The atmosphere at the January meeting of the Executive Council was one of reconciliation.
Paul Brinich began his report saying that in our APsaA political scene of the past two years, polarization had too often obscured commonly held ideals and goals. Representing a wide range of opinion regarding governance, the five members of the Compliance Task Force (CTF) had worked well together because they saw value in what they were doing for the Association. In closing his introduction, Brinich said, “We hope that, if our work turns out to have been meaningful, those who take our work another step down the road will keep our commonly held ideals and goals front and center.” Thus, he set the stage and provided an example for the discussion that followed, much of which was a continuation of the work of the CTF.
A common goal in the Council meeting seemed to be a search for peace and patient collaboration. Almost every councilor who spoke expressed appreciation and relief for this welcome change.
A common goal in the Council meeting seemed to be a search for peace and patient collaboration. Almost every councilor who spoke expressed appreciation and relief for this welcome change.
Lynne Moritz, president, reported on a very recent consultation she had undertaken, along with the BOPS chair, Eric Nuetzel, with attorney Victoria Bjorklund. The motivation for the consultation had come from a question that had been stirred by the CTF report. Was the organization in fact functioning legally in relation to BOPS? Our previous understanding from consultations with Bjorklund had been that our present structure might be illegal in the sense that it might be out of compliance with New York State not-for-profit law.
In fact, the Council has been appropriately discharging its oversight duties by receiving the BOPS report. When the Council receives the BOPS report, it conveys its confidence in BOPS to fulfill its duties. Nuetzel said, “We appreciate that confidence and we would like it to continue.”
Some councilors spoke about the need for that confidence to be extended to the Council. In the words of one councilor, Lila Kalinich, “It's very easy to interpret a reception of an action by BOPS or any other committee as passivity. As you know the Council has been criticized for its ‘passivity, its ‘inaction’…when actually the [Council] has been in a position of relative trust.”
Nuetzel expressed agreement with Kalinich and noted that the Council may have felt it had to passively receive the BOPS report in the past. He emphasized that BOPS welcomes a more vigorous discussion of the issues that arise.
Moritz explained that the board of directors (BoD) has the authority, as a business decision, to delegate all standards setting, accrediting, and certifying functions to BOPS, as set out in our bylaws. These delegated duties and functions must be carried out in a fair and consistent manner and must never discriminate on the basis of race, gender, national origin, creed, age, or sexual orientation.
Sandra Walker requested that the Council address the method by which councilors are selected by their local societies. She said that, while all APsaA members are direct members, most councilors are not directly elected by the membership. Each society has its own method for selecting their councilor. Many of these methods disenfranchise some members.
Ralph Fishkin, chair of the Committee on Council, reported that the committee holds an orientation for new councilors the Wednesday evening prior to the meeting of the Executive Council. At this meeting there were six new councilors and alternates present. He said if there were other councilors or alternates who were not informed about the meeting and would like to attend, to let him know and he would invite them to the next orientation meeting in Denver.
Julio Calderon, the outgoing president of the Affiliate Council, said that candidates are now participating at all levels of the Association and their contributions are highly regarded. He thanked the APsaA leadership, the Council, and all members of the Association for the opportunity they had provided for candidates. Calderon received a round of applause in appreciation for his service.
Jane Currin Walvoord, L.C.S.W., is a graduate of the Dallas Psychoanalytic Institute and TAP's senior correspondent.