American Association of Teachers of German

The Finance Committee of the AATG Executive Council recommended a dues restructuring for 2007, which was approved by the membership present at the business meeting on Friday, 17 November 2006.

This is a flat-rate dues structure: $75 for full-time employees; $35 for new teachers (up to 3 years), part-time teachers, students, retired members, and the temporarily unemployed; and $10 for joint members.

How would you feel if you knew that only 22% of your income was secure? This is the situation in which we find ourselves at AATG; only 22% of income for the 2005-06 fiscal year was covered by dues. In addition, the average dues paid in 2005-06 was $48.73, but the actual cost of membership was $79.25.

The dues for AATG have not been changed for ten years, and the strategic plan for AATG, adopted some years ago, called for the portion of the budget covered by dues to be increased eventually to the non-profit standard of about 40%. (ACTFL’s dues cover 30% of their budget, for example.) With a dues restructuring we can cover almost 30% of the budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year. The only alternative to changing dues is to cut programs, services, and staff. I am sure you will agree that reducing programs, services, and staff is not an option we want for our professional organization.

We would like to make you an offer: if you renew your AATG membership for 2007 by 31 December 2006, you can renew at the OLD rate. After 1 January 2007, the new rate will apply.

It’s easy to renew – go to our online store (http://store.aatg.org) and click on Membership or you can print out the form and submit with payment (http://www.aatg.org/media/2007-Dues-Form-Web.pdf)

I do hope you will continue to support AATG through your membership. Renew now for 2007! We look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Anne Green

AATG President 2006 & 2007
amgreenvo @ comcast.net