MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes September 2013

Michigan League

Ann Arbor, MI

September 15, 2013

Present:

MPC Board members: S. Freiband, R. Hutchison, D. Klein, A. Michael, M. Rudy, P. Wood, R. Liberman, C. Hockett , M. Atwell

Committee Chair: E. Toronto

Approval of agenda

1. The minutes of the meeting of June 2, 2013 were approved unanimously.

2. President – David Klein

Goals for his time as President were outlined:

(1) To grow the organization: increase membership and increase ingathering of clinicians from the community.  Membership has been steady at roughly 100 and Klein believes there is room to increase membership significantly.

(2) Recreate the PCD component (in part because it will be helpful to the first aim)

(3) Create a low fee supervision and mentorship program.  S Freiband is able to chair that committee starting in January 2014.

(4) Pursue 501(c)3 non-profit status for the organization

(5) Cultivate a positive and collaborative atmosphere and reach group and individual creative goals

Vacant Program positions to be filled:

 (1) VP Programs:  Adelson needed to step down.  Rivette agreed to continue in this role in through the Wachtel conference.

2) CEU chair. Atwell will continue to manage the CEU administration for this, her final, year (2013-14) but would like help with the staffing of the Sunday meeting table.  Agreed that this duty could be shared among willing volunteers.

3) Professional and Community Development chair.

4) Editor of the Bulletin of the Michigan Psychoanalytic Council.

Discussion of CEUs and duties involved. Wood clarified two distinct functions (one done by programs person, other administrative duties done by the CEU chair). 

Discussion of problem of recruiting members into these positions, especially the VP Programs.  Appreciation expressed for the substantial undertaking of all of the responsibilities of the Programs chair, and the need to restore a committee (4-5 members, ideally) to perform the multiple functions currently managed by Rivette.   It was generally agreed that forming committees or having co-chairs who can share responsibilities would likely help recruit willing volunteers for service.  Discussion of ways to break down the set of responsibilities for VP Programs.

Discussion of need for documentation of the specific responsibilities of all of the board positions.  Atwell has a list she will distribute to consolidate with a list Liberman has also drafted.  Klein will write up a plan for tasks of the VP Program Chair, and collaborate with S Freiband to move it forward. 

Wood volunteered to do “day of” activities for the Sunday meetings held in E Lansing (introduce speaker, make sure AV and food prep are in place), and Rudy volunteered to do the same for Sunday meetings held in Ann Arbor for this year.

3. President Elect – S. Freiband – no report

4. Past President  –  E. Waiess   not present

5. Membership:  J Boyer report (given by Klein)

Goals:  MPC has 94 current members.  Boyer aims to have n=100 by end of 2013, and n=105 by spring 2014.  Boyer is working on demographic form and renewal forms.  All members will be asked to update basic demographics/contact information.  For now, no memberships will be paid online – all dues will be paid via US mail. 

Question to board: Approve funds to host a new membership luncheon (n = 5).   Request approved, with new member lunch to be offered at the E Lansing event in October.   It is a minimal cost over our regular cost and fine to do so.

6. Treasurer -Michael Rudy

Old business:

non profit:  Rudy, in consultation with Carol Sewell (an estate planner/banker known to the Spindlers) encourages pursuing  501(c)3 status.  While the application is a lengthy procedure, it is viewed as worthwhile to move forward– estimate of $3000 in cost to pay someone to prepare the application and monitor the process through to completion.  

Discussion of the process of application and likelihood of success, history of the organization’s prior inquiries into the process and eligibility.  Rudy represents it as a high probability that MPC would gain non-profit status. 

Motion:  Board is asked to authorize up to $3000 to pursue consultation with an attorney and submission of the of 501(c)3 application.  Approved unanimously.

• Taxes – deadline soon, process is proceeding as expected..
• Shift to Charles Schwab is ongoing.  Freiband to also be named as back-up.
• Transition to PayPal is almost completed

New business:

Review of development fund: Modest downward trend.  Rudy withdrew $6k to buffer checking account, can now replace into fund.  Rudy will start diversifying the fund with approval from the board in order to attempt to earn higher returns. 8k taken out last year to cover certification and operations, fund increase covers all but 1k. 

Review of Operational cash flow year by year:  explanation of the graph.  Last year was less flush than the year prior.

Review of Library fund:  Discussion of options for use of this fund.  Helping subsidize Pepweb access for candidates continues to be an option.  Discussion of options for access and cost of Pepweb.  Wood aims to continue to bring books for sale at future Sunday meetings .

Review of Cash flow:   Majority of spending in 2 areas:  (a) locations for programs, (b) advertising for programs.   If advertising is not filling the venue, we need to think about options for spending that would positively effect “public relations” and the “brand” identification of MPC within the broader community as a premiere and contemporary place for psychoanalytic thinking.

Review of Networth: down 10k from peak. 

7. Education and Training –  Peter Wood

• His budget proposal will be sent via email, as well as a list of this years committee.
• Report on fall/year long courses:  2 are very successful – 8 people enrolled for the course on Freud’s papers ; the relational psychotherapy course is full (n=10), with many of the students being new to MPC.   Reviewed the relationship between taking courses and membership status:  fees are higher for non-members.
• Tasks:  No director of child or adult program at this time.  No new candidates for the past 3 years which creates issues of populating required courses and how to take care of candidates under circumstances of reduced enrollment.

8. Programs –  Michelle Rivette  not present/no report

9. Certification –Reena Liberman

• Processing one new application for an analyst new to the area. 
• Also a possible application from someone trained at MPI.  Discussion of MPC niche as more contemporary psychoanalysis.

9. Committee Reports

• Accreditation:   Karen Baker is willing to chair this committee

• Membership:  see previous report

• Elections – Marybeth Atwell    no report

• PCD:  No Report

• Bulletin:  David Klein:   Seeking new editor

• Website - Reena Liberman

Reports that revisions and updates have been successful.  Process has been tested and works well.

Small problems are being taken care of now.   Explorer had outdated issue that is also being taken care of now.   This was not seen to have affected membership registration.

Discussion raised by Hutchison of ways to upload videoclips of MPC people speaking briefly about relevant topics as a venue to affect public offerings and perception.   Question regarding how to make content decisions about what is most valuable to put on the site – Liberman wishes to have that be a board decision. 

Google checkout is closing down/ Paypal is the online vendor from now on.

Goal for upcoming year:  Membership directory can be printed directly from the website rather than distributed in paper.

The board expressed enormous appreciation for R Liberman’s indefatigable efforts on the web site.

• Social Action: no report
• : no report
• Newsletter:

$1o   Barb Gamble :  not present/no report.  Discussion that it is important to get the next edition out this fall.  Post to the website and email people to alert them to its appearance.  S Freiband will communicate this to B Gamble.

• Parliamentarian & Bylaws:  no report
• Strategic Planning:  no report

$1·       Bylaw Committee.  no report

$1·       Library Committee – no report      

10. New Business – Need to appoint Candidate representative to the Board  (Cynthia Hockett?)

The meeting was adjournedat 10:35 a.m..

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.