Our 2018-19 membership survey shows that the vast majority of members find the FA's primary communication methods informative, but we also see evidence of the need to expand our methods, enhance the types of information and improve our timing.

572 members spoke to us last year.

When researchers put out a large survey, they tend to be happy with a 10% response rate, but we received triple that!

So first: THANK YOU to all of our members who took the time to complete and return our survey. You have spoken, and we hear you.

Starting this semester, we will be publishing results from the survey, starting with our communication efforts.

We were initially pleased to see that the majority of our members not only read each issue of The WORD but also agree or strongly agree that it is informative (only six members total out of the 409 members responding to that question disagreed). Good!
But upon closer inspection, we noticed that our adjunct members are less likely to always read The WORD and to find it informative. That tells us we have some work to do to make it more engaging for our adjunct colleagues.

We noticed a similar response regarding our website and other communication efforts, i.e., while the majority of members find them informative and useful, adjunct respondents were slightly less likely to agree.

Regarding FA website access, 43% of the 217 full-time respondents to that question said they visit our website less than once a month and 24% said they visit once a month. Among the 249 adjunct respondents to the website question, 47% said they visit it less than once a month, 16% said once a month and—disconcertingly—28% said they had never visited our website.

Again, this says we have work to do to get important FA information out to our membership.

Here's what we're already doing to address this survey feedback about our communication efforts:

1. Faster outreach: Respondents want to know about FA events sooner, so we will be disseminating information just as soon as we have it finalized, with a goal of one week's minimum notice and, whenever possible, up to two week's notice.
   

   	Based on our survey results, we hear you saying, "An informed membership is a happy membership." That's why we are stepping up our communication efforts with numerous ways for members to stay in the know.

   
   
2. More robust social media: We've created a new Instagram account and will be regularly and frequently updating our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter sites with upcoming events as well as posting on our website, sending info via email and including it in The WORD. Now you can find out about FA events the way you prefer.
   
   
3. Member highlights, professional development and Q&A's: Our survey respondents, both full time and adjunct, want to see more focus on individual member accomplishments, professional development information and a Q&A section. That's why you'll find a professional development article in this issue and in future issues we'll initiate columns on member achievements as well as a Q&A feature.

Please keep sharing your input. We know there are more than 572 of you out there, and we need your voice!