Fwd: STC: New Dues Structure for 2008

S. Thomas drshelleythomas at yahoo.com
Sat Sep 22 19:34:29 MDT 2007 

I'm adding my voice to Eva's and Becky's. 

When I worked in industry, the corporation paid my dues for me. A university cannot afford this expenditure. 

As someone who teaches potential technical communicators, I find STC less than accommodating to academics. Shouldn't STC want to keep those responsible for educating new technical communicators within its organization by making it financially feasible to do so? 

I am disappointed in STC.

Shelley Thomas

Dr. Shelley Thomas
Assistant Professor
Weber State University


----- Original Message ----
> From: Eva Brumberger <ebrumber at vt.edu>
> To: stc-ac <stc-ac at lists.stc.org>
> Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 5:06:00 PM
> Subject: [stc-ac] RE: Fwd: STC: New Dues Structure for 2008
> 
> I've been a member of the STC for over a decade. Through that
> time,
> 
 most of my colleagues (at three different Research I universities),
> have
> 
 not been STC members because of the cost. Now, for the first time, I
> am
> 
 seriously thinking about joining them. 
> 
> I'd be interested to know what the "improved services" and
> "exciting
> 
 improvements" are that merit a 15% dues increase. Other than a
> "revamped"
> 
 (unaffordable for most academics) conference.
> 
> All rhetoric to the contrary, it seems as though the academic
> community
> 
 is becoming more and more marginalized within this organization.
> It's
> 
 unfortunate, because many of us (perhaps naively) still believe
> that
> 
 academe and industry offer complementary perspectives on teaching,
> on
> 
 research, and, yes, even on practice. With the loss of more
> academic
> 
 voices that may accompany this dues increase, the divide between academy
> and
> 
 workplace can only grow, which in the end weakens both communities.
> 
> Eva Brumberger
> Virginia Tech
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> bounce-stc-ac-277544 at lists.stc.org
> 
 [mailto:bounce-stc-ac-277544 at lists.stc.org] On Behalf Of Becky Jo McShane
> Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 5:39 PM
> To: stc-ac
> Subject: [stc-ac] Fwd: STC: New Dues Structure for 2008
> 
> Based on STC's own numbers they've raised dues over the last
> seven
> 
 years 
> as follows:
> 
> 2000 - 15%
> 2002 - 14%
> 2004 - 12%
> 2007 - 15 %
> 
> My salary has not increased at this rate. I hope STC realizes what 
> they're doing the academic community.
> 
> Becky Jo McShane
> Weber State University
> 
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject:     STC: New Dues Structure for 2008
> Date:     Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:01:28 -0400
> From:     <stc at stc.org>
> To:     <bmcshane at weber.edu>
> 
> 
> 
>     
> STC President Linda Oestreich
> 
> Dear STC Members,
> 
> The Society is embarking on some of its most exciting improvements 
> ever--and that's hard to believe considering all the progress
> we've
> 
 made 
> in the last few years! But it's true: From the revamped Annual 
> Conference to the soon-to-be-released Salary Database, STC has 
> significantly upgraded its services.
> 
> In fact, many of you sent notes to the STC office saying how much you 
> enjoyed the new, expanded content of our e-mail newsletter, News & 
> Notes. I'm glad to hear it!
> 
> But, in STC, just as in the rest of our lives, improved services and 
> normal inflation add costs. So, to support those and other rising 
> expenses and to pay for needed capital improvements to the technology 
> that supports the STC office, STC's Board of Directors decided at its 
> August 2007 meeting to raise membership dues for calendar year 2008.
> 
> I’m sure your first question is "how much?"
> Although
> 
 it’s
> approximately
> 15% for the majority of members, the change does vary according to
> your
> 
 
> location and the category of membership you choose. I've asked the STC 
> office to put together a Q&A titled STC's New Dues Structure 
> <http://www.stc.org/membership/duesStructure02.asp>. This
> Q&A
> 
 also
> goes
> into much more detail about those rising expenses I mentioned.
> 
> It’s also natural for members to wonder how their dues
> are
> 
 spent.
> That’s
> why STC has posted an article titled Where Do My STC Dues Go? 
> <http://www.stc.org/membership/duesStructure03.asp> As
> you'll
> 
 see,
> even
> with the increase, STC dues are in line with those of similar
> organizations.
> 
> Chapter presidents and treasurers have already been informed of
> another
> 
 
> Board decision regarding changes to our chapter funding model.
> If
> 
 you're 
> interested in the details of how chapters are funded, you can read
> this
> 
 
> message sent recently to chapter leaders 
> <http://www.stc.org/membership/duesStructure01.asp>.
> 
> If you would like to discuss the dues and funding changes with other 
> members of STC, including STC Board members, I invite you to do so on 
> the STC Member Forum at stcforum.org/viewtopic.php?pid=4182 
> <http://stcforum.org/viewtopic.php?pid=4182>. When you use the 
> discussion topic on the forum, it gives Society leaders a chance to
> see
> 
 
> and respond to all comments.
> 
> As a member of the STC Board of Directors, I’m quite proud
> of
> 
 the 
> priorities we’ve set, the decisions we’ve made,
> the
> 
 financial 
> responsibility we’ve exercised, and the value
> we’ve
> 
 delivered to STC 
> members. Decisions to increase dues are never easy, but I am confident 
> that the value you receive for your dues dollars is worth every penny.
> 
> I thank each of you for being an important part of this Society
> that
> 
 has 
> supported our profession for more than 50 years. The support you
> give
> 
 to 
> your Society in turn strengthens our profession.
> 
> 
> Linda Oestreich
> STC President
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     
>     STCThe Society for Technical Communication (STC) advances
> the
> 
 theory 
> and practice of technical communication across all user abilities and 
> all media. For more information about STC, send an e-mail to 
> *stc at stc.org*  or visit *www.stc.org* 
> <http://www.stc.org>.
> 
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