“ALA achieved all of these goals without increasing fees.”
Over the past couple of years, you've heard a lot about what's new and improved at the Association for Laboratory Automation. We proudly announced our JALA publishing alliance with Elsevier. We reorganized and strengthened many aspects of our increasingly successful annual conference and exhibition (LabAutomation), and introduced the $10,000 ALA Innovation Award for the best scientific presentation. We launched a real-time job service program (ALA Career Connections) to efficiently serve both job seekers and prospective employers. We invited full-time students to join our association and participate in our conference for just $25, and we made Academic Travel Grants available to them. We enhanced the timeliness of our online resources with JALA World News Online. We reorganized our membership categories, and created corporate and associate membership options to better serve the diversity of the professionals we represent. We reengineered the way the association is led and managed. We adopted a member-elected leadership model, made a commitment to a full-time professional staff team, and opened a new headquarters office in Geneva, Illinois.
What you may not have noticed is that ALA achieved all of these goals without increasing fees. In fact, ALA membership dues have not increased since 2000; conference registration rates have remained the same for four years running; and short course fees have not increased since 2004.
The ALA Board of Directors, volunteers, and staff are proud of these achievements. They validate the pertinence of the ALA mission and strategic plan, and illustrate the importance of sound planning and management. But most of all, they deliver tangible value to ALA members without additional fees.
ALA looks forward to continuing this momentum. Keep an eye on your e-mail inbox and the ALA Web site (http://labautomation.org) for information about more new services and benefits for members, and more strategic management initiatives to ensure a thoughtful focus on the future. Together we have achieved much, and together we look forward to achieving even more!
