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Friday, January 29, 2010

The Changing of the Guard At Eve University

One of the reasons I wanted to play Eve Online was the chance to join Eve University. To paraphrase a quote from someone's signature, in a game in a group of bastards competes to be the biggest bastard in a battle for wealth and power, the folks running Eve University are running a charity. Almost 6 years ago, one man had a vision that turned a help chat channel into an alliance of 1400 members. The man is Mental Mantis and this weekend marks the end of his time as the CEO of the Ivy League alliance. The announcement was made a week or two ago, but I think now is an appropriate time to post it again.

Official Eve University Press Statement - For Immediate Release

Many of you know Eve University as the new player training corporation which was founded almost six years ago by Morning Maniac. We have spent that time teaching new players in all aspects of Eve, and helping them on their way in New Eden to become successful pilots, freely providing information, skillbooks, ships, modules and various other resources.

On February 1st, Morning Maniac will officially step down as CEO, replaced by Kelduum Revaan, current Director of Operations.

Statement from Morning Maniac, Eve University Founder and CEO

Five years and 11 months ago I founded Eve University to create a place where new players could get together and be appreciated for who there were. Classes and doing things together were important but nothing was, and is, more important than the positive attitude towards new players.

In the first three years I clocked about 4000 hours logged-in in the service of the University. After some real life changes my available free time was greatly reduced but I could rely on a great team of directors and managers to run the Uni. In the last three years I was mainly concerned with extinguishing fires and the occasional directorship drama, but fortunately for me and everyone involved these issues have become less frequent and intense. The current leadership is stable and doing well, and they seem to share my vision of what the University should be and they work hard to shape it as such, with all the limitations of the game and the people in it.

More changes in my real life have resulted in even less Eve time and as a result I feel now removed from the game. Because of that I have decided that it is in the best interest of Eve University that I resign from my CEO position. I have asked Kelduum to succeed me and he has accepted the job.

What does this mean for the University and its members? Well, nothing. It means that now the formal power will be with the person who has already been in charge for a long time. I trust that Kelduum and the rest of the leadership will continue to run and build the University as they have done in the past. If they should decide to take another route then that's fine too.

As for me? I hope to stay a member of the University. If and when I have time I would like to log in and just join the chat with the new guys. The enthusiasm of new players is what I always enjoy most about EVE. Besides, there is always a lot to learn in Eve.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone for putting your trust in me. When I founded the Uni I had no idea where it would go. Where we are today is far beyond anything I could have imagined. I have learned so much, I have met amazing people and had a great time. All thanks to you, members past and present of Eve University.


Statement from Kelduum Revaan, Current Eve University Director of Operations

About three and a half years ago, when I first found E-UNI, I knew it was something special - I had been hanging around in the public channel, asking questions before I joined, when I mentioned I was having trouble catching a rat in a mission. A few minutes later, one of the directors warped into my mission and helped me kill the rat, dropping me some loot and giving me some pointers.

Eve, after all, is about conquest and power, be it of the market, NPCs or, of course, space itself. In a harsh universe, someone helping out a new player with no tangible benefit to themselves is clearly unusual, and it didn't take me long to realise that this isn't uncommon amongst E-UNI members.

It was only a few months after I joined that I ended up getting involved in diplomacy for the Uni, managing to diffuse a situation with some neighbours, and ended up with the role of Diplomat. As things progressed, it became a directorship a few months later, and then at the end of 2008, I took on the role of Director of Operations, managing the day to day operations of the Uni.

After a bit of a shuffle, I had a great team of directors and managers, who put the Uni and its members first. This allowed me to make a few changes and improve things for the students, streamlining various processes, improving security, drastically reducing the impact of wardecs, and eventually completing the move The Forge to Metropolis, providing more opportunities for the members all round.

I am honoured that Morning Maniac trusts me with his vision. Eve University isn't just a corporation; it's not just the forums, killboard, wiki, assets sitting in hangars, or anything else tangible. Eve University is the community, and the spirit of helping each other out, for nothing other than the satisfaction.

As Morning Maniac steps down and I take over the formal title of CEO, he will still be the Founder of Eve University, the person who had that initial idea. The concept must have sounded crazy at the time but it worked, as thousands of members and alumni can attest to, and my priority as CEO will be to continue to improve the Eve experience for the corporations members, and provide the structure which makes Eve University and its community possible.

Thank you again, Morning Maniac for placing your trust in me, and thanks to all the members of Eve University, past, present and future, for making the E-UNI what it is.


Eve University Declaration of Principles

All capsuleers have an unrelenting desire for more; more strength, more space, more ISK, more power.

Many will take from others; without hesitation or mercy, without compassion or regret.

Every day new capsuleers are born. But New Eden is a harsh place, and many are unprepared.

In YC 105, one man recognised that 'more' did not have to be the only objective; that these new pilots are important, and enabling knowledge is worthwhile.

That man was Morning Maniac, and he founded a corporation, Eve University, under entirely altruistic principles.

He created a place to learn, a place to teach, a place where the person is more important than the skillpoints, and 'more' is not the driving force.

With its members freely teaching each other, they benefited from each other’s experience. Many moved on, but not before they imparted the knowledge they had gained.

And as the word spread and members passed through the corporations doors, it became something else.

What once was a small corporation has become a community, transcending all language, cultural and regional barriers, with alumni all over New Eden.

It had become something that will endure until the last of the stars goes dark.

Here, gathered under a common cause, we agree to recognise that together, as a community, we can teach those new generations of capsuleers.

Together, we can prepare them better than any guides or agents can.

Together, we can give them the best start possible, without limiting their options.

Together, we can instill in them the skills needed not only to survive, but to be successful.

We do this not for power, or influence, or money.

We do this because we too recognize that 'more' does not have to be the solitary goal.

We do this because we are Eve University.


About Eve University

Eve University was officially founded on March 15th 2004 after its early life as a public help channel. Since that time it has seen countless thousands of students pass though its doors, going on to become successful members of the community and some of Eve's best known names. With well over 1,300 members, it is one of the largest corporations in Eve, and by far the oldest player-run educational establishment.

The corporation is funded primarily from donations from the community and staffed entirely with volunteers, with recruitment always open for new players and experienced players looking to pass on their knowledge. The corporation provides mentoring, classes, hangar stocks, skillbooks, forums and wiki filled with information for new players and a number of sponsorship deals from third parties.

Eve University maintains a strict NRDS policy and welcomes Non Aggression Pacts from all groups, as well as providing a forum for third parties to recruit its graduates. To join, or for more information on Eve University, check the corporation info in-game, join the channel 'E-UNI', or see http://www.eve-ivy.com.

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