MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes September 2012

University Club
East Lansing, MI
September 16, 2012

 

Present, MPC  Board members: M. Atwell, D. Freiband, S. Freiband, M. Frye, R. Hatton, R. Hutchison, L. Pierce, M. Rivette, M. Rudy, E. Waiess, P. Wood.  Past President: M. Meisels.  Members: J. Rahn, J. Robinson.

 

1. Wood moved, Pierce 2nd: Rebecca Hatton will replace Maria Slowiaczek on Board, the term ending in 2014.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

2. The minutes of the meeting of May 20, 2012 were approved unanimously.

 

3. Treasurer -Michael Rudy

• Overall, stable; assets are down slightly, a normal cycle; conference fees have started coming in.
• Projected budget: bottom line expenses $29,920, income $23,605.  About 6K deficit.  Discussion of implications of the shortfall.
• Treasurer recommends revisiting where our investments are, and diversifying them.
• The budget for 2012-13 was approved unanimously.

 

4. President - Elizabeth Waiess

1. Motions passed by e-mail over the summer:

• S. Freiband moved, Pierce seconded: MPC treasurer be tasked to explore the possibility of MPC acquiring 501.3 tax status. The motion passed unanimously.
• Pierce moved…MPC donate to UoM comprehensive cancer center and send flowers to Jean Apperson. Passed unanimously.

2. Regarding the June Retreat, a location is needed. Waiess will explore using the Henry Center.  Rudy suggests a Marriot conference center in Ypsi.  S. Freiband will check the Maumi place we used 2 yrs ago.   Assume 30 people.  Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday until noon.

3. We will repeat the three-year self-study this year, utlilizing the 2011 study.

 

5. Past President –  Murray Meisels

• Comments on organizational issues: relatively few members are taking on much of the work. We need to attend to how to tighten communication, coordination. Courses not getting sufficient enrollment. These matters might be addressed at the retreat.
• Introduced the report by Hutchison of the committee on accreditation. Meisels acknowledged Hutchison’s extensive work on this; the Board expressed its appreciation.

 

The report: The committee favors seeking accreditation, and recommends that it be sought with ABAP. The following considerations were adduced by the committee and in the subsequent discussion:

o  The accreditation process might  present us with either satisfying requirements that are not compatible with our mission and identity or involve us in time-consuming and challenging negotiations with the accrediting agent to modify such requirements.

o  The ABAP’s Code of Good Conduct appears to be congruent with our mission and identity. ABAP’s process might require some new policies, some more standard reports, some articulation of short- and long-term objectives, but apparently not any bylaw changes.

o  Possible benefits of accreditation to the organization: lends credibility to what we offer as a training institute (we are “alternative” or “the other” institute, but not fly-by-night, not lacking standards); this might contribute to gaining more members and trainees. Also: accreditation affiliates us in a network of training institutes and other such groups, where we find out what they do and get new ideas.

o  There are questions about which accrediting institution is more prestigious, in whose eyes, and how much that matters, in what ways. Similarly what accrediting institutions are more exclusive or inclusive, and how that relates to prestige. Opinions about this were shared.

o  ABAP is part of the  network of accreditation institutions for higher education.

o  The organization can also get accreditation from other accrediting agencies, if that seems appropriate.

 

• The committee recommends that MPC apply for affiliate status with ABAP. This motion was amended to taking the application for affiliate status to be a first step to getting full accreditation by ABAP, with the fees to be paid for from the Development Fund. The motion was seconded by S. Freiband. The motion was passed unanimously.

 

 

6. President Elect – David Klein   no report

 

7. Programs – Michelle Rivette

• Dr. Wachtel is ill and cannot participate in the October conference. He will do it in the spring if he can.  We will cancel the conference and take care of the related business such as publicity and refunding the registration fees to those who have already paid. cancel.
• Next year conference will feature Fran Waters.
• Rudy offers, and the board accepts, that he will do a presentation on the financial dimensions of a psychotherapist/psychoanalyst practice. Meisels moved, Hutchison seconded, that we offer this presentation on October 21 at the University Club in East Lansing. The motion was passed unanimously.

 

8. Education and Training –  Peter Wood

• Wood reported two outputs of the August informal meeting of a number of board members

o  More people need to be taking on more tasks, especially outreach tasks.

o  Need more guidance/expertise, from someone about marketing, etc.  Hold in abeyance now.

• Motion to approve Laura Pierce’s admission to candidacy in the psychoanalytic psychology program.  Approved unanimously.

 

9. Certification – Sonya Freiband

 

10. Committee Reports

 

• Membership:  Robinson. Starting to send out questionnaires for the new directory

 

• Elections – Marybeth Atwell

This is our election cycle year. We will take it up next month.

 

• PCD:  No Report
• Bulletin:  David Klein. No report.
• Website - Rena Liberman. No report.
• Social Action: Ellen Toronto. No report.
• Gender  & Diversity: No report.
• Newsletter: Barb Gamble.  No report.
• Parliamentarian & Bylaws:  No report.
• Strategic Planning:  No report.
• Bylaw Committee.  No report.
• Library Committee:  No report.
• 2012 banquet outcome: D. Freiband:  The organization had to pay about $2K.

 

11. New Business - none

 

The meeting was adjourned.  10:38.

 

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.