Adding Value to MORS Membership Membership Committee Spring, 2008

Value of Membership If we want people to pay for membership, it has to have value to them –Avoid denigrating non-members that attend meetings The member survey may be summarized as they want: 1)Knowledge of techniques 2)Professional development 3)Networking Board may want some policies to distinguish between members and other individuals that attend many MORS meetings –Committees may implement their aspects of incentives Alternatively, perhaps MORS should only strive for larger meeting attendances and not worry about having members! Does being a society imply having a rooster of members? Does size of membership translate to prestige?

Areas for Potential Benefits Meetings Professional Development Publications Networking Web-Services Merchandise/Memorabilia Conclusions

Meetings Benefits for Members Receive announcements and invitations –Not providing announcements to non-members may reduce attendance Pay discounted fees –Registration –Socials Recognition of members at meetings –Different color badges –Front row seats at plenary session (avoid slighting non-member attendees) –Extra donuts and funny hats to wear Reciprocal discount rates for “sister” organization events Better networking with meeting room or other meeting privileges Awards only to members (Barchi, Rist, Junior Analyst) –Alternatively add a years worth of membership as award/prize benefits Preference on presenting briefing –Government are less likely to pay for membership, but government briefings obtain higher attendance Discounts or preference on tutorials –Currently tutorials are free; non-members could have to pay

Professional Development Benefits for Members Opportunities for management and leadership positions (limit the following to members?) –Working/composite group chairs and co-chairs –Regular members on committee –Board members –Question: do we want to limit volunteers to members? The alternative is let non-members plan and run MORS activities! Participation in the mentoring program

Publications Benefits for Members Subscription to Phalanx (current) Discount (perhaps to zero) on Journal Discount on other publications and books

Networking Benefits for Members Make no registration fees for Fellows, General Officers, Flag Officers, and SESs so there are more important people to network with at meetings Announcement of new members in Phalanx or at symposium Access and inclusion in membership contact lists Discount on social activities Members-only activities Perhaps references provided for problems

Web-Services Benefits for Members Access to member's section on web –Expand unclassified web services –Initiate secret web MORS presence Allow participation in Communities of Practice –May limit individuals that we desire to get involved in MORS –May institute free 6 month trial periods for non- members Conduct virtual meetings

Merchandise Benefits for Members Discount on all purchases Token gift (lapel pin, cup, t-shirt, gift certificate or coupon) –On becoming a paid member –Annually Polo-shirts for members Negotiate rental car discounts for members Arrange MORS vanity credit card with MORS kick-backs Goals in any gift –Not significant cost to MORS –Not give impression that MORS is wasting money –Maintain member’s right to use or refuse gift

Conclusion We can and should have many incentives to membership along the following criteria –Make members feel appreciated and valuable –Respect members choices to use or refuse benefit –Avoid non-members attending meetings feeling slighted –Result in revenue neutral or minimal costs to MORS Avoid impression of wasting money This briefing is intended to simulate ideas –Ideally we would post this on a web-page for directors to blog comments and thoughts well prior to June The board does need to consider implementing some member policy to distinguish –Committees should implement their respective aspects