MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes March 2015

University Club

East Lansing, MI

March 15, 2015

9am – 10:30am

Present:   David Klein, Reena Liberman, Michael Rudy, Sonya Freiband, Peter Wood, Alice Michael, Marilyn Frye, Cynthia Hockett, Ralph Hutchison, Maryanne Beltzman

1.  Secretary:  A. Michael 

The minutes of the meeting of February 15, 2015 were approved.

2. President:  D. Klein 

3 items:

• By-law review:  if any board member has anything to be reviewed, please raise it now so that A. Brickman can begin the review process.  
• Administrative secretary:  Clarified process of contacting the interested person for the job.
• State of the organization:  Klein proposed using as much time as possible at the end of the meeting to frame a discussion about the state of the organization

3.  President Elect: S. Freiband

- Access Program update:  there is an additional person in the supervision program now (5 total).  Process of getting checks to the supervisors has been cumbersome.  Question of how to streamline this process and make payments quickly to supervisors.   Clarified which account should be drawn from, and options for streamlining payment process. 

- Raised her ongoing interest in having a newly crafted history section on the website.  Wood volunteered to revise and refine the historical essay (making use of those already supplied by founders) to include on the website.

- 501(c)3:  Raised a question about auditing/forms associated with the non-profit foundation.  Lieberman clarification that we are on track with the process of managing the status and necessary paperwork.

- Spoke briefly to the process of organizational growth and transition and waning volunteerism as a expectable development at this stage of the organization.

- Access program ideas:  Related a conversation with a new clinician who would welcome additional supports, such as group supervision for beginning clinicians.  Brainstormed various ideas of offerings within the Access program, such as a case presentation monthly meeting for supervisees, or invitation to other professionals who are not supervised within Access but who want an experience of psychoanalytic ways of working.

- Board membership: Actively working to recruit people to run for election. Someone has indicated interest (perhaps as VP Programs).  We need to think about covering functions within the organization if we have a small board. 

4. Past President:  B Waiess   (not present)

5. Education and Training:  Peter Wood 

• Reviewed the current state of the training program:  all courses but one have run.  Most robust are the year long courses:  Relational, continuing case conference, ethics and ST dynamic therapy.  The dreams course did not run.
• Plans for next year:  reported from the last committee meeting on course offerings.  May run an Introduction to psychodynamic therapies (possibly in both AA and EL).  Considering offering another ST dynamic therapy course.   Will continue a discussion with Maria Slowiaczek re: future of the relational course offerings.  The relational course is drawing from a broader and younger group.  Ongoing questions of how the relational course fits within MPC, and the training program in particular.  
• Possible that we could offer another ethics course next year, but rotation may be more like once every 3 year cycle  (corresponding with the SW credentialing cycle).  Frye believes course will fill up and sustain itself next session.  
• Checking with analysts to generate course offerings for next year. Frye is interested in organizing small reading groups that are relatively informal.  Several board members expressed interest in these.   It was suggested to post this idea on the website  & email lists to give everyone an opportunity to make use of this format to suggest their own short term groups convened around a book or time limited topic.
• Long term vision of the E&T program:  question of what we are if not a training organization for the near future.   Noted a current feeling of being adrift, and the wish to formulate a new vision.  Ideas: MPSS model of offering periodic short courses; training program that focus on self/relational models of psychoanalytic thinking.  One interested candidate waiting for a cohort to begin training.  
• Wood shared a recent very positive experience speaking at an MSU course about psychoanalysis.  Wood detailed the experience of broad overview, history of ST psychoanalytic treatment and 30 minute “live demonstration”.   He noted the power of the opportunity, and the importance of personal contact with students and new potential members.  Wood will distribute a list of his references and resources from the talk.

6. Programs: Cynthia Hockett    

• East Lansing program:  Tennebush will give a paper in the winter, other EL spots  (October and May) are currently open.   Atwell has a short paper on animal abuse that could potentially be part of a panel.  Wood offered to do a talk on ethics.  Frye will check with  colleagues who may have complimentary papers.   Question of whether it is possible to hold a larger conference in October – general consensus is that it is best to plan for 2016.
• No alternate venues in EL have been identified – discussed options & Frye will consult with Atwood to pursue other options.
• Options being explored for AA:  library not open until noon.  St Joes may be at option.  
• Psychologists will need to have CEUs starting in the next licensing cycle – so MPC should position itself to fill that niche, there were questions about administrative tasks involved.  

7.  Treasurer:  M Rudy 

• Rudy reports on some specific bank charges, including paypal fees.
• Networth and Transaction reports:  nothing notable to report
• Funds transmittal report:  Reviewed transactional report with Lisa Larson.   Continued clarification that people who are teaching or supervising need to be MPC members and analysts.   Freiband will discuss with Larson. Wood will follow up with those who are teachers, Freiband will follow up with supervisors.  

8. Certification:  Liberman      no report.

9.  Candidate Representative:  Rudy     no report

10.  Committee Reports:

501(c)3: Reena Liberman  

• Proposes a transfer funds into the 503(c)3 to pay for the access program  (roughly $500 a month).  Hutchison raised the question of formal policy statement from the foundation for review by the MPC board.  General discussion to clarify the complimentary but distinct goals of each organization and the importance of protocol for the flow of information and funds between the two. 
• It was suggested that there is some importance of having foundation activity now to demonstrate its vitality.  
• Discussion of access and transfer of the Cunningham fund to the foundation.
• Wood motions “to transfer the entirety of the Cunningham library funds to the MPC foundation for the purpose of funding the Access program.”  Hockett seconds the motion.  Motion passed. 
• Operations fund will be reimbursed for monies paid to the Access program to date.

Membership: Lisa Larson (not present, submitted memo to D Klein, outlined  in New Business below)

62 renewals to date (10% from retired members).

Visiting Professor: Robert Hooberman (not present)

Ken Corbett will speak this Thursday, March 19th.  Details are confirmed, P Wood will stand in for Hooberman who is unable to attend.

Professional and Community Development: (vacant)

Website: Reena Liberman

Discussion of the cost of website maintenance.  As the website takes on more robust tasks within the organization, the cost is growing.  Liberman is asking for $800 to add to the website fund for ongoing maintenance.  Motion made to transfer $800 to the account.  Passed unanimously.  

Elections: Marybeth Atwell 

CEUs: Marybeth Atwell (interim) 

Accreditation: Karen Baker

Registrar: Rebecca Hatton

Bulletin: Diane Burgermeister

Newsletter: vacant

Gender and Diversity: Ellen Toronto

Parliamentarian and Bylaws: Elizabeth Waiess

Ombudsperson: Lynne Tenbusch

MPC Members-At-Large:  

MaryAnne Beltzman.  Beltzman offered her interest in tasks to take on within the organization.

Marybeth Atwell  .  

Marilyn Frye  Robert Hooberman

Ralph Hutchison  Lisa Larson 

Old Business/ New Business:

Future of the organization:

Liberman noted that the website advertises a training program that is not currently running.  Discussed ways to reach out to the organization to get volunteers without conveying a sense of diminishing organizational vitality.  

Freiband offered the perspective that we have a training program structure, we just need candidates.   She stands by continuing to advertise the program on the website.  

Rudy offered that the “function of leadership is to generate a view of the future such that other people see their own futures in it.”  Crucial to imagine a future of the organization that others can subscribe to.

Beltzman:  Offered ideas about ways to advertise: the AA Observer; presentations at the AA library – noted the importance of finding multiple ways to get MPC into public eye.  

Larson (not present, ideas submitted in writing to D Klein):

1. classes/workshops MPC could offer to the a broader community – directed towards a student audience or clinicians less familiar with psychoanalytic thinking.  Board members are encouraged to solicit ideas and opportunities with other members to recruit volunteers for these talks.
2. Newsletter:  L Larson would like to assemble a committee to set a timeline and structure.
3. Developing an up to date contact list of local graduate programs to stay abreast of opportunities to present as guest lecturers or at other related events. 

Meeting adjourned at 10:30am.  

Minutes respectfully submitted by Alice Michael, 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.