special recognition be given to civis M. Lucretius Agricola for his work in filling in the role of a propraetor for the difficult provincia of Asia Orientalis and contributing to its exceeding our goals.