|

WEST REGION CORNER
November, 2008
Janet Piccola, CSI, President
Duane Johnson, CSI, CDT, Vice President
Thanks to Duane Johnson for last month’s excellent
article on our West Region Conference. it was a wonderful
event. We had a great balance of education and fun. Thanks
to our WR Conference Committee for all of the hard work
that went into conference planning and implementation.
The November MEMCOMMunications indicates that 5 of our
12 WR Chapters have met the WR 3% net membership growth
initiative. WOW!!! Membership retention, nationally, is
at 80%. DOUBLE WOW!!! Good things are happening at CSI,
especially in the West Region. We send a special thank
you to the Chapter leaders who are bringing value to each
CSI membership experience. If you would like a copy of
MEMCOMMunications and are not receiving it, let me know.
I will be happy to forward one to you. This is a wonderful
leadership tool for all Chapter leaders. Hats off to our
Institute Membership Committee for a producing an excellent
publication.
This month’s article will serve as an update to
the Board of Directors Meeting in Alexandria on November
1st and 2nd . Your Institute Board and assigned task teams
continue to implement changes to the Institute By Laws
and Operating Guide to meet the implementation deadlines
required by the Governance vote.
As most of you know:
1. Our Region will continue to be governed
by a WR President and Vice President and a representative
from each WR Chapter.
2. Our future Institute Directors will be nominated by
our WR Nominating Committee. No more than (4) nominees
will be sent to Institute Nominating Committee.
3. Our Region Presidents and Vice Presidents will no longer
have a dual Institute Director roll (after 2010).
4. The West Region has two candidates for West Region
Vice President. This will be a one year term to replace
me when my term expires in June, 2009. David Willis of
the Fresno Chapter, and Eric Camin of the Sacramento Chapter
are your candidates. They will have candidate statements
out shortly, and will be on the Institute Ballot. Future
officers will be elected under our new West Region By
Laws effective June, 2010.
Because of the changes to the dual Institute/Region
rolls our leaders have had in the past, Institute funding
for Region business and travel to our Chapters will be eliminated.
Nationally, all Regions were faced with a true dilemma.
How would we fund Region business and officer travel in
support of leadership guidance and mentoring to our Chapters
if funding is further reduced.
An affirmative vote was passed via recommendation by our
Region Allocation and Probation Task Team. This vote will
have an important impact on the method in which future Region
assessments are collected and distributed. As of June, 2009,
our Chapters will no longer bear the burden of collection
and payment of West Region assessments; instead, Institute
will collect Region assessments with each member’s
Institute dues and re-distribute them monthly, to each Region.
All CSI members will share in support of their Regions.
The Institute Board of Directors is cognizant of the responsibilities
each Region has to provide programs designed to assist Chapter
leadership in mentoring, training and education programs.
Our Institute task team will be developing expanded guidelines
to provide a standard of performance for each Region.
We would expect a review of Region services and programs
would be made to Institute each year. We would also expect
that non-performing Regions would be subject to action on
the part of the Institute and it’s Board of Directors.
We will have more on this as the guidelines for performance
are developed.
We are really excited by the opportunities that will be
provided by the changes tor funding of assessments. This
will allow our Region to re-energize member programs that
have been cut over past years due to lack of funding.
So – where do we go from here? Duane and I will be
contacting members of our Board and our Chapter Officers
to further discuss these procedural changes . We ask all
to offer their ideas and suggestions for future member programs.
and services. With the wealth of talent, experience and
volunteerism in the WR, we expect our expanded programs
to be second to none.
This is an exiting time for CSI and we are privileged to
be a part of a renewal of the Institute, the West Region,
and our Chapters. Leadership is NOT a Spectator Sport. Together,
we will make the WR Chapters the best, healthiest and strongest
in the Nation!
As a final note, take the time to enjoy your family and
friends over the Thanksgiving Holiday. Even during these
trying times we have much to be thankful for. Our best wishes
to all of you during the coming Holiday Season.
return to top
|