Membership Committee Annual Report 2019

submitted by Mallory Sajewski

Current Roster

  • Terry Lewis (2020)
  • Jessica Abbazio (2021)
  • Joe Clark (2021)
  • Renee McBride (2023)
  • Rick McRae (2023)
  • Joy Doan, Diversity Committee Chair (2020)
  • Lisa Shiota, Publicity & Outreach Officer (2022)
  • Serena Vaquilar, Reduced Registration Program Coordinator (n/a)
  • Terra Merkey, Roommate Clearinghouse Coordinator (n/a)

List of Previous Goals and Progress Made

  1. The Committee will continue to discuss the creation of an online/virtual membership type: The Committee recommended focusing current membership efforts on the new Early Career membership category (described below) and tabling the online/virtual membership option for the time being. The Committee recommended assembling a task force of representatives from the Membership, Web, and education Committees to examine ways in which the Association might increase its online resources and, in turn, its virtual membership value. The Board agreed not to pursue the online/virtual membership at this time.
  2. The Committee will continue to discuss the creation of a membership category for people in their first five years of membership: The Committee recommended the creation of a new membership category for those in their first five years of membership. Members in this new category would receive the same benefits and privileges as regular members, just at a cheaper rate to match that of the Retired membership category. The Board unanimously approved. The Chair worked with members of the Board to define “early career” as the first five chronological years after student status ceases
  3. The Committee will reach out to lapsed members to conduct “exit interviews”: The Chair finished compiling the master spreadsheet tracking MLA members’ statuses from 2015 to 2018. The Committee began to discuss drafting a survey to lapsed members.
  4. The Committee will continue to work closely with MLStEP to encourage students to join both organizations and explore ways to help students successfully transition into full members of the Association: While completing the spreadsheet tracking MLA members’ statuses, the Committee found that slightly over half of the Association’s student members transitioned into regular or paraprofessional members. The Committee hopes that the cheaper rate of the new Early Career membership category will help new professionals remain involved in MLA even if their first position is not music-related.
  5. The Committee will work with the Chapter Chairs and the Publicity & Outreach Officer to develop outreach models that can be documented and offered across every chapter: The Committee is in the beginning stages of this endeavor. Initial discussions focused on underrepresented groups such as public librarians and paraprofessionals.
  6. The Committee will devise a message that welcomes new members to the Association: The Committee submitted a draft welcome message, which was unanimously approved as the Board amended it.

List of Future Goals

  1. The Committee will work with the Chapter Chairs and the Publicity & Outreach Officer to develop outreach models that can be documented and offered across every chapter.
  2. The Committee will increase outreach efforts to members from underrepresented groups.
  3. The Committee will continue to work closely with MLStEP to encourage students to join both organizations and explore ways to help students successfully transition into full members of the Association.
  4. The Committee will reach out to lapsed members to conduct “exit interviews.”
  5. The Committee will explore the idea of conducting a membership drive during the next renewal cycle that would include a friendly competition between the Chapters.