Exchange of e-mails between VRA President Kathe Albrecht and VRA/NY Chair
Jenni Rodda, concerning the proposal to create “guest” memberships
for regional chapters:
----- Original Message -----
From: Kathe Albrecht <kalbrec@american.edu>
Date: Monday, October 3, 2005 2:33 pm
Subject: Re: Letter from the Greater New York Chapter
Hi Jenni,
Thanks for your recent email to the VRA Executive Board concerning the idea
of "guest" memberships in local chapters. The idea that you and
the Greater New York Chapter propose is interesting, although there are
some complicating factors that may make it less viable than first appears.
The
Board will certainly discuss it. As you know, we are always interested
in new ideas.
Thanks again,
Kathe
Kathe Hicks Albrecht
VRA President
Visual Resources Curator, American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
202-885-1675
kalbrec@american.edu
To: kalbrec@american.edu
cc: chilker@uark.edu, macie.hall@jhu.edu, keefej@rpi.edu, bwhitlow@artsci.wustl.edu,
thomasa@union.edu, linda.a.reynolds@williams.edu, dw@artstor.org, sherman.clarke@nyu.edu,
treitels@aol.com
Subject: Letter from the Greater New York Chapter
29 September 2005
Dear VRA Executive Board members,
At their spring 2005 meeting, held June 17 at Princeton University, the members
of the Greater New York Chapter voted to request a review of the Association's
chapter-to-parent membership policy. At this time, only members of the parent
Association may be members of an approved local Chapter (see by-laws article
VII, section 5). It is believed that requiring Association membership before
Chapter membership has helped the Association's membership to grow.
The members of the Greater New York Chapter believe, however, that encouraging
local membership first is also a way to increase Association membership.
We therefore recommend instituting a one-year regional "guest" membership,
prior to requiring that a new local member join the Association proper. We
firmly believe that this one-year "guest" period would provide
an excellent introduction to the Association through the activities of
the Chapter, and allow new
colleagues a chance to see all the wonderful services available at the
local level. In the long run, "guest" memberships could provide
a way to bring in members of other professional organizations at the local
level
(ARLIS, ASPP, and so on) who might attend open regional events but otherwise
not participate in the activities of either the Chapter or the Association.
And, as the dues structure for most chapters is well below the cost of
joining the overall Association, having
"
guest" memberships might bring badly needed funds to local Chapters.
We believe that those who wish to participate in and benefit from the Association
should have as many avenues as possible to begin their exploration--they should
not be restricted only to national
membership. To that end, we recommend that Article VII, Section 5, be amended
to read as follows: "Conditions for Chapter membership may be set at
the Chapter level, and should be recorded as part of the Chapter's by-laws.
Membership
in the Association is highly recommended."
Although this recommendation is not made by signed petition, the assembled
members of the Greater New York Chapter voted unanimously to present it to
the Board. We hope, therefore, that the Board will bring our proposal to the
Association membership as part of regular business
at the annual meeting in Baltimore next spring.
We thank you for your consideration. Please let us know if any clarification
is required. We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Jenni Rodda, Chair, Greater New York Chapter
*****************************************************************************
