Any group of five or more PSHRA voting members in the potential Chapter area may petition the Association to organize a local Chapter. The term "member" refers to any combination of five or more individual or covered staff members (CSMs) who are eligible to vote in Association affairs.
Initial Organization
The most successful way to initially organize a Chapter is to contact as many PSHSRA members in the area as possible to discuss the idea and set up a temporary Chapter Organization Committee. The more members that can be brought into the initial phase of Chapter organization, the better the prospects for hosting an active Chapter with substantive programs.
Chapter Boundaries
The geographic area to be served by the prospective Chapter must be delineated. It is more desirable to organize a Chapter that represents a specific geographic area (e.g., a single city, metropolitan area, county) rather than an area embracing a substantially larger area. However, Chapters may be organized statewide if this is the only feasible way to organize. The major purpose for organizing a Chapter is to provide an opportunity for Chapter members to attend meetings and engage in committee activities. A limited geographic area makes it more feasible for Chapter members to meet without difficulty.
Once the organization of any Chapter is approved and its formal charter executed, its jurisdictional area shall be fixed by the Association's Executive Council and thereafter no authority shall be granted to any other group of members to organize a Chapter within that area while the original Chapter is in existence.
Letter of Application
Once the Chapter Organization Committee agrees on a proposed set of Chapter bylaws, the Committee must address a formal letter of application to the PSHRA Executive Council to request a charter as an official PSHRA Chapter.
A Chapter shall not be considered as being organized or its bylaws effective until both the application and proposed bylaws have been approved by the Association's Executive Council. Such approval shall be in the form of a charter to the Chapter, issued by resolution of the Executive Council, signed by the President and the Executive Director of the Association, and bearing the Association's official seal.
Contact the PSHRA Membership Department to Get Started