Comments on: To the Members: Some Thoughts on STC’s Dues Increase

By: Paul Pehrson

Paul Pehrson — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:26:38 +0000

I’m concerned as I re-read this thread. We are now in the middle of February, and our chapter has experienced a 75% decrease in membership compared to last year. We lost 75% of our members due to the changes at the international society level.

I guess I still have hopes that we’ll get more renewals as the grace period for renewal is about to end, but seriously?! STC thought that 60% would renew? We had a small chapter to begin with, and so far, we’ve only got 25%.

As a candidate running for chapter president next year, let me echo Ben’s invitation to all you who didn’t renew: please continue to join us for our meetings. We want to help all of you continue to be more effective in your careers. We want to provide a valuable networking and professional association resource that this chapter can be, if we can keep you coming to our meetings. Stay tuned to this site to see what events are coming up, and how you can remain involved, even if you are among the 75% that we’ve lost this year.

And if you can, we’d encourage you to re-join STC. This local chapter won’t go down without a fight. We will do our best to continue to provide valuable resources to our local technical communicators. If you can help us financially to do that, please join STC. If you are in a position where you can’t. we understand. Please support us with your presence at our meetings.

By: Ben Minson

Ben Minson — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:10:33 +0000

Michael, I appreciate your giving your perspective, and I know you’ve discussed this on your blog (and mine too). I think the concern you addressed about the 60% renewal prediction came from there being little expression of regret about losing those members who wouldn’t be able to renew, that there was something of a “business as usual” tone with that prediction. I understand that the officers and board need to carry on in a businesslike fashion to keep things going, to look forward more than backward, but the dues increase blow stung a little more for some people because the announcement came without much indication of how difficult and painful this decision was. It has been left to unofficial communications, such as your blog and the presidents’ listserv, to convey that information.

I’m sure you’ve seen (or will soon see) Tom Johnson’s post about our chapter renewal rate. 20% renewal is a grim outlook for our chapter, and as Paul points out in the comments, we didn’t ask how many would also renew with the chapter now that it’s a separate cost. In our case, a prediction of 60% seems extremely optimistic.

By: Michael Hughes

Michael Hughes — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:09:20 +0000

As 1VP and member of the board that made this unpopular decision–I can tell you we did everything possible to avoid it. The “seemingly off-handed” prediction of a 60% renewal was not off-handed, and I wonder why it looked that way. It was our realistic assessment of what will happen in this economy. We typically experience a 70% renewal rate in normal times, lower when dues are increased. We have no crystal ball, but 60% was our best estimate of what would happen.

We spent a lot of time modeling what we could afford to do if we did not increase dues. We felt that we would fall below the minimum set of offerings that had to be there to justify any professional association. The rest, though unpleasant, was fairly straight-forward: “What will it cost to stay in business?” That’s what we have to take in.

I feel a little like the politician who says he can balance the budget by lowering services and increasing taxes. Boooooo! But you know…

At any rate, I echo Ben’s sentiment to stay active with your professional associates, and I add the encouragement to stay a member of STC. We will become one of the most relevant forces in our profession, but we need the participation and support of the professionals who make that profession. Please stay the course.

By: Rich

Rich — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:00:31 +0000

I also am grateful for the offer to keep attending events if I don’t renew. The biggest value to me is to meet with my peers and listen to their experiences. Though that’s not a business-justifiable expense, it’s an important one for someone like me who doesn’t work with a group of writers.

Rich Valentine

By: Becky McShane

Becky McShane — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Thank you for your inspirational remarks Ben. I appreciate all you do for the chapter.

By: Beth Marcum

Beth Marcum — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:33:24 +0000

It is a shame to know that rates are going up so drastically. But, thank you for keeping the Intermountain-STC chapter door open to all of us, active members, past members, and interested guests. We can do better. We will. I am encouraged already. Count me in to help the chapter through this uncertain year of 2010 and onward.

By: Lyn Worthen

Lyn Worthen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:01:53 +0000

Thanks, Ben. I attended IM-STC long before I ever officially joined, and if this year’s economy keeps me from renewing my membership in the national organization, will still continue to participate in the local chapter. Nice to know guests are still welcome!

By: Marj Hermansen-Eldard

Marj Hermansen-Eldard — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:52:06 +0000

Thank you, Ben. I hope each of you realize the level of commitment this year’s IM-STC Executive board has made in your behalf. We are a small group of technical communicators hoping to make a difference in this coming year. We are a service organization dedicated to giving members and nonmembers alike training opportunities, networking outlets, and a unique perspective on technical communication in the intermountain west. As one member who may not be able to renew, I am planning to support the board going forward–regardless of whether I’m a member or not.