MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes May 2012

University Club, East Lansing, MI

May 20, 2012

Present: MPC Board members: Marybeth Atwell, David Freiband, Sonya Freiband, Marilyn Frye, Ralph Hutchison, David Klein, Murray Meisels, Laura Pierce, Michele Rivette, Michael Rudy, Elizabeth Waiess, Peter Wood. Members: Janet Robinson.

1. The minutes of the meeting of March, 17, 2012, corrected, were approved unanimously.

2. Treasurer -Michael Rudy

• The financial situation is stable.
• Query about paying for MPC’s membership in the International Forum for Psychoanalytic Education and the Association of Independent Psychoanalytic Institutes. Short discussion led to consensus that we will continue these memberships.
• Responding to a question by Waiess: It could be useful to have end-of-year budget reports from the committees, but it is not needed for, e.g., tax purposes.

3. President - Elizabeth Waiess

• Ralph Hutchison and Marybeth Atwell were elected members at large. The voting turnout was good.
• All bylaw proposals passed.
• Use of the library funds. Atwell moved and Pierce seconded that we to use Ann Cunningham Library Fund to purchase student memberships in AAPCSW in order to purchase PEP subscriptions for all active candidates. Discussion of how much this would cost, given the number of years people are candidates. Meisels moved to call the question. This motion was passed by a vote of 7 – 4. The main motion was passed unanimously. Woods moved that the purchase of memberships for candidates be restricted to a period of two years for each candidate. Pierce seconded. After discussion of costs and alternatives, Wood indicated he would take it as a friendly amendment, that the payments be restricted to five years. The amended motion passed unanimously.
• Information item: Wood and Lepisto have been discussing the child analyst program, and Lepisto would like the May meetings to be reserved for the child program, beginning May of 2014.
• The gavel is handed to Klein. Waiess moved, there was a 2nd, that the May meetings be reserved for the child program, beginning May of 2014. Rivette, the program chair was asked for input. Rivette questioned why the commitment would be restricted to May. Wood: there may be other meetings with this focus, but having a tradition and expectation of this sort helps to shift our sense of ourselves as a cultures, away from an almost exclusive adult psychoanalysis focus, to the support of psychotherapy and child analysis. Rivette noted that we already have more people asking to present than we have spaces for. The question was called. The motion was passed unanimously.

4. Past President – Murray Meisels

• Report on accreditation:

o      There is no one body that accredits psychoanalytic training institutes. Most training institutes are not accredited by anyone. There is no pressure for accreditation of psychoanalytic institutes. There is an American Board of Accreditation in Psychoanalysis (ABAP), and a National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (ACPE). Hutchison adds: ACPE has quite rigid and numerous standards, including requirements not very suitable for us. ABAP’s standards are less numerous and less rigid, it is more of a collegial operation.

o      S. Freiband: why bother? perhaps it might help attract candidates.

o      Meisels checked all the institutes and found they are doing just what we are doing: still a focus on intensive adult psychoanalysis, but they are all doing psychotherapy programs, child programs, outreach, and so on.

o      Rivette: Our reputation is that we accept anyone who applies and it’s a pretty easy thing to get through. An accredited institute that does not accept every application would develop legitimation and a better reputation. Both of the organizations in question here have standards, and visitation to find out what we are doing.

o      Wood: The ABAP application process would require that we demonstrate that we meet their requirements, but we wouldn’t have to change ourselves to meet them. It could be worthwhile to add accreditation to our brochure.

o      Meisels, Pierce, Hutchison and Wood were appointed as a committee to look into this; they may ask for speakers from these organizations to visit a board meeting in the fall.

5. President Elect – no report

6. Education and Training – Peter Wood

• Wood’s report was circulated to the board. Also, list of courses set for next year. Move on to discuss the summer retreat.
• Atwell: The idea of a summer retreat started as an idea for a summer institute to talk about psychoanalys; then we started thinking about a retreat to think about group vision/purposes (perhaps at a Quaker center near Chelsea), looking at the issues of where the organization is going. We might do a survey about dates people could come, interest, and topics. Issues: should it be called a forum, not a retreat? Who does this invitation go out to? We need more discussion about how to do this. Rudy notes that this is about strategic planning, so we might call it “Strategic Planning Forum.”
• Atwell moved that we allocate $500 toward this gathering. It was seconded and passed unanimously.
• Thanks to Marybeth for working on this.

7. Programs – Michelle Rivette

Rivette presented the proposed budget for fall conference. Expenses: $13,525. The committee moved to accept this expense budget. The motion was amended to include specification of registration fees for the conference: basic fee: $150; for candidates $75; for student $40. The motion to amend was seconded and approved. The main motion was approved, unanimously.

June Banquet (D. Freiband). Project 40 people. About 30 being paid guests, then we have to put out totally of $2475.   Many thanks to David for his work on this.

8. Certification – Sonya Freiband

Marybeth Atwell has met all certification requirements. S. Freiband moved approval of her as an MPC adult analyst. Seconded. Passed unanimously.

9. Committee Reports

• Membership: Janet Robinson

o    Janet Robinson will serve as membership chair temporarily. Permanent appointment will be made in the fall. Thanks to Laura Pierce for her work as membership chair.

o    Reported cost of directory:   $1175.00

• PCD: R. Hutchison

The committee report was circulated by e-mail. We need more connections with specific people who can put word out on group or institution e-mail lists. Wood: we have to do more and more advertising.   Constant emailing. Use summer forum to think about this.   PCD needs to coordinated with training and with programs. Discussion of possibilities.

• Bulletin: no report
• Website: no report
• Social Action: no report
• Gender & Diversity: no report
• Newsletter: no report
• Parliamentarian & Bylaws: no report
• Strategic Planning: no report
• Elections: No report.
• Bylaw Committee. no report
• Library Committee: no report

10. New Business - none

The meeting was adjournedat 10:40 a.m.

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.