Candidate materials and bios will be available on the STC website in early January 2010. This post is a reminder about the upcoming elections – and possibly a reminder to renew your STC membership.

Who are the Candidates

The following information is provided by Jackie Damrau, Manager, Nominating Committee. Feel free to contact Jackie if you have any questions: jdamrau3 at airmail.net.

Please note that the election slate presented below reflects changes to the composition of the Society Board of Directors. Based on the results of the Knowledge-based Governance Survey of the membership conducted in August 2009, the STC Board of Directors voted during its 24 August 2009 meeting to amend the Society Bylaws to reflect the following position changes:

• Remove the Second Vice President position
• Remove one Director position
• Change Director terms to two years
• Allow Directors to serve two consecutive terms

A full copy of the revised bylaws is posted on the STC website.

Congratulations to all of the candidates, and thanks to everyone who expressed interest in running for office.

• For President: Mike Hughes will automatically succeed from First Vice President.
• For First Vice President: Hillary Hart will automatically succeed from Second Vice President.

Candidates on the slate for the 2010 STC election:

• For Secretary: Rachel Houghton and Steven Jong
• For Director (three positions to be elected)* Nicky Bleiel, Al Hood, Tricia Spayer, Makarand (Mak) Pandit, and W.C. Wiese
  *Lisa Pappas resigned from the STC Board effective 23 November 2009, which creates an additional position for someone to serve the one year remaining in her term. For the 2010 election, STC members will elect three directors-at-large, with the top two winners serving the two-year terms and the third winner serving the remaining year of Lisa’s term.
• For Nominating Committee (two positions to be elected): Lory Hawkes, Nathaniel Lim, Linda Mikkelsen, and Preeti Mathur

What individual STC members can do

• Ask the candidate a question. The STC Web site will provide a “Question and Answer” area where individual members can post a question for all candidates for a position. All candidates for an elected position will receive the question by email and have the opportunity to post an answer. (The page is STC Board Election, but it is not updated at the time of this post.)
• Endorse a candidate. As an individual member, you may endorse a particular candidate on Twitter, the STC Ideas Ning site, the STC LinkedIn group, or your own personal blog. (NOTE: Group endorsement of a candidate by a community, chapter, or committee is not allowed. E-mail lists that are administered through the Society office and subscribed to based on an elected position in a community, such as the Presidents’ list or Treasurers’ list, are not appropriate venues for endorsements from individual members.)

The elections page will include each candidate’s statement and personal URL for additional information about the candidate.

Note that candidates are permitted to contact individuals personally in addition to providing campaign information on their own personal Web sites. The STC office may also send out (maximum) two campaign messages per candidate through Society e-mail to those who have opted for Society mail.

Do you have a colleague or friend who is not a member? Share this page of practical information about joining STC for the first time.

Existing members feeling the financial pinch should look at the STC recovery package offered by the Society.

If you’re torn between buying some software and paying for your membership, Madcap has a tempting offer – paying for your membership!

We hope to see you in STC in 2010!

You may submit more than one proposal, but each must be submitted separately at www.softconference.com/subs/stc/2010/.

The Summit will be held 2–5 May 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas in Dallas, TX.

The logo for the STC 2010 Technical Summit

Questions and contacts

For general information or questions about the system, contact Lloyd Tucker, Director of Education and Membership, at lloyd.tucker@stc.org or via telephone at +1 (571) 366-1904.

For questions about your proposal content or format, contact a Track Manager. Their contact information is available through the call for proposals link. Here’s a quick overview:

• Conference chair: Alan Houser (@arh)
• Program chair: Rachel Houghton (@rjhoughton)
• Web Technologies, Emerging Technologies, and Education & Training tracks: Track Manager Paul Mueller (@useraid) – also Deputy Program Chair
• Design, Architecture, and Publishing: Track Manager Sarah O’Keefe, (@sarahokeefe)
• Managing People, Projects, and Business: Track Manager Richard Hamilton (@richardhamilton)
• Usability and Accessibility: Track Manager Caroline Jarrett
• Writing and Editing: Track Manager Kathryn Poe
• Professional Development and Communication/Interpersonal Skills tracks: Track Manager Ant Davey (@antdavey)
• Academic & Research Topics: Topic Mgr Charlie Kostelnick (Note: There is no academic track for the STC 2010 Summit. The programming committee seeks academic and research-based proposals in all tracks.)

If you are on Twitter, follow @stc2010 for the latest news about the 2010 STC Technical Summit!

Despite the current discussion about STC’s financial crisis, this is an excellent initiative that deserves support. The site definitely needs data, and only you can help provide that data. Add your name – or share with the people who should be in this database.

Currently, there are no listings for people in Europe. Case in point! We need the names of speakers based in Europe to add to the diversity of this database. Spread the word. Let’s make STC truly international!

Around the world

Of course, we are promoting the European angle. After all, we are the Europe SIG. We would definitely encourage speakers located outside North America and Europe to contribute to the database. Spread the word to colleagues in Russia, Africa, South America, Australia/New Zealand, all of Asia – everywhere.

Remember your speaker tips!

Wherever you speak, please consider all the people attending your presentation. I’m talking about those attendees who are hard-of-hearing. You do want everyone to hear what you have to say, right? The AccessAbility SIG of STC has a nice cheat sheet for you to use.

People are already blogging about this issue.

• Tom Johnson wrote about Lifelines to the STC
• Sarah O’Keefe asks Whither STC
• M. K. Anderson writes In Which I Comment on the STC Issue
• David Farbey writes Does STC deserve to survive?

As you can see from the titles alone, this is a serious discussion. Some might even ask why do we need to solve this financial crisis? This is a time for societal (or personal) soul-searching. What are your thoughts on the topic?

What’s this about?

Last week, Cindy Currie, STC President, sent out a message to all STC members asking for input to help resolve the financial crisis that the Society is facing. The Society really does need your input now! If you are an STC member and have not received this mail, request a copy through a comment in the blog, the contact page, or a mail on the SIG discussion list.

You are strongly encouraged to read the background information available to STC members on the STC site. A login is required.

Please submit any suggestions that you have to stc@stc.org. Please use “STC Crisis Suggestions” as your subject line on emails sent to stc@stc.org.

For those who use Twitter, tag your tweets with #stcorg when discussing STC’s current situation to submit quick ideas. @stceusig will tweet news as it pops up.

Share your ideas here or on the blogs listed here. Perhaps a European point-of-view is needed on this topic. Who knows? We’ll never know if you keep your great ideas to yourself! Remember, your ideas are really needed at stc@stc.org – they are waiting for input from all STC members. Together, we can make a difference.

For planning your trip, read the conference accessibility information; it benefits everyone, not just those with special needs. The host chapter in Atlanta has dedicated a special section of their site for information about their city.

Meet with other Europe SIG members (or wannabe SIG members!) at the networking lunch on Monday, the business meeting Tuesday morning (with refreshments!), or the Monday evening community event sponsored by the host chapter. Or at any of the many sessions and social events throughout the conference.

All you have to do at the conference is enjoy, learn, share, network…!

See you in Atlanta May 3-6. (Or from May 2 if you attend the pre-conference workshops.)

PS Remember to read the information for international attendees if you are not a US citizen.

As STC members know, the STC Technical Summit for 2009 takes place in Atlanta, Georgia May 3-6. We have several updates about that conference, and we begin with the most important news for some potential attendees.

Members Can Split Conference Payment

All STC members in good standing may choose to spread their registration payment by paying half with their registration form and half onsite. The exceptions are who are encouraged to volunteer and retired members who have a special rate.

How does this work?

– Download the conference registration form (.pdf) Payments are manually processed by staff and cannot be completed by the applicant online.

– Make two equal payments, half paid with your registration and half to be paid onsite. (This potentially spreads your payment over two different credit card cycles.)

– Pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express). Checks cannot be accepted for split payments.

– E-mail (or fax +1-703-522-2075) the registration form to Julia O’Connor.

International Attendees

STC conference planners offer general information about visas for entering the United States.

Be sure to read the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Web site for information about allowed items in baggage and carryons, traveling with a disability, acceptable luggage locks, and more.

Room Sharing at the Conference

Is the expense of a hotel causing concern? Why not try sharing a room to cut down on total conference expenses. A room-sharing forum is posted to the STC Forum. The forum is at http://stcforum.org/viewtopic.php?id=1659

Post your arrival and departure dates to the forum, and identify appropriate roommates and negotiate details off-line.

Choosing the conference hotel, the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, supports the Summit and the Society. Single and double accommodations are available for $174 plus 15% tax, through April 15.

Rent a Scooter

STC has made arrangements for scooter rental with Scootaround again. You can save the bother of transporting your own wheelchair or scooter to the conference by renting one in Atlanta. Although the conference is being held in the hotel chosen for the conference, it may still be an effort for some people to get around the sessions, even with the help of a cane. Scootaround may be just what they need. Scootaround details are in the Accessibility section of the STC conference site.

Join us on LinkedIn

We hope to see you at the conference in Atlanta, 3-6 May 2009. Please let us know if you will be attending or presenting by adding your name to the LinkedIn Events calendar entry at
http://events.linkedin.com/STC-Tech-Comm-Summit/pub/37684

What to Do in Atlanta

When you’ve planned your trip to the conference, your next step may be wondering what else you can do in Atlanta. The STC Atlanta chapter, host chapter for this year’s conference, offers tips on what to see in Atlanta, where to eat, and places to visit.

Payments must be made by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or AMEX). Checks are not accepted for split payments because payments are manually processed by staff and cannot be completed by the applicant online.

The payments will begin with the receipt of the membership application or renewal. A charge is made on the day of receipt for one-fourth of the total amount owed. A second one-fourth charge is made one month later, the third payment another month later, and the final payment is charged in the fourth month.

STC Director of Membership Lloyd Tucker outlined an example of what happens: “If a person sends in their request for split payment on 2 April for classic dues totaling $175, STC charges one-fourth of that amount ($43.75) on 2 April. One month later, on 2 May, a second $43.75 is charged to the card. Then, on 2 June, the third payment of $43.75 is charged, and the final payment of $43.75 is charged on 2 July.”

“This is an experimental program that we’re offering during these tough times,” explained Tucker. “I think our members will appreciate being able to spread out their payments over four months.”

The split-payment option is well-timed. The membership renewal period ends 31 March. No renewal fees will be incurred if you renew before 31 March. However, you are not eligible to vote in the current STC society-level election if you did not renew by 28 February.

Take a moment to get to know the individuals running for elected office at the Society level by visiting the Candidates’ Page on the STC website where you can review the candidates’ biographies, ask them questions, and view their responses to questions posed by other members.

The 2009 election will be held from 10 March 2009 through 9 April 2009. Information on casting your ballot has been sent directly to all members.

Remember to vote, and thank you for doing your part to make STC a vibrant, growing organization.

We will also be taking a short survey during the next couple of weeks so that everyone who is interested in the conference can tell us about their interests. We are sending the survey by email to all actively registered members of the Trans-Alpine Chapter. Please let us know your thoughts and pass it on to anyone else who is interested in the profession.

You can email tacconference@gmail.com for more information, to be put on the conference mailing list, or to ask for the link to the survey.

See you in Vienna?

Best regards,

The New TAC Board

• CJ Walker – President
• Claudia Basso – Vice President
• Janette Lynch – Treasurer
• Dian Kjaergaard – Secretary