For a little background, before 1945 we were known as Michigan Court Stenographers Association. Then the name changed to Michigan Court Reporters Association, and in the seventies it changed to Michigan Shorthand Reporters Association. In 1990 then-President Richard Kendzierski brought to the association a need for a name change, emphasizing that NCRA had advised that state associations needed to have a name that reflected professionalism. The membership voted to change the name to MAPCR -- which is and always has been a mouthful, IMO. Sue mentions that we are a profession of court reporters, CART and captioners. We are no longer just "Court" reporters. "Shorthand" is how we write the words that appear on our screens. I disagree and see nothing archaic in the term at all. It sets us apart from the electronic recorders who have been calling themselves "court reporters" for many years now. For those that feel strongly one way or the other about the name change, I would urge you to attend the fall convention at Boyne. This is a proposed bylaw change and will be voted on. Please make sure your voice is heard and attend the business meeting on Saturday, October 16.
Sue Deer Hall - 2 years ago
On so many levels, going back to archaic terminology of "shorthand" seems so wrong to me. A google search for "shorthand" reveals this as its first definition: "A system of rapid handwriting employing symbols to represent words, phrases, and letters."
Does that even begin to embrace our current profession of court reporters, captioners and CART providers? If at the national level people are arguing about what place, if any, voice writers have in our association, does going back to terminology used when we were an association of pen writers make sense?
For decades now, I have actively avoided using the "shorthand" terminology knowing the image it evokes for many of the female secretary taking dictation from the male boss, and all the stereotypes associated with that. Yikes.
Also, if you are going to pay the bucks that it takes to change all the logos and documentation (and, hopefully, good will) associated with MACPR, please find a forward looking change, not a giant leap back.
For a little background, before 1945 we were known as Michigan Court Stenographers Association. Then the name changed to Michigan Court Reporters Association, and in the seventies it changed to Michigan Shorthand Reporters Association. In 1990 then-President Richard Kendzierski brought to the association a need for a name change, emphasizing that NCRA had advised that state associations needed to have a name that reflected professionalism. The membership voted to change the name to MAPCR -- which is and always has been a mouthful, IMO. Sue mentions that we are a profession of court reporters, CART and captioners. We are no longer just "Court" reporters. "Shorthand" is how we write the words that appear on our screens. I disagree and see nothing archaic in the term at all. It sets us apart from the electronic recorders who have been calling themselves "court reporters" for many years now. For those that feel strongly one way or the other about the name change, I would urge you to attend the fall convention at Boyne. This is a proposed bylaw change and will be voted on. Please make sure your voice is heard and attend the business meeting on Saturday, October 16.
On so many levels, going back to archaic terminology of "shorthand" seems so wrong to me. A google search for "shorthand" reveals this as its first definition: "A system of rapid handwriting employing symbols to represent words, phrases, and letters."
Does that even begin to embrace our current profession of court reporters, captioners and CART providers? If at the national level people are arguing about what place, if any, voice writers have in our association, does going back to terminology used when we were an association of pen writers make sense?
For decades now, I have actively avoided using the "shorthand" terminology knowing the image it evokes for many of the female secretary taking dictation from the male boss, and all the stereotypes associated with that. Yikes.
Also, if you are going to pay the bucks that it takes to change all the logos and documentation (and, hopefully, good will) associated with MACPR, please find a forward looking change, not a giant leap back.
Please, please re-consider this change.