IEEE follows that model. After so many
years of membership and only after a certain age, you
automatically become a Life member without needing to request
it, retaining all the publications and rights you were
receiving prior. All dues are waived going forward. They do
check each year to make sure we are still kicking.
Separately, they also have a senior membership status, not age
or longevity based, but which is merit based measured against
listed milestones of professional accomplishments including
advanced degrees, publications, upon review of a cv by
committee and recommendations and such. It has perks at no
extra fees. And yes, one can be a senior life member as
well. Last dues payment by me in 2018 (now a senior life
member) was $231 per year. Spectrum magazine (first
class publication) is the major benefit with newsletters and
such as our League has.
Bob
Famiglio, K3RF
Director
- ARRL Atlantic Division
610-359-7300
Serving
NNY, WNY, WPA, EPA, SNJ, DE and MD/DC sections
From: arrl-odv
<arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org> On Behalf
Of Minster, David NA2AA (CEO)
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2023 12:52 PM
To: Boehner, James, N2ZZ (Dir, RK)
<jboehner01@yahoo.com>; Jairam, Ria, N2RJ (Dir, HD)
<n2rj@arrl.org>; Baker, Mickey, N4MB (Dir, SE)
<mbaker@arrl.org>;
arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org
Subject: [arrl-odv:34686] Re: Member feedback
No, we wouldn’t look to change the terms of
an installment payment in process on Life Membership.
I am not a fan of Life Membership. I much
prefer Lifelong Membership where it is something that is
achieved, like company retirement plans that follow the rule
of 85: you must be at least 55 years old with 30 years of
service to qualify.
I’ve looked, and don’t understand the
genesis of the program – why would they ever have considered
doing it. It started in 1967 for a whopping $130 where it was
calculated on 20 years of membership. The membership numbers
were flat during the 1960’s so I’m wondering if it was created
to solve a cash flow problem.
It certainly doesn’t do us any favors in
the long run. But members love being a Life Member, even
joining very late in life.
Thanks
David
From: James F. Boehner, MD <
jboehner01@yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2023 1:10 AM
To: Jairam, Ria, N2RJ (Dir, HD) <
n2rj@arrl.org>;
Baker, Mickey, N4MB (Dir, SE) <
mbaker@arrl.org>;
Minster, David NA2AA (CEO) <
dminster@arrl.org>;
arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org
Subject: RE: [arrl-odv:34679] Re: Member feedback
The
one comment I received was from a younger ham, perhaps about
30 years old or so. He has signed up for life membership on
the installment plan. He was most worried about the ARRL
changing the terms of his current installment agreement.
I
would think that all previous transactions would be complete
and not subject to change should there be a fee increase
while the installments were still in process.
’73
de JIM N2ZZ
Personally I think it is how the
question is worded - members should not be under the
illusion that we are going to give a discount for print
opt out. Some have been banging the drum for this.
Expectations are important. We have to make sure we
aren't inadvertently push polling for a desired result
because it will come back to bite us.
Yes I agree it will cause a loss of
membership, but I disagree that they will come back.
There has to be value for what is being paid and many
members I've spoken to have said that they don't see the
value in $49 today, so I can't imagine they would be
happy with a dues increase and may simply leave, and
leave silently. Value is the key here.
What does an ARRL membership get you?
For many it's a magazine subscription. Take that away
and for many there is no benefit. Harsh, but it is
reality. Personally I don't think we are there yet,
where the non magazine benefits outweigh the magazine
subscription.
There are also going to be members
who ask if we have committed to any fiscal austerity
measures.
The other part that was implied -
changing life member benefits and maxim society benefits
has to be done carefully. This, IMO will be worse than a
dues increase on annual members.
A careful balancing act, for sure.
Same feedback from the 30 or so
at the Stuart Fl this weekend.
Best advice I can give is to
make it simple.
Maybe a small increase with no
print mag, $ for print mag.
We ARE GOING TO LOSE
membership. They will come back.
My concern is print
advertisers. We need to be selling the "live link"
in the ad that they can direct as they need - all
they need to do is get the click.
There’s now a new winner for
responses to my monthly column, far outpacing the
emotional feedback to the first Diversity &
Inclusion piece.
That winner is the April column on
making a tough decision together on the possibility of a
dues increase.
I have received dozens of emails.
And the themes are pretty consistent and all supportive:
a reasonable increase is OK and people are willing to
pay for printed QST. Is this group statistically
relevant? Perhaps not. Is this group potentially
biased? Well, they all think enough of ARRL to write
the CEO, so maybe. The real details will come from the
survey in May.
One thing is that there have been
questions that I have answered back – and even asked the
authors questions to help me understand their points
better. I am going to create a page on the website that
will contain these Q&A’s for other members to read
in advance of the survey.
When that page is active, I will
share the URL with you so that you can use it when
addressing members in your Division Town Hall meetings
or at in person events.
If you have received feedback via
email, please forward me the email, without removing
email headers and signatures please.
I will be working with A&F on
an overall strategy to present and gain full approval at
the July Board meeting for a January 2024
implementation.
Thanks
David