Chapter Policies and Procedures

AATSP Chapter Guidelines

This document contains the guidelines that are followed by our chapter.

AATSP POLICY ON GUEST MEMBERSHIP IN A SECOND CHAPTER

The following policy explains how AATSP members can become a guest member of a second, or guest, chapter.

1.   Upon joining the AATSP, members are assigned to a chapter based on their legal residence. In turn, the AATSP national office reimburses each chapter $6.00 for each of their regular members in good standing. The $6.00 is to be used for chapter activities and programs.

2.       If a member wishes to become a guest member of a second chapter and participate in that guest chapter’s activities, the member can do so by completing the following two steps.

·         The individual should contact the president of the second chapter and request permission to become a guest member of the second chapter.

·         Once permission is granted to join the second or guest chapter, the individual must pay $6.00 in dues directly to the guest chapter to cover the chapter dues normally reimbursed to the assigned chapter. 

3.       There are several legitimate reasons that a chapter might use to grant guest membership: 

·         the meetings and activities of the second chapter are closer to the individual’s home than those of the assigned chapter;

·         the individual perceives that the activities of the second chapter are more numerous or better aligned to the individual’s needs than those of the assigned chapter;

·         the individual has moved and wants to continue to participate in the chapter originally assigned.

4.       The second chapter has the right to deny guest membership privileges to any individual. 

5.       The individual will remain a regular member of the assigned chapter and will become a guest member of the second chapter he/she has joined.  The individual cannot resign from the assigned chapter but may choose not to attend meetings or participate in the activities of the assigned chapter. 

6.       An individual can be a guest member in only one guest chapter in any given calendar year. 

7.       Only regular members of the assigned chapter have voting privileges. Guest members do not have voting privileges in the second chapter.

8.       The AATSP database will continue to indicate the member’s assigned chapter only.  Therefore, the chapter rolls will list the individual as a member of the assigned chapter.

9.       The $6.00 reimbursement from the national AATSP office will continue to be sent to the assigned chapter.

Please note that the above policies for guest membership…

a.       allow a member to participate in a guest chapter without causing harm to the finances, membership numbers, or political structure of the assigned chapter;

b.      do not affect where a teacher's students participate in the National Spanish Exams since all students are required to participate in the chapter in which their school is geographically located

NSE rules state:  If participating in the chapter portion of the National Spanish Examinations contest, students must participate in the chapter in which their school is geographically located.   (NSE Chapter maps are posted at:         http://www.nationalspanishexam.org/index.php/about-us/chapters-and-coordinators)