CORRESPONDING SECRETARY TRAINING SESSION 2014 Welcome to this training session, which reviews the responsibilities for corresponding secretaries of local chapters. Thank you for accepting this important office for your chapter. P.E.O. depends on the accuracy and timeliness of your records in order to maintain current and valid information about all of our members. During this training session, we ll review the tools that are available to execute your responsibilities and also the forms and processes to be used when reporting membership activity. A printable copy of this training session will be provided at the NEDC website once all chapters have received training. This is your copy so please feel free to use it to make notations. Please note that you ll have continuous accessibility to this training module at any time of the day or night, as it will remain online under Chapter Resources>Forms/Reference section of our website. So let s get started by first understanding what we will review as part of this program. We have three areas that we will discuss in this presentation. 1. Tools and tips for fulfilling your responsibilities: One of P.E.O. s strengths is the tools and instructions provided to assist our officers. During this section, you will become familiar with the materials that are offered specifically for local chapter corresponding secretaries. 2. Membership records: Keeping track of our members is one of the most important duties of your office. This section will acquaint you with the key forms and records used to ensure our membership records are current and accurate. 3. Annual reports: One of the benefits of our electronic membership records is a simplified annual report for corresponding secretaries. The annual report process and forms will be reviewed in this final section. So, let s get started by reviewing the tools and tips available for corresponding secretaries. A key recommendation for all officers is to participate in an officer transition meeting very soon after being installed. Such a meeting will enable you to become proficient in your duties more quickly by providing hands on instructions about your responsibilities and the materials available to you. If you haven t had a transition meeting with your predecessor yet, please schedule one soon. Three key tools with which you should become familiar are the Constitution, the Instructions to Officers of Local Chapters (referred to as the IOLC) and the President s Book. In the Constitution, the duties of a corresponding secretary are noted in Part III, Article V, Section 5. Detailed instructions for executing these duties are found in the IOLC. The first page of the corresponding secretary section of the IOLC provides instructions regarding Record Retention. The second page of the IOLC includes a table that specifies what needs to be done for every type of membership activity what action is to be taken, what form is to be used, where to send the form and what information should be confirmed before submitting the form. LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 1 12112014
Both the Constitution and the IOLC are available in the Members Only section of International s website under Manuals & Handbooks. Three other tools that offer information for corresponding secretaries are the following: To The Point section of The P.E.O. Record. Check this page in each issue. Periodically, it provides updates regarding forms and/or procedures relevant to your office; and LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 2 12112014
Members Only side of International s website. Periodic updates relevant to your office may be posted under What s New. Directory of Presidents found on International s website for name, address, phone number and email address of president s of local chapters, district officers and Past District Presidents. Nearly all of the forms required for your office are available in the section under Local Chapter Forms. Once you are in this section, scroll down to corresponding secretary to find the forms needed for your office. All other items needed for the corresponding secretary must be ordered from the P.E.O. Supply Department. Ceremony of Initiation - Although you are no longer required to memorize the ceremony, it is desirable to read and practice your part as much as possible prior to an initiation. This will make you feel more comfortable and confident and it will enable better eye contact with the initiate during the ceremony. Don t just read the words, but express the feeling behind the words as much as possible. Make sure that you fully understand when to draw the ribbon, how to hold it, and when to raise and lower it. If you have questions, ask the chapter president to explain the correct procedure and follow her instructions. Remember, the Ceremony of Initiation is one of the most special moments in P.E.O. and should be given the same dedication which you give to performing all your duties. It will be remembered by the initiate always. Initiate It is imperative that you complete a Change in Membership (CIM) form immediately following an initiation. The order for the initiates emblem ordered by the chapter s treasurer will not be processed by the executive office until the CIM for has been received. Immediately inform the chapter treasurer of the initiate s Member ID# once received. If a member is received by transfer and there is an initiation at the same meeting, the initiate is recorded first, followed by the transfer in. Death of a Member Upon the death of an (A)active or an (I) inactive member, complete a Change in Membership (CIM) form and submit it to the Membership Department. In addition, it is required to submit a Chapter Eternal Form, found on the NEDC website, under Chapter Resources, Forms/Reference to the NEDC Vice President as soon as possible. Now that we ve reviewed the tools available for corresponding secretaries, let s discuss some tips for performing your duties. CORRESPONDENCE The President s Book provides instructions regarding the monthly report and reading of correspondence. Ask your chapter president to share the President s Book with you and pay special attention to Item 8, REPORT OF THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY, in the CHAPTER MEETING section and APPENDIX 14, REINSTATEMENT. You re encouraged to quickly become very familiar with the information relating to your office in all of these documents. Correspondence sent is reported at the first regular business meeting each month, on the Corresponding Secretary s Monthly Report to the Chapter. Corresponding Secretary s Monthly Report to the Chapter The date of the report is the date of the meeting at which it is read. Read the report at the meeting and then give the report to the recording secretary who will copy it in full for the minutes. LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 3 12112014
Correspondence received is read at every business meeting. When reading correspondence, first state the name of the sender before reading the text. Read all correspondence in the following order: letters from International Chapter correspondence from the district chapter miscellaneous correspondence letters of acceptance of Invitation to Membership, request for Consent to Select a Charter List and always read last are: letters of acceptance of Invitation to Transfer, and letters for Reinstatement. Annual Report Release Letter - Each year after you receive the release from the district secretary or assistant, read the release letter to your chapter with the monthly report. Date of Acceptance/Reinstatement - The date the acceptance and/or reinstatement letter is read to the chapter is noted as the official transfer in or reinstatement date on your membership records. Please note that a reinstatement letter is not to be read unless the reinstatement fee has been received by the chapter treasurer. Complete and submit a Change in Membership (CIM) form for each member reinstated. Transfer Out - When a member transfers to another chapter, the P.E.O. Membership Department will send a letter to her previous chapter as notification of this transfer. When received, this notification letter must be read at the next regular business meeting. The transfer out date, which is indicated in the notification letter, is to be recorded in the Chapter Membership Summary which will be discussed in more detail later. Transfer out letter received from International Chapter. LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 4 12112014
Change in Membership Information Please refer to the Corresponding Secretary s section of the Instructions to Officers of Local Chapters (IOLC) for detailed instructions as to recording changes in information. Member Moving Complete the Notice of Member Moving form found on International s website under Local Chapter forms, corresponding secretary. More detailed instructions may be found in the IOLC. Membership ID# - As of March 1, 2010, the Member ID # is the only number used to track P.E.O. members. These numbers are a critical component for all membership records, including annual reports, and they are required for ordering supplies and when registering for Convention of International Chapter. Member ID #s may be found in the following locations: Chapter Membership Summary Chapter Membership History Back cover of the P.E.O. Record above the member s name and address Members Only side of International s website. Select Member ID Search from menu on the left. Enter the member s First Name, Last Name, Chapter Letter and select the Chapter State from the drop down menu. Select Search and the results will appear at the bottom of the page. Keep on hand at all times the required supplies of your office as listed on The List of Supplies of Local Chapter Officers which can be found on International s website under Local Chapter Forms, Corresponding Secretary. The letter W indicates the form can be found on International s website. W Change in Membership (CIM) form W Invitation to Transfer W Lateral Transfer Introduction W Corresponding Secretary s Monthly Report to Chapter W Notice of Member Moving W List of Supplies of Local Chapter Officers Invitation to Membership Only available through Online Ordering on International s website MEMBERSHIP FORMS AND RECORDS Effective March 1, 2010, there are four core documents used for tracking membership. They are essential for maintaining accurate membership records. Details about each of these documents Appear in the IOLC. Change in Membership form (CIM) Chapter Membership History (CMH) Chapter Membership Summary (CMS) Annual Report of Corresponding Secretary (ARCS) The Change in Membership (CIM) form is used to notify the P.E.O. Membership Department of all membership activity in your chapter, including a member s change in name and/or address. This form is not used to record inactive status of a member. It s important to submit this form in a timely manner to the Membership Department by email, snail mail or by using the online form under Local Chapter Forms LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 5 12112014
Sign in using your ID# and click on Retrieve Data. A new window will open showing your information, click Continue button which will bring you to the online CIM form. SAMPLE ONLINE CHANGE IN MEMBERSHIP FORM (CIM) Enter the Member ID# of the member for whom you are reporting an action then click on Retrieve Data and complete the necessary fields. Once that is done, click on the Continue button at the bottom. When submitted correctly, you will receive a Thank You screen and an email confirmation from the Membership Department. LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 6 12112014
Transfer In - The CIM is completed by the chapter RECEIVING a new member. The transfer in date is the date of the regular business or special meeting at which the letter of acceptance is read. If the letter of acceptance is not read at a meeting before February 1, the member must pay her dues to her FORMER chapter. (Note: An Invitation to Transfer may not be extended during a special meeting, but it may be accepted.) NO INVITATION TO TRANSFER MAY BE EXTENDED OR ACCEPTED DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY! The Chapter Membership History (CMH) replaces the chapter s General Enrollment Book. It is provided by the Membership Department and must be kept in your corresponding secretary files for the life of the chapter. No entries are to be made on the CMH it serves solely as a historical record of membership. The CMH lists all P.E.O.s who have been a member of your chapter, except those who died prior to 1980. Information about chapter members who died prior to 1980 may be found in the retired General Enrollment Book. SAMPLE PAGE OF CMH An updated copy of the CMH will be provided by the Membership Department upon request; however, it s recommended that requests for updated copies of the CMH not be made in increments less than five years. The Chapter Membership Summary (CMS) is a printout of your chapter members who were living during the past P.E.O. fiscal year. It includes details of membership activity that occurred during that year, including initiations, transfers in and transfers out, deaths (of both active and inactive members), reinstatements and changes of name / address and/or email address. An updated CMS is provided by the Membership Department each year with the annual report package. In order for the updated CMS to be LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 7 12112014
accurate, it s essential that membership activity is reported to the Membership Department in a timely manner during the year on the Change in Membership (CIM) form referred to earlier. Most often, the CMS is printed by the Membership Department at sometime during the month of December, and therefore will only include any membership activity reported up to the date of printing. The date of printing may be found in the upper left corner of the CMS. The CMS record serves two very important purposes: It is to be used to record decreases in membership during the ensuing year. It is to be used as a reference document for completing the Annual Report of Corresponding Secretary. (DO NOT submit the CMS as part of the annual report.) SAMPLE CMS Please note that the CMS and the CMH look very similar, however the CMS is a record of membership activity for only one year. The Annual Report of Corresponding Secretary (ARCS) is a blank form sent each year with the annual report packet from the Membership Department. This blank form is also available in the Annual Report section of International s website. The ARCS record is used for two very important functions: During the ensuing year, it is to be used to record increases in membership for your chapter. LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 8 12112014
When completed and submitted to your district secretary or assistant by March 10 each year, it is the official annual report representing your chapter s membership. Let s quickly recap the purpose of these membership records: Change in Membership form CIM is the only form submitted during the year to report all membership activity in your chapter except a member becoming inactive. This form is submitted online or mailed via postal service in a timely manner directly to the Membership Department at P.E.O. Executive Office. Chapter Membership History record or the CMH is the historical record of your chapter s membership, listing all members except those who died prior to 1980. It is to be retained in the corresponding secretary s files for the life of your chapter. This report replaced the General Enrollment Book, which is no longer used and is to be retained for the life of the chapter. Chapter Membership Summary record or the CMS is a reference document sent each year in the annual report packet. The CMS provides membership information about all chapter members who were living during the past fiscal year. It is to be used during the ensuing year to record decreases in membership. Annual Report of Corresponding Secretary or ARCS serves as your official annual report of membership as completed by March 10. Members becoming inactive are listed on the ARCS and not on the CIM form. Following March 10, the ARCS is used to record all increases in membership during the ensuing year. RECORD RETENTION The Chapter Membership History (CMH), the current Chapter Membership Summary (CMS), and the Annual Report of Corresponding Secretary (ARCS) must be kept together in the corresponding secretary files. The ARCS Release Letter must be retained for six years. Although the General Enrollment Book is no longer used to record membership activity, it must also be kept in the corresponding secretary s files for the life of the chapter. Please refer to Page 1 of the IOLC for more information on record retention. ANNUAL REPORTS Corresponding secretaries must provide input on three records and on odd-numbered years a fourth record is required: Annual Report of Corresponding Secretary (ARCS) Report of Election of Officers Delegates to State/Provincial/District Convention Nominee for Delegate to Convention of International Chapter (odd-numbered years only) Let s review the annual report process. The Annual Report of Corresponding Secretary (ARCS) is provided to you as a blank form each year with the annual report packet mailed to your chapter president in January by the Membership Department. It is to be submitted and postmarked by March 10 to your district secretary or assistant as instructed on the mailing instructions that arrive with the annual report packet. The first thing that you should do when you receive your packet is check that you have everything. Each packet includes instructions, a blank ARCS LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 9 12112014
form and a CMS. If you did not receive all these items, you should contact the district secretary who will direct you to someone who will provide the necessary documents. SAMPLE ARCS 1) The most important fact to remember is that only information regarding membership activity that DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE CMS WILL BE REPORTED ON THE ARCS. If membership activity has been recorded on the CMS, it is not reported on the ARCS. Missing information on the CMS record indicates that a Change in Membership form was not received by the Membership Department for that membership change before the CMS record was printed. Consequently, information about that membership activity must be entered on this form (ARCS) and a CIM must be completed and sent to the Membership Department immediately, to enable the Membership Department to make the appropriate entry in our membership records. 2) The first step is to take the CMS where you have recorded decreases in membership activity through the past year and compare it to the CMS just received to make sure all entries are recorded. Make note of any membership activity that is not listed on the CMS as this will be reported on the ARCS. 3) Next, compare the ARCS where you have recorded increases in membership activity through the past year and compare it to the CMS just received to make sure all entries have been recorded. Make note of any membership activity that is not listed on the CMS as this will be reported on the ARCS. 4) At the bottom of the blank ARCS you received in the annual report packet, you will see two spaces. The first is Total Active from CMS and the second is Total Inactive from CMS. You will find the numbers to fill in these spaces on the last page of the CMS sent with the annual report packet. Please write these numbers into the correct corresponding spaces on the ARCS form. No totals from the columns on LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 10 12112014
the last page of the CMS are used in the annual report. Only the two mentioned in this instruction are carried forward. You are now ready to complete the remainder of the ARCS. 5) Member ID# - The column on the far left is for the Membership ID# which was discussed earlier in this training session. You must enter an accurate Member ID# for each entry made on the ARCS. 6) Name/Address/Email - The next column requires that you fill in the complete member name, her address and her email. 7) Spouse- Please fill in her spouse's first initial. 8) Initiation Fill in the initiation date if the member has recently been initiated and her information did not appear on the CMS. DO NOT fill in an initiation date for any other member for any other reason. 9) Transfer In (CH, S/P/D, Accept) In this column, you will fill in the Chapter Letter(s), the two letter state code and the date of transfer in of the chapter the member transferred from. 10) Transfer Out (CH, S/P/D, Accept) Fill in the Chapter Letter(s), the two letter state code and the transfer out date of the chapter the member has transferred to. 11) Inactive Enter the date the member became inactive. That date will always be either February 28 or 29, do not enter March 1 st. Note: The ARCS is the only place where a member is reported as inactive. 12) Reinstated Enter the date of reinstatement and also enter the transfer in information. IMPORTANT: Only include the member in the column count for reinstatements, DO NOT include the member in the Transfer In column count. 13) Death/Expelled (Date, I/A/LC/EX) Enter the date of death of both (A) active and (I) inactive members; enter the date of an (EX) Expelled member; enter the date of a member with whom you have (LC) Lost Contact. NOTE: A member may only be listed as Lost Contact if she has been inactive for 25 years and her whereabouts are unknown. 14) Changes in Address and/or other information of Inactive Members You should include any changes in information of inactive members on the ARCS (in the Name/Address/Email Column) and please make a note next to the information stating Change in Information. DO NOT INCLUDE Changes in Information in any counts. Changes in information of active members may be reported by completing a CIM form and should not be included on the ARCS. 15) Column Totals Once you have completed all columns, you will need to place a total for that column at the bottom of the ARCS in the corresponding space provided. Remember, DO NOT carry forward any totals from the CMS with the column totals. Be careful to only count a reinstatement in the Reinstatement column and NOT in the Transfer In column. Please note that total (A) Active Deaths are recorded in Column 6 and (I) Inactive deaths, (LC) Lost Contacts and (EX) Expelled members are recorded in Column 7. 16) Adjusted Total Active Using the formula at the bottom of the ARCS, you will add the Total Active from CMS + the total of Column 1 + the total of Column 2 the total of Column 3 the total of Column 4 + the total of Column 5 the total of Column 6 and put the sum in the space provided for Adjusted Total Active. 17) Adjusted Total Inactive Using the formula at the bottom of the ARCS, you will add the Total Inactive from CMS + the total of Column 4 the total of Column 5 the total of Column 7 and put the sum in the space provided for Adjusted Total Inactive. 18) Signatures Once you have completed your totals, communicate with the chapter treasurer to make sure that your numbers agree. If the numbers agree, then you should sign the ARCS and enter your email address and telephone contact number where you may be reached easily in case of questions. Once the president has seen that the numbers on the ARCS agree with the numbers of the chapter treasurer s annual report, she will sign the ARCS. 19) Mailing You must make two additional copies of the original ARCS (so that you end up with three). You will mail the original and one copy to the designated district individual on your printed instructions LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 11 12112014
received in the annual report packet. One copy will be retained for your records to record increases in membership during the ensuing year. You will also retain the just received CMS to record decreases in membership during the ensuing year. 20) CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE NOW COMPLETED THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY! 21) Release Letter - Sometime prior to April 5 th, you should receive a Release Letter from the designated district individual who processed your report. If you do not receive such a letter, please contact that individual or the district secretary. You must retain this release letter in your files for six years. ONLINE REPORTS Entries for the following three annual reports must be submitted online by you or by your technology contact: 1) Report of Election of Officers 2) Delegates to State/Provincial/District Convention (Choose option to Report 2 Delegates and 2 Alternates) 3) Nominee for Delegate to Convention of International Chapter (odd-numbered years only) These online reports may be found on International s website in the Corresponding Secretary s section under Local Chapter Forms. Entries are very simple. All that is required is the Member ID # of the LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 12 12112014
respective members. After submitting the Member ID #, the contact information that appears on the screen for the respective members must be verified. You will be prompted onscreen during this process. Be certain to click on Submit before leaving the screen. If you do not click on Submit, your entries will not be saved and your report will fail. If that happens, you must begin again. It is imperative that email addresses are entered correctly; please do not use capital letters unless an email address actually contains capital letters. Transfer Supplies - Once you have received and read the annual release letter and have completed all online annual reports, then you may transfer your supplies to your successor. Do not transfer supplies prior to that time as you may need your files to answer questions that might arise with the ARCS. At this time, you may destroy the CMS used for membership activity during the past year. REVIEW Let s review the key points about the duties and responsibilities of your role as corresponding secretary: 1) Tools and tips for fulfilling your responsibilities: Most of the instructional materials and forms you need to fulfill your duties are available online in the Members Only section of International s website at peointernational.org. Become very familiar with information regarding corresponding secretary duties provided in the Constitution, IOLC and President s Book. Check the website periodically for updates relevant to your office. 2) Membership Records: As of March 1, 2010, four membership records are vital for corresponding secretaries. It s essential that membership activity is reported timely on the Change in Membership (CIM) form. Become familiar with, and learn the differences between, the Chapter Membership History (CMH), Chapter Membership Summary (CMS) and the Annual Report of Corresponding Secretary (ARCS). The accuracy of your chapter s membership records depends on your efficient management of these records. 3) Annual Reports: As of March 1, 2010, only one form, the Annual Report of Corresponding Secretary (ARCS), is to be submitted to your district secretary or assistant. The election of officers and delegates and alternates to conventions are reported online by you or by your chapter s technology contact. The time you are committing to serve as your chapter s corresponding secretary is greatly appreciated. Thank you for making this commitment to your chapter and for your dedication to P.E.O. If you have any questions about the procedures of your office, please contact your district corresponding secretary or your Board Buddy. Thank you! LOTS for Corresponding Secretary Page 13 12112014