MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes April 2013

Providence Hospital

Southfield, MI, 2012

April 17, 2013

Present, MPC  Board members:,  M. Atwell, D. Freiband, S. Freiband, M. Frye, R. Hatton, R. Hutchison, M. Rudy,  E. Waiess.  P. Wood. Past President: M. Meisels. President Elect: D. Klein. Members: Janet Boyer.

1. The minutes of the meeting of March  17, 2013 were approved unanimously.

2. Treasurer -Michael Rudy

• Our checking account: just under $10,000. (We borrowed from the development fund.)  We’re finishing up with membership.  We have to pay attention.  Low class income, otherwise mostly an expenses issue.  The big expense is repair of the website.  The Board reviewed upcoming expenses.
• Rudy will do more analysis for the upcoming retreat.

3. President - Elizabeth Waiess  (no report)

4. Past President  –  Murray Meisels  

• Accreditation. Hutchison reports that the committee is continuing to work. It is negotiating issues and composing what will be presented at the discussion during the retreat.  The committee has been working very well, and their work will be helpful. Input from the members will go in to decisions about what the next action will be.

5. President Elect – David Klein 

• Klein informed the board that Jim Hansell, MPI analysts died recently.

6. Education and Training –  Peter Wood

• Making sure that candidates still in process are served by what’s offered next year.  Paring down to only what those folks need, and courses that would  attract others.  Plus electives:  Homosexuality; Philosophical/Spirituality issues connected with Psychoanalysis.

• Wood reported that we haven’t  had a new candidate apply in the last three years. So, are we in a hiatus, and then will pick it up again?  It was suggested that the criteria for admission to candidacy might be reviewed.

7. Programs –  Michelle Rivette

• Discussion of whether to continue meeting in Southfield. No conclusion was reached.
• Discussion of the 2013-14 program.

Background:

$1o   Paul Wachtel was scheduled for the fall conference last fall but had to cancel. At that time it was agreed that he would come sometime in ’13-14 if his health permitted. Now his fall ‘13 schedule has gelled and he can come for a November 9 conference. In the run-up to last fall’s conference the participant reservations were very substantial and a very successful conference was foreseen.

$1o   During 2012-13 communications were undertaken with Fran Waters about her coming as the presenter at an MPC conference and/or extended master class of some kind, with a focus on child psychotherapy. That conversation included the possibility of her coming for the Fall 2013 annual MPC conference.

$1o   The Board discussed the pros and cons of proceeding to schedule Wachtel for the fall conference or following up with Waters for the fall conference, and the alternatives there might be for ensuring that both of these people come for significant engagements with PC in 2013-14. Among the suggestions: a spring child therapy/analysis event in East Lansing, perhaps at Kellogg Center, with some kind of cooperation with the MSU School of Social Work. Included was discussion of the support, in general, of the child psychoanalysis program. It was noted that the May meeting is already supposed to be dedicated to child psychotherapy, and we could expand on that. (The Board does not vote on the content of MPC programs; that determination is within the brief of the Program Chair and committee.)

$1·       Rudy moved and Wood seconded: The board supports both the child and the adult programs of the organization by funding two events this coming year, one with Wachtel presenting at the fall conference, and one with Waters to be scheduled sometime in 2014. The motion passed, 22 ayes and 1 nay.

8. Certification – Sonya Freiband   No report

9. Committee Reports

• Membership:  Boyer

• The committee that is working on redefining membership categories and connected fees will work over the summer and make a proposal in the fall.  For the present directory, the existing language about categories will be included.
• Membership now:  95 paid members. The results of this election will be in latest directory.
• Boyer and Rahn are working to find a least-expensive way to publish a directory.

• Elections – Marybeth Atwell 

• Following up the Board’s earlier e-mail approval of electronic voting in the uncontested 2013 board election, Wood moved that 2013 elections be done electronically. S. Freiband seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
• Atwell: the committee used Survey Monkey for the 2013 election and got a good response. Although this website does prevent individuals from voting more than once, it is probably otherwise not sufficiently secure to continue using for electronic voting. The committee will seek a secure mode of on-line voting.
• Atwell expressed thanks to Klein for his help in getting a good roster of candidates.

$1o   Wood moved that the Board propose the following change in the organization’s bylaws [added text in uppercase]:

Article VIII – Elections

Terms of office shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall conduct elections by issuing a call for nominations, by postal and/or electronic mail, by the Fall prior to an impending vacancy. The membership then shall be given 30 days to reply. The committee shall mail SEND election ballots, BY POSTAL AND/OR ELECTRONIC MAIL, in January of the year of the impending vacancy, with the membership given 30 days to reply.

The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. The proposal will be sent to the membership for ratification by electronic mail (with postal mail sent to members who do not use electronic mail).

• PCD:  
• Bulletin:  David Klein no report                            
• Website -  No report
• Social Action: no report
• : no report
• Newsletter: no report
• Parliamentarian & Bylaws:  no report
• Strategic Planning:  no report

$1·       Library: 

$1o   Wood is holding two library collections.  The material pertaining to child analysis has been given to Brenda Lepisto to be taken to relevant meetings.       

$1o   Wood proposes sorting books and bringing to each meeting the books that are germane to each meeting, and selling them.  The proposal was accepted. Rudy and Waiess offered to help sort and carry books.

$1·       Retreat.   

The committee members are S. Freiband, Cynthia Hockett and Atwell. It will be held at the University Club in East Lansing.  Considering members’ travel time and the organization’s expenses, the committee proposes that this be a one-day retreat, concluded by a dinner at Atwell’s home. It is projected that this will be funded by a conference fee of $75 for members, $50 for candidates. The Sunday board meeting will then be in Ann Arbor at the home of Sonya and David Freiband.

      Agenda for retreat:   focus a good deal on self-study exercise, following the report of the committee on accreditation.  Work groups in the morning; in the afternoon, consider accreditation and devise proposals. A report from the accreditation committee may be sent out in advance.  

$1·                Bylaw Committee.  Art Brickman.  No Report  

$1·                Library Committee – Kay Sorrell         No report

10. New Business - none

Minutes respectfully submitted by Marilyn Frye, board secretary.

Note:  it is MPC policy that Board meetings are open to all MPC members.  Priority is given to Board members to address issues, but all MPC members may speak at meetings, time permitting.