[Usittne] USITT new england dues structure

[Monsos, Holly Diane]

Let me clarify two things.

First, as a result of your discussion, I realized that I'd sent out an
older version of the database proposal electronically to the Regional
Section Chairs.  (These things happen when you move from your laptop to
your desk computer and forget to take your updated file with
you....sigh.)  I'll let Crystal post the new version, as her posting is
much more compact and easy to read online than my word documents. To
summarize though, it's only the third option that is changed, with the
idea that there would still HAVE to be some way for people to be section
members only - otherwise there would be no point to considering that
proposal at all.

Second, as Ron remembers, this was raised by the sections at many
meetings, and it is that request that I'm trying to honor.  This is not
being pushed by anyone but me - and I'm just pushing for us all to make
a well-informed choice, instead of just talking about it for another
decade or two with nothing being followed through.  Ideally, I'd like
all the sections to talk about it, come back (through Crystal) with
comments, questions and concerns, which I'll try to get answers back
about, and then, at next year's conference in Phoenix at the Regional
Section Officers meeting, we can see where everybody stands. If a change
is desired (Proposal 2, or 3, or a variation on either one) we can go
forward at that time.  It may be that not all sections agree either,
which could change the proposals a good bit as well.  So it's a work in
process.....

I hope this helps.

Holly Monsos
VP Members, Sections & Chapters

-----Original Message-----
From: usittne-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:usittne-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf
Of Clyde Tyndale
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 10:05 AM
To: USITT New England Section Mail List; tiala at mindspring.com
Subject: Re: [Usittne] USITT new england dues structure

Sounds to me like Ron's got it covered.

I'd go with his suggestions

Clyde Tyndale

Falmouth Academy
Stagecraft Teacher
Technical director
Performance Space Manager
ctyndale at cape.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <ron.dallas at teradyne.com>
To: <tiala at mindspring.com>; "USITT New England Section Mail List" 
<usittne at mit.edu>
Sent: 04/10/2006 9:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Usittne] USITT new england dues structure


> Crystal,
> As mentioned in the letter, this has come up almost annually at the 
> USITTmeeting. I knowit came up when I attended a Chairs meeting and
that 
> was a very long timeago.  It would beinteresting to know if this is
coming 
> from the National office or from oneor more sections. If itis from a 
> section, what problems to they currently have that would besolved by
this?
> As to the proposals-#1 is the current state of things.  We (USITT-NE)
do 
> not have a problemwith our currentsystem which works well with the
small 
> size of the section. I have amultipage EXCELspreadsheet that contains
the 
> member info, the bank account ledger, and afinancial report.There are
some 
> cross checks and summary generation built into the sheet andit would 
> beeasy to transfer to a new person.
> #2 and #3 may require sections to be non-profit organizations. While 
> thisis not a problemfor USITT-NE since we are already a non-profit, it
may 
> be for othersections.  The topic ofnon-profit status and whether
sections 
> come under the umbrella of theNational non-profit status has come up
at 
> prior Section Chairs meetings.  A keyrequirement of umbrellacoverage
is 
> financial accountability and financial control by the parentover the 
> child.  Ifeither of these two proposals are seriously considered, the
idea 
> ofumbrella coverageshould also be considered.
> Some sections may not want, or have the resources, to become 
> non-profits.If they dobecome non-profits, they need to have resources
to 
> handle the variousannual reportsnecessary.  It seems that we are
trading 
> membership management for legalreportingmanagement, at least for
groups 
> that are not currently non-profitorganizations.
> Proposal #2 allows sections to have members that are NOT National 
> members.Somesections prefer this and I think this is an important
feature 
> of sections.Proposal #3 doesnot allow for section only memberships.
> How would "membership" funds be assigned to sections in proposal #3? 
> Noadditionalmoney is collected and members can select multiple
sections. 
> Do the basicdues haveto go up to support this.
> My vote on these 3 proposals is that only #1 is viable. The others
seem 
> torequiresection non-profit status and I would not want to force that
on a 
> section.Proposal #3 isparticularly bad in that there can not be 
> independent section members.
> I propose an additional option.  The National office provides software

> tothe sectionsfor membership and account management.  This has the
benefit 
> of a standardsystemfor these functions that has support when the
section 
> officers change.  Bytailoring thesoftware to USITT needs and
functions, it 
> can generate annual sectionreports andfacilitate the exchange of 
> information between the sections and thenational organization.Sections

> would still have to do their own data entry and cash management,but 
> thenational office could provide training and help as needed to the 
> section,especiallywhen officers change.  With good communications
between 
> the section andnationaloffice software, it is possible that the
national 
> office could handlemailing of renewalnotices for the sections.
> ---------------------------Ron DallasDesign Technology Group,
Teradyne, 
> Inc.ph: 617-422-2585e-mail: ron.dallas at teradyne.com
> usittne-bounces at mit.edu wrote on 04/09/2006 10:50:59 AM:
>> Hi all,> Below is information regarding potentional changes in our 
>> methods> of collecting regional dues that was proposed at the Chairs>

>> meeting in Louisville.  I would like your input.  Please read the>
info 
>> below and tell me if you feel one option would benefit or> hinder us
more 
>> than another.  thanks,> Crystal>> Dues Structure proposal>> Rational
for 
>> proposals> The sections enjoy their autonomy.  Historically it has
been> 
>> important to the sections that they are able to do their own>
planning, 
>> to keep track of their own members and finances, and to> leave it up
to 
>> their members whether or not to hold national> memberships in
addition to 
>> the section memberships.>> There are difficulties though, and not all
the 
>> sections have been> equally successful in dealing with those 
>> difficulties.  Some> sections have no problems maintaining an
accurate 
>> and useful> database of their membership.  Other sections spend a
great 
>> deal> of time and effort on their membership tracking, or have> 
>> difficulty transferring information when section officers change> or
have 
>> difficulty finding officers willing to do the work of> maintaining
the 
>> membership lists.  Generating and/or sending out> renewal notices can
be 
>> an additional burden in this area, which> can mean that some sections
are 
>> "carrying" members who haven't> actually renewed for some time. (Not
all 
>> sections mind that.)>> Whenever these issues are discussed, (usually
once 
>> a year at the> Annual Conference) the question arises about whether
the 
>> National> office could handle all memberships.  I have tried to 
>> summarize> the advantages and disadvantages of the current system,
and 
>> the> two other systems that are most typically discussed in the Dues>

>> Structure Proposal Summation.  The rest of this document explains>
those 
>> three systems as 3 possible proposals.>>> Proposal 1 - leave things
as 
>> they currently are.> No changes.>> To support this:> The VP Members, 
>> Sections & Chapters would need to find resources> (program 
>> recommendations, training, etc) to help those sections> that want or
need 
>> it to handle their database issues more effectively.>>> Proposal 2 -
Have 
>> the National office maintain one master database.> Membership 
>> applications would provide space for national and each> of the
regional 
>> sections.  Anyone wishing to apply for membership> in any of the 
>> organizations would fill out one form, checking> boxes for which 
>> memberships they wished to have.  After adding up> all the membership

>> fees, one check would be written.  It would be> possible to apply for

>> national alone, a regional section alone, or> any combination of
national 
>> and regional sections.  Renewal> notices would go out from the USITT 
>> office. Sections would receive> their dues from the national office
on a 
>> regular basis.>> To obtain a list of members, officers of a regional 
>> section would> request either a set of mailing labels by mail, or a 
>> comma> delineated list by email or regular mail.>> All sections
would, 
>> most likely, have to become official not-for-> profit organizations
if 
>> they are not already.>> To support this:> The USITT Board would need
to 
>> find additional resources to handle> the additional staff workload.>
A 
>> process for distribution of section membership monies in an>
efficient, 
>> timely manner would need to be developed.>>> Proposal 3 - Have
section 
>> membership be automatic with a nationalmembership> When filling out a

>> membership application for national membership,> a member could check

>> whatever regional sections they wished to be> affiliated with at no 
>> additional cost.  National membership> renewal would automatically
renew 
>> the regional affiliations> desired as well.  It would not be possible
to 
>> be a member of a> regional section only.>> To obtain a list of
members, 
>> officers of a regional section would> request either a set of mailing

>> labels by mail, or a comma> delineated list by email or regular
mail.>> 
>> All sections would, most likely, have to become official nor-for->
profit 
>> organizations if they are not already.>>[Section showing comparison
table 
>> deleted - rfd]>> Crystal Tiala> tiala at mindspring.com> EarthLink
Revolves 
>> Around You.>  _______________________________________________>
USITTNE 
>> mailing list> USITTNE at mit.edu> 
>> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/usittne
> _______________________________________________USITTNE mailing 
> listUSITTNE at mit.eduhttp://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/usittne
>
> 


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