MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes November 2017

Michigan League

Ann Arbor MI

November 19, 2017

9am – 10:30am

Present:   Sonya Freiband, David Freiband, Michael Rudy, Ralph Hutchison, Lisa Larson, Robert Hooberman, Debra Hutton, Karen Weber, Margaret Sweet

Secretary: D. Hutton

The minutes of the meeting of September 17, 2017 were unanimously approved.

President: S. Freiband thanked Lisa Larson and others for the successful Jonathan Shedler Conference. The consideration to switch to a different print company was discussed as the current print company did not send out the fall symposium brochure on time. A suggestion was made to ask the treasurer, Kerri Warren, to ask for an adjustment to the bill. The Spring Banquet will be in Ann Arbor this year. Debra Hutton volunteered to secure a space and organize the planning. The banquet will be the first Saturday in June, and Mediterrano was suggested as a venue.

President Elect: S. Freiband stressed the importance of filling this position to ensure continuity of leadership.

Education and Training: Peg Sweet informed the board that an ad-hoc group dedicated to reenergizing and recruiting for the training program had met. They formed to assess if MCPP has enough candidates to support the training program and enough analysts to teach the training program. One letter has been sent to certified analysts and another to the MCPP membership to “take the temperature” of each. A member of the MCPP community has approached Peg with the wish to raise the stipend for the instructors. At the present time, although MCPP would want to be able to compensate the faculty with a higher stipend, the current funds will not support the increase. The advantage to teaching is the potential increase in patients and community recognition that comes with being an instructor. Peg asked that the board be aware of the opportunity to support organization in Ann Arbor and Lansing who work on behalf of young women and girls who are victims of sexual slavery.

6. Programs: D Freiband announced that the speaker for May will be Jane Kessler. He reported that MCPP has purchased a sound system for $1,200. This purchase is prudent in that the rental of a sound system for the Fall Conference would have been $1,400. The topic of another Spring Symposium was discussed. The prevailing thought would be to have a case presentation that could then be discussed from three different theoretical perspectives. The fall symposium was also the discussed from the perspective that the speaker or topic will need to be a “big enough draw” to attract an attendance that can cover the cost of the symposium.

7. Treasurer: Kerri Warren was not present. Lisa Larson clarified that not all the Jonathan Shedler Conference expenses are listed in the current report.

Membership: Lisa Larson reported that membership renewal emails have been sent and that 12 members have renewed. The student fee structure was reviewed with the board supporting the decision to raise it from $15.00 to $25.00. The fee increase would go into effect for 2019 as the current fee structure has already been disseminated. Points considered in raising the fee: the low $15.00 fee indicates that the membership is not valuable, networking opportunities, support of an organization that is committed to sustaining the work and practice of psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy, resume builder. The concept of a mentorship program for students was discussed and supported.

Visiting Professor: Robert Hooberman reported that the visiting professor will be Tony Bass. The date of the lecture and dinner will be reported at a later date.

Continuing Education: R. Hutchison let the board know that he has submitted the past year’s educational materials to APA for review.

Candidate Representative: M. Rudy thanked Peg Sweet for her efforts to create a candidate training co-hort.

Meeting adjourned at 10:30am.

NOTES respectfully submitted by Debra Hutton, board secretary.

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