Comments on: Open Mike: Blogging with Mike Hughes http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/ Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:46:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Andrea Wenger http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27262 Andrea Wenger Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:09:44 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-27262 Financial need is part of it. But I also view student membership as a teaser rate to convince students to try our product at a time in their lives when STC membership is particularly valuable to them. The point of the teaser rate is to give your customers the full experience and convince them that they can't live without your product (or at least that it's worth the full price). I think the proposed bylaw amendment is essentially redefining "student member." Instead of being a separate membership class, it would be a separate rate available to all qualifying students regardless of their financial circumstances. Financial need is part of it. But I also view student membership as a teaser rate to convince students to try our product at a time in their lives when STC membership is particularly valuable to them. The point of the teaser rate is to give your customers the full experience and convince them that they can’t live without your product (or at least that it’s worth the full price).

I think the proposed bylaw amendment is essentially redefining “student member.” Instead of being a separate membership class, it would be a separate rate available to all qualifying students regardless of their financial circumstances.

]]> By: Cindy Currie-Clifford http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27188 Cindy Currie-Clifford Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:43:49 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-27188 Exactly, so somewhere along the line, an assumption has been made about what a "student" can afford to pay given tuition fees and all, plus not working at all or working very little. Thus, there is an unstated (but assumed) financial need here ... and we don't address that in our description of student member, but other societies do. I'm not necessarily stating that we should, but we aren't very restrictive really in terms of who qualifies as a student member ...some guidelines, but hardly really difficult for someone legitmately pursuing a degree in TC ... Exactly, so somewhere along the line, an assumption has been made about what a “student” can afford to pay given tuition fees and all, plus not working at all or working very little. Thus, there is an unstated (but assumed) financial need here … and we don’t address that in our description of student member, but other societies do. I’m not necessarily stating that we should, but we aren’t very restrictive really in terms of who qualifies as a student member …some guidelines, but hardly really difficult for someone legitmately pursuing a degree in TC …

]]> By: Bill Swallow http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27103 Bill Swallow Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:48:56 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-27103 Most college students don't eat Ramen and drink Millwaukee's Best because they taste good. ;) Tuition's not cheap, and the costs are rising every year while salaries and such remain flat. If there's a cheaper option, most students jump at the opportunity because it means less debt going forward or a slightly eased budget. Most college students don’t eat Ramen and drink Millwaukee’s Best because they taste good. ;)

Tuition’s not cheap, and the costs are rising every year while salaries and such remain flat. If there’s a cheaper option, most students jump at the opportunity because it means less debt going forward or a slightly eased budget.

]]> By: Bill Swallow http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27102 Bill Swallow Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:44:46 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-27102 No, I fully understand that nothing was taken away. The status quo was maintained, even though 2/3 of the membership responding to the survey disagrees with the status quo. We can debate "voice" all we want, but the fact remains that for some unknown reason students are deemed unworthy of a vote. Was a reason for this ever given? Is it only due to the amount they pay? Who are the Communities folks? No, I fully understand that nothing was taken away. The status quo was maintained, even though 2/3 of the membership responding to the survey disagrees with the status quo.

We can debate “voice” all we want, but the fact remains that for some unknown reason students are deemed unworthy of a vote. Was a reason for this ever given? Is it only due to the amount they pay?

Who are the Communities folks?

]]> By: Bill Swallow http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27100 Bill Swallow Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:35:35 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-27100 Mike, I think it's going to take a lot more than web channels to "nail it down". There's a mentality that needs to be overcome and and a few layers of bureaucracy that need to be peeled away before we can nail anything. If you listen to what people are constantly saying at meetings, at the Summit, in blogs, on Facebook, and on Twitter, there is a general consensus that STC needs to evolve its practices and focus. Upgraded technology isn't the solution. STC members have already adopted them outside of STC. Don't get me wrong, I think it's dire that STC implement tools in order to be a hub for the member community, but that's catch-up work. The true thing that it seems many of the (at least) vocal members are waiting for with regard to this "must get it right" year speaks to intangible Society environment. The student voting decision is just one of many cases where members see lack of progressive thinking or positive change within the overall mentality of STC as a Society. Technology won't solve that problem. Mike, I think it’s going to take a lot more than web channels to “nail it down”. There’s a mentality that needs to be overcome and and a few layers of bureaucracy that need to be peeled away before we can nail anything. If you listen to what people are constantly saying at meetings, at the Summit, in blogs, on Facebook, and on Twitter, there is a general consensus that STC needs to evolve its practices and focus. Upgraded technology isn’t the solution. STC members have already adopted them outside of STC. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s dire that STC implement tools in order to be a hub for the member community, but that’s catch-up work. The true thing that it seems many of the (at least) vocal members are waiting for with regard to this “must get it right” year speaks to intangible Society environment.

The student voting decision is just one of many cases where members see lack of progressive thinking or positive change within the overall mentality of STC as a Society. Technology won’t solve that problem.

]]> By: Bill Swallow http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27099 Bill Swallow Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:23:43 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-27099 You might want to not use the phrase formally... There were quite a few people wondering if this was yet another Transformation. ;) You might want to not use the phrase formally… There were quite a few people wondering if this was yet another Transformation. ;)

]]> By: Andrea Wenger http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27036 Andrea Wenger Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:51:06 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-27036 Cindy, I think what makes student membership attractive is the $175 savings over what students would otherwise pay. Given the cost of tuition, students can use all the help they can get. I don't understand why the price of membership should affect a person's voting rights. Someone with a similar background who pays the full member rate has the right to vote. Why are we discriminating against students? The argument that students are new to the field and therefore unqualified to vote doesn't hold water. It's all about money. Mike, I've always understood the “preparing for a career in technical communication” requirement to refer to the course of study, not career background. In other words, a person seeking an MFA in creative writing wouldn't qualify for the student rate; a person seeking a master's in tech comm would, regardless of whether they've worked in tech comm before. Cindy, I think what makes student membership attractive is the $175 savings over what students would otherwise pay. Given the cost of tuition, students can use all the help they can get. I don’t understand why the price of membership should affect a person’s voting rights. Someone with a similar background who pays the full member rate has the right to vote. Why are we discriminating against students? The argument that students are new to the field and therefore unqualified to vote doesn’t hold water. It’s all about money.

Mike, I’ve always understood the “preparing for a career in technical communication” requirement to refer to the course of study, not career background. In other words, a person seeking an MFA in creative writing wouldn’t qualify for the student rate; a person seeking a master’s in tech comm would, regardless of whether they’ve worked in tech comm before.

]]> By: Michael Hughes http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26996 Michael Hughes Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:04:03 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-26996 Regeneration STC is a phrase from my inaugural address to answer the "old generation" vs. "new generation" dichotomy. See http://intercom.stc.org/2010/06/an-inaugural-message/ Regeneration STC is a phrase from my inaugural address to answer the “old generation” vs. “new generation” dichotomy. See http://intercom.stc.org/2010/06/an-inaugural-message/

]]> By: Michael Hughes http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26995 Michael Hughes Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:42:46 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-26995 Actually, Adrea, the Society bylaws define a student member as someone "preparing for a career in technical communication." I don't think we have ever carefully policed that. I'm not saying that means student members shouldn't vote, but the language in the bylaws certainly implies that student membership was envisioned for someone studying to come into the field and not for a working professional in the field. I'm not arguing what should be, just trying to clarify the language of the bylaws and how the board was influenced by that language. Actually, Adrea, the Society bylaws define a student member as someone “preparing for a career in technical communication.” I don’t think we have ever carefully policed that. I’m not saying that means student members shouldn’t vote, but the language in the bylaws certainly implies that student membership was envisioned for someone studying to come into the field and not for a working professional in the field. I’m not arguing what should be, just trying to clarify the language of the bylaws and how the board was influenced by that language.

]]> By: Michael Hughes http://notebook.stc.org/open-mike-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26992 Michael Hughes Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:35:46 +0000 http://notebook.stc.org/?p=3076#comment-26992 Ben, I think we all agree this is the "must get it right" year. If chapters concentrate on delivering value "on the ground" and we offer a strong web channel of services at the Society level, we'll nail it down. Ben, I think we all agree this is the “must get it right” year. If chapters concentrate on delivering value “on the ground” and we offer a strong web channel of services at the Society level, we’ll nail it down.

]]>