Here is the "Census Report 2005" as promised. It is accompanied by a document called "Census 2005 Recommendations", and will be followed as soon as possible by another document called "Addenda to the Census 2005 Report".
It is possible to use the census to analyze Nova Roma's membership and to identify strengths and weaknesses in the organization. Further discussion of these observations is available in the "Addenda to the Census 2005 Report"; the "Census 2005 Recommendations" contains the conclusions drawn from the two first documents.
("Addenda to the Census 2005 Report" just needs some technical work, and will be published as soon as it is ready.)
Scribae Censoris Officinae Census:
Authority:
Constitution of Nova Roma Sections II.A. 4 and IV.A.1.b
Lex Fabia de Censu 31 May 2003
Edictum Censoris CFBQ XXXIV 4 July 2005
The Officina Census conducted a census of all current and former members of Nova Roma from 4 July until 23 Oct. 2005. On file with the censors are the records of approximately 4332 applicants for membership. Among these are 520 files of applicants who were never approved for membership. Another 193 former members have officially renounced their citizenship. By the conclusion of the census, 1021 former applicants and/or members were determined to have "disappeared." Three former cives are listed as deceased. The focus of the census was then placed on the remaining 2595 members to determine who among them remained as Active cives and who were to be reclassified under recent leges as Inactive socii.
Among Active members are four categories of cives:
Inactive members consist of Socii who did not meet any of the above criteria for Active membership. In addition those listed as "Disappeared" were Socii who could not be reached by any means of communication and who were found to have invalid email addresses, postal addresses, and telephone numbers.
At the completion of Census 2005 it was determined that Nova Roma has a total of 662 full citizens and an additional 184 probationary citizens, for a potential of 846 Active members. Inactive Socii amounted to 1749 members, including 501 Socii who warrant being reclassified with a status of "Disappeared."
| Cives: |
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Socii: |
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Other | Total |
| Assidui | Capite Censi | Prob. | Inactive | Disappeared |
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| 238 | 424 | 184 | 1248 | 501 | 1737 | 4332 |
From among all 4332 applications for membership that Nova Roma has received, 3906 have been granted citizenship at one time or another. Of these only 662 members remain full cives. That is, Nova Roma has lost 83% of its membership. At the end of summer 2000, Nova Roma had an "active" membership of 850 cives. Essentially Nova Roma today, with 846 assidui, capiti censi, and provisional cives, has failed to grow over the past five years.
Progress of the Census
Periodic counts were made as the census was being conducted. The figures below reflect membership response to announcements and email campaigns conducted by the Officina Census. While the census was being conducted additional applications were being processed as other probationary cives entered into full citizenship. A number of those 531 socii who were originally found to have invalid email addresses were contacted by propraetores through alternate means of communication, and thus their total number declined.
| Nova Roma | Cives | Prob. | Scoii | (disappeared) | Total | % Cives |
| 4 Jul. | 224 | 114 | 1721 | (531) | 2590 | 9% |
| 20 Jul. | 452 | 114 | 1409 | (531) | 2506 | 18% |
| 1 Aug. | 486 | 136 | 1460 | (531) | 2613 | 19% |
| 15 Aug. | 508 | 144 | 1439 | (543) | 2634 | 19% |
| 1 Sept. | 541 | 149 | 1376 | (537) | 2603 | 21% |
| 1 Oct. | 631 | 194 | 1258 | (520) | 2603 | 24% |
| 23 Oct. | 662 | 184 | 1248 | (501) | 2595 | 26% |
Breakdown by Provincia
The aggregate numbers are given below for each provincia and each region. Included in the regional numbers are figures for members who live outside organized provinciae.
| 23 Oct. | Total | CC | As. | Prob. | Socii | Disappeared |
| Britannia | 134 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 57 | 34 |
| Dacia | 23 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Gallia | 69 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 28 | 2 |
| Germania | 72 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 32 | 18 |
| Hibernia | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Hispania | 205 | 43 | 26 | 20 | 89 | 27 |
| Italia | 269 | 22 | 14 | 12 | 173 | 48 |
| Pannonia | 39 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 8 |
| Sarmatia | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Thule | 52 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 17 | 4 |
| Venedia | 25 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 5 |
| Unorganized | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3 |
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| Europe | 925 | 139 | 81 | 72 | 457 | 176 |
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Total | CC | As. | Prob. | Socii | Disappeared |
| Canada Occidentalis | 41 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 12 |
| Canada Orientalis | 66 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 31 | 18 |
| America Austroccidentalis | 165 | 27 | 17 | 5 | 88 | 28 |
| America Austrorientalis | 209 | 47 | 17 | 15 | 87 | 43 |
| America Boreoccidentalis | 74 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 37 | 13 |
| California | 168 | 26 | 9 | 16 | 80 | 37 |
| Lacus Magni | 120 | 28 | 15 | 7 | 52 | 18 |
| America Mediatlantica | 288 | 37 | 29 | 18 | 158 | 46 |
| America Medioccidentalis Superior | 79 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 34 | 21 |
| Nova Britannia | 110 | 9 | 22 | 5 | 48 | 26 |
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| North America | 1320 | 217 | 129 | 78 | 634 | 262 |
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Total | CC | As. | Prob. | Socii | Disappeared |
| Argentina | 43 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 8 |
| Brasilia | 103 | 14 | 20 | 10 | 35 | 24 |
| Mexico | 35 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 2 |
| Unorganized | 28 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 0 |
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| Latin America | 209 | 44 | 25 | 25 | 81 | 34 |
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Total | CC | As. | Prob. | Socii | Disappeared |
| Australia | 61 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 19 |
| New Zealand (Unorganized) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
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| Pacific | 68 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 19 |
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| Africa (Unorganized) | 29 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 1 |
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| Asia Occidentalis | 23 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| Asia Orientalis | 21 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
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| Asia | 44 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 9 |
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| 23 Oct. | Total | CC | As. | Prob. | Socii | Disappeared |
| Totals | 2595 | 424 | 238 | 184 | 1248 | 501 |
The Assidui
Among the 662 full cives that Nova Roma had by the end of the census 238 (36%) are assidui. The chart below rearranges the provinciae according to the number of assidui in each. Differences in the tax rate for each provincia were then considered to show what each provincia has provided to Nova Roma in revenues. Not included in provincial revenues are the amounts contributed by probationary cives.
| America Mediatlantica | 29 | $377 |
| Hispania | 26 | $182 |
| Nova Britannia | 22 | $286 |
| Brasilia | 20 | $60 |
| America Austroccidentalis | 17 | $221 |
| America Austrorientalis | 17 | $221 |
| Lacus Magni | 15 | $195 |
| Italia | 14 | $126 |
| Britannia | 12 | $108 |
| Thule | 9 | $90 |
| California | 9 | $117 |
| America Boreoccidentalis | 6 | $78 |
| Canada Occidentalis | 6 | $60 |
| Dacia | 6 | $18 |
| Germania | 5 | $50 |
| America Medioccidentalis Superior | 4 | $52 |
| Gallia | 4 | $40 |
| Canada Orientalis | 4 | $40 |
| Pannonia | 4 | $17 |
| Latin America (Unorganized) | 4 | $12 |
| Africa (Unorganized) | 2 | $4.30 |
| Hibernia | 1 | $10 |
| Asia Orientalis | 1 | $4 |
| Mexico | 1 | $3 |
| Argentina | 0 | $0 |
| Asia Occidentalis | 0 | $0 |
| Australia | 0 | $0 |
| Sarmatia | 0 | $0 |
| Venedia | 0 | $0 |
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| Totals | 238 | $2371.30 |
Organization of the Census
Censor K. Fabius Buteo Quintilianus established a new Officina Census on 28 June 2005. He named M. Moravius Piscinus Horatianus as Scriba Censoris Census Primus to head the office composed of scribae M. Antonius Biachius, A. Apollonius Cordus, and C. Fabius Buteo Modianus. Additional support was provided by Q. Cassius Calvus, M. Octavius Germanicus and M. Hortensia Maior. Additional assistance was extended to the Officina Census by propraetores M'. Constantinus Serapio for Italia, M. Flavius Philippus Conservatus in Germania, M. Lucretius Agricola in Asia Orientalis, and M. Curiatius Complutensis for Hispania and Mexico. Each of the scribae was assigned provinciae so that each oversaw the registration of approximately the same number of potential cives. The scribae were instructed to work with the propraetores of their assigned provinciae in locating and registering cives. Responsibility for updating the files of cives was assigned to A. Apollonius Cordus and M. Moravius Piscinus Horatianus. Letters received directly by the Officina Census from cives were responded to by M. Moravius Piscinus Horatianus. All of the scribae responded to letters sent indirectly through propraetores.
Announcements of the census were posted to the Nova Roma Mainpage, Mainlist and Announcements Board. Scriba Census Primus M. Moravius Piscinus contacted each of the propraetores, followed up by the other scribae of Officina Census. Propraetores then posted the announcements of the census to provincial email lists. The announcement of the census was also passed on by matres/patres familias.
The Officina Census sent out mass mailings to all potential cives requesting that they register in the census. Care was taken to ensure that all mailings were sent on a dies comitalis to avoid religious proscriptions. The first mailing, consisting of 2115 emails, was sent on 17 July 2005, dies comitialis a. d. XVI Kal. Sextilis A. U. C. MMDCCLVIII. This first mailing was sent in English, followed up by selective mailings in Italian and German, beginning on 27 July, and also in Spanish to members located in Hispania, Mexico, and Argentina. Translations of the census letter were provided by M'. Constantinus Serapio, M. Flavius Philippus Conservatus, and M. Curiatius Complutensis, respectively. In some provinciae these mailings were also followed up by individual mailings from propraetores. Afterwards the Officina Census received 546 bounced emails from erroneous addresses. From mid-July through mid-September the scribae and propraetores continued in their efforts to reach individual members via email, postal services, telephone, and by personal contacts as well. A second mass mailing was then sent out on 17-18 Sept. to these same socii who had not yet registered with the census as cives. This mailing was sent to 1991 socii with 308 emails subsequently bouncing. Again the mailing was followed up by additional mailings translated into Italian, Spanish, and German. The scribae censoris of the Officina Census and some propraetores again followed up these emails with phone calls, postal mailings, and personal contacts in an attempt to reach all members. The two mass mailings were the minimum efforts needed to meet the requirements of conducting the census under Nova Roma leges. The Officina Census took it upon itself to make additional efforts in different regions and provinciae when it was suspected that a special problem might exist. The translated emails, alternate mailing schedules, networking, and alternate means of communication were all part of the additional efforts that aimed to contact all possible members and have them register as cives.
Each month of the census consisted of four phases: contacting cives and propraetores, collecting information, updating files and disseminating information back to propraetores when needed. From the 4,417 letters sent out by the Officina Census, the scribae received and responded to 952 letters, answering inquiries and taking complaints. The scribae of the Officina Census updated 2586 files with current information on street addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and status. Removed initially from the provincial lists of active members were 152 files due to duplications, resignations, or for other problems. From among the socii 88 were reclassified as having Disappeared. These were former members in whose cases all attempts to contact them proved that they did not have valid addresses or phone numbers recorded with Nova Roma, and those whose contact information had already been found missing in previous censuses. Under recent Nova Roman leges distinguishing Active members as cives, and all others being then recorded as socii, 1750 files were reclassified as Inactive. Under the previous leges any civis who failed to respond to the census had been removed from the list of citizens. The new requirements that distinguish between Active Cives and Inactive Socii under Nova Roma leges therefore resulted in a 68% reduction in the membership that previously appeared on the public webpages of Nova Roma provinciae.
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.
The census was intended to determine the number of active cives remaining in Nova Roma. These are distinct from the socii who had joined previously but who had become inactive. Of all 4332 membership files only 662 could be classified as active at the time the census was taken, representing a loss of 85% of the membership over the past five years. In the final report cives were broken down into assidui and capiti censi. The number of provisional cives was also recorded in the final report. During the census proconsules and propraetores were encouraged to attain a proportion of 30% cives among their provincia’s total members. Determined as a minimum acceptable provincia profile was to have 30% cives, 60% socii, and 10% probationary cives. The chart below indicates how far the proconsules and propraetores were able to meet these goals. The figures color-coded in BLUE met or exceeded the goal of 30% cives and below 60% socii. Those color-coded in RED had below 25% cives and 75% socii or above.
Chart 1 Total Cives Prob Socii Cives / Socii %
Britannia 134 28 15 91 21 / 70 %
Dacia 23 13 4 6 57 / 26 %
Gallia 69 15 5 49 22 / 71 %
Germania 72 15 7 50 21 / 69 %
Hibernia 11 3 0 8 27 / 73 %
Hispania 205 69 20 116 34 / 57 %
Italia 269 36 12 221 13 / 82 %
Pannonia 39 10 4 25 27 / 64 %
Samartia 6 1 0 5 17 / 83 %
Thule 52 28 3 21 54 / 40 %
Venedia 25 0 1 24 0 / 94 %
Unorganized 20 2 1 17 10 / 85 %
_________________________________
Europa 925 220 72 633 24 / 68 %
Canada Occid. 41 9 1 31 22 / 77 %
Canada Orient. 66 13 4 49 20 / 74 %
Austroccident. 165 44 5 116 27 / 70 %
Austrorientalis 209 64 15 130 31 / 62 %
Boreoccidentalis 74 19 5 50 26 / 68 %
California 168 35 16 117 21 / 70 %
Lacus Magni 120 43 7 70 36 / 58 %
Mediatlantica 288 66 18 204 23 / 71 %
Mediocc. Super 79 22 2 55 28 / 70 %
Nova Britannia 110 31 5 74 28 / 67 %
_________________________________
North America 1320 346 78 896 26 / 68 %
Argentina 43 14 1 28 33 / 65 %
Brasilia 103 34 10 59 33 / 57 %
Mexico 35 11 8 16 31 / 46 %
Unorganized 28 10 6 12 36 / 43 %
_________________________________
Latin America 209 69 25 115 33 / 55 %
Africa (Unorg.) 29 4 5 20 14 / 69 %
Asia Occident.: 23 8 0 15 35 / 65 %
Asia Orientalis: 21 5 3 13 24 / 62 %
_________________________________
Asia 44 13 3 28 30 / 64 %
Australia 61 9 1 51 15 / 84 %
NZ
(Unorg) 7 1 0 6 14 / 86
%
_________________________________
Pacific 68 10 1 57 15 / 84 %
Totals 2595 662 184 1749 26 / 67 %
Reworked to exclude socii who have disappeared offers a more accurate profile of provinciae and of Nova Roma itself during the month of October 2005. Provinciae that met the goals are color-coded Blue, those that did not are seen in Red, while others had mixed results.
Chart 2 Total Cives Prob Socii Cives / Socii %
Britannia 100 28 15 57 28 / 57 %
Dacia 21 13 4 4 62 / 19 %
Gallia 48 15 5 28 31 / 58 %
Germania 54 15 7 32 28 / 59 %
Hibernia 7 3 0 4 43 / 57 %
Hispania 178 69 20 89 39 / 50 %
Italia 221 36 12 173 16 / 78 %
Pannonia 31 10 4 17 32 / 55 %
Samartia 4 1 0 3 25 / 75 %
Thule 48 28 3 17 58 / 35 %
Venedia 20 0 1 19 0 / 95 %
Unorganized 17 2 1 14 12 / 82 %
_________________________________
Europa 749 220 72 457 29 / 61 %
Excluding Venedia, Samartia and those from unorganized regions:
Europa 708 217 70 421 31 / 59 %
Canada Occid. 29 9 1 19 31 / 66 %
Canada Orient. 48 13 4 31 27 / 65 %
Austroccident. 137 44 5 88 32 / 64 %
Austrorientalis 166 64 15 87 39 / 52 %
Boreoccidentalis 61 19 5 37 31 / 61 %
California 131 35 16 80 27 / 61 %
Lacus Magni 102 43 7 52 42 / 51 %
Mediatlantica 242 66 18 158 27 / 65 %
Mediocc. Super 58 22 2 34 40 / 59 %
Nova Britannia 84 31 5 48 37 / 57 %
_________________________________
North America 1058 346 78 634 33 / 60 %
Argentina 35 14 1 20 40 / 57 %
Brasilia 79 34 10 35 43 / 44 %
Mexico 33 11 8 14 33 / 42 %
Unorganized 28 10 6 12 36 / 43 %
_________________________________
Latin America 175 69 25 81 39 / 46 %
Africa (Unorg.) 28 4 5 19 14 / 68 %
Asia Occident 19 8 0 11 42 / 58 %
Asia Orientalis 16 5 3 8 31 / 50 %
_________________________________
Asia 35 13 3 19 37 / 54 %
Australia 42 9 1 32 21 / 76 %
NZ (Unorg) 7 1 0 6
14 / 86
%
_________________________________
Pacific 49 10 1 38 20 / 78 %
Totals 2094 662 184 1248 32 / 60 %
Comparing the results between the two charts above gives an indication of whether a provincia had problems more so in the past with retaining members than recently. Such is implied when a provincia shifted into a blue provincia in the second chart. Where provinciae remained with mixed results this too implies previous problems that still effect the results. Where instead a provincia shifted into a red provincia there is implied a more recent or an ongoing problem.
The individual provincia were then rated in different areas. Participation gives the percentage of assidui among a provincia’s full cives. A goal of 40% was set for the Participation rating. The Retention rating compares the percentage of cives among all members. Color-coded BLUE is where the figure exceeded 25%, RED are those that fell below 20%. The Recruitment rating considers the number of probationary cives among all current members (excluding socii). Color-coded RED are those that fell below the goal of 10%, while those in BLUE are at 35% or above. A provincia’s Level is then the percentage of full and probationary cives among all members. Considered as a normal Level for Internet communities is 30-33%. Provincial Levels are thus color-coded as they fall outside this range. Bold type shows where provinciae exceeded the ratings for Nova Roma overall.
Chart 3 Participation Recruit
Retention Level
Britannia 43% 24% 35% 33%
Dacia 46% 68% 24% 76%
Gallia 27% 23% 25% 35%
Germania 33% 23% 32% 32%
Hibernia 33% 27% 0% 43%
Hispania 38% 37% 22% 44%
Italia 39% 14% 25% 16%
Pannonia 40% 29% 29% 37%
Samartia 0% 17% 0% 17%
Thule 32% 57% 10% 62%
Venedia 0% 0% N/A 0%
Unorganized 0% 11% 33% 13%
____________________________________________
Europa 37% 26% 25% 32%
23 Oct. Participation Recruit
Retention Level
Canada Occid. 67% 23% 10% 32%
Canada Orient. 31% 21% 24% 30%
Austroccident. 39% 28% 10% 33%
Austrorientalis 27% 34% 19% 42%
Boreoccidenta 32% 28% 21% 34%
California 26% 23% 31% 30%
Lacus Magni 35% 38% 14% 45%
Mediatlantica 44% 24% 21% 29%
Mediocc Supr 18% 29% 8% 39%
Nova Britanni 71% 30% 14% 39%
______________________________
North Americ 37% 29% 18% 35%
23 Oct. Participation Recruit
Retention Level
Argentina 0% 33% 7% 41%
Brasilia 59% 37% 23% 49%
Mexico 10% 41% 42% 44%
Unorganized 40% 45% 38% 45%
_____________________________
Latin Amer 36% 38% 27% 46%
23 Oct. Participation Recruit
Retention Level
Australia 0% 15% 10% 22%
NZ (Unorg) 0% 14% 0% 14%
____________________________
Pacific 0% 15% 10% 21%
Africa (Unorg) 50% 17% 56% 17%
Asia Occident 0% 35% 0% 42%
Asia Orient 25% 28% 38% 38%
_______________________________
Asia 8% 32% 19% 41%
23 Oct. Participation Recruit
Retention Level
Totals 36% 27% 22% 35%
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A provincia’s Level relates to the results found in the first two charts. A Level gives the percentage of Active cives among all members of a provincia. Where the Level is shown in red in chart 3, and both the percentage for cives and socii are in red in Chart 2 identifies where the greatest concern should be given towards membership problems. In Europa these provinciae are Italia, Venedia, and Samartia. In all three charts Australia performed poorly. And in North America there are then Canada Orientalis and provincia California
The viability of any organization is dependent upon recruitment of new members, retention of members, and then on the level of active participation by its members. To a limited extent we can assess how an individual provincia was doing by considering the various ratings for Participation, Retention and Recruitment in comparison to the Level. (PxRxRx1000 > L). That is, if the combination of the three ratings would exceed the provincia’s Level, it could indicate that membership in the provincia was still potentially growing. Such evaluations would have to be regularly made in order to confirm such a trend. Otherwise a provincia is probably only replacing the members it loses through recruiting new members, and where any of the ratings are low in addition to the Level a provincia may be declining in membership. Only three provinciae show promise of expanding. These are Britannia, Brasilia, and Medioccidentalis Superior. Hispania, Dacia and Pannonia also show some promise of further growth. In areas where provinciae have not yet been organized, the Latin America region is doing exceptionally well and shows the greatest promise for Nova Roma expanding its membership. Already small provincia could be organized for Chile, Uruguay, Peru, and the Caribbean areas.
Overall Nova Roma compares favorably with other Internet communities. A normal level of active participants among total subscribers to email lists is about 32%. Nova Roma slightly exceeds that norm in its Participation rating and Level. Its ability to attract new subscribers and retain them as active members seems a little low but not outside of a normal range of similar Internet communities. However Nova Roma aspires to be more than just an Internet community. In that sense the overall ratings are not promising for Nova Roma’s future. In order to grow further Nova Roma must greatly improve upon its ability to retain members. Its reliance upon passive recruitment is not sufficient to replace members it is losing, and therefore developing a program for actively recruiting new members may be necessary. Obviously if Nova Roma would do better in retaining members, then any new members it recruits would result in a growth of membership. Participation becomes an important factor in both areas since a higher level of participation among cives would suggest that social bonds were being formed to build a community in the provincia. Such social bonds tend to hold individuals to the group. An active social community tends to attract new members, and your more active members are the ones most likely to recruit new members. Thus even where the Recruitment rating may be better in a provincia compared to others, a low Participation rating could signal that a problem exists that will result in the disaffection of members. Venedia and Samartia provide examples of what can happen when key members become disaffected and leave Nova Roma. With only one probationary member today, Venedia practically no longer exists, and Samartia is in danger of becoming extinguished. Assuming that the ratings do not change, in five years Nova Roma's cives will slip from 846 today to 601 cives in 2010. Even Britannia, as well as it seems to be doing in overcoming previous problems, if nothing changes, will decline in membership. In five years Nova Roma could look like this:
Provincia 2005 2010
Britannia 43 34
Dacia 13 33
Gallia 20 11
Germania 22 20
Hispania 89 141
Italia 48 16
Pannonia 14 10
Thule 32 25
Canana Occidentalis 10 3
Canada Orientalis 17 8
Austroccidentalis 49 19
Austrorientalis 79 53
Borneoccidentalis 24 14
California 51 33
Lacus Magni 50 31
Mediatlantica 84 42
Medioccintalis Superior 24 10
Nova Britannia 36 18
Argentina 14 6
Brasilia 34 36
Mexico 11 26
Asia Orientalis 5 4
Australia 9 2
Africa 4 6
Other 64 0
Total 846 601
By this projection only Dacia and Hispania in Europa and some parts of Latin America will grow over the next five years, while other provinciae will likely struggle just to maintain the same levels of membership that they have today.
The ability to retain members is critical for Nova Roma to improve upon active participation by its members and also to improve its ability to recruit new members. Currently Nova Roma acquires one new member for every 3.6 cives. Over five years every 3.6 cives could expand into 11 members, except that with only 27% retention the net result declines to 3.1 members. Thus Nova Roma fails to grow and may even decline. The provinciae that are doing poorest in this regard are Argentina with 14 cives to every new member, Medioccidentalis Superior (11), Thule (9.3), and Canada Occidentalis (9). Interesting here is that Thule is the only active provincia in Europa that encompasses such a large area, from Iceland to Finland and is multinational. Britannia did best of any provinciae with 1.9 cives to every new member. In North America California did well with 2.2 cives for every new member. Here we may note that California is composed of only two states, while the worst performing provinciae of the region, Medioccidentalis Superior and Canada Occidentalis encompass very large areas. This suggests that the size of some provinciae inhibit not only the retention of members but also the recruitment of new members.
What the census figures above reveal is that Nova Roma has had serious problems in the past with the retention of members and this has affected Nova Roma in developing in other areas as well. This has been supported by anecdotal information received from former members during the course of conducting the census. The former members indicated that the main cause for their departure was the confrontational atmosphere on Nova Roma lists. That cause may directly account for as many as 300 members leaving, but does not fully explain the loss of over three thousand members over the past five years. From the limited available information what was found is that 42% of those who left due directly to confrontations with other members were educators (university professors and secondary school teachers). The inability to retain educators greatly inhibits Nova Roma from fulfilling its role of being an educational organization, and this may better explain why so many members have left. It should be emphasized that the figures only reflect past events, and therefore do not necessarily indicate what may happen in the future. That is certainly the case with certain provinciae, and the census figures should not be taken to reflect poorly on most current propraetores.
Recent changes to the laws have made the provinciae, rather than gentes, the primary social units within Nova Roma. More attention might therefore be given to how provinciae are organized and managed in order to address the two main problem areas of retaining members and recruiting new members. The Census 2005 Report offers a baseline that each provincia can use to judge their future performance in the areas of Participation, Recruitment and Retention of members. To get a more accurate baseline consideration should be given to adjusting the number of current socii. Included among the socii, and thus affecting some of the census figures, are a number of individuals who no longer have any association with Nova Roma. Also since the conclusion of the census it has been revealed that some cives did not realize they needed to register with the Officina Census in order to retain their status as an active civis. The profile for Nova Roma for today, when adjusted, would probably come to 790 cives, around 1000 socii, and have 184 probationary members or roughly 50% of the membership would be potential cives. Considering the original baseline at 850 cives and probationary cives in summer of 2000, the fact remains that with 846 cives and probationary cives in October 2005 Nova Roman has not grown in the past five years.
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:
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.
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.
That the nature of provinciae be reconsidered and their organization be more fully integrated into the overall organizational structure of Nova Roma.
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.
That a review be conducted of provinciae Venedia and Sarmatia to determine whether these remain viable.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sub manu Marci Moravii Piscini Horatiani
a. d. XI kal Dec. A.U.C. 2758