I am having some issues with the recent decisions made by the NATA to
entice the generation Xers to participate in their professional
organization. The committee restructuring, revised term limits for
officers etc...is a topic for another forum....the deal appears to be
done and those of us who want to continue to participate in out
governance and future will have to do so on the new terms or not as the
case may be. There has also been some discussion about revamping of the
dues structure to accommodate those who feel the financial expectations
are too steep for young professionals. While I am not privy to the
details, the secretive nature of the unveiling suggests to me that we
are not talking about credit card payments over time or moving the
fiscal year to June rather than December. I have spoken to more than a
few of you who agree with me , in principle. I would encourage you to
let your district directors know how you are feeling on these issues.
Those of us who teach might find some time to open a dialog with
students. I am becoming painfully aware, however, that it is not the
opinions of the 'aging electorate' that the board seeks to serve with
this decision or perhaps the circle of colleagues that I communicate
with are in a minority. At any rate, I am interested to see what
discussion and action is generated.
It appears that we have been remiss in socializing this generation into
what it means to be a professional and to support the work of the
profession. I don't have any other data to put forth other than my own,
but I suspect the point will be made. When I was making $12,500 (with 8
years experience) in 1983 dues were $75 which was .006% of my salary.
Let's take a salary today of $35,000. My students are starting better
than that in North Jersey, but let's throw out that figure. Current dues
of $210 are .005% of the hypothetical $35 grand....less. Yes, it was a
bite, but yes we did it because it was what we needed to do to support
the profession.
On those monies the organization came out of the shoebox. There is a
staff and a CEO to attend to the needs of the organization including
education, PR, governance, you name it. The Xer's are the beneficiaries
of our commitment and sacrifice. So, all this is in jeopardy because
they don't want to..don't see the value of .. fill in your own blank. So
now the dues structure is going to be altered to entice them to
reconsider their collective positions? Will there be decreased benefits
and privileges in keeping with a decreased dues structure? And these are
the folks we want to entice to be on committees so we create
fly-by-night focus groups for folks who can't commit? Since this group
are not paying members of the organization now, the change has not been
generated from within with the Xers contributing their fare share of
time and money and participating in the democratic process to generate
change. They have managed to do it from the island.....like let's let
non taxpayers dictate US policy. Furthermore, let's let the taxpayers
feel obligated to do it!
No, I am not on the top of a hill throwing stuff out of a bucket
downhill. I am still trying to get up the hill. There are 2 ATCs in my
household (we are not unique..we know of many more). Every December we
pay over $400 in dues at Christmastime. We rarely get to the regional
conference because that would be another $200-$300. Last year when the
BOC decided that the A-Gs had to turn around after coming off a CEU
cycle and do 25 more, we forked out the additional expense...in a year
mind you when two state licensing fees were due times two. Our child is
nine, which puts us in the same position as many young professionals. In
our geographical area, our salary goes 1/2 to 2/3 as far as our
counterparts in the southern part of the state so that pokes a hole in
the 'you've been working longer' argument. No, there is not a pity party
going on here, just a statement of the facts. We have done what we need
to do professionally over the years to support the organization that
brought us from the fringes of health care to being recognized by the
AMA. No one offered a modified dues structure when we lived in two
states with two households because that's where the jobs were. No one
offered a modified dues structure when I paid for graduate school out of
pocket with a new baby...and if they had I would have expected modified
privileges. None of this is news to the 'barely seniors' and the
'seniors'; we have all been there..there are similar stories all over
the country.
'Been' is the operative word here. There is an old saying about those
who have gone before,"They are the bridge over which we walk."; Well, the
cement surface of the bridge is worn away and the struts are rusting.The
throngs keep walking over and no one cares enough to support and replace
what they have walked on. If this is the state of affairs, maybe I am
not the only one thinking seriously about paying the BOC and just being
done. Perhaps the Xers should be allowed to do whatever and see how that
works because the way it is now sure isn't. Last one out, grab the
flag! Thanks for listening.
Marsha Grant-Ford, ATC, PhD
Montclair State University
1 Normal Ave Montcliar, NJ
grantfordm%40mail.montclair.edu">grantfordm
mail.montclair.edu
973.655.5243
.
