State of the Society Report: 2020 January 2021
Jan 15, 2021State of the Society Report: 2020
The general state of the Society is very healthy. Finances, Membership, Governance, Activities and Events all are thriving and sustainable. The following status report summarizes items of note.
Finance:
- The Finance Committee (Brett Parry, Alsu Shondelmayer, Justin Sitron, Hamilton Cruz, and Sandy Fowler) continues to meet and discuss options for the future. We are moving our checking and savings accounts to a Chicago branch of Chase. The new president, treasurer, and administrative officer are all in Chicago, so this will make certain aspects of banking much more efficient.
- A meeting is planned to discuss our investments with a financial advisor to determine if we want to make any changes to our current situation.
- The Society is currently supported by investments, savings, and checking. A detailed report is available upon request by members in good standing. Send requests to the Administrative Officer at [email protected].
Membership:
- The membership total has grown by more than 100 members over the past two years. We now have 261 members and will work toward making that trend continue upward.
- Credit goes to the 4 people who have opted for a Sustaining Membership that provides extra support.
- Applause for our 10 Institutional Members whose support is greatly appreciated.
Governance:
- We have an active, full Board of Directors. All portfolios are led by experienced, dedicated members of SIETAR USA. Diversity on the Board is at an all-time high.
- Committees have been formed to support the Communication, Professional Development, and Local Groups Portfolios.
- A Task Force was formed to review the Living Code of Ethical Behavior applying a DEI lens to the Ethics Code.
- A Mentoring Program revitalization effort is underway. We currently have 11 mentees and 6 mentors. Content, parameters, goals, scope, and schedules are being designed.
Activities and Events:
- The Webinar Series. The Webinar Team responsible for selecting speakers and subjects continues to provide thought provoking and stimulating sessions.
- The Virtual Conference. The Conference in October was held virtually to comply with Covid-19 lockdowns. Since it was our first virtual conference, we were learning as we went. Thanks to diligent research by Brett Parry and Karen Fouts, our technical platforms were a big success. The response from participants was remarkably positive. The conference was also a financial success, so it is intended that we will continue alternating the in-person conference with a virtual one.
- Special Workshops. There was enthusiastic response to two special workshops this past year.
- Thiagi spent a day with SIETAR USA members and friends of SIETAR USA, helping us understand how we can make online training activities stimulating and fun.
- Shelley Morrison conducted a workshop that dealt with the technical side of training virtually plus additional ideas about how to get the message across.
- The Interculturalist: A Periodical of SIETAR USA. The newsletter is being published 10 times a year and continues to provide an array of information each month. Think pieces such as the Opinion column and the book reviews have some heft to them. The interviews with intercultural and DEI professionals can be revealing. Other items of interest are fun and informative. The Calendar of Upcoming Events is a way to track what other SIETARs are doing. What is missing is you. We welcome feedback, submissions, ideas. The Editorial Team appreciates hearing that you read the newsletter and welcomes pictures, comments, criticism, new articles, whatever you have found interesting and think others might too.
Other Benefits:
- GlobeSmart is an online learning platform that specializes in global collaboration and inclusion. Based on a partnership between SIETAR USA and Aperian Global, SIETAR USA members are eligible to receive an exclusive 20% discount on all online learning on Aperian Global's GlobeSmart website. This partnership benefits both the association and its members, as SIETAR USA will also receive 20% of the resulting revenue from purchases of GlobeSmart products made by SIETAR USA members.
- Discounts are available with Office Depot and the Intercultural Press. The Office Depot discount (see website for details) is particularly useful for printing or any Office Depot products. The amount of discount on printing can vary, but it is usually around 70%. The Intercultural Press discount is 20% on most books and videos.
- Members receive discounted registration fees for special workshops and conferences. The webinars are free to members in good standing.
- Perhaps the biggest benefit of membership in SIETAR USA is the connection it gives you with like-minded colleagues. Partnerships, projects, friendships are possible when you are in contact with the diverse members of SIETAR USA.
Conclusion:
Being President of SIETAR USA for the past two years has been the most fun I’ve had in a long time. However, I am pleased to turn the reins over to Brett Parry because I know the kind of job he will do while being in charge. His ideas are inspired, and he is way ahead of most in terms of his knowledge and expertise with technology—providing ways of communicating that will make a difference. He is also one of the most inclusive people I know.
The liveliness that I sense in SIETAR USA at this point is just what I hoped to bring to the society that I’ve been part of for most of my professional life. Throughout the 2 years of my term in office, it felt like I was working with an old friend—guiding, mentoring, impelling, advocating—to be the best it can be. I hope you felt the loving care I put into it and can feel the momentum too!
Sandra M. Fowler
Immediate Past President
SIETAR USA
