The Petition to Increase Funding for Local Sections and Divisions

On June 23, 2003, the ACS constitutional changes required to implement the proposed changes in Local Section and Divisional funding were approved by a vote of 20,430 for vs. 3,197 against the measure.   See the pre-vote discussion below and the included links to additional discussions.

At the National ACS meeting in New Orleans this spring the Council approved a petition to change the way Divisions and Local Sections are funded by the Society.   The membership of our society is currently receiving a ballot in the mail to vote for this change.   I have posted an article by two of our Section members and another by the chairs of the Divisional Activities Committee and the Local Section Activities Committee in support of this petition.   In my reading of the information presented, it is clear that the proposed funding will substantially increase the funding to support Division activities.   However, it does not appear to me that Local Sections, in general, will receive a significant increase from their current funding, if any at all.   As I understand the intent of the change, and the way it will be applied to Local Section funding, (quoting from the DA and LS Chairs' article),  "... an innovative projects fund will be established to fund Sections with special financial needs that can improve their programming and fund innovative projects that could normally not be funded.   Favored new activities will be those that involve joint interaction of Local Sections with Divisions or with other Local Sections."   This will encourage the development of innovative projects and joint Divisional interactions, but will probably mean very little to most Local Sections.

The goal of this initiative is certainly good, and laudable. But we shouldn't vote for it with the expectation that it will add funds to help finance any of our Section's current activities.   If we do choose to vote for this initiative, we should do so with realistic expectations of the programs that will benefit from its approval.

  -- Milt Levenberg
    Chair-Elect, Chicago Section