Governance

How we work together

The USS Typhon works best when crew know who to approach, can ask questions without embarrassment and receive clear answers. Department Chiefs support their teams and bring matters that need a wider decision to Command Staff. The Second Officer and Executive Officer help coordinate the ship's work. The Commanding Officer is responsible for chapter leadership and decisions within the authority of the role. See Chief Duties for more about department leadership responsibilities.

Where a matter affects the whole crew, Command Staff should explain the decision to those affected and give them a reasonable chance to raise practical concerns. Not every suggestion will become chapter policy, but members should know where to bring one.

Questions and concerns

For an everyday question or problem, start with your Department Chief where you feel comfortable doing so. If your Chief is not the right person for a particular matter, you may approach another Chief, the Second Officer, the Executive Officer or the Commanding Officer. The Command Structure page shows how matters can be raised through the chapter.

Give the person you approach the relevant facts, including what happened, when it happened and what help you need. If you have messages or other records that matter, keep them. Command Staff should hear from the people involved before reaching a conclusion and share information only with those who need it to address the issue. Confidentiality should be respected, but it cannot be promised absolutely when action or reporting is required.

If there is an immediate danger, contact local emergency services or venue staff first. Do not wait for the chapter's usual chain of communication.

When Fleet support is needed

Most questions can be resolved within the Typhon. When a serious matter needs attention beyond the chapter, the Regional Coordinator can help bring it to the appropriate people at Fleet level. The RC represents the Australia and New Zealand fleet and serves as a link between its chapters and STARFLEET International. Our Commanding Officer currently holds that regional role as well, so Typhon crew have a direct connection to the wider Fleet.

In the uncommon case where the usual contact is not appropriate for a particular matter, speak with another trusted member of Command Staff or use the relevant STARFLEET channel directly. This gives crew another way to seek help without assuming that any particular person is at fault.

For an extremely serious concern within STARFLEET International, members may contact the Office of the Inspector General. It is a Fleet-level avenue, not the normal first stop for an everyday chapter disagreement. Whether that office can take up a particular matter depends on its remit and the membership status of those involved.

Changes to this manual

If you find an error, an outdated link or guidance that does not match current Typhon practice, tell your Department Chief or Command Staff. Suggestions for new guidance are welcome too. Command Staff can review the proposal, check any relevant STARFLEET requirements and decide what the manual should say. A draft suggestion is not a new rule simply because it has been raised.

Substantive changes should be dated, reviewed and recorded in the Revision History so crew can see what changed. Where a decision requires approval beyond the chapter, the manual should not present it as settled before that approval is given.