Jon Meyer, Lynne Moritz, Eric Nuetzel, and Beth Seelig sent a letter to the New York State Department of Education asking that APsaA be recognized as a registering, certifying, and accrediting body under the new New York licensing law.
Dean Stein recommended that a committee be formed to plan a celebration for APsaA's100th anniversary, which will occur in 2011. He envisions a multi-faceted publicity campaign, emphasizing the contributions of the profession over the past century. The Executive Committee endorsed the plan and the formation of a planning committee.
Because it will not be possible to hold the annual meeting in May 2006 in Atlanta, nor in Toronto in May 2007, when the American Psychiatric Association is meeting, the Executive Committee reiterated the decision to continue to hold annual meetings in June.
Warren Procci announced that suggestions for nominations for the Sigourney Award are now welcome. This year's awards will be granted to individuals from areas outside North America and Europe. The Sigourney Committee is also seeking judges who will consider the nominations.
Both Marvin Margolis, chair of the Ethics Committee, and Cal Narcisi, chair and founder of the Committee on Child and Adolescent Psychoanalysis, have completed their terms. Jon Meyer, APsaA president, thanked both for their consistent dedication and service to the Association.
Discussion of the proposals of the TFEMC focused on the issues of equivalency determination based on training requirements and letters of sponsorship rather than demonstrations of clinical competence. Richard Lightbody expressed a concern that the letters could be perfunctory. He suggested, in order to make the letters more credible, that they be required from analysts with a heightened fiduciary responsibility on a national level, such as an executive councilor or a fellow of BOPS, who has knowledge of the applicant's work, character, and level of ethical functioning.
Harriet Wolfe responded, saying that the TFEMC preferred letters from someone active on the local level because the members of the task force felt this would provide a richer sense of the contributions of the applicant to psychoanalysis. The TFEMC feels the procedures for determining equivalency should be as transparent and user friendly as possible. Also, in trying to include individuals who have trained in unusual ways, those at the local level will know more about these ways than someone on the national level. The guidelines will be based on the model of the Association for Child Psychoanalysis and will be specific.
Glenn Gabbard and Stanley Coen, speaking for the Program Committee, requested authorization from the Council for APsaA to investigate the possibility of unrestricted grants from pharmaceutical companies to help fund innovative programs in the Association. A lively discussion highlighted the need to consider both sides of the issue and to educate the membership. A motion was made to authorize the Executive Council and the executive director to explore the issue with the caveat that no arrangements to accept funding would be made without authorization from the Council. The motion passed by a vote of 34 to 6 with 2 absentions.
The motion to accept the MRRC's bylaw amendment proposal, making IPA graduates as well as IPA members automatically eligible for membership passed unanimously. The second proposal to change the designation of Academic Associate to Academic Member received stimulating debate. Eric Nuetzel, BOPS chair, explained that BOPS had not voted substantively on the proposal, but had voted to table the motion for an advisory opinion, reserving the Board's prerogative to offer an opinion after the Council had taken action on the issue. The Council's motion to adopt the proposal did not receive the necessary two-thirds majority vote. The proposal was referred back to the MRRC for further consideration.
Robert Galatzer-Levy reported that the TFOR is working out the location of educational functions in the organization.
Regarding the board of directors, the task force has been trying to integrate two central views, efficiency vs. adequate representation and protection of representation. Another concern has been the role of officers. Since officers have a difficult task, there have been a limited number of people willing to take on the responsibility. The task force has been attempting to create positions that are more workable. [See “Task Force on Reorganization Proposes New Model for BOPS,” page 28]
In introducing the discussion on the proposed bylaw amendment on certification and local option, Jon Meyer reminded the Council that the proposal was a petition bylaw amendment. It was written in bylaw language and the Council was not free to modify it or stop it from going forward. The question before Council was whether the Council recommended adoption by the membership.
The motion to approve the amendment proposal was defeated, by a vote of 18 in favor, 22 opposed, with no abstentions.
Jane Currin Walvoord, M.S.S.W., who is a member of the TAP editorial board, is a graduate of Columbia University School of Social Work and The Dallas Psychoanalytic Institute. She is also past president of the Affiliate Council.