Preventing Leadership Burnout By Mary Jo Stark, Fellow, Rocky Mountain Chapter, and LCR Financial Advisor, and Jackie Damrau, Fellow, Lone Star Community, and LCR Manager As Leadership Community Resource (LCR) volunteers, we constantly receive requests to help a community with volunteer burnout. In the worst cases, we have seen entire councils walk away from communities, one volunteer doing all four elected positions, overworked volunteers snapping at each other, and many communities run by officers who have been in the same position for years. We want to help community leaders understand volunteer burnout and provide ways to help prevent it. Read more...   Planning Ahead Ensures Smooth Transitions for Administrative Councils By Rahel Bailie, Associate Fellow, Canada West Coast Chapter Each spring, we go through the same ritual: put away our winter wardrobes, plant our gardens, and recruit a new STC administrative council. While there is no silver bullet that will guarantee a smooth transition, some sound principles will increase your likelihood of success. Read more...   Opportunities for Face-to-Face Learning By Judith Herr, SIG Advocate, and Karen Mardahl, Comanager, AccessAbility Special Interest Group In 2008, it is hard to imagine anyone who is not aware of the many challenges and opportunities arising from companies expanding outside their familiar geographic boundaries and exploring—for them—uncharted territory. This expansion is affecting communication and collaboration across all fields. New tools and approaches are popping up in the wake of these trailblazers. Read more...   Early Bird Conference Registration Deadline: April 15 The last day to register for the 2008 Technical Communication Summit at the early bird rates is April 15. Online registration is available on the STC Web site. Read more...   Leadership Day: An Important Resource for Incoming Leaders Leadership Day is Sunday, June 1, at STC’s 2008 Technical Communication Summit. Read more...

April 2008 Table of Contents Features Preventing Leadership Burnout Planning Ahead Ensures Smooth Transitions for Administrative Councils Opportunities for Face-to-Face Learning Administration Moving? File Address Changes with STC Membership Pins Available For Membership Managers: The STC Membership Cycle Communities Survey Says: Chapters Want to Set Their Own Election Schedule Conference Early Bird Conference Registration Deadline: April 15 Conference Hotel Offers Savings and Convenience Events and Calendars Society Events Check the Related Events Page for Up-to-Date Event Information April 2008 through March 2009: Calendar for Community Leaders Leadership Day: An Important Resource for Incoming Leaders Honors and Awards Distinguished Chapter Service Awards Distinguished SIG Service Awards Distinguished Service Award for Students New Sigma Tau Chi Members Named Ken Rainey Award Winner Chosen Giving More Value to Distinguished Service Awards Community Achievement Awards Deadline: April 18 PDF Version Leadership Links Chapter resources Chapter finances Tieline knowledge base LCR Web site

Month at a Glance

In Your Mailbox from the STC Office

• In mid-April, all student chapter faculty advisors will receive a reminder to complete and return a chapter financial report form to the Society treasurer by May 31, 2008.

• The STC office will begin mailing press releases about the Society’s new fellows and associate fellows and Gould and Rainey award winners to media outlets in relevant areas shortly.

Community Leaders' Monthly Reminders

April

• Please remind members who have not yet paid their dues to send payment as soon as possible. Intercom will no longer be mailed to those with unpaid membership dues. Their last issue will be April 2008.
• Register for the Technical Communication Summit on or before April 15, to take advantage of early bird registration rates.
• Application materials for the Community Achievement Award (CAA) must be sent to Elreatha Matthews, Education Manager, by April 18.
• Submit Community Status Reports to the Community Status Reporting (CSR) team by May 12.
• Send a list of incoming officers to the STC office via fax at +1 (703) 522-2075, or e-mail Lynn Anderson, Membership Manager. The STC office tracks the following chapter positions: president (or student chapter advisor), first vice president, secretary, membership manager, treasurer, newsletter editor, employment manager, and webmaster. The office also tracks the following SIG positions: manager, newsletter editor, secretary, webmaster, and membership manager.
• Community leaders attending Leadership Day on June 1 should register on the STC Web site.
• Ask the chapter tellers committee to announce the names of new chapter officers at the meeting for their installation.
• See that all chapter committee records are promptly turned over to the new administration.
• Make certain the treasurer knows that the term in office extends until the financial report is filed at the close of the fiscal year (June 30, 2008).
• Begin thinking about the upcoming year. Make preliminary notes and draw up goals for your community.
• Post information or updates about community scholarships on your community Web site.
• SIG managers: Plan for the SIG meeting at the annual conference. Prepare extra SIG brochures and other handouts. If you are unable to attend the conference, have another community member lead your SIG’s business meeting and coordinate with you afterward on the items discussed.

Membership at a Glance

As of April 2, 2008:

Total members: 16,313

Members residing in the U.S.: 13,688

Members residing in Canada: 1,552

Members residing elsewhere: 1,073

Total communities*: 155

*Includes 104 professional chapters, 30 student chapters, and 21 SIGs.

Masthead

Editor
Ed Rutkowski

Tieline is published 10 times a year (monthly, except for June and August) for STC leaders. The purpose of Tieline is to improve communication and serve as a link between STC communities, volunteer leaders, and the Society office. Distribution to other community leaders is encouraged. Reprints from Tieline are permitted if credit is given and a copy sent to the editor. Electronic copy is available at www.stc-cdx.org/tieline.

STC Office Staff

Executive Director
Susan Burton, CAE

Membership Manager
Lynn Anderson

Meetings Manager
Elaine Gilliam, CMP

Director of Communication and Marketing
Tom Gorski

Marketing Manager
Erin Heinhold

Education Manager
Elreatha Matthews

Membership Development Manager
Stacey O'Donnell

Publications Manager
Ed Rutkowski

Webmaster/Developer
Shafqatullah Syed

Director of Membership and Education
Lloyd Tucker

Member Services Representative
Priscilla Weeks

Staff Accountant
Iyassu Yohannes

Society for Technical Communication
901 N. Stuart Street, Suite 904
Arlington, VA 22203-1822
+1 (703) 522-4114 • +1 (703) 522-2075 fax

stc@stc.org • www.stc.org • www.stc-cdx.org

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Copyright © 2008 by the Society for Technical Communication. All rights reserved.