Melanie Sonntag elected NCRA president

[Bill Parsons]

To view the NCRA election results, go to http://www.ncraonline.org/

Melanie Sonntag won the election for president.

A bylaws amendment to do away with requiring an endorsing member for enrolling new members was passed.

A bylaws amendment to allow videographers to join as full members was defeated.

Bill

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

Quyen,

I am passionate about keeping my insurance policies. And being in the source book. And I love the conventions.

I'm ticked off and turned off at NCRA for this BS of trying to up the membership numbers by trying to bring in non-shorthand reporters. I think board members, officers, committee people, and members should be acutely aware of the negative impact on membership that this is having and will have. I've been very vocal, both on the forum and at the convention, about it. The Motion to Rescind did NOT pass despite my rantings and others' rantings. I am sickened by that fact.

The more people that post about this on the NCRA forum, the better. It's like never going back to a restaurant because it sucks. Or a hairdresser. Most times, we just stop going and that's the end of it. We have no need to tell them why we've quit them. It's awkward. We just hope we never run into them again!

But an organization? We can be as vocal as we want to. It's slamming an organization, not a person. You'd be doing all of us a big favor if you'd let it all hang out on the NCRA forum and say what you think. It needs to be heard.

[Quyen]

Thanks for your reply, Marge, and I do understand why the "Golden handcuffs" are appealing to you. By reposting, I'm not going to change anyone's mind or move them to act/leave, so why bother?

As for the NCRA, it's a lost cause to me. I can scream, shout, poke pins in voodoo dolls and do everything imaginable under the sun, and NOTHING will change the NCRA so long as they continue to get support from the very people they are out to destroy.

The NCRA is on a path of no return. I would love to be proven wrong.

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

[[ By reposting, I'm not going to change anyone's mind or move them to act/leave, so why bother? ]]

Quyen, how can you be so certain that the average reader of the NCRA forum is a total ox and can't be swayed? There's plenty of "anti" people posting there. Reading messages like yours will give people talking points for when they're talking to others or posting.

The fact that the silliness of making videographers full voting members of the National Shorthand Reporters Association went down is an indication that some people do listen. All this stuff that you're saying would be really useful on the NCRA forum. Here in csrnation you're practically preaching to the choir. It would be helpful for non-choir members to have the benefit of reading your thoughts.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Wait a minute Marge!

I am a videographer but I have shorthands, can i be a member?
Sorry, just trying to bring some humor into this heated discussion.

Monti

[Quyen]

Perhaps you could post a link to this discussion, then, Marge, on the NCRA forum. I meant it when I said I'm done with the NCRA and want absolutely NOTHING to do with them. I've washed my hands, and I do not wish to dirty them again.

Oh, I appreciate your humor, Monti. :)

[Matthew]

Judy, Mary Ann, Karen, and Quyen,

I agree wholeheartedly with what you all say. It's really sad what the NCRA is doing. I've made it very clear with my words in prior posts how disgusted I am. I'm trying to stay as optimistic as possible by hoping that after they do their "exploring" of certifying ER/DAR, and it eventually makes it on a ballot to be voted on, that all these oblivious reporters who live under rocks realize how important their involvement and vote will be. I really hope Melanie Sonntag plans, will, and can put a stop to all this!

However, as much as I'd like to be done with the NCRA, they have reporters who have future goals like myself between a rock and a hard place. As soon as I get the years of experience and required certification, I want to go into federal court. Every federal position that I've ever seen posted wants the RPR! If I want the realtime pay increase, what do I need? The CRR! If I want an additional pay increase, what else do I need? The RMR! These are all NCRA certifications, and I can't obtain my goal until I obtain these certifications. What else can I do but keep forking over my hard-earned money to them, hoping that things won't go any further down the tube and the future presidents – after the current one -- really start running an association that is COMPLETELY and SOLEY for the stenographic method of reporting!

[Karen Klein]

Hi, Matthew - actually, Federal Court will accept a qualifying certificate other than the RPR, at least in California I know, which would be the CSR exam or its equivalent from any state. Also, Federal court
in California will accept California's realtime exam, the CCRR for a realtime differential increase.
So no, you really don't need NCRA's certifications in California at all. Once again, in my mind only,
giving $$ to an organization that now is basically working against your (steno reporters') best
interests is not a good use of your hard-earned $$$ - I agree with Quyen, Judy, Debbie and I'm sure many others that that money would better go to strong state associations, such as in California and Texas. I belong to DRA and COCRA in California and feel my $$$ is much better spent there. Just my opinion though.

[Matthew]

Thanks for the info, Karen! I didn't know that California federal courts would accept the CCRR. I'm of course already a member of DRA, and I've already intended to become a member of COCRA since I'll hopefully soon be pro teming in court down here in San Diego as soon as this state budget mess gets together. Hope you're well! I haven't seen you since the BBQ last year!

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I am not getting involved in this discussion, I am simply asking everyone to keep it nice around here.
I know this is a touchy subject but aren't we all in the same boat?

United we stand, divided we fall?

Monti

[Matthew]

Hi, Monti,

My view is, yes! Stenographic reporters are all in the same boat and we need to make sure that we are not divided by what our national association is trying to do. I know this site in particular isn't strictly a site for the stenographic method of reporting alone, but I'm pretty sure we are in the majority on this site which is what I think makes topics like this very touchy. If you think these discussions are heated you should visit the NCRA's forum! LOL

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Hi Matthew,

This site is in fact for stenographic reporters and agencies first and foremost, Scopist and proofers a close 2nd then videographers and everything else.

I heard about making us (videographers) "full" NCRA members.
firstly, (if I can be a reporter for a minute) I would be freaking furious about this! it didn't pass and i am glad it didn't.
Now. as a videographer, i wouldn't want to be involved with the NCRA anyway, period.

I have been doing this for 10 years, i don't need to pay some yahoo in some city 1000+ miles away to vouch for me.
I doubt attorneys even know what CLVS means.

Monti

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Monti, Id bet attys know less about the CLVS than any reporter certification.

Quite often, firms will search on their own to come up with specifically a CLVS. Sometimes that works out just fine, because we have some very fine CLVS videographers in the area. Sometimes, not so much. I've worked with CLVS videographers in the last year who were obnoxious, didn't monitor the audio and therefore it was full of rustling papers and Blackberry interference, and -- worst of all -- they passed out their own cards to the clients when that is never, never, never done when working as an independent for an agency. Now, when asked, I refer to videographers based on what they can do and their proven experience with me, by no means a CLVS certification.

On the reporter side, about five years ago I referred a reporting firm to a reporter in a far-away state who had a string of letters after her name, and even talked to her personally to make sure she could deliver a high level of service (realtime, rough draft). After 20 minutes, the attys literally closed their laptops to shield their eyes from the horrible realtime (Phoebe on "Friends, " who'd occasionally say, "My eyes! My eyes!), and the rough draft was useless. I saw it. It was embarrassing. That reporting firm lost a $50,000 account because of that fiasco. They were furious with me, I was furious with myself, but we both learned a very good lesson. Now, when asked, I refer to only reporters I've worked so closely with that I know the quality of their work, period.

Reporters think that NCRA is abandoning them now, but that's just not true. It didn't start just now It's been done gradually over the years. And some reporters may be thinking, gee, I guess NOW's the time for me to start working for myself, making myself better, pounding the pavement, getting smart about business, and putting all that to work for myself to make an excellent reputation for myself so I can move to the head of the class, be the best I can be, and get more work (Because, you see, it's all about the money), because NCRA won't be doing anything for me. But again, you're at least partly wrong about that. Today is an excellent time to start to move forward on your own, so to speak, but NCRA never did any of that for you in the first place. You should have been doing that all along. I hope this thread will at least get reporters in to see Anita Paul, Mark Kislingbury and other trainings and seminars to get better at what they do, as it's what you do, not what you say you can do, that counts.

I sure hope reporters who remain in NCRA for whatever reason aren't accused of then being a part of the great conspiracy. It might prove the point that there are good individuals within what some see as a very evil association, or at least heading that way. Just a thought.

M.A.

M.A.