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    BPA Membership

    How to Start a New Chapter

    Procedures for Starting a New Chapter

    1. Review the New Chapter Handbook.
    2. Fill out a New Charter Application. This is an online application that gets the ball rolling for your chapter at the BPA National Center and in your State BPA organization.
    3. A National staff member reviews and processes your application.
    4. A staff member will contact you and provide you with a username and password for the Membership Registration System (MRS). (This is the system used to register members at the beginning of each year and to register for the National Leadership Conference.)
    5. BPA’s staff will contact the director of your State BPA organization (your State Advisor) to notify them of your new chapter. You will be given your State Advisor’s contact information as well.
    Your State Advisor is your primary contact for getting involved in State and regional conferences, which is where members compete in WSAP events in order to qualify for the National Leadership Conference. Your State Advisor is also your primary contact for State awards programs, State officer elections, etc.

    The National Center staff and national Web site serve as your primary contacts for help with the Membership Registration System, the National Leadership Conference, WSAP Event Guidelines, National Officer elections, and other national programs such as national scholarships, the Torch Awards Program and Special Recognition Awards.

    The local advisor is responsibie for setting the chapter up at the local school by meeting with the principal or other
    appropriate officials, recruiting members, recruiting advisors and setting up the chapter’s
    first meetings.

    New Chapter Checklist


    Local advisors should complete the following checklist within the first month of establishing a new chapter:
    1. Submit the New Charter Application.
    2. Contact your State Advisor to get involved in State conferences and State programs.
    3. Identify and recruit local advisors.
    4. Recruit members.
    5. Set up the chapter officially at the school and hold your first meeting.
    6. Formulate and approve your chapter’s constitution.
    7. Elect local officers. For information on local officer responsibilities, click here. For information on holding BPA ceremonies, click here.
    8. Use the Membership Registration System to register and pay for your members for the year.
    9. Set goals and construct a calendar for the BPA year Include State conferences, the National Leadership Conference, WSAP competitions, Torch and Special Recognition Awards, fundraisers, regional/State/National officer elections and BPA Week.
    Complete this checklist and you are well on your way to having an exciting and successful first year as a Business
    Professionals of America chapter.