Guidelines for USMA Chapters

Because queries have been received regarding guidelines for a member to start a USMA Chapter, the following information is provided.

GUIDELINES FOR U.S. METRIC ASSOCIATION CHAPTERS

1. A minimum of 10 U.S. Metric Association members is required to start a chapter. Meetings of USMA members may be held until membership totals at least 10 members, which is the number required to officially designate the group as a USMA chapter.
2. Each USMA chapter will observe and abide by the U.S. Metric Association by-laws and objectives.
3. Each chapter will select a name that will identify it. This can be the name of the city or area covered, and must be approved by the USMA Director responsible for that region, before issue of chapter charter.
4. Each chapter will be responsible for raising its own funds to conduct chapter business. A majority vote of chapter members will determine the amount of chapter dues to be levied (for operational expenses); however, the total chapter dues per person per year will not exceed the total dues levied by USMA headquarters, per individual member each year.
5. Each chapter will make a semi-annual report of all activities and finances (on 31 December and 30 June) to the regional director who will, in turn, prepare a condensed version which will be submitted to U.S. Metric Association headquarters no later than one month after receiving the chapter report. It is the responsibility of the chapter manager to ensure that the semi-annual reports are submitted by required dates.
6. If a chapter becomes inactive for more than 6 months, or elects to disband, the chapter charter will be withdrawn by USMA headquarters.
7. Each chapter will elect (by majority written ballot of its total members) as many of the following chapter officers as deemed necessary to conduct the chapter business (and any of these officers may be combined into one office, as decided by chapter members):
   • Chapter Manager
   • Chapter Vice-Manager
   • Secretary
   • Treasurer
   In addition, the elected Chapter Manager may appoint committee managers and members, as required, to conduct chapter activities.
8. Each USMA chapter may write its own operating rules so long as they do not conflict with USMA by-laws.
9. Chapters are requested to forward to the USMA newsletter editor, any news items that may be of interest to USMA members, concerning the chapter or any of its members.

U.S. Metric Association, 10245 Andasol Avenue, Northridge CA 91325-1504

RANDOM IDEAS THAT MIGHT HELP IN STARTING A U.S. METRIC ASSOCIATION CHAPTER IN YOUR REGION

1. Draft an eye-catching mailer which points out the fact that an active U.S. Metric Association chapter in your area can be helpful in disseminating metric data to the public ... and can be helpful to USMA members because it will help them learn to be more at ease with metric units. Mail this to all USMA members in the area, inviting them to:
   • Telephone you to get more details on when a USMA chapter meeting can be arranged that will be suitable for most of those who will attend
     OR
   • Come to the USMA organizational meeting on (date and place you select), but include your telephone number and address in case more information is needed.
2. At the same time, draft an item for the local newspapers (including all the throwaway shopping newspapers), giving information about the time and place selected for the USMA meeting. If possible, telephone newspapers to find out to which editor the data should be sent, and also ask if they need any additional information for the write-up. Contact the radio and the TV stations to get them to run items on the meeting. (A good method is to telephone one of the radio call-in shows to discuss U.S. metric conversion, then mention you are organizing a USMA chapter and invite the public even though they may not be USMA members.)
3. If you can get someone well known for metric activities from your area as a guest speaker at your organizational meeting, this will be even better from the standpoint of publicity and drawing a good turnout. Give the speaker as much publicity as you can, and see if you can get some radio and TV appearances for that person before the meeting so he or she can mention the meeting during the interview.
4. Find a good, centralized meeting place for the organizational meeting. Check savings and loan and bank building managers for the loan of their conference rooms. Schools may donate the use of a room for a nonprofit organization such as USMA (particularly when your objective is to help disseminate metric data which will be appreciated by teachers and the public, both). In one area of our state, the county department of education has offered its conference room as a permanent meeting place for a USMA chapter. Of course, if you have access to a large home for the meeting. that will do for the first few organizational meetings, as you probably won't have a very large turnout at the start. Some groups find better turnouts at meetings if they hold them at a banquet room in a restaurant after dinner.
5. Before the meeting, consult with some of those interested in a USMA chapter as to what will be discussed at the meeting, then type up an agenda for use during the meeting. If possible, make copies of the agenda so all attendees can follow the program and make notes on decisions.
6. At the meetings, keep urging attendees to bring friends and co-workers (with the objective of getting them to join USMA) ... but, don't make it necessary that anyone joins USMA in order to continue attending meetings. Stress that USMA is dedicated to dissemination of current SI-metric data to everyone, whether they are members or not.
7. At the meeting, involve as many persons as possible in activities that are planned. Try to arrange for plenty of people who will serve as an ad hoc hospitality group, greeting each person as he or she arrives, and making each person feel a part of the group. There is nothing more discouraging than to go to a meeting and feel left out of things because you don't know anyone there. Most group meetings that dwindle down to a few attendees have this result because little effort has been made to make everyone feel as if he or she is needed and welcome there. So keep this in mind at EVERY meeting. Don't let anyone stand around (or sit) alone for even one minute.

Valerie Antoine, USMA Executive Director

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