How I got the title "Swiss Army Knife"

Several years ago I was an executive of the Shizuoka chapter of JALT (Japan Association of Language Teachers) and was given the title of "Swiss Army Knife". What was unexpected was that that title would become the subject hot debate at the next national executive meeting.

How this title came about was that I had just finished a two-year stint as the Shizuoka chapter's publicity chair. I was ready to step down and move back to the bleachers. However, the then-chapter-president, Stewart Hartley, refused to accept my resignation. He suggested that I stay on as an executive, but with a title befitting more generalist role. He suggested the title "Swiss Army Knife".

I thought the name silly at first, but it did rather fit and, like it or not, JALT national was duly advised of the new chapter executive line-up.

As it happens, I attended the next national executive meeting as a speaker and, to my surprise and amusement, I (or rather, my title) was on the agenda of that meeting. It was something to do with the computer's tail wagging the human dog or, to be precise, the database program they were using couldn't handle new job titles. The outcome was that henceforth, all executive titles had to be selected from an "approved list". They did resolve that I be allowed to keep the titled for the remainder of my term in office, but I figure that was only because I was personally in attendance of that meeting.

That was also the year that I allowed my membership to lapse completely. It was out of protest, but not anything to do with the Swiss Army Knife issue. Despite occasional requests to come back to JALT, I have refused on the principle that the executive is supposed to serve the members--not the other way around--and that JALT itself should serve the (language) community as a whole, instead of acting as if it is some kind of exclusive club for overachievers.

In you are a Shizuoka long-time resident you may have wondered why you never hear about the JALT Shizuoka events anymore. I'm tempted to say that this is because I am no longer the chapter Publicity Chair, but there is more to it than that. (If you are a Shizuoka JALT member, and particularly if you are an executive, read on.)

In my final year as a JALT member, I argued for the creation of a local chapter newsletter. Initially the idea was criticised as being more work for the already-overworked executives. Indeed, a magazine-style newsletters is a lot of work. I explained that the purpose was not to publish articles as such, but merely to inform the non-members of local and national JALT events. In a word, "publicity". I argued that it was to be more along the lines of one-page, monthly announcement sheet that would be placed for community access (the SHARE office) and mailed to non-members. Since it was already the role of the Publicity Chair to inform non-members of JALT activities, what this newsletter really did was make their job more effective. My arguments were accepted and a publicity news page was mandated.

A year or so later I attended a Shizuoka Chapter meeting (as a non-member) and happened upon discussion of the newsletter. I raised the question of why I was not receiving it in the mail. After all, I was a non-member and they did have my mailing address, right? There answer was that the newsletter was only for members. That if I wanted to receive it in the mail, I should join JALT. Go figure!

That still leaves the question open as to why us non-members (and especially Shizuoka new-comers) never hear about JALT events. Hello JALT SHizuoka! Did you guy abolish the Publicity Chair? It sure looks like it from where I sit. And don't ask me to fill the chair. The answer is still no!