Latest News: Letter from President

(9/2/2009)

TO:      Extension and Research Support Staff

SRERSSA Update

The SRERSSA Executive Board met on Wednesday, August 19th for our 3rd Quarterly Meeting.  Several issues were discussed and important decisions were made.  I would like to share this information with you and ask that you in turn share with any co-worker you feel would be interested in joining us.

First, it is with sadness that I inform you that Donna Fulp and Ann Dalton have decided to step down as Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer.  They have both retired for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service since our meeting in Tennessee.  We appreciate all they have done for our association and will miss them.  Of course they will be encouraged to attend any additional meetings we will hold.  Christine Barrier of the North Carolina Extension Service was appointed as interim Treasurer by the Board for the remainder of their terms.  Christine, I personally thank you for stepping up to the plate and agreeing to serve the association in 2 capacities’, parliamentarian and treasurer.

A membership drive will begin this fall on October 1 until January 1.  The dues will be $10 per individual.  Any individual may join whether or not they are a member of their state’s association.  A membership/dues profile and informational brochure will be distributed by October 1st.  I will again ask that you forward this information to any support staff you feel may have an interest.

A Professional Development Seminar is in the making and you will be able to access the site via the internet.  We are working with eXtension to make this happen.  The target dates are November 16th or 17th so please mark your calendars.  If this goes well and is well attended, the goal is to work toward additional seminars during the year.

Last but not least the most exciting news - Sally Boulton, Membership Secretary, from Kentucky brought a proposal to the Board.  Sally proposed a necessary change to SRERSSA in order to make us a more inclusive organization.  Her proposal addressed a slight change in our name from Southern Region Extension and Research Support Staff Association to National Extension and Research Support Staff Association.  After much discussion and questions, the Board voted to drop the Southern Region from our name and become known as The Extension and Research Support Staff Association.  There are several advantages to the name update.  All states will feel comfortable joining since we will not be known as regional, all state support staff associations throughout the nation and possibly the world will have the same opportunities and we will be all inclusive, no state will be excluded from joining.

I anticipate that you will have questions about the decisions made above.  First, let me assure you that these issues were thoroughly discussed and not until everyone’s questions were answered did the Board make a decision.  At this point in the formation of our association it is imperative that the Executive Board make these types of decisions in order to move forward since budget restraints have our annual meetings on hold.  After the end of the membership drive a database will be developed and more information will be made available to our members.  Please feel free to contact me at mbaronet@agcenter.lsu.edu or 337-788-7591.

I would like to thank all members of the Executive Board for their hard work and dedication to continuing the growth of The Extension and Research Support Staff Association.

Cordially,

Mary S. Baronet
President
The Extension and Research Support Staff Association
1373 Caffey Road
Rayne, LA 70578
Phone: 337/788-7547
Fax: 337/788-7553
mbaronet@agctr.lsu.edu <mailto:mbaronet@agctr.lsu.edu>

TERSSA President 2007-2008 & 2008-2009