Unlike the fan noise that filled St. Louis as the Cardinal's built up a three-games-to-one lead over Atlanta last week, next month's assembly meeting of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) may feature more boos than cheers. The August disclosure that PRSA's board wants a $25 increase in yearly dues already has sparked "nays" from members coast to coast.
Some of PRSA's largest chapters are taking stands against the proposed hike to $200:
- the National Capital Chapter, Washington, D.C.--PRSA's second largest, with 680 members--instructed its seven delegates to vote "no;"
- leadership of the Puget Sound chapter, Seattle, 410 members, advised its five delegates to oppose the increase; and
- Judy Hilsinger, president of the Los Angeles chapter, about 400 members, said most of the chapter's board is opposed.
Together, these three chapters represent about 9 percent of PRSA's 17,000 members.
Not all chapters are opposed. Another large chapter, Houston, with about 400 members, instructed its five delegates to vote "yes," said chapter president Kay Kendall, a communications officer at Texas A&M University.
Leadership of other chapters, including Chicago and New York, will meet before the Nov. 9 assembly meeting to develop their positions on the proposal. The board of the New York chapter, PRSA's largest at about 700 members, will meet in two days (Oct. 23) to discuss the proposed dues increase and other proposed bylaws, said chapter president Alex Stanton, of Stanton & Crenshaw.
In proposing the increase, the first national dues increase since 1988, PRSA's national board said the hike is needed to ensure continuation of programs, reduce dependence on non-dues income (which now accounts for 64 percent of the association's revenues), and add more funds to reserves.
"It's very difficult for any organization to continue to operate and grow without having its base price keep up somewhat with the rate of inflation," said Luis Morales, PRSA's president.
Steve Erickson, director of public relations for PRSA, said the group's national leadership welcomes debate on the topic. He said if the measure fails to pass, PRSA may have to cut back on current or proposed services, such as expansion of professional development offerings or information resources.
The president of the Puget Sound Chapter, Wendy Townsend of Townsend Associates West, Seattle, said chapter leadership concluded that "there was no compelling reason for the dues increase." She also said an increase in national dues would make it harder for the chapter to raise its dues, which now stand at $42 annually.
Paige McMahon, president of the National Capital Chapter, Washington, D.C., also feels that the national board had not made a strong case for the dues increase. "There was no indication of what this would cost our members, and conversely, no clear indication what this would buy our members."
McMahon, of McMahon Communications, Bethesda, Md., said her chapter leadership is open to considering an increase in national dues next year or some time after that.
Recent history has shown that dues increases have been unpopular with professional communications' associations. Strong member criticism led the 12,000-member International Association of Business Communicators to withdraw a proposed dues increase two years ago. About four years ago, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) cut its dues almost in half, to $150. However, CPRS has apprved a $30 dues increase, which becomes effective next year.
(PRSA, 212/995-2230; McMahon Communications, 301/320-8053; Morales, 610/647-7198; Townsend Associates, 206/522-5832; Judy Hilsinger, Hilsinger-Mendelson Inc., 213/658-5335; PRSA-Chicago, c/o Cheryl Procter, 847/821-1426; PRSA-New York, c/o Alex Stanton, 212/727-3300; Kendall, 713/677-7736)