OA Membership Changes for Family Scouting; August 2018 Round Table Seneca District

1. Membership Policy Changes
Order of the Arrow
VenturingFest Presentation
July 2nd, 2018

2. Policy Updates
• Beginning February 1, 2019, unit
elections will be permitted in Scouts BSA,
Venturing and Sea Scout units

3. Scouts BSA Troops
• Both males and females from Scouts BSA
troops will be eligible to be elected by their
peers into the Order of the Arrow
– Must reach the rank of First Class
– Must meet current OA camping requirements

4. Crews and Ships
• Both males and females from Venturing Crews
and Sea Scout Ships will be eligible to be
elected by their peers into the Order of the
Arrow
– Must have reached the equivalent of First Class in
the respective programs
• For Venturing = Discovery Award
• For Sea Scouts = Ordinary Rank
– Must meet current OA camping requirements

5. Camping Requirements
– 15 days and nights
– One long term camping trip over 5 days and nights
– Camping that has taken place within the two years
immediately preceding election counts beginning
February 1st
, 2019
– Camping must have taken place while registered
with BSA as a program participant in a Venturing
or Sea Scout event

6. Effective Date
• All changes to take effect on February 1st
, 2019
– Should females not be able to join troops until
sometime after Feb. 1st
, 2019, Venturing and Sea
Scout units will still be able to hold elections
– This will help provide older youth female
leadership when female troops begin to hold
elections

7. BSA Structure
•BSA Programs
– Cub Scouts
– Scouts BSA
– Venturing BSA
– Sea Scouts BSA
Order of the Arrow = Honor Society

8. Participation Across Programs
• Our goal is to give equal opportunity to all
eligible scouts
• Any eligible scout will have the opportunity to
be elected into an Order of the Arrow lodge
• Scouting is now serving it’s most diverse
group ever, all eligible scouts should be able
to be a part of the Honor Society of Scouting

9. Why Venturing is Important
• Provides older youth female leaders
• Provides adult female advisers
– It will be strongly recommended to councils that
they have at least an associate female lodge
adviser
– Allows participation by youth females and their
parents that meet membership requirements

10. Task Forces Being Established
• Evaluate youth leadership roles at all levels
• Review ceremonies considering female
participation and ensuring cultural sensitivity
• Increase number of female adult leaders at
co-ed events
• Ensure all Conclaves, National Events, and OA
High Adventure programs are available to all

11. FAQs
Q. Will camping be counted retroactively for those currently in Venturing and Sea
Scouts?
Yes. Camping that has taken place within the two years immediately prior to the
election will be counted beginning February 1, 2019. This camping must have
taken place while an individual was registered with the BSA as a program
participant and must be while participating with a BSA Venturing Crew or Sea
Scout Ship.
Q. Can I be elected into the OA if I am over the age of 18?
Yes. As long as you are under the age of 21 at the time the election is held. If you
are over 21, you will need to go through the adult selection process.
Q. Will there be any opportunities for Venturers to learn more about the OA and
Venturing?
Yes. We will provide high-level information and the opportunity to gather feedback
from youth Venturing participants at VenturingFest 2018, which will be held July 1-
6, 2018.

12. Q. When will the OA literature be updated to reflect these changes?
We are planning that all literature will be updated by Summer of 2019.
Q. Will we still be able to wear lodge flaps on any female uniforms that
may be created?
Yes. We continue to work with BSA National Supply to help ensure that
the current OA lodge flap shape and size will be accommodated.
FAQs

13. Questions
• Please send additional questions or concerns
to:
2018chief@oa-bsa.org