Why does SHRM conduct chapter audits?
For two reasons: SHRM Chapter Financial Support (CFSP) and SHRM's chapter affiliation requirements.
Each year all chapters are required to submit a copy of their chapter membership rosters to SHRM. The rosters are required in order for the chapter to participate in and be eligible for SHRM's Chapter Financial Support Program (CFSP) and to determine if the chapter meets SHRM's affiliation requirements.
- SHRM reimburses the chapters $25 per member per year for 100% chapters (all chapter members are SHRM members) and $10 per year per SHRM member for non-100% chapters.
- For affiliation, SHRM requires that all chapters chartered prior to January 1, 2004 have 30% or 10 SHRM members whichever is greater. All chapters chartered on or after January 1, 2004 must have 51% or 25 SHRM members, which is greater. The more SHRM members a chapter has, the more financial support the chapter will receive, and the higher the percentage of SHRM members will be, making it in the best interest of the chapter and SHRM to recruit and retain as many members as possible!
SHRM has over 575 chapters. Auditing is a labor-intensive process; but, one that is necessary to ensure that the SHRM records match chapter records as closely as possible.
SHRM's biggest challenge is reconciling names. SHRM chapter members who have changed their information and not informed SHRM (e.g., last name, hyphenated name, new job), or working with a chapter roster that is not current affects the outcome. Using your most recent roster is critical to ensure the members are accounted for. If possible, please also include the SHRM membership number on rosters sent in for auditing.
If an SHRM member belongs to more than one chapter, only the primary chapter will receive financial support. The member determines which chapter is primary and sends a Primary Chapter Designation Form to SHRM headquarters.
How does SHRM audit a chapter membership roster?
The process below will give you a better understanding of what happens when a chapter is audited:
- The chapter sends to SHRM the current membership roster/directory.
- A roster is run from the database at SHRM headquarters.
- The SHRM roster and chapter roster are compared side-by-side.
- Names on the chapter roster that are not coded to the chapter are searched for in the SHRM database. If found, those members are coded to the chapter, except when the member is a multi-chapter member and has designated another chapter as primary.
- Once the process is completed, another roster is run and the roster and an audit letter are sent to the chapter.
- The audit letter has the names from your roster of the SHRM members coded to the chapter and a list of expired, multi-chapter members, and students. (Expired, multi-chapter members and students are not counted as part of the total chapter count for CFSP purposes).
- The audit letter also includes your chapter's current affiliation percentage.
We hope that you will then review SHRM's letter and let us know if there are any changes. Staff is happy to work with the chapter on a regular basis to keep the rosters current.
Please Note:
- Your chapter will receive credit for multi-chapter members but for affiliation purposes only.
- Multi-chapter members may change their primary designation to your chapter by completing a Primary Chapter Designation Form and sending to SHRM.
Questions about your audit? Contact a member of your Regional Administrator.