The IIMC-approved Institutes and Academy program provides administrators who serve a Legislative Government Body (LGB) the tools required to make sure that public meetings, public records, elections and special projects operate smoothly. The IIMC will assign points to our Institute and Academy education contact hours (one point per two hours). You can use these pre-approved hours toward your Certified Municipal Clerk or Master Municipal Clerk credential designation. The IIMC refers to our program as the IIMC-approved Virginia Institute.

Program Tracks
We offer three tracks for current and aspiring municipal clerks.

Municipal Clerk Fundamentals Institute
Our Municipal Clerk Fundamentals Institute is for clerks new to the field or who have not previously attended an IIMC-approved institute. In this Institute, you will get a solid overview of the fundamental knowledge and foundational skills needed to be an effective municipal clerk.

Municipal Clerk Emerging Leaders Institute
This Institute builds on the foundation of the Municipal Clerk Fundamentals Institute. You will explore public administration, leadership, and management themes that strengthen your ability to perform the core duties of a municipal clerk.

Municipal Clerk Master Academy
The Municipal Clerk Master Academy is for seasoned municipal clerks who have earned the Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. The Academy is an advanced educational program that includes a wide-range of public administration, leadership, and management sessions that prepare clerks to perform more complex municipal duties.

How will this work?
Clerks are invited to select and register for their program track and join us for in-person Institute and Academy sessions at The Westin Hotel. The hotel is conveniently located at 6631 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230.

In addition to the main sessions, participants may register for optional Pre-Institute programs. Please note that additional registration fees are required to attend these pre-institute offerings which provide participants with the opportunity to earn additional education hours by arriving a day earlier than the scheduled Institutes and Academy sessions.

Participation
For in-person sessions, the IIMC requires that clerks sign in and out of each session to verify attendance.

Attendance
Clerks are encouraged to attend the full program. If that is not possible due to clerk-related duties or personal situations, continuing education hours may be earned for each session completed successfully. Each assessment link is sent only to clerks who fully attend the entire session. There are no registration fee credits nor continuing education hours (toward IIMC points) for partial attendance.

Online Assessments
We offer online assessments via FlexiQuiz.
To receive continuing education hours (toward IIMC points), you need to attend the full session and pass its corresponding assessment. The Institute Director will send assessment links to clerks who attend the entire session as verified via sign in and out sheets. You will have three opportunities to pass each assessment with a minimum score of 80%. Once you pass an assessment, a certificate is automatically issued for download and emailed to you for that session.
We recommend that clerks print and save electronic certificates for their records and IIMC credential applications.

Who Should Attend?
The VMCA Institutes and Academy are designed for municipal clerks and aspiring municipal clerks working in Virginia. Clerks from other states are welcome to participate, although laws regarding document retention, Freedom of Information Act, and Conflict of Interest laws may vary from state to state. If you have questions whether the VMCA Institutes and Academy would be beneficial to you, please contact ocpe@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322 to explore your options.

There are still openings remaining at this time.