The assemblies within the House of Delegates came about as a means of allowing physical therapist assistant members a structure through which they could meet their unique needs. In 1983 several affiliate members, including Virginia May, Cheryl Carpenter, and Tricia Garrison, petitioned the House for recognition as a nonvoting component, hoping to gain the chance to participate in debates in the same way that sections were recognized. When section status for affiliate members proved incompatible with the association’s bylaws, the Affiliate Special Interest Group was developed.