9/4/96, Vi Foulks, ViFoulks@usa.net
I looked forward eagerly to the AAMT meeting and the House of Delegates, because I was really of the opinion that some great changes were going to come out of the meeting. With all of the talk on the transcription news groups, as well as the conversations I had had with people in our state and across the country, I believed there were hundreds of members who wanted to see AAMT make changes in policy.

The only thing that the Colorado delegation was able to be successful in was to change the policy/procedure that stated how many AAMT members must be in a chapter. We got it down from 10 to 7 for new and established chapters. And if the truth were known, it was probably a case of the AAMT board simply throwing us a bone.

There was talk at the convention that some board/administration members support doing away with the House of Delegates - stating that it is an expensive body that "only works one day a year." That may be true for some delegates - it certainly is not true for this delegate! I may not have worked effectively, but I sure as heck WORKED. Rather than doing away with the HOD, the better thing to do is to educate the membership in just how important the House is; and to educate the delegates themselves in what is expected of them. I am sure there was a large percentage of Delegates in the room who had hardly opened the "packet." They had not talked with members of their state or region and had not even educated themselves on the issues to be discussed. Yes, probably a few were there because they had heard that their state/region pays the Delegate's way to the convention. It was discouraging to wonder if some things might have turned out differently had all of the elected delegates come to the House well informed on the issues and well informed as to the wishes of the people they represented.

Am I going to pick up my bat and ball and go home? No. I don't believe that quitting can possibly effect any change. Those who have resigned or lapsed from AAMT of course have that right. And I am afraid there will be many more that will do so. But the only way that changes for the better can be made in any organization is from the inside. Only a member has a vote. Only a member has a right to question policy. Only a member has the right to propose changes.

There is one thing that greatly concerns me at this point; that is the onerous requirements that are leveled on AAMT board members. The information sent to those interested in running for the AAMT board states that at least 20 hours per week is required for board activity. I'm not sure if that 20 hours includes all the traveling that is also required or not. I do know, however, that 20 hours per week of volunteer work for AAMT precludes most members from serving on the AAMT Board. Those who are independently wealthy, those who have few or no family responsibilities, who have very few responsibilities in regard to a job, and those who have either no children or grown children who are on their own - those people could feel comfortable running for the AAMT Board. Perhaps you own a very large medical transcription business that will run itself if you are gone on AAMT business. That's wonderful - then maybe you can run. I think AAMT is a great association and it has done wonderful things in the past and will do many great things in the future. But if I had 20 hours a week to give of my life, my commitment is first to my family, then to my job, and then to my professional associations.

I had one person at the general meeting tell me that it only takes COMMITMENT. I agree - it does take COMMITMENT - but you can't eat commitment, or pay bills with it, or send it in your stead to your daughter's slumber party, your son's football game, or to your husband's family reunion.

I freely admit I have no idea how to fix this; but until more members can consider taking on the responsibilities of board membership, then the board will be populated by an elite few. While I believe that the board members are doing the job in the way they feel is best for AAMT, that does not mean other people do not have good ideas also. A more diverse group of board members can only be good for the organization.

As to the annual meeting itself, I thought it was one of the better ones in the last few years. There were not near the vendors present, which was a disappointment, but that seems to be the way things are going all over the country. Certainly our chapter and state are having the same problems in getting corporate spongsorship and participation in our symposia and conventions. What I appreciated most were the many medical speakers that were available and I really think the hosting chapters and states did a marvelous job.

I do know part of the problem is interpretation of who is making the comments. I spent three years as president of the Alaska State Snowmobile Association and if I made a comment, of my own opinion, my telephone rang off the hook for a week wanting to know when the board made that crazy decision. Sometimes it seemed easier to keep my own opinions to myself. Now that I no longer hold that position I can say whatever I want and not worry about it being misinterpreted.

Talking about AAMT is a good way to bring out problems, ideas, issues, concerns. AAMT is making changes because the members are speaking up, and not just on the net. I think it has been forgotten that there are other means of communication besides the net, and not all MTs are online. As far as leaders back in the 80s recognizing problems -- there were problems in the very beginning of AAMT's formation, there were problems in the 80s, there will continue to be problems. Life does not exist without problems. But AAMT is still there, still strong and will be for a long time to come. Personally, I don't care whether AAMT is active online or not, I care about what they are doing for our profession in terms of govt bills being passed that will affect us, tax laws that will affect us, other assocations who want the MT's input, and the list goes on. I believe the net is just a small part and AAMT will probably, though slowly, come on board somewhere down the road, but if they don't, we can still continue the dialogue ourselves.

Communication via cyberspace is totally awesome, especially for an old lady like me, but meeting my cyberspace friends face-to-face was an experience I will never forget!

As fate would have it, after arriving home from Minneapolis Sunday night, I left Monday morning with my family to a river-rafting trip on the American River. We spent Monday night in Modesto, and I dropped by the AAMT offices there. Claudia took us on a tour. Very modest facility with people working furiously. We had a chance to visit as well. Having attended the meeting and having spoken with nearly every representative of AAMT and having visited their headquarters, I can say in all honesty that they are moving forward as best they can to promote and enhance our profession.

Communication through cyberspace as well as publications tells only a portion of the communication picture. Personally, I found them to be tuned in and interested in everything that is going on.

We were also told we could email with attention to anyone and that person will get that mail. I know some say their mail is not answered. If not, all I can say is call them direct and find out why!! I do know they have literally tons of correspondence each day, not just email, not to mention just the everyday work of running the office!! I don't agree that Pat is being stubborn if legal counsel tells her not to be active online. I have had many of my own posts completely misinterpreted or not fully read (focusing on one word or phrase instead of the entire content of what I was trying to say), so I can understand why AAMT does not get active. To have any kind of viable discussion, you need to HEAR what the other person is saying, that can't be done in this forum.

AAMT is going through "growing pains" but they are here to stay. I don't always agree with what they say or do, but I will always be grateful that this industry has a professional association looking out for our interests. As I have said before, we all deserve nothing less!!

There was much positive discussion about the advantages of communicating on-line via E-mail and the Net. At the workshop for the delegates, the facilitator *strongly* encouraged us to get on-line, and touted the many benefits. There is talk of making the AAMT Web page an interactive site. More *forward* thinking.

Well, I thought, hokey. But, much to my surprise and amazement, the "exercises" we did, interactive, of course, were SO enlightening. So many things came to the surface, like the intimidation in the mere atmosphere of parlimentary procedure, the feeling of being "left out" from vital information, the resentment at having surprises sprung on us, and....yes, the suspicion that permeates. It was genuinely helpful. And, the fact that AAMT has lost a significant number of members was talked about, not shyly, but openly. For the first time, it seemed as though AAMT really wanted cohesiveness, but was at a loss as to how to achieve or recover it. They were asking for help, in effect, and perhaps in a manner that they could save face.

I have some renewed vigor about AAMT. Perhaps the multitude of correspondence has penetrated the wall of arrogance, finally! Truly, I didn't sense it at all this year, not like before.

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