Membership Chair

Duties and Responsibilities

History & Board Actions

V6.3 06/27/75
Names of applicants, pertinent information and name of sponsor to be published in Newf Tide. Comments will be solicited from members for thirty (30) days from receipt of publication and are to be sent to the Membership Chair. If no comments or only favorable comments are received, the Board will then take action at the next meeting. Unfavorable comments will receive further study.
V11.2 04/03/80
Membership Chair to send a copy of breed standard with each request for a membership application.
V11.2 04/03/80
Approved recommendations regarding the procedure for processing applications for NCA membership.
V11.2 04/03/80
Those whose memberships have lapsed for a period of two (2) years must reapply as new members.
V12.2 04/16/81
Until approval of new By-Laws, the policy of withholding final acceptance of applicants pending the publishing of their names in Newf Tide will desist.
V13.2 04/23/82
New membership applications require two (2) NCA member signatures as sponsors.
V14.1 11/11/82 (Mail Meeting)
All membership applications to be distributed by either the Membership Chair or the Corresponding Secretary.
V14.3 05/83 (Mail Meeting)
First class mail approved for corresponding with new members.
V15.2 02/18/84 (Mail Meeting)
Status change memberships (single to double and vice versa) shall require a new type of membership application. Membership of surviving spouse is precluded.
V17.2 04/03/86
Revised application material approved.
V18.4 11/07/87
Change of membership status shall appear in Newf Tide either as an insert or a part of the publication.
V19.2 04/29/88
One-time initiation fee to be charged per application fee to subsidize the initial expense of processing applications and mailing many complimentary educational materials with the new application.
V19.4 11/12/88
Application renewal slips will be kept for two (2) years.
V19.4 11/12/88
Eliminate statement on application asking whether the applicant is a professional handler.
V19.4 11/12/88
Changes of address and status shall be printed in Newf Tide as received by the
V32.1 11/3/00
A list of applicants whose applications for membership have been denied be maintained by the Recording Secretary. Membership and Arbitration chairs shall have access to the list.
V33.1 11/30/01
When membership chair learns of a NCA member/applicant has been suspended from a International Club, the information should be brought to the Boards attention by the Membership Chair.

Procedure for Challenged Applications
When the Membership Chairperson receives a letter to challenge a new applicant’s membership, the letter will be forwarded to the Recording Secretary who will send a copy to the Board and send a letter to the applicant and sponsors stating that the
application has been challenged and is being held for review. The Recording Secretary shall also send a letter to the complainant asking for more specific information regarding the complaint as well as ask permission to send the letter of complaint to the applicant and sponsors. The applicant and complainant have 30 days to respond to the Recording Secretary who will supply all information received to the Board for its action. The Membership Chair will be advised of the Board’s decision.

V33.3 4/23/02
Board approves use of email to send membership applications when so requested, including By-Laws, Constitution and Ethics Code. Approved proposed revised membership application for which includes use of charge cards. Approved distribution of change of address information as separate flyer in Newf Tide as provided by Membership Chair.

V34.1 11/2/02

Revised Procedure for Challenged Applications
When the Membership Chair receives a letter to challenge a new applicant’s membership, the letter will be forwarded to the Recording Secretary who will do the following: Send a copy of the letter to the Board and send a letter to the applicant and sponsors stating that the application has been challenged and is being held for review. The Recording Secretary shall also send a letter to the complainant asking for more specific information regarding the complaint and to request permission to send the letter of complaint and supporting documentation to the applicant and the sponsors. If permission is not received then a summary of the complaint should be sent by the Recording Secretary to the applicant, sponsors and to the complainant. The applicant and the complainant will have thirty days to respond to the Recording Secretary who will provide all information received to the Board for its action. The Board has the right to obtain more information before making a decision. The Membership Chair will be advised of the Board’s decision. If an applicant has been turned down for membership in the past and reapplies, the Board may on its motion, request additional information from both the applicant and the prior complainant (if any) concerning the objections previously made and what steps have been taken to address the prior complaints.

V35.2 11/21/03
Changes in Application and Sponsorship Forms:
Proposed application accepted with modifications: to ask members to certify answers on application as true and correct, to modify the question about dog sales to relate to puppy sales, to find out if they have attended regional club functions, and how they originally
found out about the NCA, and that there be an optional “open book test” covering the Constitution and Bylaws, the breed Standard and Code of Ethics. Membership chair to provide copies of all application forms when sending the Board the list of new member applicants. Proposed Sponsorship form accepted with modifications: Board strongly recommends that the sponsors have known the applicants for at least three years prior to signing the application and that the two sponsors should not be husband and wife. The effective date of the new procedure to be May 1, 2004.
V35.2 2/19/04
On the new applications sent out after April 1, 2004, the membership chair will use the new membership applications showing the new dues structure. He should wait until April 1 before sending out any forms even if he received applications in the meantime. All membership applications received after July 1st must pay the new dues structure.
V35.3 4/19/04
The decision of an applicant not to submit the optional test with their application cannot be used as a reason for turning down the applicant. Abolish the Open Book test for applicants.
V36.1 10/30/04
The Board voted the dues renewal form shall be proofread by the Board every year before it is mailed as per NCA Committee Guidelines which require Board consideration for any changes in content of any NCA publication.
11/4/05: if a Board member in any stage of a membership application prior to publication raises a problem with an application, the applicant and their sponsors shall be informed of the problem, the problem raised, and an opportunity to respond to the allegation unless there are highly unusual verifiable circumstances that would show that physical retaliation is likely.
5/17/06: New member applicants will receive a complimentary copy of the Newf Tide issue in which they are published as a part of the application process.
9/21/06: The revised membership packet was approved.
12/21/06: Approved the posting of the application packet on the NCA Website.
3/23/07: Amended the dues renewal form to include two email addresses.
4/30-5/1/07: Rescind the policy adding a second email address, based upon input from the Treasurer and the Membership Chair regarding technical problems and costs involved.

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Current Activities

2008 Membership Chair Annual Report by Mary Lou Cuddy

A Comparison of Membership from Years 2004 through 2008

The Membership Committee is responsible for coordinating the membership application process and maintaining the membership database, which includes providing the mailing labels for Newf Tide and any other NCA mailings as well as the information contained in the Membership Directory. The accuracy of the membership database depends on the membership notifying the Membership Chair directly of any changes in their contact information (name, address,
phone number and one email address). Please do not ask or rely on Board members or other committee chairs to forward changes in your contact information. You can now change your contact information easily through the NCA website or NCA e-notes.
The Membership Chair and the NCA Board have approved placing the NCA membership application on the NCA Website for downloading. This accounted for the majority of new applications submitted to the Membership Chair. From the 1st Quarter 2008 through 4th Quarter 2008 issues of Newf Tide, there were 71 completed applications received with 107 new members being approved.

Compared to prior years, the membership statistics are as follows:Total number of households as of December 15, 2008 is 1219 for a total membership of 1778.

For changes in contact information or for other questions or concerns, I can be reached at membership@newfdogclub.org