Please find the following list of most Frequently Asked Questions we receive in the office. You can scroll down the page or check under a heading to help narrow the search for the answers to your questions. If you still can’t find the answer to your question, please call us at the office at 970-879-8335.
Web Questions
Events and Event Registrations
Membership
Education
Web Questions:
Q: Can I pay my dues online?
- Yes, you can pay your dues online. You must logon to the web site or register on our site if you haven’t done so before, in order to access your online account. You can also call the office at 970-879-8335 and pay your dues over the phone. We accept Mastercard and Visa.
Q: I can’t remember my username and password for the web site, what do I do?
- When you set up your online account, you created the username and password. When setting up your online account, we strongly recommend you write down your username and password. If you can’t remember your password, there is an online prompt to get your password emailed to you. If you can’t remember your username, you need to call Carolyn at the office and ask her to look it up for you.
Q: I just passed an exam, but I don't see my new certification level reflected on my membership record when I access the National Website. Why is that?
- The Rocky Mountain Division does not share a database with the National Division. We update records to the National office every two weeks but it does take them some time to enter this data as well.
Q: Can I update my address online?
- You can update your contact information by calling the office at 970-879-8335 or by logging onto your account online and updating your address in the Contact Information box.
Q: Can I see if my education credits are up to date online?
- You can call the office at 970-879-8335 and have one of us check your account or check your online account on our web site. Log onto the web site and go to the Education Credits tab. As a certified member you must have two clinic credits every two years. So if you last took a clinic in the spring of ’06, you’re due to take a clinic in the spring of ’08.
Q: Can I find confirmation information and lodging discount information online?
- Yes! New this year, we created a Confirmation page on our web site. On this page you can select the event that you’re registered for and see all the confirmation information including where and when to meet and any pre arranged lodging discounts in the town where you clinic is being held.
Events and Event Registration:
Q: How do I register for an event?
- There are a few ways to register. You can register online through this website: www.psia-rm.org, you can download an application form from this site and mail it to us at P.O. Box 774215, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 or fax it to us at 970-879-6760. You can also email us at info@psia-rm.org and request an event application be emailed or mailed to you.
Q: How do I know if my event application was received and I am enrolled?
- If you register online a confirmation receipt email is sent that day. After the registration cut off date for an event has passed you will also receive and email and a letter confirmation which includes a receipt and all the meeting information including time and meeting place and discounted lodging information for the event. You can also check your online account: login to the site using your user name and password you will come to your contact page. Near the bottom of the page are 3 tabs – Education Credits, Event Registrations and Dues. Anything for which you are registered will show up in the Event Registrations area.
Q: When are confirmation emails sent with event information such as where we meet and when?
- We send confirmation emails and letters two to three days after the registration cut off date. Once that group of emails with the confirmation information is sent, we continue to send emails to people every two to three days after we receive the registration. You can also view this information on our web site on the Confirmation page.
Q: What’s the purpose of the registration deadline?
- On the registration deadline, we look at the number of people signed up for an event and determine if there are enough people to move forward with this event or if we have to cancel the event due to lack of registrants. We need at least 8 people registered up for any one clinic for it to ‘go.’
Q: Can I register over the phone?
- No, we do not take event registrations over the phone.
Q: What happens if I need to cancel an event registration?
- If you cancel or switch your registration BEFORE the published registration deadline, there is no switch or cancel fee. If you cancel or switch your registration AFTER the registration cut off date, you will be assessed a 50% fee. The 50% fee will be waived if you provide a person at least one week before the event, as your replacement for a cancellation or switch.
Q: What if I’ve been injured or sick and can’t attend a clinic that I’m registered for?
- Medically verified cancellations will receive a 100% refund IF written medical verification and a request for refund is received in the Rocky Mountain office within two weeks of the event. Please fax your medical verification to the office at 970-879-6760. If you weren’t sick enough to go to the doctor, a 100% cancellation fee is assessed if the registrant cancels or is a ‘no show’ on the day of the event.
Q: What happens if I don’t show up at a clinic that I registered for?
- There is no refund of your registration fee if you are a no show. There is a 100% cancellation fee if the registrant cancels or is a ‘no show’ on the day of the event.
Q: What happens if the Rocky Mountain office cancels an event?
- The office reserves the right to cancel an event if we don’t have a minimum number of registrants. The office can cancel an event at any time but we try to do it within a week of the registration deadline. If an event is canceled, someone from the Rocky Mountain office will contact you to let you know of the cancellation and give you your options. If the office cancels an event, we offer a full refund or will switch you into another clinic with no switch fee.
Membership FAQ
Q: How do I update my contact information - address, phone and e-mail?
- You can update your contact information by calling the office at 970-879-8335 or by logging onto your account online and updating your address in the Contact Information box.
Q: Can you tell me if my education credit is up to date?
- You can call the office at 970-879-8335 and have one of us check your account or check your online account on our web site. Log onto the web site and go to the Education Credits tab. As a certified member you must have two clinic credits every two years. So if you last took a clinic in the spring of ’06, you’re due to take a clinic in the spring of ’08.
Q: How can I find out more about the Scholarship program?
- Please visit our web site: psia-rm.org and go to the Membership page. Once you’re on the Membership page, go to the top tool bar and select the ‘scholarship’ drop down from the Member Benefits button. This page has information on all of the scholarships that we have available.
Q: What is the youngest age at which a person can become a member?
- There is no minimum age to become a member. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a paper application submitted with signature of parent or guardian. Members must be at least 16 years of age to become certified.
Q: How much are dues for the season?
- Dues for an active member or registered instructor are $80 per year. Half of your dues stay with the Rocky Mountain Division and the other half goes to the National office. If you’re an inactive member, your required dues are $40 and you have the option to pay your $40 National dues to maintain your National membership.
Q: Can I pay my dues online?
- Yes, you can pay your dues online. You must logon to the web site or register on our site if you haven’t done so before, in order to access your online account. You can also call the office at 970-879-8335 and pay your dues over the phone. We accept Mastercard and Visa.
Q: When do we get billed for dues?
- We mail out our annual dues bill in early April. Dues are due on June 30th every year. After the due date, a late fee will be assessed - $15 for Rocky Mountain and $5 for National dues.
Q: What’s up with the late fee?
- We give all of our members almost three months to pay their annual dues. After the due date the late fees are assessed. The late fee remains the same whether you’re 2 days late or two months late paying your dues.
Q: What if I join half way through the season, how much are my dues?
- We do not pro-rate dues. The dues are the same whether you join in August, November or March. The annual fee for a registered instructor is $80 per year. Our fiscal year starts on July 1 and ends on June 30th.
Q: What are the inactive dues and requirements?
- Inactive status is for an instructor that is not teaching at all for an entire season or more. Required membership dues are $40 which goes towards the Rocky Mountain Division. National dues which are $40 are optional if you want to continue your National membership. If you choose not to pay the National portion of the dues and you later request a change to active status your join date with National will change to the year you begin paying their dues again. You must submit a written request for status change and your educational clinics must be up to date at the time of your request. Once you’re an inactive member, your educational clinics are required every four years instead of every two years.
Q: What is the Emeritus dues rate, and what are the requirements?
- Emeritus status is for an instructor who is not teaching and not planning to return to teaching. You must submit a written request for status change and your educational clinics must be up to date at the time of your request. To become emeritus status, you must have at least ten years of membership with PSIA-RM and must be at least 40 years of age. Required membership dues are $17 which goes towards the Rocky Mountain Division. National dues which are $40 are optional if you want to continue your National membership
Q: What is a member required to do to maintain certification?
- To maintain your certification you must keep your Rocky Mountain dues current and you need to take two update education clinics every two years. Each clinic day counts as one clinic credit. Most clinics are offered as two days to meet this requirement.
Q: Will any event fulfill the educational credit requirements? Even in another discipline?
- Yes, any clinic in our curriculum guide counts as your educational credit requirements. You don’t have to take a clinic in the discipline in which you are certified. You can take a crossover clinic, a ‘learn to’ clinic or start a certification in another discipline. We just want to make sure you’re still learning!
Q: What if my schedule did not permit, and I was unable to participate in an event in the season I was "due?"
- If you get behind on your clinic credits, in the next dues billing statement you will be assessed a $35 prepay fee. This is a ‘pre-payment’ on a future clinic that you need to attend during the upcoming season in order to meet the clinic credit requirement. When you register for a clinic in that season, the $35 prepayment will be applied to your clinic fee. If you don’t take a clinic during that season, the $35 is forfeited.
Q: What if I had a medical reason as to why I was unable to participate in an event in the season I was "due?"
- If you’ve been injured and can not take clinics during a season that you are due clinic credits, please provide the office with medical verification. Once we have medical verification stating your injury, we can put this as a place holder in your file. You will receive one credit as a medical waiver.
Q: What is the Reinstatement Process?
- A former member, from one to five years in arrears, may pay back dues to become active and retain certification. The clinic credit requirement would also need to be met – two clinic credits every other year. If membership expired over five years, the member joins again as a new Registered Instructor and is eligible to go through the process for the former level of certification. (i.e. member was an Alpine level 3 when their dues expired. They may rejoin and go straight to the Alpine level 3 process.) The member remains a Registered Instructor (no certification) until successful at the level of certification attempted.
Q: How do I transfer from another division to the Rocky Mountain Division?
- When you want to transfer from one division to another, you need to start the process with the division in which you are currently a member. They will send the paperwork to the Rocky Mountain division to start the transfer process.
Q: I am a certified ski or snowboard instructor from another country. How can I become certified with PSIA-RM/AASI?
- You need to become a Registered Instructor and provide verification of any certifications that you might hold in another country. This will enable us to determine which certification level you would be eligible to attend. You remain a Registered Instructor (no certification) until you are successful at the level of certification attempted. Please call the office for more details.
Q: I just passed an exam, but I don't see my new certification level reflected on my membership record when I access the National Website. Why is that?
- The Rocky Mountain Division does not share a database with the National Division. We update records to the National office every two weeks but it does take them some time to enter this data as well.
Q: I should be getting my 25, 35 or 45 year pin this year. How and when will that be shipped to me?
- The National office recognizes 20, 30 and 40 year members. The Rocky Mountain Division recognizes 25, 35, and 45 year members in the spring of each season. During our Spring Fling event in Vail, we offer a free clinic for our 25, 35, and 45 members and a recognition ceremony for all Spring Fling attendees. During the Spring Fling ceremony, we distribute recognition certificates and pins. After the event, we mail out all the remaining pins and certificates to members who were unable to attend Spring Fling.
Q: How often and approximately when should I receive The Professional Skier and The Professional Rider publications?
- One Pro Rider magazine is published in the winter and two Pro Skier magazines are published, one in the fall and one in the spring.
Q: When does the new Accessories Catalog ship?
- The National office sends out the Accessories Catalog with complete listings of all the education materials and PSIA and AASI logo-ed items the first couple weeks of October.
Q: How often and approximately when should I receive the RM division newsletter?
- The From Instructor To Instructor newsletter is published 4 times per year – fall issue in late September, early winter is issue in late December, spring issue in March and summer issue in June.
Q: How do I order educational materials and books?
- You can order educational materials and books through our web site on the Products/Bookstore page, then follow prompts to find what you’re looking for. You can also stop by our office in Steamboat to purchase books and educational materials. The Rocky Mountain office carries different materials than those offered in the Accessories Catalog.
Q: How do I order pro deals?
- Pro deals are a benefit through the National office. Please call the National office at 303-987-9390 or go to their web site at www.psia.org, login and then go to the promotions link. There are a few Rocky Mountain Division pro deal offers, that you can view and access through our web site: http://www.psia-rm.org/memberben.php or access on our Membership page, then go to the top tool bar and select Member Benefits, then the Division Benefits drop down.
Education:
Q: What is a member required to do to maintain certification?
- Once a Rocky Mountain Division member has a certification, in order to maintain that certification they must 1. keep their dues current and 2. take two continuing education clinic credits every two years.
Q: Will any event fulfill the educational credit requirements? Even in another discipline?
- Yes, any clinic in our curriculum guide counts as your educational credit requirements. You don’t have to take a clinic in the discipline in which you are certified. You can take a crossover clinic, a ‘learn to’ clinic or start a certification in another discipline. Check prerequisite information on all clinics to make sure you qualify. Some clinics have a minimum certification level listed, while others are open to all levels. We just want to make sure you’re still learning!
Q: What if my schedule did not permit, and I was unable to participate in an event in the season I was "due?"
- If you get behind on your clinic credits, in the next dues billing statement you will be assessed a $35 prepay fee. This is a ‘pre-payment’ on a future clinic that you need to attend during the upcoming season in order to meet the clinic credit requirement. When you register for a clinic in that season, the $35 prepayment will be applied to your clinic fee. If you don’t take a clinic during that season, the $35 is forfeited.
Q: What if I had a medical reason as to why I was unable to participate in an event in the season I was "due?"
- If you’ve been injured and can not take clinics during a season that you are due clinic credits, please provide the office with medical verification. Once we have medical verification stating your injury, we can put this as a place holder in your file. You will receive one credit as a medical waiver.
Q: Can I attend clinics and exams in another PSIA/AASI division? And, will they count toward my educational credit requirements?
- Yes, you can take clinics in other PSIA/AASI divisions. Clinics credits do transfer from division to division. It is the responsibility of the division that you’re taking the clinic to notify your member division that you’ve taken a clinic in another division. If you want to take a certification exam in another division, you need to have a permission letter sent to that division from your home division. To take an exam in Rocky Mountain Division, you must take all prerequisite courses and the written exams in Rocky Mountain prior to taking certification. Partial passes from other divisions do not transfer into Rocky Mountain.
Q: Can I attend non-PSIA/AASI clinics for credit?
- Certain clinics and/or classes are eligible for non-PSIA/AASI credit. A form to submit these credits is available from the website or the office and must be submitted with the appropriate payment as listed on the form. The form and a $40 fee must be submitted for review to determine if the credits will be accepted. If clinic credit is not granted, we will return your $40 fee.
Q: How do I order educational materials and books?
- You can order education materials on our web site: www.psia-rm.org. Go to the Educational Materials page, once you’re on that page, click the button that says Products/Bookstore all the way to the right of the top toolbar. This will bring you to the online store.
Q: I hear the Study Guides are available online. Where can I access them?
- You can download education materials right from our web site: psia-rm.org or aasi-rm.org. Go to the Ed. Materials page and then click on the discipline that you’re searching for in the top tool bar. You will see a full page listing of downloads, just scroll down the page, until you see the information you’re looking for.
Q: How long must I be a PSIA-RM/AASI Level I member before attempting my Level II?
- There is no time requirement between attempting one level of certification and the next. However, you must complete the level which you are attempting before you may register for any prerequisites of the next level.
Q: How long is a prerequisite valid?
- Prerequisites do not expire.
Q: In the case of Alpine Level II and Level III, which have three parts, how long do I have to pass each part?
- The separate days (parts) of the exam do not expire.
Q: I want to take an exam in another discipline. What is the PSIA-RM/AASI cross-over policy between disciplines?
- For Alpine, a level 1 or 2 in any other discipline may participate in the Alpine level 2 process.
- For Nordic, a member in good standing may attend the Telemark or Cross Country level 1 Instructor Training Course clinics/exam. A member with level 2 or 3 certification may go through the level 2/3 Telemark or Cross Country process.
- For Snowboard, a member with level 2 or 3 certification in any other discipline may go through the level 2 process as long as they are a solid level 7 rider.
- For Adaptive, a member with level 2 in any other discipline may bypass the Functional Skiing clinic and exam and go directly to the specialty-specific exam of their choice.
Q: If I am certified in more then one discipline (i.e. Alpine & Nordic), what are my educational credit requirements?
- Educational credit requirements are the same for all certified members – two credits every other year. The number of certifications a member holds does not change the requirement.
Q: Can I get a copy of my written exam?
- No, we don’t let people take copies of the written tests home. We use a series of the same tests for the whole season so we don’t want people to take them home. You are able to review the test after it has been corrected the night you take the test to look at any answers you might’ve answered incorrectly.
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