Open Forum

Hello-

I am a young museum professional and I find myself in an unique situation that I hope you can help me with. Currently I am the New York State Education Department's Chartering Coordinator, which means that I help the museums and historical societies in  New York State gain their charter or incorporation. I have been at this job for about 4 years and have recently graduated with my Masters in Public Administration. I want to continue to work with museums, but I find myself professionally limited. I was wondering if anyone had any advice as to how I can gain more experience in a job that limits me to rules and regulations and where volunteering at a museum may be seen as a conflict of interest.  

 Thanks,

Sarah

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Sarah Jastremski
Charting Coordinator
New York State Education Department
Albany NY
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Hi Sarah,

I started to write you a reply, but then my computer had a minor meltdown, so apologies if this is coming through twice. First off, congrats on your MPA and thanks for your job helping museums acquire their charters.

Apologies for answering your question with one, but what do you want to do in museums?

No matter what, confirm that volunteering is really seen as a conflict of interest. When I worked at AAM as a program officer for the Museum Assessment Program, I was fortunate enough to be somewhere that allowed for volunteering in museums, even though they could have easily said it was a conflict. So check what you can and can't do.

Next, I'd find relevant committees to join, such as the pertinent AAM professional networks. I'd also attend - and get further involved with - conferences, like AAM, MAAM, and discipline specific, such as AASLH, etc.

Third, I'd join a board, even if it's not museum specific. Since you have an MPA, you may be interested in higher levels of administration and boards offer an insight different but crucially related to staff operations.

Good luck and best wishes!

Lauren
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Lauren Silberman
Deputy Director
Historic London Town and Gardens
Edgewater MD
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Sarah,

Are there specific policies at NYSED that suggest volunteering at a museum or historical society would be an actual conflict of interest or that it could be perceived as such?

If so, would this be the case whether or not the museum or historical society is in New York state?

Albany not being too far from the state lines of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont, would volunteering for an institution in one of those states be a possibility?

Best of luck, 

Doug Kendall
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Douglas Kendall PhD
Consultant
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Doug and Lauren,

Thank you both for your suggestions.

I don't know for sure if volunteering at another museums would be a conflict, I just feel like it might be. There is no specific list of what is considered a conflict when it comes to work/volunteering. However if I want to do other work/ volunteer in addition to state work, I need to fill out a form and the ethics office will determine if it is a conflict. 

As to what I want to do in museums...I really like being able to help many different types of museum, so working for a museum association like AAM is my current goal. It was actually the fact that I was passed over for a job at AAM that has spurred my inquiry, along with there is no professional development within NYSED, and I was told that keeping up with museum practices; like proper collection care,  was not apart of my job.

Paying to be a member of AAM was my first step in trying to gain access to more information, and more museum professionals.

 Best,

Sarah 

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Sarah Jastremski
Charting Coordinator
New York State Education Department
Albany NY
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