Restoring ethics, financial participation by all AAJA leaders and regularly asking members how we’re doing…just three more Ideas to Keep AAJA Extraordinary!

I believe that AAJA’s national and chapter leaders need to be held to the same scrutiny and high expectations we subject public officials and corporate executives to. Members need to be able to trust that their representatives are always acting on their behalf and in their best interests, without seeking personal enrichment. Especially in fundraising, choosing scholarship or fellowship winners, naming winners of national or chapter awards or dispersing AAJA funds.

What does AAJA get out of it? The confidence that their leaders are acting honorably, ethically and with transparency. Read more

I believe that everyone serving on AAJA’s chapter boards and National Boards should contribute to the organization an amount above his or her membership dues. Some nonprofit boards actually stipulate that each board member will donate or raise a certain minimum amount of money every year, sometimes called a “Give, Get or Get Off the Board” policy. Read more

I believe we should regularly invite members to tell us what they think of AAJA. Assuming that current members still find us worthwhile, I’d start with lapsed members who are still working journalists but for some reason have fallen off our rolls.

We could ask them why they left and what we could do to bring them back. Then move on to current members who aren’t all that involved and ask why, then survey members again at the end of the year to ask if they’re going to renew. Read more