Membership Development Committee Report

Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 21:52:18 -0500
From: "William B. Harrison" 
Subject: Membership Development Committee Report
To: r3-excom1998 

To: IEEE Region 3 Executive Committee
From: Bill Harrison, Region 3 Membership Development Committee Chair
Subject:  Membership Development Committee Report
Date: 15 January 1998

Jim Howard's accomplishments in Membership Development will be a hard
act to follow.  Jim, as the IEEE's Membership Development Chair, will
lead the MD effort for all regions, including ours.  I hope Region 3 can
help Jim in his awesome task.

I am just beginning to glimpse the "opportunities" involved and to see
what a fine job Jim has done for Region 3.  Please help me identify
people throughout the region you think could help Region 3 meet its
Membership Development goals and objectives.

The draft Region 3 Goals and Objectives presented in Huntsville in
November included the following under the heading of MEMBERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT.  Downright scary!

GOAL:
Increase Student Member transition to full membership.  Increase member
retention.

OBJECTIVES:
1a.  Publicize awards in local newsletters
1b.  Increase nominations for each Region 3 award (by 1998: seven/award;
by 2000 one/area/award)
1c.  Initiate at least one new Educational Activities Award and one new
Professional Activities Award in 1998 and one EA Award in 1999.
1d.  Increase Region 3 Senior Members to 10% of Institutes's
1e.  Increase Region 3 Fellows to 7% of Institutes's
1f.  Have each Section personally contact members in arrears
1g.  Encourage and support formation of Graduates of the Last Decade
(GOLD) groups in Sections - develop 50% participation in 1998 and 70% in
1999.
1h.  Initiate an aggressive student program in each Section that
reverses the negative student membership trend.  This should include
programs that publicize and promote the reduction of the cost of student
membership.  Monitor results and report to EXCOM and RAB.

Before we can go very far accomplishing goals and objectives, we need to
assure that an MD officer has been appointed for every Section.  Area
Chairs -- HELP!

According to Jim Howard, the IEEE Membership Development Committee (MDC)
has undertaken a "4 R's based on 4 I's" initiative to promote
Recruitment, Retention, Recovery and Recognition based on Information,
Identification, Innovation and Implementation.  This initiative is
taking a critical look at all IEEE membership activities.

As a part of this initiative, the IEEE MDC will be meeting in in
Baltimore on 29-22 February 1998 to deploy training strategies, to share
best practices, and for operational planning.  I plan to attend the
Membership Development meeting.

I propose that Region 3 demonstrate its commitment to membership
development goals, objectives and tasks by sending a second attendee to
the Membership Development meeting.  Teamwork and backup are required if
we are to make a dent in the Region's membership development aims.

Thanks for your support of this crucial activity.  As Jim Howard has
said, "Members constitute the lifeblood of the IEEE and its Societies".