SND: Is it worth the dues?

[carmen dybdahl]

I hesitate as I write this, but I have to ask the question. Don't everyone jump on me, OK?

Are you renewing your membership in SND?

For the first time, I'm asking myself what I'm getting for my $110.

There is little activity on the Web site. I have no idea what is going on within the organization – budget problems, what the board, the executive members are working on, thinking about, etc. Why don't they post the minutes of their board meetings? And the reports that the regional reps are asked to do twice a year? And their budget, so everyone can see where/how our organization's money is being spent?

Let me make it clear, I don't suspect anything is wrong with the SND's spending, and I've seen enough of what the staff does to know that they work hard.

But I've gotten only a couple e-mails from my various regional reps in the past few years. There has never been a posting on the forum for my region. The book is great. But is it worth more than a hundred bucks?

Please don't tell me it's up to me to help make it better. I have supported the organization – both with my time and my money (and most likely will continue). I've been a dues-paying member since the start – my contest book collection starts with volume one. As a regional representative for four years, I sat through a couple board meetings each year, and organized several quick courses. I've attended multiple annual workshops, though not in the past few years.

Even as a write this, I know I'll feel guilty for even bringing it up, and go online to pay my dues.

What about you?

[Wes Booher]

The answer is no. It is no longer worth $110.

And from what is happening to designers at newspapers, it has failed to convince the top people that design is important. Now that owning a paper is no longer a cash cow, artists and designers are the first on the chopping block. Many (not all) American newspapers look like crap behind A1 and the section fronts, or formatted by crazed committees far away. And many smaller papers never got it at all. Failure.

And the organization refuses to answer questions from it's own members about a split on the board.

More failure. Maybe even death

[phil loubere]

I would like to add that the web design bootcamps being offered by Tyson Evans and David Wright are well worth it. I attended the one in Nashville and it struck me as both what members are clamoring for and the direction SND should be headed in in adapting to new media.
If there was a legitimate dispute between Matt and the board, then Matt was probably pushing for more seminars and training of this type. Tyson's resignation as publications director might be related to such a dispute.

[phil loubere]

As it turns out, Charles Apple has the real story:
http://www.visualeditors.com/apple/

[Pamela Tobey]

I was going to rejoin after being absent for many years. So just as I'm going to rejoin, the slew of people resign, and they were much of the reason I was coming back. And now they aren't part of the board. I liked the direction they were trying to steer SND and the quick courses and meet ups were interesting me. Since it is such a mess and who knows how it will play out, I'm not joining right now and will watch what happens and how things shake out. Many thanks to the artists who did their own investigative reporting on this. But it has definitely disheartened me.