This section of our site contains the published procedures and policies that govern ARMA's Mid-Atlantic Region.  The Mid-Atlantic Region also operates under the policies of ARMA International (www.arma.org)  The current set of documents in this section include:

• Region Manager/Coordinator Program Operational Guideline

• Helping Hand Fund Guidelines and Procedures

Questions or comments pertaining to any of these documents can be addressed to our Region Manager whose contact information is on the Leadership page.

I. Job Descriptions
II. Selection Process for Region Managers and Region Coordinators
III. Removal of Region Managers/Coordinators
IV. Operational Guidelines
V. Budgets
VI. Training for Regional Coordinators

VII. Communication

A. Regional Coordinator

1) Benefits of serving as the Regional Coordinator:

• Ability to gain additional leadership experience

• Ability to serve the Association beyond the organized chapter frame work

• Provides interim step to serving on the ARMA International Board of Directors

2) Eligibility Criteria:

• Member of ARMA International for at least 3 consecutive years prior to appointment

• Prior chapter leadership experience required, preferably that of Chapter President

• Strong oral and written communication skills

• Detail oriented and self directed to complete tasks

• Ability /willingness to travel to chapters in the region

• Recognition by members in the region

• While serving as Region Coordinator, must not currently be a Chapter President or be serving on any ARMA International committee or task force

• Provide assistance and direction to the chapters ( and members at large) in the region.

• Visit assigned chapters, as requested, with a minimum of one visit per year to each chapter.( It is suggested that Region Coordinators also attend their assigned chapters annual planning meetings)

• Help organize/ chapter new chapters in the region as required.

• Assist Region Manager, as necessary, with coordination and implementation of regional activities ( for example; leadership conferences, projects, etc.)

• Assist with regional initiatives, as appropriate, such as: newsletter, web site, roster, ARMA International budgeting process, etc.

• Forward comments and input from chapters and members-at-large to the ARMA International Board of Directors or ARMA Headquarters, as appropriate.

• Submit an activity report, 45 days prior to each board meeting, to the Region Manager  who will compile the information in a Regional Activity Report for submission to the Board of Directors.

• Provide a communication link with the Member Services Department at ARMA International Headquarters while working in partnership with Membership Services to provide chapter operations training as necessary.

• Participate in ARMA International Leadership training meetings, as appropriate.

1) Eligibility Criteria:

All criteria for the Region Coordinator apply, except that:

• The Region Manager must have served as Region Coordinator for a minimum of one term

        2) Job Description:

• The Regional Manager I responsible for all the Regional Coordinators activities listed above. In addition, the Regional Manager will:

• Appoint up to four (4) Region Coordinators to facilitate effective chapter support within a manageable geographic area.

• Provide overall coordination of all region activities and initiatives, as required.

• Appoint a Region Treasurer to administer the Region Fund, as appropriate travel and relates expenses, to be included with the ARMA International operating budget.

A. Region Managers

• Those members wishing to serve as Region Manager must meet the minimum qualifications for the position as set forth in AL 122.

• The Member Services Department of ARMA Headquarters will solicit interest in the Region Manager program through any avenue deemed appropriate. (ARMA Web Site, articles in InfoPro,Friday Mailing , etc.)

• Interested members will complete and summit an " Application for Region Manager" form  provided by ARMA International. Applications will be distributed to all members in  December. Completed application must be received at ARMA Headquarters by January 1.

• All applications for Region Manager will be reviewed by the Member Services Department at ARMA headquarters. The Director of Member Services will review and submit the names and applications of qualified individuals for Region Manager(s) to the Board of Directors of the chapters within the particular region for comments and ratification no later than February 20. Each chapter should review and submit comments regarding their ratification and selection of a particular individual to the Member Services Department at Headquarters no later than March 31. Each chapter will be given one selection.

• Based on chapter comments and subsequent ratification, the Director of Member Services will appoint one Region Manager for each region. Appointments will be made no later than April 15. The Director of Member Services will notify all applicants not selected via telephone.

• If there are no applicants for the position of Region Manager or if there are no applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, the Director of Member Services will attempt to solicit suggestions from Chapter presidents, current Regional Coordinators, individual members or  from any appropriate source.

• Once the ratification process for the Region Manager is complete, the Chapter presidents will be notified in the most expedient manner possible.

B. Region Coordinators

1. Those members wishing to serve as a Region Coordinator must meet the minimum qualifications for the position as set forth in AL122.

2. The Member Services Department of ARMA Headquarters will solicit interest in the  Region Coordinator program through any avenue deemed appropriate. (ARMA Web  Site, articles in InfoPro, Friday Mailing, etc.,)

3. Interested members will complete and submit an " Application of Region Coordinator" 
   form provided by ARMA International. Applications will be distributed by ARMA 
   International to all members with the March issue of InfoPro.

4. All applications for Region Coordinators must be received by the Member Services  Department at ARMA Headquarters by no later than May 1.

5. The Director of Member Services will forward all applications for the individual regions  to the particular Region Manager. The Region Manager will review all applications for  his/her region and appoint the number of Region Coordinators as prescribed. All  appointments will be made by May 31.

6. If there are no applicants who meet the minimum qualifications for the position of Region Coordinator for a particular geographic area within a region, the Region Manager will solicit suggestions from Chapter Presidents, Individual members or any appropriate source.

7. The Region Manager will notify each chapter of the Region Coordinator appointments in the most expedient manner possible.

8. The Region Manager will also notify those applicants not selected via telephone.

III. Removal of Region Managers/Coordinators

A Region Manager or Region Coordinator may be removed from office for failure to fulfill their specific duties as prescribed or for gross mismanagement of region affairs.

B. Region Coordinator :

1. Any chapter or individual member within a region may petition the Region Manager to remove a Region Coordinator for failure to perform their duties or for mismanagement of region affairs.

2. The Region Manager will inform, in writing, the Region Coordinator of the petition within 5 days of receipt. The Region Coordinator will have ten days to respond, in writing, to the petition.

3. The Region Manager will forward the original petition and any response from the Region Coordinator to each Chapter President to whom the coordinator is assigned and to the other Coordinators within the Region. A vote of removal will be held with each chapter and each of the other Region Coordinators having one vote. Removal will be by simple majority.

4. The results of the vote will be forwarded to each Chapter President within the region and to the Director of Member Services.

Pursuant to previous Board action, the Region Manager shall be appointed by and report to the President Elect of ARMA International. It is the intent of the Realignment Task Force for the Region Manger to be appointed by and report to the Director of Member Services. The Director and staff of Member Services will be working closely with the Region Managers and Coordinators and will be prepared to make decisions concerning qualifications, quality of performance, etc. Therefore, a motion reflecting this change will be submitted to the Board of Directors at the April 1999 meeting. In anticipation if this motion being passed the following comments regarding accountability and evaluation of the Region Managers and Coordinators will reflect this change.

A. Accountability:

The Region Manager and Coordinators are volunteers who will work with clusters of chapters to provide assistance and training in chapter operations and functions. The Region Manager and Coordinators may serve as a liaison and communication link between the chapters, ARMA Headquarters and the Board of Directors.

Within the regions, the Region Coordinator(s) will report to the Region Manager but may request assistance and guidance from ARMA Headquarters as necessary to perform their duties and responsibilities. Each Region Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing the activities of two or more chapters within a given area and will be accountable for those activities to the chapters board of directors and the Region Manager. The Region Coordinator(s) will be required to submit quarterly activity reports to the Region Manager. The Activity Report form will identify the report period, chapters within their "cluster", summary of accomplishments, and comments of interest.

The Region Manager will report to the Director of Member Services. The Region Manager will submit an activity report to the Director of Member Services (Board of Directors) at least (45 days/one month) prior to each of the regular scheduled Board Meetings. Activity Reports submitted will be prepared in accordance with the format requirements of Administrative Letter 113. In cases involving specific recommendations to the Board of Directors, it is necessary that these recommendations be included with the Activity Report, and submitted to the Board of Directors utilizing and appropriate process whereby they may be accepted into the normal agenda process for debate and resolution.

B. Evaluation:

In order to measure the effectiveness of the Region Manager(s) and Coordinator(s) and to assist the Director of Member Services in providing leaders who will effectively represent their constituency, an annual evaluation will be performed. In early April, the Director of Member Services will provide a Region Manager/Coordinator Evaluation form to each chapter president. Each chapter president, in concert with the board of directors of the chapter, will complete the form and send the completed form to the Director of Member Services. The Director of Member Services will review the evaluations with the applicable Region Manager/Coordinator.

A. Creating A Region Fund

A Region within ARMA International is a geographic area established to provide a manageable representation of the needs and interests of the members in that Region. A Regional Manager and Regional Coordinator within the Region serve to meet the needs of the various chapters with the Region. In order to provide financial resources to support Regional activities, the establishment of Region Funds is authorized.

B. Purpose

The purpose of an Association policy on Region Funds is to provide minimum guidelines for establishing and administering such a fund in order to insure consistency throughout ARMA.

A Region Fund provides financial resources for the members of the Region to take advantage of professional opportunities within certain limits that would otherwise, for whatever reason, not be available or not be available in a timely manner.

C. Requirements

The following requirements are to be used in the establishment and ongoing administration of a Region Fund. IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT A REGION , UNLIKE A CHAPTER OF THIS ASSOCIATION IS NOT A RECOGNIZED ENTITY FOR LEGAL OR TAX PURPOSES.

1. No part of the earnings of the Regional Fund may inure the benefit of any individual.

2. The Region Fund must be operated under the direct supervision of the Region Manager.

3. The Region Manager appoints a Region Treasure from within the Region to administer the fund and to administer the reimbursement policies.

4. A Region Fund, if established, must be done so formally in that the policies of the fund must be written and the policies must be approved by a majority of the members of a Region or by a majority of the elected representatives of members within the Region (i.e. Chapter Presidents).

5. Not withstanding the supervisory responsibilities of the Region Manager, the Region Fund must be administered under the auspices of a legal non-for-profit entity (i.e. Chapter).

6. Monies from the fund shall only be used for authorized expenditures consistent with the exempt purposes of the administering entity.

The following guidelines are provided for consideration in the establishment /administration of the Region Fund.

1. A mandatory minimum fund balance should be maintained.

2. The fund accounting period should coincide with that of the administrative entity (July 1 - June 30).

3. Excesses of revenues over expenses from Regional activities should be added to the fund balance.

4. Any financial assessments for the fund should be voluntary and equal.

5. The Region Fund administration should include, at a minimum, an approved budget, a specified periodic audit, limited expenditure authority, independent oversight provisions, a clear definition (or listing) of authorized fund support activities, and a requirement for documentation for expenditures.

6. In the event of subsequent disestablishment of the Region Fund, a provision for distribution of assets in the fund should be addressed as well as the mechanism for determining dissolution.

Authorized expenses include reasonable and customary fares for common carriers, mileage charges for personal cars, limousines, taxis, other local transportation, lodging, and designated instances, meals. It is emphasized that any expense reimbursed by or directly paid for by ARMA must have been properly incurred.

F. Chapter Visitation

Expenses under this category must be budgeted for in the normal Association budget process and may be used in several ways.

The main purpose of the funds allocation is to afford the Region Manager and Coordinators support to meet with the members of their assigned chapters. In some instances Region Managers and Coordinators may use the money to fund a chapter presidents’ meeting at a central location. Other times it may be used to offset personal travel expenses to visit individual chapters. The end use of these funds is authorized if it satisfies the requirement of bringing the Region Managers and Coordinators in the contact with the members of their regions.

It is important to note that financial support from the Association for Region/Chapter visits is an augmentation to other fund sources. Chapters are urged to assist in underwriting the travel expenses of Region Managers and Coordinators making chapter visits. Due to limitations on employer personal funds for intra- region travel, chapter contributions will enable the Region Managers and Coordinators to maintain essential contacts.

G. Request for Reimbursement

All request for reimbursement of travel expenses will be forwarded to the Region Manager for approval and payment within thirty calendar days of completion of travel.( The Region Manager will forward his/her request directly to Region Treasure). If approved, the request will be forwarded by the Region Treasure for payment.

NOTE: RECEIPTS FOR ANY SINGLE EXPENDITURE OF MORE THAN $25.00 MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE REIMBURSEMENT FORM.

H. Reimbursement Request Form

Make request for reimbursement using the Association form "ARMA International Travel Expense Summary," AL 008 B 01 (5/96)

A. Resources to be made available:

1. Updated AL’s

2. Chapter handbooks

3. Year in a box

4. Calendar of events/ due dates (articles for InfoPro/IMJ, reports due to HQ, Agenda items for BOD, BOD meeting dates, etc.)

5. Technical publications catalog

6. List of Board members and committee chairs

7. List of " who to call for what" at HQ

8. Automatic subscription to ARMA chapters list serve

9. Job descriptions/ responsibilities for Coordinator and Region Manager

B. Training courses for membership services director:

1. Coordinating the Coordinators

2. Region treasuries

3. Travel expenses and coordinating including annual budget planning

4. Communicating and reporting requirements

5. Region Leadership meetings and/or Region Educational Conferences

6. Tips on selection of Coordinators by the Region Manager

7. Summary of decisions/issues/etc. From the last annual BOD meetings

C. Chapter support (procedures/applicable AL’s /tips)

1. Membership recruitment

2. Chapters going into dormancy

3. Financial issues ( at chapter level)

4. New chapter information

5. Review of COTY submissions

6. Communication

7. Incorporation of chapters

8. Brochures/pens/stickers/etc. Available with HQ assistance

9. Issues /challenges and typical problems experienced at the chapter level

10. Legal support ( financial, contractual, etc.) issues which could lead to litigation

Communication between the Coordinators and Chapter is vital to the continued success of the program. To this end, this section will deal with the mandatory requirements as well as offer some suggestions for communication "Links". It includes items for which Headquarters carries responsibility as awareness for the Coordinator effort.

Note: This communication is in addition to Chapter visitation, dealt within another section.

1. All Coordinators must be "in touch" with their assigned Chapters at least once a month. A simple phone call to chapter leadership should surface. This contact should be to solicit information on activities or any issues that may need resolution.

2. A quarterly newsletter should be produced under the Director of the Region Manager. This newsletter should contain:
    

   • information on all the Chapters within the Region

   • other Region related news

   • Association news

   Headquarters will provide Region Masthead for the purpose of creating the newsletter.

3. Agenda items for upcoming board meetings that directly impact the membership will be sent to the Coordinators by HQ. The agenda items with request for comment will be distributed to the Chapters. The Coordinator will receive these comments and forward to HQ for distribution to the board. Comment requests should have a specific deadline and the Coordinators should encourage response.

1. Telephone

2. E. Mail

3. Web Site postings- many Regions now have web sites. Since not all Chapter Leaders have access, this tool should be used in conjunction with others. However, posting of news and events can be posted as a communication tool.

4. Newsletter

5. Conference calls

1. The Region Manager should be encouraged to have monthly contact with each Coordinator to assist with any issues that may arise.

2. Once each Quarter, a conference can should be arranged with all coordinators to review status of Chapters, any unresolved issue, and what improvements can be made to the program, A report should be generated and sent to Member Service Department.

3. A meeting should be held at least once a year. This can be in conjunction wit a Region conference, or at the annual International Conference. Minutes and action items would be a report back to Member Services.