A Path to Full SIOP Membership

SIOP Administrative Office

In May 2014, SIOP Executive Board Member Eric Heggestad proposed an idea he and Satoris Howes developed to create a pathway to full membership for Associate members. An Associate differs from a Member solely based on the educational levels of their degree, disqualifying Associates from holding office, serving as chair of a committee, and, most importantly, voting in SIOP elections.

Dr. Heggestad says Associate Members and students sparked the idea to change the bylaw. “They wanted to serve SIOP. They wanted to vote in SIOP elections. They wanted to be recognized for their professional accomplishments. They simply wanted to be included.” Dr. Heggestad said, “Yet, these bright and talented people who were out in the world doing I-O-related work, were simply not fully welcomed by the professional society with which they most identified.“

The proposal passed and established the opportunity for qualified Associates to apply for an upgrade to Member status, thus receiving the benefit of voting in SIOP elections.

The following requirements must be met in order to upgrade to Member:

• Paid status as an Associate for a period of at least the past 5 consecutive years.
• Be engaged in professional activities as described in Article II, 2a2 of the Society Bylaws.
• Submit a letter of nomination from a Society Member or Society Fellow who can attest to your professional activities as described in Article II, 2a2 of the Society Bylaws.
• Have obtained a master’s degree that meets criteria as established in policy by the Executive Board.
• Have attended three official meetings (included the SIOP Annual Conference and SIOP Leading Edge Consortium) of the Society in the last 5 years.

Lynda Zugec, managing director for The Workforce Consultants, took the leap from Society Associate to Society Member in 2015. “Being recognized as a Full Member has its perks, and I feel more integrated with my academic and practitioner colleagues as a result.”

Zugec says upgrading her membership was an easy decision. “As soon as the SIOP Bylaws amendment was approved, I was quickly on board! I'm a long-time member and volunteer with SIOP. I wanted the ability to participate fully in SIOP's activities. The process was very quick, and I easily met the eligibility requirements.”

If you are an Associate who meets these criteria, we encourage you to apply for the upgrade to Member status. Please conact Jayne Tegge, Senior Member Services Specialist, at jtegge@siop.org, for instructions on applying.