WREN'S WESTERN OUTPUT
by Annette Wren, FCSI, CDT
Part 2: CSI's Regional System
Do you belong to a region? Yes, if you belong to a chapter. You pay dues through your home CSI chapter membership. The funds collected support the region and their activities. The amount of dues per member is an explosive issue in many regions from what I understand. My main issue is that there is no real reason for regions to generate a great deal of money to support activities that are being done at the chapter and Institute levels.
What works? What does not? Our Institute spends big dollars and time on our CSI standing committees that support chapters. The Institute committees are Academic Affairs, Awards, Certification, Education, Membership, and Technical. Most regions have chairs that assist the Institute committees in disseminating information. As a current region education chair, I admit that the Institute does a better job on their own with that committee on a daily basis. The Institute Education Committee has representatives spread out geographically. In fact, they are in place to assist the chapters and regions. Why have a middle man in this day and age? I can see the region chair position as the leader of the workshop at the region conference only. This person creates a valuable local workshop with the assistance of the liaison from the Institute committee. If the Education Committee members are spread too thin, then maybe they need one member from each region. Do what works!
What works in many regions is the Leadership Training. These regions have a vehicle to create value for members. In order to reduce region travel expenses, this event could be held during the region conference. The primary purpose of some region training is to develop future leaders. Those of us who have done our time need replacements!
What may need consideration by both the Institute and regions is the funding of Academic Affairs activities. The Institute wants to promote this committee's objectives; however, they have not put their money where their mouth is. In the past two years, the leaders of Academic Affairs keep coming to the regions for student travel expenses. Hey, what is happening to all that money from our Institute dues increase? This financial burden should not be put on the regions and chapters. Institute, open up the checkbook!
The region system works best in two ways. First, it is an effective selection method for geographic representation at the Institute level. Second, value can be created by doing with the region does best. If that is creating a region conference, leadership training or whatever, do it! Do what works. We belong to CSI for value. Every member will seek out the source of the greatest value. Think about it!