The Society
Impact of SVP Through Membership

Goal:

Reach out, retain, AND ENGAGE our members and encourage diversity in our membership for professional and societal growth. In order to support several groups that comprise our society, we propose the following four steps.


Key Steps to Achieve the Goal:

  1. Avocational group
    Increase the opportunities for avocational groups to participate in programs at the Annual Meeting and other society programs.
  2. Students
    Allow Student Members to retain student-member status for three years after graduation.
  3. International Institution Sponsorship for developing nations
    Focus on one region of developing nations (e.g., Africa) by sponsoring approximately 3-6 museums at the individual rate. Additionally, bring one representative from each sponsored institution to the Annual Meeting and have one representative from each sponsored international institution sit on a SVP committee.
  4. Sister Institutions
    Develop relationships and collaborations with sister organizations through various means, such as co-hosting international meetings (e.g., SVP meeting with the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy in Bristol) and symposia or events at national meetings of other professional organizations (e.g., SVP and the Paleontological Society may collaborate on topical symposia at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting).


Implementation:

  1. Support avocational groups
    Encourage avocational groups to hold workshops and programs associated with the Annual Meeting (organization, logistics, and costs of such events would be the responsibility of each avocational group).
  2. Continuing Student Membership Category
    Work with Membership Committee to develop a continuing student category of membership.
  3. International Institution Sponsorship
    Work with Membership Committee to identify an international institution to sponsor and fund raise to enable a representative to attend SVP Annual meeting.
  4. Sister Organizations
    Work with Program Committee to develop collaborative meetings and symposia.