2007 Membership Committee Report
New members are now required to select a primary section affiliation. The membership committee hopes that affiliation and active participation with a section will aid in retention of members.
Membership Dues
Regular and Affiliate member dues will increase by $10 in 2008. Dues will be $130 and $85, respectively for Regular and Affiliate dues. Student membership is unaffected: $10 for the first year; $20 for years two to five. When a student transitions to Regular, the first year of Regular membership dues is free and the member enjoys a 50% discount for up to five years postdoctorate.
Membership Benefits
Listservs
APS must institute a mechanism that reduces the incidence of members receiving multiple listserv messages (i.e.: postdoctoral job announcement sent to multiple lists should only appear once in a member's mailbox). The content of listserv messages should not be so cumbersome that members delete them all. The Committee recommends that all new members be automatically subscribed to the listserv of their primary section with a box to deselect.
Charitable Donations
The Committee recommends that members who make charitable donations via their dues renewal be automatically thanked by the Society regardless of the amount of contribution.
Testimonials
Each member of the Membership Committee is charged with providing a testimonial - either their own or a colleague's- that states how being a member of APS is important.
Student Membership
APS only accepts student applications when the student is working toward a doctorate in physiology or related field. The bylaws state that the student must be "actively engaged in physiological work" so we should include undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students.
Recognition of All APS Committee Members at EB Meetings
A recommendation was made for all Committee Chairs to be provided with a ribbon identifying them to the committee that they chair. The ribbon would be attached to the name badge. This will facilitate interaction of all APS officers with the general membership, especially during the opening reception.
Lisa M. Harrison-Bernard
Membership Committee