Membership Requirements
To be eligible for membership in the DAMA Central Virginia Chapter, an individual shall have an active interest in data management concepts, products or technology, either as a user or a potential user. All memberships are subject to acceptance by the local chapter board of directors.
Each dues-paying member shall be classified by business type, i.e., industry, educational institution, vendor or consultant, and by sponsorship status, i.e., individual or corporate membership. The local chapter board of directors shall designate all classifications.
There will be three classifications of membership — individual, corporate and student.
Membership Classifications
Individual membership in the local chapter is engaged by an individual person and remains with that individual person, regardless of employment.
Corporate membership in the local chapter is engaged by a company, a corporation, a major division of a corporation or an educational institution. Each corporate membership is limited to a fixed number of individuals employed by that facility (to be determined by the board), and those individuals shall be named upon membership application to the local chapter. Multiple corporate memberships can be consummated by the same facility. One primary representative shall be designated for each corporate membership. Upon the departure of any employee covered by the corporate membership, said facility shall have the opportunity to name a replacement individual. Based on the departing employee’s severance from the facility, said departing employee shall no longer benefit from local chapter membership under this corporate membership.
Student membership will have the same rights as a individual member, but will require a valid student identification and the acceptance of the board.
Voting
Formal voting for the DAMA Central Virginia Chapter shall include voting for officers, charter, bylaws amendments and all other formal votes requiring ballot. Each individual registered as an individual membership in the local chapter shall receive one ballot. Each corporation registered as a corporate membership in the local chapter shall receive a fixed number of ballots, the number of which will be determined by the board. The corporation shall have the discretion to distribute said ballots appropriately.
When a formal vote is required, all individual and corporate members shall be notified of the vote, with ballots distributed and postmarked at least 14 days prior to the meeting at which the vote is to occur. The vice president administration or his/her designee shall receive all ballots prior to the close of voting. Ballots can be mailed (electronic or parcel post) or hand-delivered.
Informal voting includes voting for all other local chapter matters, where it is determined that a vote is required. Informal voting shall occur during local chapter meetings by voice or show of hands.
Membership Fees
To ensure high-quality presentations, the DAMA Central Virginia Chapter shall charge annual membership fees or dues. These fees are used primarily to obtain noted guest speakers, to cover DAMA International affiliation fees, and to cover rental of facilities and refreshments, as appropriate. The costs associated with special functions, i.e., workshops and symposia, shall be recovered separately through registration fees for those specific events. Based on the above membership classifications, the yearly fee will be as follows:
- Individual $35
- Corporate $250
- Student $20
After the first year, the board suggests the individual rate be raised to $50.
The membership year shall begin January 1st and end December 31st. As each new membership year approaches, current members shall be invoiced one month prior to the commencement of the new membership year.
Membership Classifications
The following classifications of members are outlined by the bylaws: Individual, Corporate and Student. A corporate membership shall allow 10 members from a given company or institution. Each individual registered as a corporate membership in the local chapter, shall receive one ballot as limited by the number of members allowed to a corporate membership (10). Distinct corporations will not receive any ballots. Each corporate membership must assign a distinct person as a member. Memberships not filled by a corporation will not be allowed to vote. Multiple memberships by the same person, and multiple votes by the same person will not be allowed.
The following text was removed from the bylaws:
Each corporation registered as a corporate membership in the local chapter shall receive a fixed number of ballots, the number of which will be determined by the board. The corporation shall have the discretion to distribute said ballots appropriately.
Membership of Minors
Based on advice from legal council, we will prohibit members from joining the organization who are under 18 years old. Instead, we will institute a visitor program where a member may bring one visitor to a meeting. That visitor will have no voting rights and will be the responsibility of the member.
The line from our bylaws, "All memberships are subject to acceptance by the local chapter board of directors" will allow the board to use the 18 and over rule and will allow for any future changes in our membership rules.
