The ATA Chronicle - January/February 2020 - 16

MEMBER OPINIONS: DISCUSSION ON OPENING ATA'S EXAM TO NONMEMBERS continued
increased demand for all language pairs,
especially if we lost a significant number
of graders? Just one language pair losing
key graders could make the whole
program lose credibility.
The cost of the exam and renewal
fees for nonmembers has not yet
been published. Without survey/
market research/cost numbers to plug
into equations, the financial impact
is still unknown. A bigger ATA is a
stronger ATA from which we all benefit.
According to the free decoupling
webinar ATA presented in October, 25%
of all new members join ATA to take the
exam.3 Think about how losing those
400+ new members year after year will
look for us 10, 20, or 30 years down
the road.

WHAT DO OTHERS THINK?
Recently, I reached out to some ATA
colleagues from different language pairs,
different parts of the country, certified
and not certified, men and women, and
simply asked, "What do you think about
opening the exam to nonmembers?"
These colleagues are currently supporting
themselves through translation work,
they actively participate in ATA, and
none of them hold leadership positions.
Eighty percent told me that they were
against opening the exam, and the other
20% were undecided. I thought this was
compelling because I had never talked
to these colleagues about ATA politics
before, so I truly wasn't trying to skew
the results.

AMA AND ABA DON'T ADMINISTER
BOARD/BAR EXAMS
ATA has mentioned that you don't have
to be a member of the American Medical
Association (AMA) or American Bar
Association (ABA) to take the board/
bar exams. However, these associations
don't administer the board/bar exams or
issue licenses.

VOLUNTARY CREDENTIAL
ATA certification has always been a
voluntary credential, a way to stand out.
No law requires the use of ATA-certified
translators, and most translators working
today are not certified. Therefore, it's not
a barrier to entry, and we're not illegally
controlling any supply.
The legal concern might make more
sense if ATA is pursuing legislation
that would require the use of ATAcertified translators across the U.S. Is
that happening? If so, members ought
to know.

RELEVANT CASE STUDY
Just a few years ago, the International
Council on Systems Engineering
decided to add a membership
requirement to its certification program.
ATA is looking at going in the opposite
direction with decoupling.

LEADERSHIP
I wholeheartedly believe ATA leaders
are committed to our organization and
do their jobs/volunteer work with the
best of intentions. We've all benefited

We want to hear from you!
Members are encouraged to submit their opinions, both
pro and con, regarding opening ATA's certification exam
to nonmembers (also referred to as decoupling) for publication in The
ATA Chronicle. While it may not be possible to print all submissions,
equal space will be provided for dissenting opinions. Please send
to jeff@atanet.org.
Note: In keeping with standard ATA editorial policy, submissions must
include the author's name, which will be published. Anonymous submissions
will not be accepted for publication.

16

The ATA Chronicle | January/February 2020

from their contributions. I have a
common goal with our leaders: wanting
a strong ATA and Certification Program.
Questioning whether opening today's
exam to nonmembers would achieve
that goal shouldn't take that away.
Question #5: Should ATA leadership's
first priority be our members, who
have a lot to lose if this doesn't go
well, or the tens of thousands of
translators who haven't joined us?
The FAQs state that opening the exam
would benefit the entire industry, but
no specific evidence has been presented
regarding how. Members deserve some
concrete evidence regarding how this
would directly benefit them before
removing a beloved member right that
makes ATA so strong.

CONCLUSION
I appreciate that the Board will allow us
to vote on this matter, as the Bylaws list
taking the certification exam under its
list of Member Rights, next to the rights
to vote, hold office, and serve on the
Board of Directors and all committees of
the Association.
There are lots of ways to improve the
credibility of ATA that don't involve
decoupling, and I would like to be a part
of a solution. I hope you will join me.
We could enhance the credibility of the
Certification Program and ATA brand by
working with external stakeholders and
government agencies to better inform
them of the strengths of our members
and our current program. We could also
do more public outreach to increase the
recognition of the industry and work
harder to retain and attract members.
NOTES
1.
"Frequently Asked Questions:
Opening ATA's Certification Exam and
the Certified Translator Credential to
Nonmembers of ATA," The ATA
Chronicle (November-December, 2019),
http://bit.ly/FAQ-Decoupling
2.

ATA Accreditation Program Report
(Michael Hamm & Associates, 2000),
http://bit.ly/Hamm-report.

3.

"Opening the ATA Certification
Exam to Nonmembers," ATA
Webinar Series (October 1, 2019),
http://bit.ly/webinar-decoupling.
www.atanet.org


http://www.bit.ly/FAQ-Decoupling http://www.bit.ly/Hamm-report http://www.bit.ly/webinar-decoupling http://www.atanet.org

The ATA Chronicle - January/February 2020

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