As was true in its recent meetings, external credentialing ignited the hearts and minds of the Executive Council. As the meeting began, the Council and President Marvin Margolis, presiding over his first Executive Council meeting, seemed somewhat wary of each other, but by meeting's end president and councilors worked together to apparently narrow the gap between the opposing approaches to external credentialing. There is now agreement that external credentialing will proceed, and that The American will make a good-faith effort with the other members of the Psychoanalytic Consortium to devise a plan for external credentialing. However, a new Joint Committee on External Credentialing, appointed by Margolis, will explore all options.
Also, Margolis presented his vision of the future of The American, featuring a new Strategic Planning Committee on Expansion. He intends to create a presence for psychoanalysis in twenty-five to thirty new sites around the country. The atmosphere will be changed, he expects, from one of confinement and argument to an expanding future, which he hopes will lead to greater peace and progress within the organization.
During the terms of at least the last three presidents the threatening possibility that the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Education might approve other groups as the national accrediting agency for psychoanalysis stirred The American to explore alternatives. This led to the creation of the Psychoanalytic Consortium, a coalition of The American, the American Academy of Psychoanalysis, Division 39 of the American Psychological Association, and the National Membership Committee on Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work. The need for some agency to oversee and control groups accrediting institutes is obvious. However, differing standards for training and therapeutic analyses among the member organizations of the Consortium engendered serious consternation, in particular, but not exclusively, among Fellows of the Board on Professional Standards who represent the views of constituent bodies of The American concerned with training standards. Some think The American must go it alone to maintain standards, while others believe it will be possible to maintain standards while participating in a broadly based credentialing organization such as the Consortium.
Those primarily concerned about standards have emphasized the need for slow, careful consideration of the potential effects of developing a working agreement with organizations that do not subscribe to the standards for training and practice to which The American strives. On the other side, those whose main focus is on the declining importance and influence of psychoanalysis in the cultural, educational, and political life in the United States see as a first priority the need for conjoint action to create trusted alliances in order' to increase political clout and develop good will in academic and cultural areas. The value of alliances was demonstrated with the broad support generated by CPR in the legislative arena and with the Consortium in presenting the Jaffee vs. Redmond case before the Supreme Court. Those favoring developing working ties to the Consortium believe it is possible such alliances will elevate standards for psychoanalysis among other Consortium members, without risking lowered standards for The American.
Immediately preceding the Council meeting, many councilors first learned that Robert Pyles, presidentelect, Laurence Chalfin, chair of BOPS, and Gerald Margolis, chair of the BOPS Committee on External Credentialing, had met with COPRA and DOE to explore legalities. BOPS received a long and detailed report of those meetings. (See the report on BOPS on page 6.) There were also reports of intense preparation for the session of the Executive Council, using E-mail correspondence and meetings to organize positions and documents because the Council Committee on External Credentialing, chaired by Allan Rosenblatt, was to deliver its final report. (This committee is being replaced by the new joint committee, appointed by the incoming administration.) The outgoing committee kept a significant group of councilors informed about the expected report and recommendations. Therefore both sides of the debate had the opportunity to organize and prepare strategies.
The discussion following Rosenblatt's report revolved around charges that the BOPS report distorted some facts. While admitting that some misquotations might have occurred, the BOPS representatives stated that their data was essentially correct. In any case, their major concern was issues of education. Donald Rosenblitt, the next chair of BOPS, said consensus was developing on external credentialing, since BOPS approves the idea. The questions that needed reflection, he indicated, were those of procedure and detail.
Mike Allison, a past president, cautioned about the dangers of being perceived as foot-draggers. Betsy Comstock pointed to actions of the Council in 1994, then Secretary David Hurst read the minutes, which revealed that while the Council had the final vote on any agreements reached within the Consortium, both BOPS and the Council would have to approve any agreement that affected training standards. The implication for the present, Comstock stated, was that negotiations with the Consortium can proceed without approval from BOPS. Henry Kaminer added that the Council, in order to fulfill its legal responsibilities, must
know what transpired when representatives speak with others—for example, with Consortium representatives and government agencies. He said the Council needs ongoing reports!
Donald Coleman offered a motion directing representatives to the Consortium to proceed in good-faith negotiations to create a body to oversee external credentialing, and urged a report by the next Council meeting. Margolis stated that he was in favor of external credentialing, and Rosenblitt offered his judgment that there was more agreement than appeared to be the case. His concern was the timeline; he thought that developing a report by the May meeting did not allow enough time to contemplate meanings and effects of any decision.
Before voting, the Council heard from Margaret Frank, president of the National Membership Committee on Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work. She said the work of the Consortium had almost ground to a halt because of a loss of faith in the commitment of The American. She gently conveyed her feelings that at times and in various ways attitudes and actions of representatives of The American appear to demean the other Consortium representatives. After hearing the council's discussion, she also expressed some understanding of the issues concerning The American's good faith.
Donald Meyers read a motion passed by Council in December 1991, which ordered representatives to the Consortium to proceed toward accomplishing external credentialing as quickly as possible. He thought that a minority of Fellows of BOPS were attempting to obstruct a mandated process. Fred Busch spoke to this point, saying that The American must find ways to resolve such issues without the threat of splitting apart. He urged a vote against Coleman's motion, since he believed such matters would be better left in the hands of ad hoc committees, rather than through public struggles in large bodies.
Dorothy Holmes thought that since external credentialing has been the focus of two separate committees, the Consortium might be discouraged about The American's commitment. Pyles concluded the discussion by noting his pleasure that the vote on the motion would not affect the governance issues under consideration by other committees.
The question was then called. The Council voted on a sense of Council resolution that called for representatives of the American to meet with the other members of the Consortium and proceed in a timely manner in good-faith negotiations to produce a report for consideration by the Council at its May meeting.
After it was clear that only a report, not an action, was required by May, there were only three negative votes, with one abstention. Allan Rosenblatt, who has headed the committee paving the way toward external credentialing, was presented with a certificate honoring his leadership.
After the lunch break, Otto Kernberg, president-elect of the IPA, spoke about the relevance of the IPA for members of The American. He noted that the structure of our representation in the IPA via The American, rather than directly with individual societies in the United States, erects a wall between members and the IPA. He was appreciative of the actions of Margolis in leading the way by taking down this “Chinese Wall,” allowing the IPA to freely contact our local societies, as they wished (see page 15).
Harvey Rich, chair of the Committee on Foundations, told the Council that there are now nineteen foundations or foundation-like organizations. Networking is active, and the twice yearly meetings are open to all who are interested. Rich believes psychoanalysis receives a better reception over the country than many think. He received confirmation of his proposal to appoint Donald Meyers, Sandra Walker, Robert Wallerstein, and Tami Margolis to the Board of the American Psychoanalytic Foundation.
Lee Brauer reported that for the first time his periodic survey of psychoanalytic practice in the United States has produced a meager response. Tony Kris said the length of the current survey might be responsible for the poor returns.
Ralph Roughton, chair of the Joint Committee on Issues on Homosexuality, reported on a two-hour meeting with the Executive Committee. He came away from the meeting with reassurance that the committee will be supported as an official committee of The American. The Council voted to make it a standing, rather than an ad hoc, committee.
Arthur Farley delivered his final report as chair of the Committee on Government Relations and Insurance. He is being replaced by Warren Procci, who has been cochair this past year. He thanked his committee members and recited a series of legislative successes achieved in conjunction with CPR.
Dan Buie, chair of the new Committee on Campaigns and Elections, proposed, and the Council approved, that the councilors-at-large become committee members. Among a number of items on their agenda will be the possible use of electronics for voting, restrictions on the role officers and past officers may play in campaigns and elections, and access to our publications during campaigns.
Maimon Leavitt, chair of the Council Membership Committee, reported that forty-one graduates of our societies became new, active members. The committee will request a modified form, for statistical purposes, after membership is instituted, and hope to direct efforts to outreach to potential members.
Elise Snyder, chair of the Fellowship Subcommittee, reported the selection and approval by the Council of twenty Fellows. Earlier, President Margolis had noted that the committee has created Freud T-shirts and fortune cookies containing analytic interpretations to help finance the Fellowship program.
Gerald Melchiode, who chairs the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Student Membership, reported that five societies have programs on student membership. This means that the overwhelming majority of societies do not have such programs, and he believes that some top-down decision is needed to broaden the programs.