SLA Biomedical and Life Sciences Division

DBIO Procedures Manual - Membership Committee

Function: The Membership Committee serves the Division as the welcoming point for new members and as recruiting and retaining force for the Division. The Membership Chair serves the Division by maintaining accurate and timely records of the Division membership. The Committee handles the recognition of the 50-year Landmark Members and any other recognition of member anniversaries.

Qualifications: The Chair must be a member, associate member, or retired member of the Association, and an actively involved member of the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division. Members of the Committee may be new members of the Division to foster greater participation and involvement in the Division. Members of the Committee must also hold member, associate member, or retired member status in the Association.

Appointment: Members of the Committee are selected jointly by the Membership Committee Chair and the Division Chair-Elect prior to the Annual Conference. Membership should represent a broad geographic spread of members in the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division. The term of appointment is two years, renewable once.

Duties:
  1. Maintain up-to-date membership records as received from the Association Office.
  2. Send letters of welcome to new members of the Association and/or the Division, and provide their names for inclusion in the Division's Bulletin. Request a short biographical sketch from new members for the New Member Profile column Biofeedback.
  3. Supply updated information on members' addresses, telephone numbers, etc. for inclusion in Biofeedback.
  4. Supply items for the Division bulletin appropriate for encouraging recruitment of new members.
  5. Remind members to renew membership.
  6. Contact members with delinquent Association dues encouraging continuation of membership.
  7. Provide membership information to appropriate Division personnel as requested.
  8. Maintain contact with the Association Office as to what support services and information are available to assist in the fulfillment of duties.
  9. Perform other functions as may be assigned by the Division Chair.
  10. In concert with the Executive Board, develop a plan for the recruitment of new members and ways to retain them within the Division.
  11. Analyze the composition of members of the Division as to membership type and institutional affiliation for Division's Committees use after the June 30 membership data has been compiled by the Association Office.
  12. Determine who are the 50-year Landmark Members for the current year. Send letters congratulating the 50-year Landmark Members and invite them to attend the annual SLA meeting and in particular the BIO business meeting and hospitality functions.
  13. By January 1, request a waiver of registration for the 50-year members from SLA headquarters.
  14. Arrange for certificates for the 50-year Landmark Members and any other BIO members given anniversary recognition. Arrange for corsages for the Landmark Members attending SLA Annual.
  15. Annually revise and update the Division promotional brochure.
  16. Review the appropriate sections of the Procedures Manual in February and submit corrections, revisions, and so forth to the Director for inclusion in the next edition.
  17. By deadline determined each year (typically August), the Committee Chair shall submit an estimated budget to the Treasurer.
Reports: An annual report is submitted to the Division Chair in accepted format by April 1 or another mutually agreed upon date.

Records: Outgoing officers and committee chairs shall send the files which they used during their tenure to their successors at the end of their terms of office, along with their copy of the Procedures Manual. All files they received the year earlier (from predecessor) should be reviewed as to the usefulness for archival retention (see information on retention in the Archivist section). Files include, but are not limited to, important correspondence, fax, e-mail, and summaries of verbal communications deemed important to the business of the Division. The officers and committee chairs may keep copies of any relevant materials but original materials should be transmitted to the DBIO Archivist on the regular schedule.

Expenses: The Division will provide funding for expenses including postage and telephone calls if not borne by the incumbent's organization. Other expenses will be approved by the Division's Executive Board. Expenses incurred for organization business will be paid in accordance with SLA guidelines. All expenses must be submitted with a Committee Expenses Form or a Travel Voucher form and be accompanied by the original receipts for reimbursement. Direct payment of bills can be made if the bill is accompanied by a Committee Expenses Form or a Check Request and Payment Approval Form. Advances for expenses may be obtained from the Division's Treasurer. Requests for advances should be made in writing and include an estimate for each item. A final report of expenses for reimbursement shall be filed with the Treasurer prior to or at the annual business meeting.

Rev. 1/99, A. Schiff