So as the HAPS Executive Director, things like different types of memberships is something that gets me going. HAPS is very inclusive, and we have lots of membership types to match your needs as members. There might even be a few membership types you may not know about! So check out your options.
Multi-year Regular Membership – These are pretty self explanatory, but what may not be clear is how much they help HAPS. HAPS has always had a challenge with members letting memberships lapse in years when they are not attending the Annual Conference. These multi-year memberships really help HAPS function and give us an ability to plan appropriately for future expenses.
Conference Membership – If you register for the Annual Conference as a non-member, you will receive a complimentary one-year membership. This type of membership is great for members expecting to come to HAPS each year, because otherwise it would exacerbate the retention challenge mentioned above. The only member benefit not accrued to this membership type is member pricing on the next Annual Conference registration. This membership type expires one year from the registration date.
Contingent Faculty Membership – Did you know that most organizations didn’t even have a definition of contingent faculty when this membership type was created at HAPS? The HAPS definition definition is on our website, and this is meant to include those who likely don’t have much if any institutional support where they teach. HAPS can be the support system for these contingent faculty who need it.
High School Teacher Membership – There are high school A&P programs across the country and we are pleased to include these instructors in HAPS. We also have a high-school specific discussion group that runs on the same back-end platform as the more widely known (and incredibly valuable) HAPS-L discussion group.
Student Membership – This is the membership category that we get the most calls about. This membership is for full-time students – the kind of person who answers the question, “What do you do?” with something along the lines of, “I go to school.” This is not intended for people taking a class here or there. That said, we have been fortunate to have really awesome student members, many of whom have had a big impact on the organization! Thanks students!
Retired Faculty Membership – This is an obvious category, but there are advantages to this type of membership, including a reduced cost Annual Conference registration. Did you know that there is a related semi-secret membership for retired long-time members of HAPS? If you are a member in HAPS for all ten years before your retirement, you can ask for an Emeritus Membership. This is a cost-free, lifetime HAPS membership starting with the first year after retirement.
Clearly, there are lots of options, but the most important thing is that you stay a member! We need you to renew your membership and continue to be a part of our community! Few other organizations have as many opportunities for participation in governance, for year-round communication and collaboration, and for just plain camaraderie.