The message from the North American
Mycological Association (NAMA) announcing a substantial dues increase has some NMMS members questioning
the need for continuing Full Affiliation with NAMA. Our present "Full Affiliation"
means that every member of NMMS must also maintain
membership with NAMA. The F.A. status also allows members a $5 discount
off the regular rate.
The NMMS Board met prior to the regular Meeting on March 7th to
discuss specifically the question of whether NMMS should change its
affiliation status. The Board agreed unanimously that our club should
remain affiliated with NAMA, but we decided to recommend changing our
Affiliation status to allow members the choice of maintaining individual
membership with NAMA.
A change of status to "Affiliated" would mean that NMMS
members would have the option of purchasing NAMA membership (at a
$3 discount). This change would also mean that NMMS would be
required to pay to NAMA an annual Affiliation fee of $30. (Our present
Full Affiliation requires no such fee).
Full affiliation is a better deal financially, and is great when
every member of the affiliated club desires NAMA membership as
well. However in clubs (such as NMMS) which have some members who
don't want to belong to NAMA, dissension arises over those members' being
"forced" to join NAMA.
Note: The proper terminology for NAMA Affiliation is ether
"Affiliated" or "Fully Affiliated." For ease of discussion, we have
adopted the term "Partial Affiliation" to differentiate from
"Full Affiliation."
NAMA
Affiliation Status |
| |
Cost per member for
NAMA Membership |
| |
Club's Cost for
Affiliation |
| Full Affiliation |
| |
$30 |
| |
- 0 - |
| "partial" Affiliation |
| |
$32 |
| |
$30 |
Because of our club's traditional relationship with NAMA, we determined
that the decision on whether or not to change should be shared by the
entire membership. The Board encouraged all members to vote on what type
of affiliation they believed would be most beneficial to the club.
PARTIAL Change to "partial" Affiliation Status, allowing each
member to decide on individual NAMA membership.
FULL Retain Full Affiliation status,
requiring that all NMMS also be members of NAMA.
Voting Results: 2/3 of those members who voted chose to change to
"partial" Affiliation.