Pass-through Membership of the Royal Society of New Zealand

To: Presidents and contact officers of RSNZ Constituent Organisations

cc Society Council and staff for information

From: Steve Thompson, Chief Executive, Royal Society of New Zealand

Re: Pass-through Membership of the Royal Society

9 March 2006

Good afternoon from Dunedin

You will recall that I wrote to you earlier this year about “pass-through” membership of the Royal Society. As background, the November 2005 meeting of Constituent Organisations had suggested that options to join the national level of RSNZ for a reduced price (and vice-versa) might benefit both levels of the Society. For example an extra cost of $X to join the national level would bring benefits in the form of a proposed members’ quarterly magazine and other electronic news. RSNZ undertook to present a pass-through membership fee option to the council of the Royal Society for consideration.

Council discussed the issue this morning, and agreed to pursue the following course of action:

1. That the Royal Society invite all Constituent Organisations (ie. Branches and Societies, (BUT NOT AFFILIATES) to add individual full ordinary membership of the Royal Society as an optional extra on their application forms for their own membership categories.
2. That this option be priced at half the RSNZ ordinary rate, rounded up to the nearest dollar (ie. $38 this year). No other reduced options (eg. for professional or student membership) would be offered.
3. That RSNZ change its annual membership period to begin in the month following receipt of subscription.
4. That all RSNZ members be reminded of their obligations under the Society's Code of Ethics.
5. That Branches be invited to consider a reverse process, whereby National RSNZ members could join local Branches at a reduced rate of the Branch’s choosing.

As you know, the Royal Society offers all its members the following services:

•   Opportunity to subscribe to our 25 regular electronic newsletters (including ALERT, Member News, Daily News and International News [see www.rsnz.org/directory/elist.php]).
•   Advance notice of outstanding speakers.
•   Advance notice of courses and events.
•   Opportunity to vote in elections and stand for Council.
•   The services of Society and Academy Council and Committees.
•   Opportunity to gain RSNZ support for policy/strategy positions and advice to government.
•   Special rates on Journals (currently some 20% off for NZ subscribers).
•   Certificate of membership and RSNZ lapel pin
•   Listing on RSNZ website
•   Annual report.
•   A possible quarterly print journal.

In the case of pass-through membership to the Royal Society, we envisage that Branches and Societies would collect the membership money, then forward the total to RSNZ, along with the list of names and (their contact details) to be designated as RSNZ members for one year, beginning the month (or next) following the date received at RSNZ (eg. lists [and payment] received in early November 2006 would be installed as RSNZ members in December. To accommodate this, RSNZ will move to a monthly invoicing system whereby each new RSNZ subscriber would become a member for one year from the beginning of the next month.

Current (2006) rates for direct membership of RSNZ are:

• Ordinary Member $75 (retired rate $37.50) [thus the pass-through rate would be $38]
• Professional Option $120 (retired rate $60). Professional members are entitled to use MRSNZ if suitably qualified and elected by the Society Council
• Student $25 (NZ-based students only)

Reductions on journal subscriptions and conference fees do not apply to student membership.

In the reverse case of BRANCHES wishing to offer reduced fees for national members, we envisage that RSNZ National would not collect any pass-through fees, but Branches are able to verify national membership from our lists at http://www.rsnz.org/members/membership_list.php, and offer a reduced rate of their own choosing accordingly. Note that RSNZ currently allows a year’s grace to members who cease paying, but they are struck off our lists a year later.

This e-mail therefore constitutes an invitation to your organisation (whether you are a Branch of a Society) to publicise and implement pass-through membership of the Royal Society of New Zealand to paid-up members of your own organisation. Would you please let me know if you wish to join in this scheme.

Council also invites BRANCHES to consider a reverse process, whereby National RSNZ members could join local Branches at a reduced rate of the Branch’s choosing. As explained above, an applicant to a Branch would prove Royal Society membership by his/her listing as a RSNZ member on our website.

Council understands that individual branches may have differing views on the amount (if any) to be charged as a reduced rate. In the event that branches wish to harmonise their charges in some way, we encourage you to use Branches-talk to discuss issues in open forum, or to use the RSNZ as an intermediary.

Would you please let me know if your Branch decides to offer such a scheme. Note, we propose that the scheme be limited to Branches at this time, as we are not sure that the scheme is suited to Societies, where members may be spread all over the country or overseas. However, ANY group may choose such to offer such a reduction if it so desires, as the matter is a unilateral decision, not subject to control by the Royal Society.

Lastly, Societies should recognise that this offer does not replace the current membership fee that they pay the Royal Society. It is a supplementary offer to individuals within your organisation.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Thompson