From the October Issue ofThe Outline
October 8, 2008 Dear Fellow PCRA Members ~ I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer. At least here in Pittsburgh, the weather was pleasant and we were able to participate in lots of outdoor activities with our Dalmatians. Although it was a wonderful summer, fall is probably my favorite season. I love the changing leaves and was treated to a fantastic display of fall color on my drive from Pittsburgh to our recent board meeting in Harrisburg. Fall is the season of change, and PCRA’s board meeting brought about some changes for the organization. PCRA’s major source of income is membership dues, so in order to increase membership, and therefore income, Past President Jim DeCrescenzo instituted the free seminars program in 2002. Under that program, dues would be raised from $135 to $185 and A-Level Members would enjoy free seminars with their dues dollars. The mid-year seminar was discontinued and replaced with an annual convention in the spring and regional seminars throughout the state in the fall. The initial concept was to use PCRA members to present inexpensive seminars at a cost of approximately $45 per member. The free seminars program was timely and innovative and probably saved PCRA from financial ruin.
During the term of Jim DeCrescenzo’s presidency, membership increased and PCRA began to recoup losses it had suffered in previous years. In the next few years, as members participated in the free seminars program, a recurring theme started to emerge: Members wanted more quality seminars. At the same time, membership numbers started dropping, and we now have membership numbers similar to those experienced by PCRA before the free seminars program was initiated.
In accordance with members’ wishes, PCRA began to present more quality seminars. National-level speakers were brought in, and after trying several hotel locations for the seminar, the Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey was the most popular with our attendees. The regional seminars were also improved, moving to an interactive videoconference format that cost nearly $7,000 to present each year. All of this added up to increased costs to PCRA while experiencing a decline in membership. It doesn’t take a genius to do the math. We were headed down a very dangerous path.
Our 2008 convention enjoyed record-breaking attendance…and record-breaking expenses to go along with it. We allotted nearly $12,000 for this year’s annual convention alone and went over budget (far exceeding the $45 per member seminar cost anticipated when free seminars began). Until you get involved in convention planning and budgeting, you can’t imagine the things PCRA pays for to put on this seminar. We are charged for the use of the meeting space, including the tables and chairs, table coverings, power strips, projection screens, podiums, and microphones, to name a few. Then there are the food and drinks. A gallon of coffee costs $112! A continental breakfast is $24 per person and cans of soda are $2.95 EACH. For the upcoming 2009 convention, PCRA’s food obligation minimum to the hotel will be $8,000. That means we must purchase a minimum of $8,000 in food and beverage under our contract to hold the convention at the Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey, in addition to the other costs of presenting this seminar.
This year, PCRA was due to have an audit of its financial records performed. While the audit confirmed that all of our financial information was in order, it also brought to light the fact that PCRA cannot continue to offer free seminars without suffering financial harm. Our Secretary-Treasurer requested the accountant to perform a detailed financial analysis of our dues structure, and that analysis clearly indicated that PCRA cannot continue to operate under the free seminars program. For the past few years, the Board has wrestled with eliminating the free seminars. We’ve instituted cost-saving measures to try to offset free seminar losses while trying to maintain this important benefit for members. For the past two years, we’ve experimented with different, more cost effective formats for presenting the regional seminars. This year, we raised dues to try to keep the free seminars program alive. Unfortunately, after reviewing the financial analysis, PCRA’s board unanimously voted to discontinue the free seminars program. It was not a decision we took lightly, but the numbers were before us in black and white and we had to make the fiscally responsible decision for the sake of PCRA and its members.
Rest assured, PCRA is still committed to providing quality continuing education opportunities for its members at a reasonable cost. In 2009, we are again presenting national-level speakers. More information about the upcoming convention appears in this issue of The Outline, and we have instituted a cost structure for the convention that the board feels is fair to everyone. $99 will cover the cost for a member to attend the convention on either Friday or Saturday, or $180 for both days, including the Lunch and Learn on Friday and a PCRA Luncheon on Saturday, along with various beverage and refreshment breaks. In comparison, a neighboring state’s most recent convention offered its members .95 CEUs for a cost of $250. PCRA’s 2009 convention will offer a total of 1.4 CEUs for a cost of $180. No other state association in the country offers its members free seminars. It just isn’t financially feasible in these trying economic times.
I’d hope that everyone would keep in mind that PCRA is more than just a provider of continuing education opportunities for its members. Although that is a major mission of the organization, PCRA also provides a number of other valuable services. Our website has and will continue to be upgraded, including the member forum. We also plan to offer online membership application and dues renewal in the near future and hope to eventually offer online seminars as well. Our Workforce Development Committee has been hard at work resurrecting the student mentor program (more information in this publication), and a meeting has been set with the Associate Dean of PA Highlands College on November 7 to try to save the court reporting program at that institution, thanks to Donna Cascio and Sue Kiniry. Also, the Government Relations Committee is hard at work, monitoring legislation that affects court reporters and potentially their income. Plans are under way to subscribe to a software program that would track relevant legislation automatically and provide updates to members via our website. Also, PCRA members and officers have met several times with the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) at AOPC’s request to provide input and information on the rewrite of Rule 5000. We’ve also established mutually beneficial relationships with other organizations in PA, including the Pennsylvania Association of Court Management, the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association, and the Hearing Loss Association of Pennsylvania.
Though the decision to eliminate free seminars was a difficult one, I am proud of the value that PCRA provides its members. I wish each of you could attend a board meeting to witness how hard your board works to squeeze member benefit out of each dues dollar the organization receives. With your help, we can continue to provide excellent continuing education seminars at a reasonable cost, as well as increase the number of services and benefits our members receive. PCRA continues to advocate for court reporters in Pennsylvania. Our new slogan says it all…”Every Reporter ~ ONE VOICE.” Please continue your support of PCRA and your profession by renewing your membership for 2009. Lisa Ann Bauer, RPR, CRR, CMRS PCRA President 2008-2009
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