Privacy, democracy, and psychoanalytic science were the most important subjects discussed at the May meeting of the Executive Council in Chicago. Outgoing president Bob Pyles opened the day-long session by explaining that the national debate has shifted in recent months from a dispute over confidentiality to a struggle for privacy. This is good news. Confidentiality refers to the question of how personal information is handled after it is out of the individual's control. The insurance companies were saying, in effect, “Trust us.” The debate is now about privacy, the right of individuals not to release personal information at all. Credit for bringing about this shift goes to Jim Pyles, our lobbyist in Washington, D.C., to committee chairs Warren Procci, Howard Levine, and Glen Gabbard, and to an aroused public, which has demanded the attention of legislators.
Photo by Michael L. Flower
The American is moving toward real democracy. The Task Force on Education and Membership presented its preliminary report to Board and Council [see page 3 for details of the report]. If passed, this will be a major step forward toward including all our members on an equal basis, as well as toward protecting the Board's ability to carry out its educational functions. The only aspect of the report that received much discussion was giving candidates the vote. Generally, the feeling was in favor of this. It was pointed out that affiliate members have the same interest in preserving the organization as other members do. After further discussion in the societies, this constitutional change will be presented in Board and Council in December 2000. If it is approved by both bodies, then it will go to the membership for a vote.
The Council voted to accept the application of the “Psychoanalytic Society of the Berk-shires” for society status. Ed Shapiro, CEO of the Austen Riggs Center, is president of the fledgling society. Bob Pyles called the development of a new society and training site in the Berkshires “a very exciting opportunity for the American.”
Newell Fischer presented the treasurer's report, which was cautiously optimistic. Our 1999 budget was expected to balance, with roughly $2 million in income and an equal amount of expenses. In fact, we ended the year with a $300,000 surplus. This was due to greater-than-expected dues collection, a successful spring meeting in Washington, D.C., and continuing income from the self-publication of JAPA. Fischer reminded Council that vigilance over expenses will continue to be necessary, that we are a highly dues-dependent organization, and that our endowment, though growing, needs to be greatly increased if we are to achieve financial stability.
Allan Compton's task force presented the Omnibus Science Initiative, which was overwhelmingly adopted. The purpose of this initiative, which will not cost much money at present, is to inject a scientific point of view into the organization on many levels. A science advisor will be appointed to each of many bodies, e.g., the Executive Committee, TAP, Board and Council. The Committee on Scientific Activities will become a joint committee of Board and Council. It will be strengthened and given a mandate that goes beyond its present deliberative function to develop more of an action orientation. It was recommended that our national meetings include a poster section, as other scientific organizations do. The Board will be encouraged to help institutes include more research-oriented courses in analytic training programs. It was recommended that the organization embark on a national program to train a new cadre of psychoanalytic researchers and support them financially. This initiative establishes psychoanalytic science as an APsaA priority, and it recommends a number of avenues through which to realize this priority in the near future.
Much of each Council meeting involves reviewing the work of the many committees. Here are a few highlights.
Ralph Engle, the outgoing Ethics Committee Chair, presented his committee's revised proposed revision of Principles and Standards of Ethics for Psychoanalysts, the result of years of work. A final vote was postponed, however, at the request of Peter Blos, Jr., who asked that the guidelines be further revised to better reflect the realities of child analytic practice. It is expected these guidelines will come up for adoption in December 2000.
Judy Chertoff, outgoing chair of the Committee on Council, presented a proposed guideline that councilors serve at least six and not more that ten years, under ordinary circumstances. This will be discussed further. The Committee on Council was voted a standing committee, and Michael Gundle was elected to the chair by its members.
The Committee on Psychotherapist Associates was also made a standing committee, and its outgoing chair, Gail Trivedi, was thanked for her good work. The Committee on Issues of Homosexuality asked to change its name to the Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues, and this was approved. Mark Smaller, Chair of the Committee on Social Issues, presented a position statement deploring the recent upsurge of violence in the schools, noting especially the role of guns in this tragedy. After moving comments by Mary Ann Levy of Denver, who has worked actively with the students and teachers of Columbine High for the past year, this position statement was passed (see page 17).
Erik Gann announced that the new practice survey will be short and easy to complete. It will contain no questions on income. Council also
voted (1) to donate the American's archives to the Institute for the History of Psychiatry of Weill Medical College at Cornell University, which has agreed to preserve and catalog this material, and (2) to invite a non-voting observer to future Council meetings from the psychoanalytic societies of Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico.
Council nominated the following members as candidates for the position of councilor-at-large: John R. Macgregor, Paul W. Mosher, Richard A. Ruzumna, and Elise W. Snyder. Two will be elected by the membership in the fall. In further nominations, K. Lynn Moritz and Warren R. Procci were nominated to run in the fall for secretary of the Association. [Candidates' statements begin on page 25.] H. Gunther Perdigao was elected as our representative to the IPA House of Delegates. Todd Davison was elected to be our representative to the North American IPA Groups. Elected to the Exploratory Subcommittee of the Nominating Committee were Judith M. Chertoff and Stanley J. Coen. Lida Jeck and Marvin Starman were elected to the Committee on Council, and the following members were elected to the Editorial Board of JARA: Francis P. Baudry, Stuart T. Hauser, Dorothy E. Holmes, Judy C. Kantrowitz, Helen Meyers, and Howard Shevrin.
President Bob Pyles presented certificates of appreciation to the following officers and chairs completing their terms of office: Newell Fischer, treasurer; Donald Rosenblitt, Board chair; Robert Cummings, Board secretary; Judy Chertoff, Committee on Council; Ralph Engle, Ethics Committee; Warren R. Procci, Committee on Govt. Relations and Insurance; Gail Trivedi, Committee on Psychotherapist Associates; Melvin Bornstein, Committee on Societies; William Jeffrey, Newsletter Committee; Steven T. Levy, Committee on University and Medical Education; Prudy Leib, Fellowship Committee; Lee Shershow, Committee on New Psychoanalytic Centers; Homer Curtis, Committee on Russian-American Exchanges; Glen O. Gabbard, Committee on Confidentiality; and Sharon Zalusky, Committee on Outreach for Scientific and Educational Programs. The Distinguished Service Award was presented to William Jeffrey for a long and successful tenure as editor of TAP.
Pyles was pleased to announce special recognition for the following individuals: Joseph Masling, honorary membership; Paul Gray, Distinguished Contributions to Psychoanalytic Education Award; Malkah T. Notman, Traveling Woman Psychoanalyst Scholar Award; Karen Beyer (of Jaffa v. Redmond), Presidential Award; and Arnold Goldberg, JAPA Prize. Karen Shore and Drew Westen, who were voted in as honorary members, will be given certificates at the December meeting.
As the meeting drew to a close, outgoing president Pyles was also given a certificate of appreciation. In return he presented his personal version of Gen. Robert E. Lee's farewell address, which was, in essence, “I really love this job!” His address was considerably shorter than General Lee's, and just as moving. It was received with a standing ovation and gratitude no less than that given to the great general.