Comments on: Statement from the GiveWell Board of Directors http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/ Exploring how to get real change for your dollar. Thu, 17 May 2012 06:33:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Lonet http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-40498 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:39:04 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-40498 Givewell is an organisation which aims to help donors find the best charities in their area of interest. It claims a new model for doing so. The board of GiveWell, a new nonprofit research organization that seeks to assess the effectiveness of charities, has disciplined the second of its two founders for promoting the organization by posing on the Internet as someone else. The punishment comes only a week after the board acted against the other founder for engaging in a like deception. ----------------- Lonet <a href="http://www.addictionlink.org/drug-rehab-center/kansas" rel="nofollow">kansas drug rehab</a> Givewell is an organisation which aims to help donors find the best charities in their area of interest. It claims a new model for doing so. The board of GiveWell, a new nonprofit research organization that seeks to assess the effectiveness of charities, has disciplined the second of its two founders for promoting the organization by posing on the Internet as someone else. The punishment comes only a week after the board acted against the other founder for engaging in a like deception.
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]]> by: Gomez http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-40252 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:21:33 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-40252 I believe that givewell can fully recover from this incident and soon return to carrying out comparative evaluation.from here i have learn some moral in life. where can i get the audio clip.? ************* Gomez<a href="http://www.addictionlink.org/drug-rehab-center/mississippi" rel="nofollow">mississippi drug rehab</a> I believe that givewell can fully recover from this incident and soon return to carrying out comparative evaluation.from here i have learn some moral in life. where can i get the audio clip.?
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]]> by: Gomez http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-40251 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:14:17 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-40251 where is the audio clip for the board meeting i have want to hear it... my friend wants to hear it.i wish GiveWell Board of Directors has done a great job.still the secondary discussion is going on the following link. *********** Gomez <a href="http://www.addictionlink.org/drug-rehab-center/mississippi" rel="nofollow">mississippi drug rehab</a> where is the audio clip for the board meeting i have want to hear it… my friend wants to hear it.i wish GiveWell Board of Directors has done a great job.still the secondary discussion is going on the following link.
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]]> by: Chris http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12652 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 03:11:55 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12652 Andrew wrote: <i>"Isn’t it telling how little Holden’s myriad critics have contributed to the debate over the optimal methodologies that ought to be employed for conducting comparative evaluations work? Holden’s critics are committed to a set of diversion tactics that hinder the advancement of a very important dialog." ... "...critics who are on the whole unreasonable."</i> It seems as though you are saying that Holden/GiveWell's actions toward good <strong>ends</strong> makes criticisms of their <strong>means</strong> unreasonable. Would you cast aspersions on critics of ethics of Dr. Milgram for his authority experiments or Dr. Zimbardo for his Stanford prison study, because both of those researchers were working toward good ends? That's what the majority of what you describe as "unreasonable" criticism has been about. Ethics. In this on-going look at ethics in the philanthropy world, it's the constant appeals to good motives, good works, good aspirations, etc., that are the "smokescreens". Andrew wrote:

“Isn’t it telling how little Holden’s myriad critics have contributed to the debate over the optimal methodologies that ought to be employed for conducting comparative evaluations work? Holden’s critics are committed to a set of diversion tactics that hinder the advancement of a very important dialog.”
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“…critics who are on the whole unreasonable.”

It seems as though you are saying that Holden/GiveWell’s actions toward good ends makes criticisms of their means unreasonable.

Would you cast aspersions on critics of ethics of Dr. Milgram for his authority experiments or Dr. Zimbardo for his Stanford prison study, because both of those researchers were working toward good ends? That’s what the majority of what you describe as “unreasonable” criticism has been about. Ethics.

In this on-going look at ethics in the philanthropy world, it’s the constant appeals to good motives, good works, good aspirations, etc., that are the “smokescreens”.

]]> by: Josh Millard http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12651 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 02:39:59 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12651 <i>The audio strengthens this respect and demonstrates that the group can transcend its critics who are on the whole unreasonable.</i> On the <i>whole</i> unreasonable? I hope Givewell is able to do good and effective work, and have had some interesting conversations with parties both critical and defensive of Givewell's model. I don't wish them ill in the least, at the end of the day. But I have a hard time seeing how objecting to willfully deceptive promotion (and, likewise, slagging of other charitable orgs) can be described as "unreasonable". Believing in Givewell's purported mission should not excuse blatant ethical violations by the principals. The audio strengthens this respect and demonstrates that the group can transcend its critics who are on the whole unreasonable.

On the whole unreasonable? I hope Givewell is able to do good and effective work, and have had some interesting conversations with parties both critical and defensive of Givewell’s model. I don’t wish them ill in the least, at the end of the day.

But I have a hard time seeing how objecting to willfully deceptive promotion (and, likewise, slagging of other charitable orgs) can be described as “unreasonable”. Believing in Givewell’s purported mission should not excuse blatant ethical violations by the principals.

]]> by: Andrew http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12650 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:41:37 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12650 I am a fellow at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, Washington and have no connection to givewell, other than a shared interest in evaluation techniques. I just want to throw it out there that I respect givewell and Holden for their tremendous efforts. The audio strengthens this respect and demonstrates that the group can transcend its critics who are on the whole unreasonable. I believe that givewell can fully recover from this incident and soon return to more substantive concerns regarding strategies for carrying out comparative evaluation. I am a fellow at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, Washington and have no connection to givewell, other than a shared interest in evaluation techniques. I just want to throw it out there that I respect givewell and Holden for their tremendous efforts. The audio strengthens this respect and demonstrates that the group can transcend its critics who are on the whole unreasonable. I believe that givewell can fully recover from this incident and soon return to more substantive concerns regarding strategies for carrying out comparative evaluation.

]]> by: Bob http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12649 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:32:13 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12649 An edited audio recording of the meeting is now available <a href="http://givewell.net/files/ClearFund/Meeting%202008%2001%2003/Clear%20Fund%20Board%20Meeting%202008%2001%2003.mp3" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Audio from the executive session of the meeting, where the Board discussed staff performance, has been removed from the recording on the advice of counsel. The omitted part begins at the 52nd minute. The board believes that the "Statement from the GiveWell Board of Directors" accurately reflects the views discussed and the decisions made during executive session. All board meeting recordings are edited to remove dead air at the beginning and end. The recordings are also monitored for comments that are both easily misinterpreted and insignificant, which are then removed. This meeting contains no such removals. An edited audio recording of the meeting is now available here.

Audio from the executive session of the meeting, where the Board discussed staff performance, has been removed from the recording on the advice of counsel. The omitted part begins at the 52nd minute. The board believes that the “Statement from the GiveWell Board of Directors” accurately reflects the views discussed and the decisions made during executive session.

All board meeting recordings are edited to remove dead air at the beginning and end. The recordings are also monitored for comments that are both easily misinterpreted and insignificant, which are then removed. This meeting contains no such removals.

]]> by: Bob http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12642 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 05:06:07 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12642 I appologize to "example.com" whos post at January 7th, 2008 at 1:41 am was only cleared as of 1159pm on january 10th. As part of the clearing process, I have allowed through all other non-spam posts (on both this specific post, and others). Again, if anyone is having trouble posting, please email me directly at bob@givewell.net. I appologize to “example.com” whos post at January 7th, 2008 at 1:41 am was only cleared as of 1159pm on january 10th. As part of the clearing process, I have allowed through all other non-spam posts (on both this specific post, and others). Again, if anyone is having trouble posting, please email me directly at bob@givewell.net.

]]> by: Bob http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12641 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:59:09 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12641 alant - The audio recording of the meeting should be available by this weekend. There has been a delay as we consult legal counsel in reference to publicly posting an audio recording of an employee's performance review. alant - The audio recording of the meeting should be available by this weekend. There has been a delay as we consult legal counsel in reference to publicly posting an audio recording of an employee’s performance review.

]]> by: alant http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12640 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:11:17 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/01/06/statement-from-the-givewell-board-of-directors/#comment-12640 And I ask you again - where's the audio from the board meeting? It doesn't take 4 days to slap an mp3 up on a website. And I ask you again - where’s the audio from the board meeting?

It doesn’t take 4 days to slap an mp3 up on a website.

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