Board Meeting Minutes  MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes January 22, 2023

Minutes January 22, 2023

Virtual Meeting via Zoom Conferencing

9am – 10:30am

Present: David Freiband, Jerry Brandell, Elizabeth Waiess, Eve Avrin, Karen Weber, Linda Young, Lisa Larson, Tamra Frei, Michele Rivette, Shil Sengupta

President: D. Freiband

President

Minor revisions were suggested for September and November 2022 Meeting

Minutes. Freiband made the motion to accept revised September minutes. Young

seconded the motion. Board approved unanimously. Freiband made motion to accept November minutes. Brandell seconded this

motion.

Freiband made motion to approve Weber to be one of the representatives on

the Schwab account (along with Freiband). Weiss seconds the motion. All

approve.

Treasurer

Total net worth: $87,012.00. Increase of $9000 due primarily to membership

renewal.

Avrin inquired why PayPal account was still needed to remain open (currently

holding $500). Weber explained that this account is tied to the Lovinger

foundation that grants funding for the Access program.

Vice President of Programs

Secured venues for in person meetings throughout upcoming academic year:

primarily at the Michigan Union and the Michigan League. Checked on AV: will allow us to have hybrid session: so virtual speaker and/or

audience will be allowed to be projected on the screen so that audience in

the room can see them. Elaborated that virtual audience will be able to see the speaker. However,

Virtual audience will not be able to see individuals in the audience raising

their hands.  Freiband reported that the selection of speakers is in process (representing a

broad range of topics)—he has a list of 54 people prospective speakers he is winnowing down based on mutual interest between the organization and

these individuals.

Membership 

Young emphasized that many people attending conference on this day were non-members: she elaborated that this is a great possibility to recruit additional members to join MCPP.

Young and Larson discussed plan of sending out the letter imminently (end of

current week) to members and non-members, inviting them to join the

organization or renew their membership.

Young plans on sending out another reminder letter in approximately one

month for membership renewal to those individuals who specifically have yet

to renew their membership.

Website

No updates

Social Work CEs

No updates

Social Media

 Freiband detailed discussion with Frei, Rivette, and Faulkner regarding the use of social media, particularly to draw people to MCPP.

 Rivette inquired what the goal would be in having a larger social media presence (given the logistics that would be required in moderating one or

more of these platforms).

Young suggested that (1) a concrete goal would be to draw more people to MCPP’s events and (2) the broader goal of conveying the educational

awareness that psychodynamic talk therapy is useful to people.

Rivette added that she has created a Facebook page but that it was unable to draw traffic; therefore, she recommends the group consider a

more deliberate approach to targeting and attracting new users.

Frei inquired whether the organization has tried to establish connections with regional psychology and social programs in universities (that are

currently not getting access to psychoanalytic training).Rivette responded that she and Karen Baker have attempted several

outreach approaches in the past, but neither manifested in people

specifically reaching out to inquire about psychoanalytic training at MCPP.

 Rivette agreed to continue discussions with Frei and Faulkner to provide

update at next meeting.

Freiband inquired whether it’s worthwhile to charge people to attend

meetings (like other organizations). As an example, he questions whether it makes sense to have over half the people attending a meeting not pay

any fee. He inquires whether there is a particular price point that would be attractive for non-members whether this is to attend meetings, or to

attend meetings and obtain CEs. Freiband added that, given the national and international stature of people

presenting, it may be worthwhile for attendees to defray the cost of having

these individuals present.

Discussion continued from prior meeting regarding potential policy for promotion of external events.

Freiband eluded to policy considerations and draft of potential policy he had shared with members and received input from. Freiband summarized that, while there cannot be a policy that handles every circumstance, that there must be a framework that the board has in

place to make decisions.

Idea of reciprocity was revisited and identified as essential: external

organizations coming to us as organizations and asking MCPP to promote their events should do so in kind for MCPP, in good faith.

Freiband moved that we plan to meet again in March. Group votes unanimously to meet on March 19, 2023.

Freiband moved that the Board adjourn, Frei seconded this, All members

approved.

Meeting adjourned at 10:30am.

 

Minutes respectfully submitted by Shil Sengupta, recorder.