What is the policy if a chapter is inactive and nothing is being planned? No competitions, no elections, no newsletter or active social networking? Can chapter members usurp authority? Can neighboring chapters absorb territory? Just something I have always wondered....
-
Welcome to the Framer's Corner Forum, hosted by the Professional Picture Framers Association. (PPFA)
You will have to register a free account, before you can SEARCH or access the system. If you have already registered, please LOG IN
If you have already registered, but can't remember your password, CLICK HERE to reset it.
Chapter activity or lack of....
- Thread starter Randy Parrish CPF
- Start date
The answer is maybe, it depends, and what are the specifics?
It's not something that can just happen unilaterally.
It's not something that can just happen unilaterally.
I am curious because I hear from members about the lack of activity in their chapter, my attitude is, if you don't like it push for a election. I guess it all get personal if your stepping on a friends toes, which nobody wants that. Somebody higher up must know when a chapter is not performing it's basic mandate, right?
Kai Vanuffelen
Frequent Poster
- Messages
- 1,278
- Company
- Kai Vanuffelen Pictureframer
Is this a theoretical situation, or is there an example of such a chapter?
The same happens in branches of the Fine Art Trade Guild - lack of activity. This leads to a reduced membership and positions in the leadership becoming vacant.
After a while that branch becomes dormant until a group of enthusiasts revives it.
The question is also, do members have to belong to the chapter in which they live and work? Can they choose to whichever chapter to are comfortable with and like to belong?
Can that member still take part in their adopted chapter's competitions, elections etc.
If members are not happy with the lack of activity of their chapter, then come next election, they can vote out the current leadership, or stand for election themselves.
The same happens in branches of the Fine Art Trade Guild - lack of activity. This leads to a reduced membership and positions in the leadership becoming vacant.
After a while that branch becomes dormant until a group of enthusiasts revives it.
The question is also, do members have to belong to the chapter in which they live and work? Can they choose to whichever chapter to are comfortable with and like to belong?
Can that member still take part in their adopted chapter's competitions, elections etc.
If members are not happy with the lack of activity of their chapter, then come next election, they can vote out the current leadership, or stand for election themselves.
Exactly, however members need to know about meetings and board member meetings and not be given the brush off.
Robin Gentry MCPF
PPFA Coordinator 2020+ Past President 2013-15
Forum Help Team
Certification Board
Competition Board
OAKS CLUB
:
Cliff is correct it all depends on the situation.
Kai, currently chapters are divided on a zip code basis. So the member is part of the chapter which includes their zip code, call this their Home Chapter. They are able to attend meetings at ANY chapter in the country or internationally. They can only be a board member, vote and compete in the Home Chapter. Yes we know it is not ideal but there has to be some form of division. Unfortunately we do have areas that do not have chapters so they are considered mailbox members. Hopefully this will change in the future. The Mailbox members can attend Any meeting, anywhere. They are not able to be on a chapter board or vote for the chapter leader but they are able to compete in the mailbox competition and vote at the National level for the National Board. There is a domestic mailbox and international mailbox competition. The mailbox competition is the qualifier to go to the International Framing Competition held in Las Vegas. Hope this helps.
Now for the question of inactivity. Yes it does occur and the way to combat it is to become involved. If you are part of a chapter and there is no activity or you have never heard of anything going on contact the Chapter Board to see what is going on. If you have trouble contacting them then contact the Chapter Relations Committee (the chair or a member) or contact anyone on the PPFA National Board or contact Nick at Headquarters and ask him who to call. For members that do not have a Home Chapter I suggest you look around and see which chapter is closest to you then contact that chapter and ask to be included on any announcements, email lists, facebook pages, or any other type of contact list they have so you can be informed as to what is occurring in the area. If you get involved maybe some others in your area will get involved and then you could start a chapter on your own (there are certain guidelines to follow to make this occur) or you can discuss with the chapter you are closest to the possibility of adding your zipcode in their chapter territory. Again certain steps need to be taken to add zipcodes to a chapter territory but it can be done!
Chapters do have certain criteria to meet to be a chapter. If they are not meeting these criteria the CRC and/or the Board do their best to work with the chapter leaders. If the issues can not be resolved the chapter may decide to close. This happens by a call going out to all members to help save the chapter. The results of this call and then a subsequent vote if no one steps in can close a chapter. The other option would be for two chapters to work together and combine resources into one chapter. All of these scenarios have steps to be taken and if you have chapter leadership that would like to discuss this they need to contact the Chapter Relations Committee for details.
So if you want your chapter to survive GET INVOLVED! The current chapter leaders are just like you they are volunteers and run their own business. The more people involved with a chapter the less likely anyone will suffer burnout and the chapter will have the inactivity some have and are experiencing. We always want New Faces helping in the chapters. New faces bring New ideas, Please get involved.
Just my two cents and if anyone has any thing else to add Please do!
Robin
Kai, currently chapters are divided on a zip code basis. So the member is part of the chapter which includes their zip code, call this their Home Chapter. They are able to attend meetings at ANY chapter in the country or internationally. They can only be a board member, vote and compete in the Home Chapter. Yes we know it is not ideal but there has to be some form of division. Unfortunately we do have areas that do not have chapters so they are considered mailbox members. Hopefully this will change in the future. The Mailbox members can attend Any meeting, anywhere. They are not able to be on a chapter board or vote for the chapter leader but they are able to compete in the mailbox competition and vote at the National level for the National Board. There is a domestic mailbox and international mailbox competition. The mailbox competition is the qualifier to go to the International Framing Competition held in Las Vegas. Hope this helps.
Now for the question of inactivity. Yes it does occur and the way to combat it is to become involved. If you are part of a chapter and there is no activity or you have never heard of anything going on contact the Chapter Board to see what is going on. If you have trouble contacting them then contact the Chapter Relations Committee (the chair or a member) or contact anyone on the PPFA National Board or contact Nick at Headquarters and ask him who to call. For members that do not have a Home Chapter I suggest you look around and see which chapter is closest to you then contact that chapter and ask to be included on any announcements, email lists, facebook pages, or any other type of contact list they have so you can be informed as to what is occurring in the area. If you get involved maybe some others in your area will get involved and then you could start a chapter on your own (there are certain guidelines to follow to make this occur) or you can discuss with the chapter you are closest to the possibility of adding your zipcode in their chapter territory. Again certain steps need to be taken to add zipcodes to a chapter territory but it can be done!
Chapters do have certain criteria to meet to be a chapter. If they are not meeting these criteria the CRC and/or the Board do their best to work with the chapter leaders. If the issues can not be resolved the chapter may decide to close. This happens by a call going out to all members to help save the chapter. The results of this call and then a subsequent vote if no one steps in can close a chapter. The other option would be for two chapters to work together and combine resources into one chapter. All of these scenarios have steps to be taken and if you have chapter leadership that would like to discuss this they need to contact the Chapter Relations Committee for details.
So if you want your chapter to survive GET INVOLVED! The current chapter leaders are just like you they are volunteers and run their own business. The more people involved with a chapter the less likely anyone will suffer burnout and the chapter will have the inactivity some have and are experiencing. We always want New Faces helping in the chapters. New faces bring New ideas, Please get involved.
Just my two cents and if anyone has any thing else to add Please do!
Robin
It's not that tough to get involved. Any help is appreciated. Here are a few ways to help:
-attend meetings regularly
-take photos at a meeting
-offer to set up or clean up at a meeting
-offer to make phone calls to members
-offer to write an article about the meeting
-get doorprizes to give away at a meeting
-spread the good word about PPFA so new members join
-participate in the Framers Corner
-attend meetings regularly
-take photos at a meeting
-offer to set up or clean up at a meeting
-offer to make phone calls to members
-offer to write an article about the meeting
-get doorprizes to give away at a meeting
-spread the good word about PPFA so new members join
-participate in the Framers Corner
GREAT and simple answer Susan! :thumb:
John
John
One of the pluses of PPFA is that you do not need to be present to win. I was active in my chapter for over a year before I ever met another member. I did it by receiving articles, editing, writing, formatting, printing and mailing our newsletter. In fact, the first time I met members from my chapter was in Vegas!
There are lots of jobs that can be done remotely these days. Most activities beyond the meeting itself can be planned and coordinated with email, chat and phone calls. Anyone that can be here to read this has the technology to become active in a PPFA chapter!
There are lots of jobs that can be done remotely these days. Most activities beyond the meeting itself can be planned and coordinated with email, chat and phone calls. Anyone that can be here to read this has the technology to become active in a PPFA chapter!
Kai Vanuffelen
Frequent Poster
- Messages
- 1,278
- Company
- Kai Vanuffelen Pictureframer
Is there a way of circumvent the boundaries of chapters by owning a holiday-home in another chapter, or owning shares in a framing business in another chapter?
Kai, I would like to see the chapter reinvigorated, healthy with a board that is active, the ones I am thinking of are basically one person shows.
Personally I would rather see new leadership take over.
Personally I would rather see new leadership take over.
Would you please clarify the point of your question, Kai? All framers, including PPFA members, are welcome to attend chapter meeting wherever they are. Circumventing boundaries is not an issue.
I'm never been a chapter leader, but I know quite a few of them, and as a visitor I've observed behavior in plenty of chapters over the past 25 years.
They certainly can, and sometimes do, but that divisive tactic creates tension and does nothing to inspire cooperation among the members. Not recommended.
Framers are always welcome to visit other chapters' meetings, and it might be easy to receive meeting schedules, etc. from a member within another chapter. If enough framers abandon their home-chapter and attend meetings of another, that would send a completely different and more-positive message than simply staying home.
Chapters of trade associations, including PPFA, are generally populated by competitors who inherently distrust one another, sometimes involving obvious animosity. The most successful chapters find ways to get around that unfortunate aspect of local-chapter relationships, but it can make cooperation difficult.
Your story makes me wonder if those who are contemplating an overthrow/mutiny/abandonment of their chapter have made a sincere effort to get involved. Personally, I know a number of framers who would not volunteer to help, but expect their chapter leaders to get everything done for them, as though they were paid workers responsible for doing specific jobs. And being totally honest, I know a few who would love to impede or tarnish their chapter leaders for personal reasons. Resentment and personality clashes abound. I've heard several framers say, "I don't go to the meetings because _______ is always there", or "I don't feel welcome at the meetings". That's too bad.
On the other side of the coin, chapter leaders eventually come to a point where they just want out. They work long hours to organize chapter events with little or no assistance from others, many of them for years on end, and when the calls for new leadership go out, nobody responds. That is how chapters die. If members want better chapter performance, they are welcome to campaign for election as chapter officers, but if only a half-dozen framers would volunteer to help, it could make a huge improvement in any chapter.
No matter what sort of troubles may exist in a chapter, friendly, honest, and open discussion of the issues can lead to improvement. Whispers among members behind the backs of the established leaders can only be destructive.
Your story makes me wonder if those who are contemplating an overthrow/mutiny/abandonment of their chapter have made a sincere effort to get involved. Personally, I know a number of framers who would not volunteer to help, but expect their chapter leaders to get everything done for them, as though they were paid workers responsible for doing specific jobs. And being totally honest, I know a few who would love to impede or tarnish their chapter leaders for personal reasons. Resentment and personality clashes abound. I've heard several framers say, "I don't go to the meetings because _______ is always there", or "I don't feel welcome at the meetings". That's too bad.
On the other side of the coin, chapter leaders eventually come to a point where they just want out. They work long hours to organize chapter events with little or no assistance from others, many of them for years on end, and when the calls for new leadership go out, nobody responds. That is how chapters die. If members want better chapter performance, they are welcome to campaign for election as chapter officers, but if only a half-dozen framers would volunteer to help, it could make a huge improvement in any chapter.
No matter what sort of troubles may exist in a chapter, friendly, honest, and open discussion of the issues can lead to improvement. Whispers among members behind the backs of the established leaders can only be destructive.
I've been following this thread and wondering just how to phrase what I have been thinking. Jim has pretty much said it all.
John Heltman
Frequent Poster
Maybe it's time to just let the chapter die a peaceful death. My thought would be to pull the charter and then merge it with another state that is willing to take you. It is extreamly unfair to framers who enter the contests and are now being kept in the dark as to the future of said chapter. I hate this saying but in this case it fits: It is what it is! Now, lets just have the fortitude to move forward and remember the past not live in it.
Robin Gentry MCPF
PPFA Coordinator 2020+ Past President 2013-15
Forum Help Team
Certification Board
Competition Board
OAKS CLUB
:
Kai,
Your question would be for Nick in membership, but my thought would be no. The membership would be where your business is located.
Robin
Your question would be for Nick in membership, but my thought would be no. The membership would be where your business is located.
Robin
Actually, your chapter membership is in whatever Zipcode you register your PPFA membership in.
That said, your PPFA membership data is used in places like the findapictureframer.com site, so giving an address other that your business address could prove counter productive.
That said, your PPFA membership data is used in places like the findapictureframer.com site, so giving an address other that your business address could prove counter productive.
This thread should probably be drawn to the attention of staff & the chapter relations committee. There are some important questions raised here.
Kai Vanuffelen
Frequent Poster
- Messages
- 1,278
- Company
- Kai Vanuffelen Pictureframer
It will be relatively easy to alter the rules to state, that a member of PPFA can be a member of whichever chapter they decide to be part of. Some may even like to be part of two chapters to get the benefit of both.
It will also make it possible for certain members who are not located in any chapter, and hence are part of the mailbox chapter to opt out of the mailbox chapter and become part of a nearby chapter.
How are chapters funded? We all pay are yearly membership to PPFA / PMA and do they allocate funding to individual chapters to run their activities? Or do members who are located in a chapter pay a top up to this chapter?
Do some chapters get more funding depending upon the number of members situated in this chapter, or is it based equally?
Can those members who are part of the mailbox-chapter elect their own executive, such as president, treasurer and secretary to run their affairs like any other chapter?
I can see the need to have chapters in our organization, but can we turn this around and say, how will the PPFA function if we have no chapters and have everything organized from Jackson?
It will also make it possible for certain members who are not located in any chapter, and hence are part of the mailbox chapter to opt out of the mailbox chapter and become part of a nearby chapter.
How are chapters funded? We all pay are yearly membership to PPFA / PMA and do they allocate funding to individual chapters to run their activities? Or do members who are located in a chapter pay a top up to this chapter?
Do some chapters get more funding depending upon the number of members situated in this chapter, or is it based equally?
Can those members who are part of the mailbox-chapter elect their own executive, such as president, treasurer and secretary to run their affairs like any other chapter?
I can see the need to have chapters in our organization, but can we turn this around and say, how will the PPFA function if we have no chapters and have everything organized from Jackson?
