Editors WA on ice
No, this does not mean that you will be seeing performances on skates by sandgroper editors!
Unfortunately, it means that the management committee of the WA branch of IPEd is not currently viable and must suspend activities until enough people volunteer to enable it to function again. Over the past year or so, several calls for help have gone out and a few people have taken up the challenge, although most have not lasted very long, for various reasons. The current committee is no longer able to continue shouldering the full range of responsibilities – social events, professional development events, newsletter articles, meetings, minutes and branch accounts – with several more key members on the brink of resignation due to health and family issues. So, we are calling a halt to committee activities until further notice.
One of the imminent resignations has in fact just materialised: our President Ilsa Sharp has resigned with immediate effect. Ilsa has sent members this brief message:
“I have learned so much from my IPEd and Editors WA experiences and look forward to continuing that journey as a Professional member. I also want to record my extreme gratitude to the current committee members who have hung in there with me for the past very difficult 18 months, despite health issues and frequent committee turnover. However, I feel the need for a rest and time to attend to personal matters still arising from my husband’s death two years ago; hence I am unable to give the branch the time and attention that it deserves. I will still be editing and hope to meet you all again in better times. Please support IPEd and the branch as much as you can. And stay safe and well in these daunting COVID-19 times.”
As all branches transition to an IPEd-wide newsletter, it is a timely replacement to the Bookworm. You will also receive notification of online events (all that is currently possible anyway) hosted by other branches that you can participate in. The Accreditation Board (AB) will be offering an online exam preparation workshop, probably in June. The Standing Committee on Professional Development (SCPD) will offer various other training opportunities online. There will not be any other specific WA-based activities unless and until enough additional people volunteer to revitalise the committee.
It seems extraordinary that Western Australia, a branch with twice the membership of Tasmania or New Zealand, is unable to field enough volunteers to keep its independent committee going. Perhaps you are all happy to be subsumed into other branches and to receive all your news and opportunities from the eastern states. If not, now is the time to take action. If any of you would like to become involved, or have articles to submit to the IPEd-wide newsletter, you can contact me at the following email address: edwa.news@iped-editors.org.
I will continue to represent WA on the AB, the SCPD and in the Communications Working Group (which has started the IPEd-wide newsletter and is revising the branch websites).
Dr Catherine Macdonald AE