PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
February 2016
95
ASPRS
NEWS
Publisher
Dr. Michael Hauck,
Editor
Russell G. Congalton,
Technical Editor
Michael S. Renslow,
Assistant Editor
Jie Shan,
Assistant Director — Publications
Rae Kelley,
Electronic Publications Manager/
Graphic Artist
Matthew Austin,
Manuscript Coordinator
Jeanie Congalton,
Circulation Manager
Priscilla Weeks,
Advertising Sales Representative
Sheldon Piepenburg,
Contributing Editors
Grids & Datums Column
Clifford J. Mugnier,
Book Reviews
Melissa Rura,
Mapping Matters Column
Qassim Abdullah,
Behind the Scenes
Jim Peters,
Sector Insight
Steve DeGloria or Melissa Rura,
Website
J
ournal
S
taff
PRUDENT CHANGES NOW FOR A BRIGHT
FUTURE
T
he Imaging and Geospatial Information Society
is in a state of transition with a new membership
structure, new governance model, and new approach
to the business of ASPRS including conferences, pub-
lications, and member services. With these measures
fully implemented we anticipate a bright, resilient
and sustainable future. We are acting responsibly
and managing a new reality of lower total member-
ship in a prudent manner with a keen eye on appro-
priate budget levels and member program execution.
The glass is over half full and rising.
Changes now being implemented are the result of several years of work led by my predecessors
during their terms as ASPRS presidents. Those changes result from many years of preparatory
work that began with President Gary Florence authorizing President-elect Bobbi Lenczowski’s
task force on Branding. Building on the Branding task force recommendations, President
Lenczowski the following year charged Steve DeGloria to convene the Restructuring Task
Force. Steve redefined the Mission and Vision statements for the Society as well as developing
a new Strategic Plan, all of which were adopted by the ASPRS Board, and recommending
changes in the governance model. As President-elect and President, Stewart Walker followed
Steve’s recommendations and chaired the Streamlining Task Force, which offered guidelines
for a new governance structure for the Society. The results and recommendations of the five
years of work by these task forces, particularly the recommendations of the Streamlining Task
Force, were approved and accepted for implementation by the ASPRS Board of Directors in
Tampa, Florida in April 2015. Since that time, it has been my job as President of ASPRS to
begin the implementation of the Board approved recommendations and restructuring. These
are the changes currently being implemented. Below I briefly summarize the changes.
The first major recommendation being implemented is a change in membership categories.
Approved by the Board, the new membership model includes only three membership categories,
Individual, Corporate, and Friend. This will help ASPRS focus on the member value proposition,
which is distinct for individuals vs. organizations. This change requires a change to the bylaws,
which were just approved by the Board after considering important member comment.
The Board decision to restructure membership resulted in the elimination of some
membership categories including Honorary Member, Fellow Member, and Emeritus Member.
To ease transition to the revised Membership Article, existing Honorary, Fellow, and Emeritus
members will retain their honors, titles, and benefits. There will be no new Honorary, Fellow,
and Emeritus members, as distinct categories of members. However, the Awards Committee
has instituted an appropriate way to recognize the professional contributions of outstanding
members. ASPRS will continue to bestow Honorary and Fellow Awards, as the Honorary
Lifetime Achievement Award and the ASPRS Fellow Award. These are new designations of
our most distinguished awards for members, deserving the Honorary and Fellow distinction.
They are true honorifics for our individual members who are carefully selected for the award.
In the view of many, this essentially elevates these awards to a higher status, comparable to
awards given by other professional societies. There is also a proposal to create an Emeritus
Prudent Changes Now for a Bright Future
