Home » Divisions » How to Start an ATA Division
ATA's 13 divisions—or professional-interest groups— play an important role in the association. By providing specialty-specific information and networking, divisions allow members to focus on meeting the practical needs of their business. Divisions publish quarterly electronic newsletters, offer specialty information by website and email, and assist in the organization of ATA's Annual Conferences.
ATA Divisions
How to Start an ATA Division
ATA's 13 divisions—or professional-interest groups— play an important role in the association. By providing specialty-specific information and networking, divisions allow members to focus on meeting the practical needs of their business. Divisions publish quarterly electronic newsletters, offer specialty information by website and email, and assist in the organization of ATA's Annual Conferences.
Divisions are begun by association volunteers.
- Present a formal petition requesting division status to the ATA Board of Directors. The petition must be signed by 20 ATA members with voting membership status. Voting members have either passed the certification exam or been approved as Active or Corresponding members through ATA's peer review process. (I can assist with having the membership review process expedited for qualified translators and interpreters.)
- Present a set of division bylaws to the ATA Board along with the formal petition. These division bylaws must comply with ATA's bylaws. (A sample set of division bylaws to use as a pattern makes this much easier than it sounds.)
- Present the name of an ATA member with voting status (Active or Corresponding) who is willing to serve as the new division's administrator. A term of office for a division administrator is 2 years.
- Present the name of an ATA member who is willing to be a newsletter editor for the division. The division must publish at least 2 newsletters a year, and 4 newsletters are preferred. (Strictly electronic at this point.)
When these conditions are met, the ATA Board of Directors will review the petition and the bylaws before voting to establish the division as a part of ATA.
Of course, the first question you will find yourself answering as you look for people to join you is, "Why have a division?" Here are some of the answers to that:
- Education specific to the language combination.
- A home for members with a common goal within the larger Association.
- Communication of language- or specialty-specific information to division's members.
- Visibility for the language or specialty.
- Recruiting division conference speakers.
- Organizing division conference networking event.
