September 2012
PRESIDENT’S LETTER by Alison Wallis, CP, PRP
“There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.” —Marshall McLuhan
Table of Contents Table of Contents
1
President’s Letter
1
Coming Events
2
Submission Deadlines Communicator
2
Parliamentary Journal
2
AIP Officers
2
AIP Year in Review
3
AIP Bylaws Change
3
Annual Financial Report
4
Dahms-Bierbaum Workshop
5
West Coast Practicum
5
Teacher Certification Course
5
East Coast Practicum
5
CP & CPP Examinations
5
AIP Writing Award
6
Editor’s Insert
6
Scholarship Thank You
6
New Members
7
AIP Donors
7
Annual Session Highlights
8
My heartfelt thanks to the membership for the honor of electing me as president for the 2012 - 2013 term. What a thrill to be the first to steer our organization under the new navigational guidance system, the American Institute of Parliamentarians Standard Code, our new parliamentary authority. AIP is well-known as a ship that sails with an innovative, pioneering spirit and it will be interesting to see how the new parliamentary authority guides us as we chart a course through the parliamentary world. We are on onboard a strong and beautiful vessel but the destination must still be chosen with care. As Franklin Delano Roosevelt noted, “to reach a port we must sail, sail, not tie at anchor. Sail not drift.” So that we may reach our chosen ports, I propose these goals: • create strong working committees to further AIP objectives, • modernize our website so that it provides practical and accurate information to visitors and members, • support our chapters, • continue to provide outstanding educational publications and programs, • honor and market AIP’s professional credentials, • reach new members, and • increase organizational visibility.
September 2012
To accomplish these goals, the AIP crew must work hard and it must work together. The AIP board elected in Fort Worth is talented and committed to progress. The chairs and members of committees have been chosen with great care and have already begun their work. The president, the officers, the directors and chairs need the labor and constructive comments of the entire crew. Any member, new or seasoned, who wishes to work on a committee, is encouraged to contact me at president@aipparl. org so that we may find a mutually beneficial placement. Members may become actively involved in AIP by volunteering for committees, joining and promoting chapter membership, attending and teaching at chapter events, sponsoring a chapter or national educational offering, reading and contributing to the Parliamentary Journal, attending and teaching at our educational programs, obtaining AIP credentials, advertising parliamentary services on their own and AIP’s webpage, and by evangelizing the benefits of AIP. We should not drift along but choose wisely our destination. We should not anchor but set our speed with zeal. In closing, let us remember ancient wisdom: if the wind will not serve, take up an oar. Won’t you take up an oar with me?
AIP Communicator