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IARSA

Standing committee

Membership Committee

Offers services, benefits and opportunities across all types of institution, member and profession, and drives recruitment, engagement and retention.

The Membership Committee supports the mission, vision, purpose and strategic plan of the association. Its goal is to offer services, benefits and opportunities across all types of institutions, members and professions.

It collaborates with committees, sections, special interest groups, the membership, the Board of Directors and staff on key strategies, challenges and needs, in order to provide insight on membership recruitment, engagement and retention, and may from time to time assess and recommend services and programmes that add value to the membership.

Composition

The committee reports to the Board of Directors and is comprised of a chair, a vice chair, a secretary and five to six members. Each member may serve up to two three-year terms; the chair serves a three-year term with possible reappointment by the President, not to exceed two consecutive terms.

The composition represents as broadly as possible all constituencies within the association. The chair submits recommendations of prospective members to the Governing Council. The chair and vice chair must submit an annual report to the Board by 31 December.

Qualifications

  • A regular member of the association in good standing
  • A strong understanding of the core workings of the association, to advance its mission
  • Good verbal, written, interpersonal and leadership skills, and the ability to multitask
  • Good planning, coordination and communication skills
  • Strong public speaking skills, in order to present at annual and regional meetings
  • The ability to make the necessary time commitment
  • A collaborative team player

Time commitment

  • Approximately three hours a month
  • Review all materials and the agenda before each committee meeting
  • Attend and contribute to monthly committee conference calls
  • Act as an ambassador and support membership engagement and networking
  • Attend the committee meeting at the Annual Conference
  • Volunteer at the association's membership booth at events

Scope of authority

  • Provide recommendations, with the secretariat, on membership recruitment, engagement and retention programmes
  • Collaborate with sections and special interest groups on agenda and topic development for meetings at the Annual Conference
  • Develop and implement actions assigned in the strategic plan
  • Encourage new membership and the active participation of members, plan and host the section social at annual conferences, and maintain the section brochure and membership manual
  • Make recommendations to the Council on policy matters pertaining to membership, maintenance and termination
  • Retain and track membership, review applications, welcome new members, facilitate participation in committees and activities, manage membership forums and resolve membership issues
  • Continue initiatives to increase membership, re-invigorate and establish chapters, and work with the Publications and Research Committee on collaborative programming with other research associations and institutions