IAAP Charters First Virtual Chapter
By Lorri Morin

IAAP entered new territory last month, chartering its very first virtual chapter. Officers for the year beginning June 1, 2008 were also installed at the chartering meeting last month.

The Cutting Edge Chapter is the brainchild of Kyle Sheldon-Chandler, President of the Colorado-Wyoming-Montana Division and owner of KSC Virtual Assistant Services in Grand Junction, Colorado. While attempts have been made previously to form a virtual chapter, none have been successful in reaching the chartering stage until now.

“As both a virtual assistant and an IAAP member, I am excited about the Cutting Edge Chapter and its members who will provide an environment for professional growth and networking to visionary IAAP members,” said Sheldon-Chandler. “I believe that virtual chapters are the future for many administrative professionals.”

The Cutting Edge chapter includes as its members both traditional administrative professionals as well as virtual assistants, and members are spread across the country. Meetings are held via teleconference or webinar and the time commitment to attend is reduced, since there is no commute involved, which makes it easier for people to participate and grow personally and professionally.

The Cutting Edge Chapter holds monthly educational and professional development meetings via teleconference and webinar. For information on membership in the Cutting Edge chapter, contact Darlene Bruce at bruced23@yahoo.com or Najah Masudi at yhwhsgood@hotmail.com.

The New Jersey Division held a 2008 Convention Delegate/Alternate training session
by Judith A. Yannarelli CPS/CAP
NJ Division Bylaws / Standing Rules Chair

With the realization that usually more than half of the Convention delegates/alternates are first-timers, our division felt it was imperative that delegates and alternates be introduced to the following aspects of serving as a delegate in order to reinforce the importance of the role and its accompanying responsibilities:

1. Checking the original Convention registration form with the registration confirmation;
2. Registering at Credentials; selecting banquet seats; visiting Hospitality;
3. Importance of the name badge;
4. Parliamentarian Meeting with Delegates;
5. Seating logistics at the Business Session;
6. Step-by-step review of the three-day Business Meeting agenda;
7. A complete review of proposed By Laws / Standing Rules;
8. An overview of how candidates’ are nominated from the Convention floor;
9. Importance of listening to the two-minute candidates’ speech, as well as reading the background of candidates running from the floor;
10. Use of the Pro and Con microphones;
11. How a delegate states identification at the mike;
12. Delegate obligation to attend all events related to candidates and first-timers – orientation, three parliamentary briefings; candidates’ meet and greet; night of welcome; post-convention Leadership Workshop;
13. Alternates’ duties, including sitting in for delegate when delegate leaves the session;
14. PAGE responsibilities and how to summon a page;
15. Critical importance of voting; calling to determine 2nd and/or 3rd ballots; and re-voting;
16. Safety and Emergency Measures;
17. General FAQ and Q&A by attendees.

The session was attended by chapter/division delegates and alternates, as well as those who could not attend and dialed-in via conference call. Because of the success of this initial session and the positive feedback from the attendees, New Jersey Division plans to continue the training as an annual event.