In case none of you read The Point from last May (the tabloid version), you should know that the GDC has a National council, and that we/they have an AGM every year at which we discuss, among other things, members’ needs. That AGM is in 2 weeks in Edmonton this year (May 4–7), and the BC Board is sending a number delegates on your behalf. Yes, your behalf.
If there’s anything you’d like the BC Board to bring up with the National executive, please let us know, right here, right now. We are more than willing to raise shit, if necessary, or be docile as lambs if everything is alright in the GDC world.
Can’t think of anything? How do you feel about dues increases?
Here’s what happened. A few years ago we brought it to your attention that the GDC did not raise members’ dues for 10 years from something like 1994–2004 (I’m to lazy to look it up specifically). Then in 2004, we all got hit with a big increase, and dues went from $225 to $315. Since then, National raises the dues by 2 or 3% every year to avoid having the same thing happen again. In 2005, the GDC/BC absorbed the increase (of your dues, an approx. 60% cut goes to GDC National, and the local chapter gets the rest), but in 2006 we didn’t, so dues went up again to $323.75.
Another 2% increase is slated for this year. How do you feel about this? In 2004, the GDC/BC voted against the 2005 increase (but were completely outvoted by the rest of the other Chapters). Is it reasonable? 2%/yr is not much, but we’ve been asked by our National President, Peggy Cady, to ask you, so we are.
We’ve also been asked to ask “Would we like to host the National AGM in 2007?” What would that mean to you? Well, it would mean that as a fiesty horde of BC graphic designers, you could attend the AGM and raise a ruckus as BC designers are well known for doing (nyuck nyuck). You could make placards, slogans, t-shirts … whatever you wanted imprinted with your well-designed messages of concern. You could lobby, persuade, curry favour and bribe. Absolutely piles of fun, guaranteed. But if you plan on sitting at home staring at the rain clouds (a favourite BC pastime, we know), just say “no thanks” and spare us the trouble and energy. Let the ruckus happen in Halifax or Saskatoon, where you don’t have to think about it.
So, do let us know of your thoughts or opinions regarding the GDC (think big, pls) and perhaps we can make some placards or something in time for the Edmonton AGM.
April 19th, 2006 at 1:00 pm
I personally don’t have a problem with the dues, but have to ask if we’ve really received enough value for our membership dues from National? I really think the BC scene is rocking and getting quite exciting, but National barely even supports Graphex!
Marian - is there a location to download previous issue of The Point as PDFs?
UPDATE: see additional comment below.
April 20th, 2006 at 8:22 am
I have edited my original post. It has been pointed out to me that an offhanded remark to “a clerical error” was erroneous, so I’ve removed it.
For the record, official and stuffy is anathema to me. In this post I am deliberately trying to provoke someone … anyone other than a GDC Board member to raise their hand and give an opinion on this organization. An uninformed opinion, an informed opinion or even a fact would be nice. In the past we have sent out questionairres, and received about a 3% response rate. We absolutely go through caniptions in order to get our members more involved, and the return is depressingly low.
This blog is one of those caniptions. I happen to know that you don’t expand readership or get people to engage in discussion without being provocative.
But while I write in a combative tone, I’m dead serious. I’ve explained why we have dues increases, indicated that I don’t think it’s much, but we want to know what you think. We do actually vote on such things.
As for the National AGM next year, the whole point is would you come to one if it was here? Do you care?
If you’re offended by my tone, wish to correct the facts as I’ve presented them, or have anything else to say to me regarding my post on this blog, say it here, so we can have a public discussion about it. Please stop sending me private emails.
And if anyone on National Council would like to enlighten Mark about the various tasks that National takes on, please do so here.
April 20th, 2006 at 9:33 am
It makes sense to have an increase in dues to keep up with inflation etc. Instead of hearing only from people who will agree with the increase, I’ll put some vibes I’ve picked up when talking to people on the listserve and my own past experience.
I believe non-members and some members may not realize the value of having MGDC after their name. If they don’t see any perceived value then their not going to want to pay for it.
I don’t really know what people might be complaining about but thinking back when I was younger and first starting out or when I was living in a rural community, I remember having these thoughts about whether it was worth belonging to other Graphic organizations:
1) I can barely afford rent, computer and software and what’s the point of having those letters after my name any way?
2) Nothing happens in my chapter where I live, so why am I paying so much to get nothing in return? My local clients do not know or care whether I have these letters or not.
When I was a member of the Graphics Artists Guild (GAG), membership dues were based on:
1) Professional status (e.g. Student, Professional, Senior or Retired
2) Income level within the Professional status.
Would this approach be more fair to designers who are starting out or live in areas of the country where they may not make as much as peers in more populated areas where more opportunity exists.
Would a fare structure based on Province activity be more fair?
Just putting these thoughts on the table for discussion. Now discuss away
PS- I’d love for Vancouver to host the National AGM in 2007 and would be happy to be involved.
April 20th, 2006 at 10:54 am
My knuckles are stinging a little after being accused of “causing a shitstorm” with my disrespectful comment about national’s support. Disrepectful? Maybe a little in retrospect, so I would like to clarify and hopefully difuse this.
Like Marian I want to provoke BC members to start using this space to debate and have intelligent public discourse about what we expect to get from our association, both locally and nationally.
But as a member of the local executive, I shouldn’t imply that the larger organization abandoned us with this national event. Tht’s simply not true and I want all members to know that. Though very much a BC-driven competition, National does endorse and support the event in a number of ways, not least of which by the generous contributions by two local members who sit on the national executive. My suggestion otherwise was erroneous and I’ve been informed so.
But this discussion isn’t really about Graphex or national, is it? It’s about increased our dues. For me being an MGDC is worth every penny spent. I make sure of it frankly, which is why I volunteer and donate so much of my time. And I greatly respect and honour the work the association has done on my behalf over the 50 years of its exisence.
But as Linda has suggested, I too wonder if designers ever hesitate becoming members because of a lack of perceived value for cost? My comment about Graphex is only one example. There could be many others. Out to you guys, what do you think?
April 20th, 2006 at 11:11 am
RE: …And if anyone on National Council would like to enlighten Mark about the various tasks that National takes on, please do so here.
Check the members’s section of the GDC website:
http://www.gdc.net/Admin/index.php?id=5&press=1&draw_column=3:3:2
What the National GDC does for Members
The “National” GDC is made up of three parts: National Council (elected representatives from all chapters), National Executive (elected from the National Council), and the National Administrator (our only paid employee). These three work together to facilitate the goals of the Society.
The National
- provides and promotes national professional certification for MGDC and LGDC members. This credential is transferrable across the country.
- provides members with a Code of Ethics which lays out the designers’s responsibility to their colleagues, clients and the environment. This important document makes members more valuable to their clients.
– advocates on behalf of members against harmful business practices such as speculative work and unfair competition practices.
- provides members with valuable professional documents such as a contract template, copyright information, pro-bono and competition guidelines.
- provides members with a membership kit, the prestigious GDC Journal, gdc.net newsletter, GDC eNews.
- provides a National Scholarship programme to support the education of graphic design students.
- provides the national web site
to raise awareness of the GDC and the profession, and
help employers locate qualified GDC members through the member search function,
inform design buyers of appropriate practices,
educate and inform members on business & educational matters,
provide space for chapters to report, publish articles, activities and membership information;
provide a space for members and students to upload their portfolios,
provide an active job board to help members find employment opportunities across the country
provides the GDC Listserv message board to connect designers and provide opportunities for dialog,
provides design news, event and awards competition information, professional development articles,
provides career & scholarship information for student members.
- organizes and pays for the GDC National Annual General Meeting so that Chapters have a voice and vote at the national level.
- negotiates sponsorship from major industry sponsors and various printers and paper suppliers. These funds and in-kind contributions support the Scholarship programme, Benevolent Fund, provide paper and printing for publications, and fund special projects.
- provides valuable buying discounts and special offers to save members money - on fonts, images, magazines, books, professional business aids.
- negotiates conference discounts for members on the How Design Conference, AIGA Conferences and many others.
- provides member access to ICOGRADA website and Icograda news, through Association membership, where members can download valuable documents such as the Confidentiality Agreement.
- promotes the value of design and professional qualification, through advertising, editorial, advocacy, and connections with other organizations.
- lobbies the government for recognition of the profession and best practices.
- provides the GDC office in Ottawa, our national headquarters and national contact point
- provides a paid national administrator who handles membership dues and other administrative tasks to take the work load off of chapter and national executive volunteers.
Contact your Chapter’s National Representatives to find out more about the GDC.
- I’d say you are getting your money’s worth. And if you go to a conference, buy fonts, subscribe to a few magazines, or take advantage of the Design Pics subscription offer you’ve paid for your national membership a few times right there.
April 20th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Thanks Linda. You ask:
“Would a fare structure based on Province activity be more fair?”
It’s an interesting idea, though “Province activity” is one of those things that is hard to define. Different people have differing opinions about what they actually “get” in terms of events etc. However, it’s clear that if you live outside of the lower mainland you don’t get access to the events we put on.
But what it comes down to is whether you’re (where I use “you” in a general, “yous guys” kinda way) a member to support your professional standing (and support the concept of graphic design as a profession) or whether you’re a member to get services and stuff.
Last year at the National AGM, the BC Chapter went in with a theme of “Guilt” because as board members we feel we often put the time in to do what we do because we feel guilty, and at the same time we feel guilty that we’re not doing enough. And then we feel guilty about the time we take from our businesses and family as well.
So as a Board member, I feel guilty when we raise dues. Even though I know only too well how hard all the board members bust their asses; even though I’ve seen the books and know we’re not exactly lining our pockets with those fees, I still feel that the perceived value is underrated, and that members will at some point say “what is this for?”
Perhaps that’s just me.
As a member, I feel frustrated that I don’t see evidence of promotion of our national certification in the business community. The GDC/BC does take ads out in local business media to promote the MGDC designation, but advertising is blindingly expensive, and it’s a small drop in the bucket.
By far the happiest I am with the GDC is when I hear of their stepping in to protest against unfair practices, design competitions, etc. And at this the GDC does an excellent job. But while I am privy to these things as a Board Member, once again i wonder if the public ever knows about it.
The lengthy and official list above has some obvious and relevant points, but some of it relates to existing material that has no specific ongoing cost per se, and some of it relates to what the GDC does in theory, but …
Please note that I didn’t ask “is it worth it to be a GDC member?” I asked, “Do you feel that 2% dues increases every year are reasonable?” Furthermore, I was asked to ask, so I did.
I’m interested Linda, in your enthusasm over hosting a National AGM. What is it that interests you? What would you DO? And by that I mean not “stacking chairs” or “organizing,” but why would you attend? What would you want to be witness to or to say?
That’s the kind of involvement I’m interested in from GDC members. Yes, we need bodies to do all sorts of things, but more than that we need people to care enough about the organization as a representation of a profession to come out and say what they think, make suggestions as Linda has done, and find out some answers. That’s the point of attending any AGM. God knows, I’m not going to Edmonton for the weather.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an GDC EVENT to attend.
April 20th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
Your right Marian, I’m over my head. I don’t know much about the AGM event. I’m not a leader, nor am I an eloquent speaker. I’m just an average hard working graphic designer trying to get some work in this town. I had no idea how intimate the GDC was, I actually thought I’d blend in fairly unnoticed like most large groups. I feel both honoured and awkward to be in the company of such great designers. And yes, I’d love to help out more than just stacking chairs. My apologies, I will leave this discussion up to the professionals.
I’ll see you at the event.
April 20th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
? Linda, you sound offended. I hope not. Perhaps you misinterpreted my response. All I’m saying is that we welcome people to be involved at a thinking/acting/asking/saying level. People hear the call “get involved” and they tend to think they need to stack chairs or make phonecalls, which is great, but what we’re really asking for is mental involvement. If we held the National AGM in Vancouver and we had 10 volunteers to help set up/take down or whatever, that would be great, but if we had 20 people who actually came and listened and asked questions and got mad and became soothed and went away with a better understanding of the GDC, that would be even better.
So my questions, Linda, were asked out of curiousity. When you think “National AGM in Vancouver” what opportunity does it present to you that causes you to be interested? Getting people interested in any AGM is a challenge; but in theory they really are the one time of the year you can show up to an organization and show that you have a stake in how it’s run.
April 21st, 2006 at 9:27 am
Marian, I believe I may have misinterpreted this original conversation. I had signed up to be contacted when new subjects were listed in this blog and stumbled on this conversation. I’m sorry, I clearly didn’t understand what you were asking.
You did however, mention some issues on volunteering that I’d like to comment on.
I think the the executive members need to give its general members a little more credit. Maybe we simply don’t know what you need. When looking for volunteers, instead of asking us what we can do, find out what you need first, then solicit for volunteers. You’re more likely to find the qualified people your looking for.
In short, I suppose the obvious would be is to get together with everyone going to Edmunton to dicuss, observe, ask and find out what it’s going to take. Then I’d suspect the BC chapter would hold a meeting with them and past participants to set up an organizational chart, then solicit it’s members to sign up under which ever categories are needed, including design, illusration, production etc. You have so many talented members who would love to work on a piece and could use the experience and recognition but I’ve noticed the same people are doing all the work.
You may find more enthusiastic, qualified volunteers who weren’t getting involved before simply because they didn’t want to get stuck doing the grunt work.
Enough said, please, carry on with your original message.