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President’s Message
Greetings Fellow WSRT
Members. My, how time does fly. It's hard to believe it is almost 6
months since the Annual Meeting. I hope your lives have not been as
crazy as mine. Between work, call, family, and other activities
there are not many free moments.
I hear that the plans and events for
Jackson in September are moving along and taking shape. We will
have some great speakers and I, for one, am looking forward to
attending. I hope to see a large turn out. Pass the word to your
entire nonmember technologists.
On the Legislative front, our amendments to
the Licensure Act did not get to introduction by one vote. We
needed 40 and got 39. We have a good foundation for next year and
we will try again. My deep and heartfelt thanks go to Kelly
Hartigan who put in a lot of extra hours to get the bill even this
far. Also thanks to Mike Lewis, Starla Mason, Linda Holden, Kristy
Nystrom and every one else who helped in this effort. Let's get it
done next year.
I had the wonderful privilege in January of
attending the ASRT Leadership Academy. This was a BIG learning
experience. I learned things I didn't know and would never have
thought of and got reinforcement on things I did know. I saw old
friends and new faces. Kelly Hartigan and Linda Holden also
attended (the casino runs were fun and very profitable, at least for
me). I would encourage any one considering running for a leadership
position to apply to attend. They are also going to accept 2
students to go in 2003. I have applications for both if anyone is
interested in applying. It was a wonderful 5 days.
I regret to inform you that I will be
unable to represent you in Birmingham in the House of Delegates.
Starla Mason has been selected to go in my place. I will miss not
being there but I have other obligations to attend to at that time.
The next WSRT Board Meeting will be April
27, 2002, at Vimbo's in Wheatland. All members are welcome to
attend. It will start at 9:00 am as a couple of us have afternoon
events to attend. I would like all Committee reports to me by April
1 so I may send them with the agenda to all Board members by April
11th. Please mark them with an IO if they are information only or
AR if an action is required by the Board. Your help in this will be
greatly appreciated. I will see you there.
Hope you all have a great spring and
summer. I would be glad to hear from any member if you have issues
or concerns or any thing you wish to share. Talk to you soon.
Peggy Jereb
Legislative Update
Kelly Hartigan
The Legislative Committee
was very busy working with the Legislative Service Office to make
changes to our Wyoming State Statutes. The first major change was to
include a clause that would allow "...certification by other states
or professional certifying groups whose requirements are at least as
stringent.." as ours, to be accepted in lieu of our examination.
This came in response to the bill that Dr. Tipton introduced last
year that would have allowed unqualified personal to perform
Dexascans.
The second major change was to add CE
requirements for Radiologic Technicians. They will be required to
show proof that he/she has completed six credit hours of continuing
education upon renewal.
The remainder of the changes were basically
just grammatical changes that were suggested by the Legislative
Service Office.
The Legislative Committee worked with Layton Morgan, (D) House of
Representative, at getting co-sponsors to help support the bill. One
BIG hurdle we crossed was getting Dr. Tipton himself to
co-sponsor!!!! YAH!!!
Unfortunately, the bill didn’t make it to
be introduced this year, lacking one single vote needed to be
approved for introduction during a budget session. However, we have
high hopes that we can reintroduce it next year and finally get it
approved.
Editor’s Note: My personal
thanks to Kelly for all of her very hard work on this, as well as
the other members of the legislative committee for compiling the
information with her, as well as their input. Be sure to thank these
people when you see them, or drop them a note. This is a very
difficult and involved process and it affects every technologist
working in the state of Wyoming. Those involved this year were
Starla Mason, Shelly Breazeale, Leonard Geringer and Kristy Nystrom.
Spring Board Meeting
As Peggy noted, the WSRT
Board of Directors will meet at 9:00 am, April 27, 2002, at Vimbo's
in Wheatland. All members are welcome to attend. Committee reports
are due to Peggy by April 1 so that she may prepare and distribute
the agenda.
The new policies and procedures, as well as proposed bylaws change
will also be presented for approval of the Board at this time. Is
you have any additions or corrections, they need to be submitted
immediately for review and approval by the board. The can be
reviewed on the WSRT web site.
Program Prepares Radiologic
Technologists for Leadership Roles
in Local, National Societies
Who will lead the radiologic
science profession in the next decade? Many of them might be among
the graduates of this year’s ASRT Leadership Academy, an innovative
educational program that trains radiologic technologists to become
effective association leaders. Twenty-nine radiologic technologists
from 20 states participated in the program, which took place Jan.
23-26 in Albuquerque, N.M., and was sponsored by the American
Society of Radiologic Technologists.
Graduates of this year’s Academy learned
basic leadership skills, including negotiation, decision-making,
consensus building and conflict resolution. Participants also
learned about fund raising, parliamentary procedure, association
management and the responsibilities of serving on a board of
directors.
Pamela Lee, M.Ed., R.T.(R)(QM)(CT), a
participant from Tacoma, Wash., said she would use the skills she
learned at the Leadership Academy to encourage more of her
colleagues to participate in the effort to enact the Consumer
Assurance of Radiologic Excellence bill, a proposed federal
initiative that would regulate the education and credentialing of
radiologic technologists.
Bart Pierce, B.S., R.T.(R)(MR), of
Corvallis, Ore., said the Leadership Academy helped him grow in
leadership knowledge and skills. “Our profession moves at such a
fast pace,” he said. “To lead, one must not only have passion for
the profession, but the knowledge and skills to make the correct
choices.”
Participant Donna Thaler, B.S., R.T.(R)(M)(QM), FASRT, of
Plainfield, Ind., noted that many of the skills she learned at the
Leadership Academy could easily be applied on a daily basis to her
work as director of the radiography program at Methodist
Hospital/Ball State University in Indianapolis.
Now in its fifth year, the Leadership
Academy has trained more than 200 radiologic technologists to assume
leadership roles in the ASRT and its 54 state and local affiliate
societies. The ASRT represents more than 93,000 medical imaging and
radiation therapy professionals nationwide.
Participants in this year’s Leadership
Academy were Gregory Bradley, M.Ed., R.T.(R), Lake Charles, La.;
Toni E. Brady, R.T.(R), Eagle Nest, N.M.; Penny Brinkman, B.S.,
R.T.(R), Nashville, Ill.; Georgene Byrum, R.T.(R)(M)(CT)(QM), Old
Bridge, N.J.; Peggi Drown, R.T.(R), Lafayette, Ind.; Pamela Dunster,
R.T.(R)(CT), Campbellsville, Ky.; Lee Erickson, R.T.(R), Oconto
Falls, Wis.; LeAnn Fisher, B.S., R.T.(R), Pickerington, Ohio; Julie
Gill, M.Ed., R.T.(R)(QM), Zanesville, Ohio; Frances Gilman, M.S.,
R.T.(R)(CV)(CT)(MR), West Chester, Pa.; Wendy Gustafson, R.T.(R),
RDMS, RVT, Rochester, Minn.; Kelly Hartigan, R.T.(R)(M), RDMS,
Cheyenne, Wyo.; Linda K. Holden, M.S., R.T.(R)(QM), RDMS,
Cheyenne, Wyo.; Peggy Jereb, R.T.(R)(M)(CT), Casper, Wyo.; Nancy
Johnson, B.A., R.T.(R)(CV)(CT)(QM), Phoenix, Ariz.; Ruth C. Kusterer,
R.T.(R), Richmond, Va.; Marco Lara, B.S., R.T.(R)(T), Scottsdale,
Ariz.; Chief Master Sgt. Darryl Lee, A.S., R.T.(R), RDMS, Wright
Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Pamela Lee, M.Ed., R.T.(R)(QM)(CT),
Silverdale, Wash.; Dawn McNeil, R.T.(R)(M), RDMS, Forest, Miss.;
Angel Medina, R.T.(R)(T)(N)(QM), CNMT, CMD, Baltimore, Md.; James
Murrell, M.S.R.S., R.T.(R)(M)(QM)(CT), Shreveport, La.; Bart Pierce,
B.S., R.T.(R)(MR), Corvallis, Ore.; Shirley Porter, B.S., R.T.(R),
Mandan, N.D.; Donna Thaler, B.S., R.T.(R)(M)(QM), FASRT, Plainfield,
Ind.; Kyle Thornton, B.A., R.T.(R), C.R.T., San Francisco; Pamela
Tubbs, R.T.(R)(M), Boonville, Ind.; Joseph Whitton, B.S.,
R.T.(R)(CT)(MR), Mount Sinai, N.Y.; and Sharon Zigan, R.T.(R)(M)(MR),
Browerville, Minn.
For information about how to apply for the
2003 ASRT Leadership Academy, contact Peggy Green at the ASRT,
800-444-2778, Ext. 1226.
WSRT Nominees!
We will be publishing brief
a biography for you in the next issue for the upcoming election.
Take a few minutes to write down a little something about yourself
such as where you work, how long you’ve been a tech and icludet he
reasons you’d like to be elected. You might describe to the members
what you’d like to accomplish as a board member and how you think
you can help the WSRT and its members.
More Students are Enrolling in
Radiologic Science Programs,
Survey Shows
There finally is a rare
bright spot among all the bleak news about the shortage of
radiologic technologists. According to the results of a recent
survey by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, the
number of people entering radiologic science programs has increased
during the past three years.
The survey asked directors of every
accredited radiologic science program in the United States -- 590
radiography programs, 110 nuclear medicine programs and 86 radiation
therapy programs -- to report student enrollment figures for their
freshman classes during each of the past three years. Response rate
varied by program type, with 75 percent of radiography program
directors responding, 62 percent of nuclear medicine program
directors responding, and 60 percent of radiation therapy program
directors responding. The enrollment figures reported by respondents
were extrapolated to estimate the entire population of students
entering radiologic science programs in 1999, 2000 and 2001.
“The results give us a good snapshot of the
supply side of the supply-demand balance in radiologic technology,”
said Sal Martino, ASRT executive vice president and chief academic
officer.
Survey results showed that enrollments
increased for all three types of programs. The freshman class of
radiography students was estimated to total 12,529 in 2001, up 12.3
percent from an estimated 11,160 students in 2000 and up from 10,582
students in 1999. The number of students entering U.S. nuclear
medicine programs increased 29.1 percent in 2001 to an estimated
total of 1,252, up from 970 students in 2000 and from 922 students
in 1999. Students entering radiation therapy programs in 2001 were
estimated at 860, a 22.3 percent increase from 701 students in 2000
and up from 556 students in 1999.
“This is good news for the profession and
for its patients,” said ASRT President Allen Terrell, M.S.,
R.T.(R)(MR). “I hope this growth correlates with recent efforts by
the ASRT and the Summit on Radiologic Sciences and Sonography to
interest students in careers in radiologic technology and to help
schools recruit more people into their programs.” The ASRT has
conducted an extensive media campaign to inform the public about job
opportunities in the field, and the Summit recently produced a
videotape about careers in radiologic technology.
Many health professions are experiencing
shortages, including nurses and laboratory technologists. However,
recent reports indicate that shortages are deepest among pharmacists
and radiologic technologists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
predicts that the country will need 55,000 more radiographers, 4,000
more nuclear medicine technologists and 4,000 more radiation
therapists by 2008. Based on those figures, Mr. Terrell warned that
the profession is not out of the woods yet. “To avoid a severe
personnel crisis, we must continue promoting the field to young
people and keep these enrollment figures up,” he said.
The ASRT survey also questioned
program directors about their plans for future program growth. Only
1.3 percent of respondents said they planned to decrease
enrollments, while 64.3 percent planned to stay at about the same
enrollment level and 34.4 percent said they plan to increase
enrollments. “About 50 percent of the programs indicated that they
are not at full enrollment, so there is room for continued
expansion,” said Dr. Martino.
In addition, 93.6 percent of the program
directors who responded to the survey said that their programs “will
definitely continue to operate” during the next few years, while 5.2
percent reported that there is a possibility of their program
closing and 1.3 percent said that they will close or have already
closed.
Radiography programs had the highest
student attrition rate, according to the survey. Directors reported
that during the past few years, 21.7 percent of students enrolled in
radiography programs dropped out before graduating. The attrition
rate for radiation therapy programs was 18.1 percent and the rate
for nuclear medicine programs was 11.8 percent.
“Attrition continues to be a problem,” said
Dr. Martino, who suggested that programs become more flexible to
meet the needs of their students. “Offering night and weekend
classes or distance-learning programs may be one way to stem the
loss of students,” he said.
The enrollment trends survey is available
at the ASRT Web site, www.asrt.org.
ASRT COMMITTEE ON CHAPTERS
WSRT Representative, Mike Lewis
I was honored this year to
be asked to serve with Eileen Ahlswede, R.T.(R), Chairman ; Cynthia
K. Daniels, M.S., R.T.(R); Deborah K. Herndon, B.S., R.T.(R)(CV);
Sheri La Grange-Price, B.S., R.T.(R), RDMS; Laura R. McKay, B.S.,
R.T.(R)(M)(QM); Charles “Chip” S. Ratledge, B.S., R.T.(R)(CT);
Pamela J. Ross, B.S., R.T.(T); Jill Schultz, R.T.(R)(M)(QM); and
Kathy Tabor McEwan, B.A., R.T.(R) on this year’s Committee on
Chapters.
Our charges this year were to review any
new application for new chapters and assist in the development of
new chapters; work with Task Force on Governance Restructuring to
ensure chapter issues are addressed; develop probationary criteria
for existing chapters similar to probationary criteria for existing
chapters developed by the 1999-2000 Committee on Chapters; develop
mechanism for dissolution of a chapter that does not meet criteria
at end of probationary period; and further define the roles of
chapter delegate’s involvement through term, providing means of
documenting this involvement and link reimbursement to completion of
all delegate roles.
The primary focus of our discussions seemed
to be delegate reimbursement issues. Each chapter delegate from each
of the 9 regions is reimbursed a portion of the money raised from $1
of each ASRT member’s dues. The discussion seemed to center on the
requirements to be fulfilled before reimbursement can be awarded,
and whether the reimbursement actually constitutes a payment for
services as a non-employee of the ASRT. The trouble was how to
determine and possibly enforce accountability of the delegate and
whether it is in the House of Delegates purview to enforce such
standards. After much discussion, the final report is in preparation
and will be submitted shortly to the ASRT. |
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WBRTE News
Kristy Nystrom
President, WBRTE
The Wyoming Board of
Radiologic Technologist Examiners met in January and welcomed new
public member Leo Preuit. Leo is from Wheatland and will make a
great addition to this board. We are still rewriting and rewriting
statute changes. It seems we're finding new loopholes everyday that
need plugging up. Our next meeting is slated for April 24, 2002 at
3:00 pm in Cheyenne. I ask once again of all technologists, if you
know of anyone knowingly not carrying a valid Wyoming state license,
please notify the board so action an be taken. Complacency doesn't
get you anywhere.
Nominations
The following people have
been nominated for office in the WSRT next year. Nominations are
open until April 30 so if you know someone who would like to help us
out, or if you would like to participate yourself, please let us
know!
President-Elect: Mike Lewis
Vice President: Laurie Weaver
Secretary: Jackie Sparling, Jaci Oussama
Treasurer: Cheryl Peterson, Glenn Janezich
WE NEED YOU TO
RUN FOR OFFICE!
LCCC News…
Starla Mason
Congratulations to the
following LCCC second-year radiography students: Jennifer (Jenny)
Kolnik and Christy Steen. They placed first and second,
respectively, in the Student Challenge competition sponsored by the
Association of Collegiate Educators in Radiologic Technology (ACERT),
held in Las Vegas, NV January 30-February 1. A total of nineteen
LCCC students were able to attend the conference and participate in
the Student Challenge, and these two students hung on through the
final round, beating out over eighty students from all over the West
(including Hawaii) to claim their prize money of $100 and $50. Great
job!
LCCC also took top honors in the ACERT
Student Paper Competition. Out of 22 papers submitted, Julie
Blackwood, a second-year sonography student won first prize (along
with a plaque and $100) for her paper on "Sonographic Imaging of the
Ankle." Third place honors went to another LCCC second-year
sonography student, Melissa ______________ . She claimed a $25 award
and a plaque for her topic: "Sonohysterography." Kudos, ladies! Look
for both of these students at LCCC's commencement ceremonies in
May-they and their classmates will be representing the first
graduating sonography students at LCCC (and in Wyoming!)
Wedding bells rang in Las Vegas, too!
Congratulations to Linda Holden and John Itzen, who tied the knot at
2:30 PM on 02/02/02. After celebrating with friends and family in
the "City That Never Sleeps," Linda and John drove on to the San
Diego, CA, area for a well-deserved vacation and honeymoon. (Linda
will continue to use "Holden" as her last name to avoid confusing us
slow learners.) Be sure to congratulate the newlyweds the next time
you see them!
By the time this publication reaches you,
LCCC should also have christened its newest piece of equipment: a
single-phase high frequency x-ray unit, complete with fluoroscopy, a
TV monitor, an overhead mounted x-ray tube, and tomography. The old
GE-Picker combo unit (which was probably 50 years old, if not more)
has been laid to rest where all good dinosaurs go to die. We are
looking forward to several new lab applications and training
opportunities with our new toy this semester, and many more in the
future.
ASRT
Leadership Conference
in January
Three members of the WSRT
took part in this year's Leadership Academy which took place January
23-26 in Albuquerque, NM. Peggy Jereb, Kelly Hartigan and Linda
Holden were elected to partake in this innovative educational
program that trains Radiologic Technologists how to become an
effective association leader.
A total of 29 Radiologic Technologists from
20 states participated in this program. The graduates learned basic
leadership skills including decision-making, negotiation, consensus
building and conflict resolution. Participants also learned about
parliamentary procedures, association management, fund-raising and
the responsibilities of serving on a board of directors.
SHAKE UP YOUR PROFESSION!
CONFERENCE NEWS!
YOU'RE INVITED!
Make plans now to attend the
WSRT's Annual Meeting in Jackson this September. The WSRT is
celebrating its 45th birthday this year, and a slew of great
speakers are on their way to help us mark the occasion!
DATES: September 5-8, 2002
PLACE: Snow King Resort and Center, Jackson
Hole, Wyoming. (A block of rooms have already been reserved at
post-Labor Day rates of $125/night. You may make your own
reservations. To get this room rate, be sure to mention that it is
for the WSRT Conference.)
RSVP: Watch the Cathode and your mail for
details. (But of course we'll take anyone who walks in at the door!)
The theme for this year's conference is:
Shake Up Your Profession: From "All Shook Up" to "Shake It Up,
Baby!" in recognition of the WSRT's birth in 1957 (when Elvis' song
was #1) to the 21st century, where Austin Power rules. In an effort
to "shake off" some apathy, and get reinspired by our profession, we
have changed our traditional meeting format somewhat, collaborated
with St. John's Medical Center and their Mammography Conference
(which has regularly been held in Jackson), and plan on
incorporating the "shake" theme (with all of its different forms and
meanings) throughout the meeting.
Here's a preview of the party we're
planning for you...
On Thursday afternoon, the WSRT will kick
off the event with its annual Management seminar with the "Hokey
Pokey," so that you can start off the conference by "put(ting) your
whole self in, and shake it all about." Speakers are in the works,
but not yet confirmed (we don't want to let the cat out of the bag,
yet...)
Friday morning we will start the day off
with a hot breakfast buffet, and while we are finishing our coffee,
the keynote speaker for the day, Phil Ballinger, will treat us all
to the "Misnomers of Radiology" (and some of the 1957 terminology
still in use). The "theme of the day" will be "All Shook Up," so
expect some Elvis sightings.... As requested, the Annual Student
Bowl will be held late Friday afternoon (rather than on Saturday) to
give the students a chance to network with each other a lot sooner.
We are also looking at trying out a Technologist Jeopardy/Wheel of
Fortune/Happy Hour (name to be determined) at the end of the day, so
plan on participating in this fund-raising opportunity (which will
also have some prizes attached to it, of course!)
Saturday will be dedicated to Austin
Powers, and "Shake It Up, Baby!" Stewart Bushong will treat us to
his special blend of humor and physics following another hot
breakfast buffet before we break up into our different sessions for
the day. We will end the day with our traditional, but popular, WSRT
Awards Banquet and Raffle (expect some birthday cake somewhere along
the way, also...)
Sunday morning will feature ECE offerings
in Mammography (and maybe Ultrasound, also?)-a St. John's
Mammography Conference tradition. We hope to offer a morning's
concentrated study in this area for RT's needing credits using this
extended weekend format, while still allowing the rest of the day
for everyone to pack up and "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" their way home
(wherever "home" may be.)
Leigh Copeland (the technologist
representative from St. John's Medical Center, who has engineered
the St. John's Mammography Conference in the past) and I have been
fortunate in rounding up a great selection of speakers so far,
allowing us to offer a full three tracts of ECE on Friday and
Saturday after each keynote speaker. One entire tract on Saturday
will be dedicated solely to mammographers, giving them plenty of
opportunity (along with Sunday's offerings) to satisfy their MQSA
ECE requirements.
A special thank you to all of you (you know
who you are!) who have already helped us by finding or suggesting
speakers/vendors/exhibitors, volunteering to speak or make
donations, or by graciously accepting our invitations to speak or
help out. Let's continue to spread that spirit around, and make this
possibly one of the best attended WSRT conferences ever!
Casper College Seminar
Casper College announce they
will be holding a Spring Seminar on Saturday, April 20th. The
conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will go through the day until
4:00 in the afternoon. Speakers include Marty Brammer,
Electrophysiology, The Other Side of the Cath Lab; Tom Cherewick,
The Workplace Jungle: What They Don’t Teach You in School; Dr.
Turner, Orthopedic Radiography of the Spine; Dr. Smith, Integrating
the Healthcare Enterprise; and Dr. Beckstead, Vascular Diseases.
The seminar will be held at the Leik
Auditorium (HS 111) at the Casper College Health Sciences Building.
Take I-25 to Poplar Street, exit south, turn left on College Drive
then right onto the campus. It is the 5th building on the left in
the large parking lot.
The fees for the seminar are $30 for techs and $15 for students.
Lunch is NOT provided so either bring lunch with you or money to go
out. The lunch period is from 11:30 to 1:00 so you should have time
to leave and come back.
Contact Laurie Weaver at 307-268-2587 to
register by April 15 and for more information.
Relay for Life
The WSRT will once again
participate in this year’s Relay for Life, the American Cancer
Society’s annual drive for funds for cancer research and assistance.
The relay will be held June 15th and 16th at Okie Blanchard stadium
in Cheyenne. Participants will walk around the track in shifts over
the course of 24 hours. Folks, this is a blast to do and lots of
fun, but it’s also for a very, very worthy cause and as radiologic
professionals, it is one small way for us to reach out to the people
we see on a daily basis as patients.
Call Kelly Hartigan today at 632-2424 or
778-7319 for more information and to SIGN UP!!!!!
ASRT TASK FORCE ON AFFILIATE
ISSUES
WSRT Representative, Starla Mason
On March 23, 2002, the seven
members of the ASRT Task Force on Affiliate Issues will be meeting
at the ASRT Executive Office in Albuquerque, NM. Members include
Gerald "Bates" Gilmore as Chair from Alabama, Anne Edwards from
Iowa, Mary Holder from West Virginia, John Schaub from Ohio,
Annemarie Sundquist from California, Gerard "Butch" Thibodeaux from
Louisiana, and myself. As you can see from the membership, we have a
wide variety of affiliates represented in terms of size, issues, and
membership percentages.
We will be addressing three primary charges
pertaining to the ASRT and its affiliates:
1. Investigate possible reasons for decline in membership of
the affiliates and suggest possible solutions to reverse the
trend.
2. Investigate the feasibility of a combined dues structure and
other financial opportunities to help affiliates and the ASRT,
reporting the results to the 2002 House of Delegates.
3. Recommend methods of combating professional apathy towards
affiliate societies.
These issues are
particularly relevant to the WSRT, as we have witnessed a steady
decline in our own membership numbers in recent years. One of the
solutions offered to help bolster both ASRT membership and affiliate
society membership without sacrificing one over the other is to have
one membership fee which is paid to the ASRT. The ASRT would then
pass a portion of the fee on to the affiliate society, and the ASRT
member would also automatically be a member of the appropriate
affiliate. Various professional societies in the medical field, such
as dentistry and dental hygiene, already utilize this type of
combined dues structure, while others operate on a similar model to
the one we have now (separate dues to the ASRT and to the affiliate,
as the member chooses.)
A survey was sent last fall to all
affiliate leaders, requesting membership information and numbers, in
addition to affiliate opinions regarding a proposed combined dues
structure. The task force's job is to take the data from this
survey, incorporate its results with the proposed new ASRT
governance model (which eliminates regions and reduces affiliate
representation in the House of Delegates to 1 representative per
affiliate), and make recommendations to the 2002 House regarding the
combined dues suggestion. If it is found to be a feasible model, the
task force may also make recommendations on the format of a combined
dues structure so that each affiliate and its members are treated
equivalently.
If you have any strong feelings or
suggestions about a combined dues structure or on how to fight
apathy in our affiliate societies and build membership, please
contact me at home: (307)638-1105 or work: (307)778-1391, or send
them to me at smason@lccc.cc.wy.us. Any and all feedback is
appreciated-thanks!
ASRT TASK
FORCE ON
GOVERNANCE RESTRUCTURING
WSRT Representative, Mike Lewis
It was also my honor this year to
be asked to serve on the subcommittee on Chapters for the Task Force
on Governance Restructuring. Our charges were to examine and
recommend changes to the chapter structures within the ASRT’s
proposed model for governance restructuring.
Basically, the House of Delegates has
assigned a task force to examine the possibilities in revising our
governance structure, meaning how the House of Delegates is
comprised, how the policies and procedures are written to determine
not only how we govern ourselves but how we conduct the business
charged to us as delegates representing all members of the ASRT as
well.
As it stands, the model currently
recommends cutting the number of delegates for each chapter from
nine (representing the nine regions of the ASRT) to two and the
number of delegates from each affiliate chapter (such as the WSRT)
from two to only one. Since there are currently 54 affiliate
societies and nine regions with 13 chapters each, this effectively
will cut the House of Delegates from 225 members to 86. It is
believed that through this new structure plan, the governance of the
ASRT may be much more efficient and cost effective.
On our subcommittee, we were primarily
concerned with how those chapters delegates will be chosen, what
their duties will be, how long their terms are and so forth. At
issue were concerns for mentoring of new members, reimbursements,
specific duties and continuity, among other things. The final report
should now be compiled and ready for submission to the primary task
force. |
