Texas Municipal Clerks - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I order your Texas Municipal Law and Procedure Manual, your Texas Municipal Election Law Manual, your Texas Municipal Clerks Handbook, your Municipal Budgets and Finances book?

Order forms for each of our publications can be found on our website. Go here to learn more about our publications. Mail your order form to us with a check or money order made out to TMCCP.

What seminars are coming up? Is anyone welcome to register?

Find out about our upcoming seminars here. Anyone may register for TMCCP seminars!

I've just joined TMCA, Inc. Does this mean I'm enrolled in TMCCP?

No, membership in TMCA, Inc., and enrollment in TMCCP are different things.

The Texas Municipal Clerks Association, Inc., (TMCA), is a professional organization. Membership dues are paid annually. (Learn more about TMCA, Inc.) One may be a member of TMCA and not necessarily go through the certification program (TMCCP).

The Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program (TMCCP) is an educational program. There are four courses in the program, and enrollees must enroll in each one. (Learn more about TMCCP.) An enrollee of TMCCP must also be a member of TMCA—three years of accumulated TMCA membership dues are required for TMCCP graduation.

Where are you located? Can I visit the office?

Texas Municipal Clerks is located at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. We welcome visitors—please contact us first to guarantee that we are available. (View contact information and directions to our offices.)

Frequently Asked Questions:
Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program

ENROLLING IN THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

An excellent introduction to the certification program can be found here.

Am I eligible to enroll in the certification program? Who is it for?

Anyone may enroll in the Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program. This certification is most beneficial to those in city government, particularly those who have the duties of the municipal clerk. (This includes, but is not limited to, city secretaries, city clerks, assistant city secretaries, deputy city secretaries, and those in similar positions or with similar responsibilities.)

I've attended some non-TMCCP seminars and workshops / I have a degree. Can that count toward my TRMC Certification?

No, only the TMCCP curriculum counts toward your TRMC Certification.

How do I enroll in the certification program?

One may enroll in the Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program by submitting our Enrollment Form with an enrollment fee. A step-by-step guide to beginning the certification program is available here.

I have just enrolled in the certification program—how do I begin?

If you have just mailed in your enrollment fee, you will be receiving a letter from us in the mail. This letter will introduce you to the certification program, and give you an overview of the certification process. The letter will also include your first copy of your transcript. (Learn more about your transcript.)

You will also receive your first course Home Study Guide and your textbook(s) in the mail. Your Home Study Guide contains your homework questions; you will use your textbook(s) to answer these homework questions.

You are now welcome to begin your homework. Send your homework to Education Director Dr. Joyce Snay for grading as you finish each module.

You are also welcome to attend our seminars for seminar credit toward your certification.

Administrative Assistant Miriam Sheehan will guide you through the certification process—please contact her with any questions.

How long does it take to complete the certification program?

The Certification Program is self-paced distance learning—time to completion varies from enrollee to enrollee. The fastest an enrollee may complete the program is three years. We do not impose a time limit for completing certification.

Can I enroll in more than one course at a time?

Yes, you may enroll in more than one course at a time. Many enrollees enroll in all four courses at once.

Enrolling in all four courses at once does not mean working on homework in all four courses at once. When you enroll in all four courses, you may choose one course to begin study in, and we will send you your study materials.

Tip: The advantage of enrolling in all four courses at once is that you may attend any TMCCP seminar and be certain it will be recorded toward your certification. (For example: You are only enrolled in Course 1, and you attend a Course 4 seminar. If you do not enroll in Course 4 within one year, that Course 4 seminar attendance will not count toward your certification.) (Learn more about seminars.)

Which course should I start with?

An enrollee may start in any course. Many enrollees begin with Course 1 simply by virtue of its being the first course.

It may help to decide based on which of the courses has information that would immediately be useful to you. The courses and the material they cover are outlined here.

WORKING IN THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

In what order do I complete the courses, homework, exams and seminars of the certification program?

There is no firm order to your studies in the Certification Program.

The certification program is comprised of four courses. Each course is made up of homework, an examination over that homework, and two seminars. The seminars and homework of a course are independent of each other, so you can attend seminars whether or not you're working on the homework, and you can work on homework whether or not you've attended any seminars.

Here is a visual representation of the courses and their content:

You may take the four courses in any order. We encourage enrollees to finish the homework of one course before moving on to the homework of another course. Seminars, however, can be taken in any order at any time. (Make sure you are actually enrolled in a course in order to receive seminar credit for attending that seminar.)

Homework in each course is broken down into four modules. You may complete these modules of homework in any order.

Examinations are given over your course Home Study Guide. You are only eligible to take an examination in a course after you have successfully finished that course's homework and submitted it for grading. Examinations cover the contents of your course Home Study Guide, not the course seminars.

Seminars are offered throughout the year; we encourage enrollees to attend our seminars when they can. Seminars can be taken in any order at any time. (Make sure you are actually enrolled in a course in order to receive seminar credit for attending that seminar.)

Is there a time limit to finish the certification program?

No, TMCCP sets no time limit to finish the certification program. This is a very common question, and the issue of a deadline for certification is often misunderstood.

The Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program is self-paced. An enrollee completes homework at a pace she is comfortable with. An enrollee attends seminars of his choice, when and where it is convenient to him. Be it years or decades, "when" an enrollee finishes the program is up to the enrollee.

There are a few deadlines you may encounter within the certification program, but they are not deadlines for graduation.

Homework. Because enrollees work at their own pace, they are ready to take exams at many different times of the year—thus we offer examinations prior to every seminar. If you have your sights set on a certain exam date, the homework for that course exam must be submitted for grading two weeks before the exam date. If you do not finish your homework for grading in time for this exam date, simply plan to take your exam at a future exam date. Homework is done at your pace, and we do not set a deadline.
Staying up-to-date. Enrollees are given the choice of purchasing or borrowing their textbooks. If you borrow your textbooks, we will make sure to send you the latest editions of the textbooks, and any updated Home Study Guide material. However, if you purchase your textbooks, we will only allow you a three year commitment to those books. Sometimes enrollees take many years to work through one course, and we prefer our enrollees not go longer than three years without updating their materials. If you purchase your textbooks and do not finish your study in that course within three years, you will simply be required to update to any new materials at that time.
Loan library book due dates. Textbooks are loaned to members of the TMCA Loan Library for a period of 45 days each (extensions may be available on a loan upon request). The 45-day loan period is only the amount of time we loan out books—it is not a deadline for your homework.
Yearly opportunity to graduate. When an enrollee successfully completes all his homework, passes his four exams, and attends his eight seminars, he is eligible to graduate. TMCCP holds a graduation ceremony each January at the TMCCP Election Law Seminar. The yearly deadline for completing requirements for graduation is November 15. For example, an enrollee planning for January 2009 graduation must finish all her homework, exams, and seminars by November 2008.
Various deadlines. An enrollee may encounter various deadlines by which to submit forms in order to meet the goals of her choice. But there is never a date set by TMCCP by which an enrollee must finish the program.

How are the seminars and homework and exams related?

A course's seminars, homework and examinations are all tailored toward the content of that course.

HOMEWORK AND EXAMINATIONS
Homework assignments and examinations give the enrollee a chance to demonstrate to the director that she has mastered the course materials. The exams include only the Home Study Guide material, not the seminar material.

SEMINARS
The seminars offer a focus on an aspect of the course's subject matter. They also give an enrollee the opportunity to discuss the subject matter of the course with specialists and with other city secretaries. The seminars bring together the knowledge of the specialist with the knowledge of the experienced city secretary in an environment that encourages discussion and the sharing of viewpoints. In the process, enrollees develop professional relationships with other secretaries and clerks.

What is my transcript?

Your transcript is a document that displays your progress in the certification program. Your transcript is available to you at any time—if you are a current TMCCP enrollee, log in to view your transcript. (Transcripts are updated on our website on a weekly basis. If you notice that a recent change has not been recorded—homework, seminar attendance, course completion—it may be updated within a week. Contact us at any time if you have questions about your transcript.)

Click here to view a diagram explaining the TMCCP transcript.

I completed some work in the Certification Program, but I set aside my studies for several years. Do I have to start over from the beginning now?

No, generally the case is that you will not have to start over. We will always keep track of all work you do in the Certification Program. Homework you successfully completed a few years ago will still count toward your certification. Any seminars you have had credited toward your certification will still be credited toward your certification.

Circumstances vary from case to case, though, so please do contact us and we'll get you back in the Certification Program with the latest study materials.

WORKING IN THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: HOMEWORK

How do I turn in my homework?

We prefer you email your homework to us. Homework is graded by Education Director Dr. Joyce Snay (joyce.snay@unt.edu). She will grade your homework and mail it back to you. We recommend that enrollees turn in one module of homework at a time. Homework must be submitted with the Affirmation of Academic Honesty form. (See the next question below for more information about academic honesty.)

My colleague is working on TRMC Certification, too. Can we share homework?

No. TMCCP has a strict policy of each enrollee doing his or her own original work. (Go to the full TMCCP Policy on Academic Misconduct.)

How long does it take for homework to be graded?

It may take one to two weeks for you to receive your homework back. Sometimes turn-around is faster. But there are many factors which depend on the speed at which your homework returns:

How much homework did you submit?
Homework may submitted one module at a time, or the entire course homework may be submitted at once. We recommend submitting only one module at a time so that the enrollee will gain experience with the manner in which homework is processed by our office, and can gain the confidence to continue. But of course the more homework there is to grade, the longer it will take.
How did you submit your homework?
We prefer that homework be emailed to us. However, homework may be emailed, faxed, or mailed. Emailing homework directly to Education Director Dr. Joyce Snay ensures the fastest turn-around time.
When did you submit your homework?
Was it right before that homework deadline? Or did you happen to mail it just before one of our seminars? All homework is graded by one person: our education director, Dr. Joyce Snay. Please take into consideration that only one person grades homework. Homework "bottlenecks" occur most often near homework deadlines (starting two weeks before the seminar); naturally the turn-around time slows down during these and other busy times of the year.

I'm enrolled in a course. Can I attend a course's seminar even though I haven't started my homework in that course yet?

Yes, attend any of our seminars any time you want. The sooner you begin accumulating your seminar credits, the sooner you may graduate!

It is required that an enrollee attend two seminars for a particular course in order to pass that course. You may attend the seminars at any time—your course homework and exam are independent of the seminars.

Tip: In order to receive credit for TMCCP seminar attendance, you must be enrolled in that course, or enroll in that course within one year of attending the seminar.

WORKING IN THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: EXAMINATIONS

An exam date is coming up. Does this mean I have to hurry and finish my homework?

Whether or not you take an exam now is up to you. Because an enrollee's work in the Certification Program is self-paced, enrollees are ready to take their course exams at different times of the year. Therefore, we offer exam dates five times a year, one before each seminar.

You are not under any obligation from TMCCP to rush to take the upcoming exam—we do not place deadlines on your studies. If your homework is completed and has been graded, you are eligible to take the exam over that course at the upcoming exam date, and you are welcome to apply to take the exam.

How hard is the exam? What is on the exam?

The perceived difficulty of an exam varies with each individual. Exam questions are taken from the course Home Study Guide, with a focus on the homework questions. If an enrollee completes all the course homework, submits it for grading, and studies the graded homework, it is very likely the enrollee will do well on the exam.

Examination questions are a mixture of multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and essay questions.

How do I sign up for an examination? Where and when is it held?

To sign up for an exam, download the exam application, fill it out, and mail it to us with your exam fee.

All enrollees will receive an email alert about the upcoming exam date six weeks prior to the exam date. This email will contain information about the upcoming exam date, as well as a link to the exam application. We prefer to know at least two weeks in advance of the exam date if you plan to take an examination. (Course homework must be submitted for grading at least two weeks prior to the exam date.)

The exam is held the Wednesday evening before each TMCCP seminar at the seminar hotel. (The January examination has a different exam time—at that seminar, the exam is held Monday in the afternoon.)

How do I know if I'm eligible to take an exam?

You will be eligible to take an examination if you have completed all of the homework for one course and have submitted it for grading (your graded homework will be mailed back to you). Your completed modules of homework will be reflected on your transcript (if you are a current enrollee, log in to view your transcript).

If you have any questions about eligibility to take an exam, please do not hesitate to contact Administrative Assistant Miriam Sheehan.

I can't attend the next exam date but I'm ready to take my exam. Can I take the exam now?

Exam dates are offered Wednesday preceding each seminar. We encourage enrollees to plan in advance to take advantage of these offered exam dates.

Occasionally, in cases of emergency—such as needing to take one last exam in order to graduate by a deadline—we allow enrollees to take a needed examination at the Texas Municipal Clerks office. It is not a practice we encourage since the office is not as well-suited for exam-taking as the locations we arrange for regular exam dates.

We proctor examinations, and cannot offer exams anywhere other than our arranged exam dates or at our offices.

Do I have to attend that seminar if I'm taking the exam?

Because our exam dates are held prior to each seminar at the seminar hotel, enrollees often wonder if they are required to attend the seminar also. The answer is no—the exam date and the seminar are separate. We certainly encourage examinees to register for the seminar, but seminar attendance is not required.

What if I fail the exam?

Examinations are pass/fail. Whilst the rate of success is high, occasionally some enrollees do fail the exam on the first try. If you fail an examination, you will be given an opportunity to take the exam again (usually at convenient time during that seminar*, if possible).

The fee for an exam only needs to be paid once, so if you fail an exam you will not need to pay again to take that exam again.

*Exam dates are held the evening prior to each TMCCP seminar. If the enrollee is attending the seminar that will be held in the following days, our staff may be available to proctor a retest.

WORKING IN THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: SEMINARS

How do I make sure I get seminar attendance credit for a seminar I attend?

Enroll in the seminar's course within one year of the seminar in order to retain credit for attending this seminar. (If you are already enrolled in the seminar's course you will receive credit.) For example, if it is a Course 2 seminar, enroll in Course 2.

We verify an enrollee's attendance at each seminar via barcoded name badges.

If you leave a seminar early or arrive late, you will be docked those hours from your seminar attendance. A full 12 hours are needed for each seminar requirement. You may make up any missed hours at a future seminar of the same course number. Missing seminar attendance hours will prevent an enrollee from being eligible for graduation. (Any incomplete seminar hours will be noted on your transcript for reference.)

Do I have to attend the seminars for a course before I take the exam?

No. The seminars are independent of the exams. Examinations cover the materials in the Home Study Guide, particularly the homework questions. Attend seminars when you can, and take the course exam after you have finished course homework. (Note: be sure to enroll in a seminar's course to receive seminar attendance credit for that course.)

I'm ready to graduate this January, but I'm one seminar short of completion. The next (and last) seminar this year will be a different course number than the one I need. What can I do?

You may be eligible for "seminar substitution," which is unusual, but sometimes allowed. If an enrollee has completed all course homework, passed all four exams, and attended seven of the eight seminars, he may be eligible to substitute one of our remaining seminars for the final needed seminar. (The requirements are further described in the "example" paragraph below.) The substitution shall be for a future seminar only.

To apply, an eligible candidate may write a letter to the TMCA certification committee chair requesting a substitution of an upcoming course seminar in lieu of the needed course seminar lacking on her transcript. For further questions regarding eligibility for substitution, contact the TMCCP office.

EXAMPLE: Jane Doe has completed all her homework, passed all her exams, and has attended seven of the eight required seminars. All she lacks is one Course 3 seminar, but the only seminar left this year is a Course 4 seminar. If it weren't for the seminar she lacks, she could graduate in January. Jane Doe may apply to the TMCA Certification Committee with a substitution request, asking to attend the Course 4 seminar as a substitution for her needed Course 3 seminar. If the Certification Committee allows this request, and if Jane Doe then attends the seminar in its entirety, she would be eligible to graduate in January. (All requests must be made in advance of the seminar in question; substitutions cannot be granted retroactively.)

Be sure to view further Frequently Asked Questions about TMCCP seminars.

GRADUATING FROM THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

How do I become eligible to graduate?

An enrollee is eligible to graduate from the certification program when she has met all the requirements: successful completion of homework in every course, passing the examination in every course, and full attendance at two TMCCP seminars per course.

If you are closing in on completion of the certification program, and you plan to graduate at the upcoming January ceremony, please be aware that all your requirements must be met by November 15 of this year. (Example: an enrollee anticipates graduating in January 2010. All his requirements must be met by November 15, 2009.)

As soon as all the requirements for certification are met, an enrollee is welcome to use the TRMC (Texas Registered Municipal Clerk) designation after his name. Completion of all the requirements also means graduation: TMCCP holds a graduation ceremony each January at the TMCCP Election Law Seminar. (Regardless of an enrollee's ability to attend the ceremony, the enrollee will still be considered a graduate.) A final certificate will be presented to the graduate, and their photograph will be taken in a group photo of all graduates of that year.

How many people have become certified/earned their TRMC?

A total of 525 (and counting!) have completed the Texas Municipal Clerk Certification Program and earned their Texas Registered Municipal Clerk certification as of 2007.

Is January the only time graduation is held?

Yes. Graduation is held once a year. We have chosen the annual TMCCP Election Law Seminar as the location of the graduation ceremony. The annual TMCCP Election Law Seminar is always scheduled for the month of January. (Regardless of whether or not a graduating enrollee attends the ceremony, she will still earn her Texas Registered Municipal Clerk Certification [TRMC] and receive her diploma.)

How do I maintain my certification now that I have graduated?

After certification? Recertification. Learn about the Texas Municipal Clerks Recertification Program here.

Will my work in TMCCP count as credit at my college/university?

The answer depends upon the college or university. Every institution has different standards of what they choose to accept for credits. Contact your college/university registrar for a definite answer. Provide them with a transcript prepared by the TMCCP office staff that will list actual text books used and course work completed. (contact us to request this transcript)

TMCCP RECERTIFICATION

Learn more about recertification here.

How soon can I enroll in recertification after graduating from the certification program?

Application for recertification can be made immediately after receiving the original certificate of graduation. (Certificates are given to graduates at the January graduation ceremony held during the TMCCP Election Law Seminar.)

Can I be recertified once my certificate has expired?

The TMCA Certification Committee has formulated procedures for applicants who request reinstatement of their certification which has expired. Those procedures are as follows:

The applicant must complete an application and petition the TMCA Certification Committee for reinstatement.
Applicants who have not recertified within their five-year time frame must:
a. Attend six (6) TMCCP seminars within two (2) years;
b. Successfully complete a survey course on the four TMCCP courses and pass a comprehensive examination; and
c. Recertify every five (5) years upon completion of reinstatement requirements.
Applicants who have not been recertified in six or more years must successfully repeat the Certification Program.

How often do I need to recertify?

After an enrollee graduates from the Texas Municipal Clerks Certification program, he must recertify every five years thereafter to maintain his Texas Registered Municipal Clerk Certification (TRMC).

TMCCP SEMINARS

Can I attend your seminars even though I'm not enrolled in your certification program?

Yes! We welcome anyone to register for the TMCCP seminars.

I attended a TMCCP seminar—can I get a certificate to show that I attended?

We do not issue certificates of attendance to attendees of our seminars.

If you are enrolled in the certification program, proof of your seminar attendance will be available on your TMCCP transcript.

What exactly is the Graduate Institute seminar? Can I attend?

The TMCCP Graduate Seminar is for everyone, but gives some special recognition to TMCCP graduates (those who have earned their Texas Registered Municipal Clerks Certification). The subject level is usually chosen with the graduates in mind, providing different material than most other seminars and sometimes taking the material covered to a slightly higher level.

How do I get credit for attending a TMCCP seminar?

Attendance for TMCCP seminars is counted via barcoded name badges.

Anyone is welcome to attend TMCCP seminars, but only TMCCP enrollees will receive TMCCP credit toward their TRMC Certification.

What if I can't attend an entire seminar, and I leave the seminar early or arrive late?

Enrollees of the certification program will receive seminar credit only for the hours they are actually present. Attendance count at seminars is maintained through the use of barcoded name badges.

If an enrollee leaves a seminar early or arrives late, she will be docked those hours from her seminar attendance. A full 12 hours are needed for each seminar requirement. An enrollee may make up any missed hours at a future seminar of the same course number. Missing seminar attendance hours will prevent an enrollee from being eligible for graduation. (Any incomplete seminar hours will be noted on the enrollee's transcript for reference.)

Can I receive seminar credit for the same seminar I have attended before? For example, I attended the TMCCP Election Law Seminar last year and received Course 4 credit. If I attend the Election Law Seminar this year, will I still earn another Course 4 credit?

Yes, you can attend two course seminars with the same name and you will earn credit. Even though some our seminars carry the same title, no two seminars are identical. For example, the annual TMCCP Election Law seminar is different each year: there are new topics, new updates and even new speakers.

Some of the TMCCP seminars offer two choices for seminar attendance credit (for example, a certain seminar could be advertised as credit towards Course 2 or Course 4). How do I receive the course credit I want?

In the case of a seminar like this, you can choose to which course your attendance is attributed. We prefer that you let us know your preference immediately, otherwise we will make a default choice for you. However, you are welcome to move this seminar attendance credit to the needed seminar credit of your choice up until the time you graduate.

EXAMPLE: John Doe attends a seminar that noted as applicable toward Course 1 or Course 2 TMCCP seminar credit. After attending the seminar, John Doe asks the TMCCP office to assign this seminar toward his Course 1 seminar credit on his transcript. However, close to graduation, John Doe finds that over the years he was able to attend three Course 1 seminars and only one Course 2 seminar—it would be useful to switch this old "Course 1 or 2" seminar to Course 2 so he can complete his Course 2 requirements. John Doe can contact the TMCCP office and ask us to change that seminar to Course 2 credit on his transcript.

Frequently Asked Questions:
Texas Municipal Clerks Association, Inc.

Am I eligible to join TMCA? How do I become a member?

Anyone may join TMCA. Become a member by filling out this membership form and mailing it in with the membership dues.

When am I supposed to renew my membership?

Dues last one year: from January 1 - December 31. TMCA mails reminders about dues to all members in the autumn. TMCA members should renew their membership for the coming year around November. However, TMCA members are welcome to pay their membership dues any time during the year.

Why haven't I been receiving email notification for the TMCA NEWS newsletters?

The TMCA NEWS is published four times a year: March, June, September, and December. If you have not been receiving notification of newsletter publications, there are two possible reasons: your current dues have not yet been paid, or we do not have your correct email address. Log in and see if your dues for this year have been paid, and if your email is correct. You are also welcome to contact the Texas Municipal Clerks office and make sure we have your latest contact information, and that we received your membership dues this year.

How do I contribute something to the TMCA NEWS newsletter?

We welcome news! Submit articles, photos, and press releases to us at any time. (email: alexandra.burke@unt.edu; fax: 940-565-2012; mail: TMCA NEWS, PO Box 305067, Denton, Texas 76203)

I'm enrolled in TMCCP, and I know I have to have three years' membership dues in TMCA before I can graduate. Can I pay the three years' dues in one lump sum right now?

We cannot accept TMCA dues years in advance; we only accept dues one year at a time. The earliest an enrollee may pay for an upcoming year is in the autumn.

I'm enrolled in TMCCP, and I know I have to have three years' membership dues in TMCA before I can graduate. What if I finish all my TMCCP requirements in fewer than three years? Can I graduate anyway?

It is unusual for an enrollee to finish the certification program before he has finished paying the requisite three years' dues. The amount of time it takes an enrollee to complete the homework, exams and seminars often exceeds three years. If an enrollee manages to finish the certification program in two years, she will be allowed to pay the upcoming year's dues to complete the "three years" requirement.

How do I join my local TMCA chapter?

A list and map of TMCA chapters is available here. You are welcome to contact the chapter and find out about membership and meetings. There are also articles regarding TMCA chapter activities in each issue of TMCA NEWS.

Do you have a question that is not answered here? Contact us.