Membership and Chapters Committee Report to the RTAM – May 2023

Respectfully submitted

Committee Members

by Dianne Casar, RTAM Member Services Coordinator

Linda Blair / RTAM President

Denise Bellesia / RTAM Office Manager

Dianne Casar / RTAM Member Services Coordinator (Report Author)

Sean Seywright / RTAM Executive Director

Members continue to be made up of retired teachers receiving a TRAF pension, those receiving a pension other than TRAF and surviving spouses of RTAM members who have passed on.

During the 2021-2022 fiscal year, RTAM welcomed 340 new members and lost 235 due to death or membership cancellation.

From July 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, RTAM welcomed 388 new members and lost 183 due to death or membership cancellation. As of March 31, 2023, our membership totaled 10,486.

In January 2021, RTAM started an initiative to reimburse new members their $36.00 membership fee after they reached their one-year anniversary of membership. This initiative was intended to grow RTAM’s membership and entice all retired teachers who were not already members to become members. After the one-year anniversary date, some new members continued with their RTAM membership, whereas others chose to cancel their membership.

Effective September 1, 2023, first year membership reimbursements will be discontinued. As RTAM has gained a great deal of members, the initiative to entice more retired teachers to the organization fell short of expectations.