Elections

Elections are held annually for the chair-elect position and vacant member at large positions. A call for applications is released each fall. APAGS members vote online for these positions at the APAGS website in late winter/spring.

Subcommittee chair application and appointment procedures

Subcommittee chairs are appointed because the work of each APAGS subcommittee requires particular experience and expertise in specific areas for which regular members of APAGS are unlikely to have. For this reason, subcommittee chairs are not selected by the general APAGS membership through a nomination and election process. Steps are taken to ensure that qualified applications for open subcommittee chair roles can be considered in a fair and equitable manner. Checks and balances are in place, which include the review of applications by the current subcommittee chair, the Executive Committee, and eventually the full committee. A call for subcommittee chair applications is released each fall.

Eligibility

• A master's or doctoral candidate in good standing in an APA or regionally accredited program (Candidates who are at least 2 years from graduation are strongly preferred).

• An APAGS member

• Organized, responsive, efficient and responsible.

• Able to work effectively and cooperatively with others.

• Willing to commit to a 2-year term to work on behalf of the needs and interests of APAGS and APAGS members.

• For subcommittee chair positions, you must demonstrate that specific knowledge, expertise and/or experience in the substantive area of the respective subcommittee to which you are applying to lead as chair.

Application materials

You must submit the following materials:

1. Read and sign the APAGS committee application agreement (PDF, 34KB); and

2. Submit:
   
   - an abbreviated 2-page CV, 
   
   - a candidate statement describing their qualifications and/or potential for the particular position (300 words or less for chair and member at large positions, 750 words or less for subcommittee chair positions). For elected positions, this statement will serve as the statement on the elections ballot. 
   
   -a brief letter from their department chair verifying their status as a graduate student in good standing and the chair's support of the student running for an APAGS office; and

Rules for elections

To prevent APAGS electronic media from being overwhelmed by members vying for nominations or promoting their candidacy during the election cycle, APAGS has the following procedures for use of electronic media: 

1. Do not use APAGS email lists or APAGS official pages/groups on social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) for recruiting nominations or advertising your candidacy. 

2. During the election cycle, APAGS will distribute emails that provide all candidates with a chance to make a statement for election. This is meant to ensure fair access to all electronic media during the election cycle.

Deadline 

You may submit your application by email or regular mail. Please note that all applications must be received in the APAGS Office by this date and time.

For email submissions, please send all required materials via email. Please indicate in your subject line for which position you will be applying.

Mail submission

APAGS Central Office
Application for (position to which you are applying)
American Psychological Association
750 First St. NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242

Introduction to APAGS elected and appointed position descriptions

We have provided general descriptions of the scope of responsibilities associated with each position. The roles and responsibilities listed are to serve as a guide in directing the Committee members’ work. However, the descriptions are not exhaustive. They are purposefully general, in recognition that each member will develop his/her own projects, proposals and interests as they become more acclimated to the structure and function of the Committee and more aware of pressing constituency issues.

The descriptions are used for the advertisement, recruitment and selection of Committee members, allowing potential candidates to make more informed choices about running for an office (chair-elect or member at large) or applying for an appointed position (subcommittee chair or task force chair). It also serves to provide the new Committee members with a focus for their beginning contributions. Because accountability is vitally important to the ongoing success of APAGS, having delineated expectations allows for such responsibility.

The position descriptions will probably transform over time to reflect Committee values and priorities. It is important for the position descriptions to be updated accordingly to permit streamlined work. Thank you, in advance, for the contributions you will make to this document to further its intended purpose.

The Executive Committee (EC) works as a unit to advise, guide and consult with the full APAGS Committee, with one member (the chair) taking the lead during his/her tenure. The EC acts as a steering committee for APAGS and is responsible for developing priorities and charges to Committee members consistent with the goals of APAGS. The Executive Committee presides over the full APAGS Committee and acts on behalf of the full committee.

Chair tasks

• Takes the primary lead in the EC presiding over the APAGS Committee

• Oversees and prioritizes issues for all business meetings

• Conducts the fall and spring APAGS business meeting (held during the consolidated meetings) and committee conference calls

• Sets the agenda for EC biweekly conference calls

• Primary APAGS point of contact for other APA and affiliated groups, fielding questions and requests and representing the collective voice of APAGS to these other APA and affiliated entities

• Serves as ex-officio member of all APAGS subcommittees, task forces and work groups (may participate in related conference calls and other meetings at the chair’s discretion)

• Makes official charges to the committee for priorities based on consensus, constituency needs/interests and from larger charges made by the Association

• Fields requests for other APA student groups to establish linkages to APAGS and assigns these students to existing committee members based on reciprocal needs, interests and concerns

• Makes preliminary appointments for subcommittee, task force and work group chairs, in consultation with the EC, followed by full committee approval

• Makes preliminary appointment for Official Liaisonships, in consultation with the EC, followed by full committee approval

• Serves as the EC liaison (for more direct mentoring/oversight) for one-third of the APAGS committee members, subcommittee chairs, task force chairs, and work group chairs

• Serves in prescribed liaison roles reserved for the APAGS chair (for example, APA Council and the Agenda Planning Group)

• Serves as an official liaison for some of the established APAGS Liaisonships

• Reports on EC, chair and official liaison activities to the full APAGS Committee via the committee email list and at APAGS business meetings

• Writes articles for a periodic APAGS chair column in gradPSYCH

Past-chair tasks

• Serves as a consultant to the chair in performing the above duties

• Serves as the “treasurer” with primary responsibility for working with the APAGS associate executive director (AED) to enable the past-chair to understand more detailed budget information

• Oversees and coordinates the annual elections process

• Serves as the EC liaison (for more direct mentoring/oversight) for one-third of the APAGS committee members, subcommittee chairs, task force chairs, and work group chairs

• Serves in prescribed liaison roles reserved for the APAGS past-chair

• Serves as an official liaison for some of the established APAGS liaisonships

• Reports on past-chair and official liaison activities to the full APAGS Committee via the committee listserv and at APAGS business meetings

Chair-elect tasks

• Participates in all EC activity to prepare for chair year

• Serves as the EC liaison (for more direct mentoring/oversight) for one-third of the APAGS committee members, subcommittee chairs, task force chairs and work group chairs

• Serves in prescribed liaison roles reserved for the APAGS chair-elect

• Serves as an official liaison for some of the established APAGS liaisonships; sometimes the chair-elect will take on relatively more of these liaison roles to help acclimate him/her to the work of the subcommittees, task forces and working groups

• Reports on chair-elect and official liaison activities to the full APAGS Committee via the committee listserv and at APAGS business meeting

• Will prepare to serve during chair or past-chair year as the APAGS voting member on the APA Council of Representatives and nonvoting member on the APA Board of Directors. This requires travel to approximately four meetings per year, often in Washington D.C.

Members at large are elected to represent a broad focus area. However, there are some general tasks for each person in a member at large position. They are as follows:

• Prepare for and attend fall and spring APAGS business meetings

• Prepare (at minimum) biannual reports and evaluations of work for business meetings; report on special projects as well as official liaisonship activities

• Submit brief monthly email list reports of member at large activities as well as reports for the official liaisonships held

• Submit a report/paragraph of quarterly activities for inclusion in the APAGS Campus Bulletin

• Contribute substantive articles of interest for the APAGS website

• Participate on working groups and scholarship/award review committees for selecting recipients

• Members at large should begin mentoring their replacement into their position as soon as the results from elections are verified. This mentoring piece is critical to the continued smooth and effective functioning of the APAGS Committee.

• Each member at large works very closely and collaboratively with the APAGS central office staff, particularly the associate executive director, who serves as an advisor and guides the entire APAGS Committee.

Specific duties associated with the focus of the member at large

Member at large — Education focus

• Establish relationships and joint projects with staff members of the Education Directorate

• Represent internship and training needs of students to relevant boards and committees

• Monitor the climate of training environments and advocate for advances in the quality of education and experience for graduate students

Member at large — Research/Academic focus

• Liaison to the Science Student Council

• Liaison to the Board of Scientific Affairs

• Establish relationships and joint projects with staff members of the Science Directorate

• Promote and support activities, projects and programs that foster increased support of and participation by research oriented graduate students

• Oversee the APAGS scholarship nomination, selection and award process

Member at large — Practice focus

• Establish relationships and joint projects with staff members of the Practice Directorate

• Serve in various official liaison roles that focus on practitioner oriented issues

• Develop initiatives and programs within APAGS that support the Practice Directorate’s public education campaigns, as appropriate

• Monitor training environments to advocate for high quality, timely and relevant preparation for practice in the current and shifting marketplace

• Promote and support activities, projects and programs that foster increased support of and participation by practice-oriented graduate students in APAGS

• Attend the annual State Leadership Conference (held in March), which focuses on advocacy and the legislative agenda for practitioner psychologists

Member at large — Communications focus

• Assist the APAGS Central Office staff with APAGS publications and publicity in a variety of ways that may include: recruiting and training students to write articles for the APAGS website; identifying topics for the APAGS magazine, gradPSYCH, as well as Monitor on Psychology articles, and communicating these topics and ideas to the associate executive director

• Develop and implement various marketing and publicity initiatives to promote APAGS and to recruit new APA student affiliates

• Assist with compiling information for the quarterly Campus Representative Bulletin

• Establish relationships and joint projects with the APA Public Affairs Office to promote graduate student publicity

• Develop outreach programs to strengthen the link between APAGS and allied student and professional groups, to facilitate effective information exchange and updating

• Assist with facilitating the APAGS Division Student Representative Network (APAGS-DSRN) that brings together the student leaders of divisions to help them develop new student leaders within divisions, connect to APAGS and support APAGS initiatives

Member at large — Diversity focus

• Guide working groups and ad hoc committees that address specific issues of diversity

• Establish relationships and joint projects with staff members in the APA Public Interest Directorate

• Serve in various official Liaison roles that focus on issues related to diversity, including ethnic heritage, women’s issues, ageism, sexual orientation, disability issues, etc.

• Develop initiatives, programs and resources within APAGS that support diverse students, as appropriate

• Advocate for the needs of diverse students within and outside of APA

Member at large — Membership recruitment and retention focus

• Recruit and retain a graduate student membership that reflects the diversity in psychology and promotes unity within the field, with a special emphasis on recruiting and retaining students from under-represented groups

• Facilitate and maintain open lines of communication between APAGS, the APA Membership Office and the APA Membership Committee

• Educate the larger association about the products, services and resources that APAGS provides for reaching students

• Set in place initiatives to increase graduate student membership through the effective use of current resources and coordinated recruitment activities through APA offices and directorates

• Design and implement innovative programs and practices that will generate new graduate student members

• Work to expand unique services to APAGS members

New subcommittee chairs will be mentored by their predecessor as soon as appointments are announced. Mentoring is especially important for the APAGS subcommittee chairs because their roles require particular expertise in the specified areas. This is critical to the continued smooth and effective functioning of the APAGS Committee.

Each subcommittee chair is responsible for gathering applications and appointing his/her own subcommittee members, with the approval of subcommittee members by his/her Executive Committee liaison. In special situations, appointment of subcommittee members may require the approval of the full APAGS committee, but this occurs infrequently. Each spring the projected openings will be advertised via gradPSYCH, the website and relevant APAGS listservs.

Universal responsibilities for all subcommittee chairs are as follows:

• Prepare for and attend fall and spring APAGS business meetings

• Prepare (at minimum) bi-annual reports and evaluations of work for business meetings; report on special projects as well as official liaisonship activities

• Submit brief monthly email list reports of subcommittee chair activities as well as reports for the official liaisonships held

• Submit a report/paragraph of quarterly activities for inclusion in the APAGS Campus Representative Bulletin

• Contribute substantive articles of interest for the APAGS website

• Participate on working groups and scholarship/award review committees for selecting recipients

• Subcommittee chairs should begin mentoring their replacement into their position as soon as their replacement is identified. This mentoring piece is critical to the continued smooth and effective functioning of the APAGS Committee.

• Manage the allocated subcommittee budget and develop new budgets in consultation with the associate executive director

• Each subcommittee chair works very closely and collaboratively with the APAGS central office staff, particularly the Associate Executive Director, who serves as an advisor and guides the entire APAGS Committee.

Specific duties associated with each subcommittee chair role

APAGS — Advocacy Coordinating Team (ACT), chair

• Solicit, recruit and evaluate applicants for Regional Advocacy Coordinator positions

• Participate in selection process of next APAGS-ACT Chair and provide mentoring

• Train new committee members and revise or create training materials as appropriate

• Monitor federal legislative issues through the Practice Directorate and Public Policy Office and disseminate alerts for student action on these issues

• Guide committee members in the recruitment, selection and training of State Advocacy Coordinators and APAGS Campus Representatives

• Participate in the Practice Directorate’s annual State Leadership Conference

• Conduct committee conference calls as needed

• Serve as APAGS’ point of contact for relationships with State Psychological Associations

Mission statement for ACT

APAGS — Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA), Chair

• Solicit, recruit and evaluate applicants for Regional Diversity Coordinator positions

• Participate in selection process of next APAGS-CEMA Chair and provide mentoring

• Train new committee members and develop relevant training resources

• Promote and oversee grant allocation program within APAGS-CEMA for regional multicultural events

• Conduct committee conference calls as needed

• Develop special programs and initiatives to promote the interests and needs of ethnic minority students, as well as training in competencies related to research and practice with ethnic minority individuals

• Establish relationships and joint projects with APA staff members in the Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs and work with APA Boards and Committees that address ethnic minority issues

APAGS — Convention Committee, chair

• Solicit, recruit and evaluate applicants for the APAGS Convention Committee member positions. (August/September)
  
• Train new committee members, develop relevant training resources, and conduct fall conference call with all subcommittee members. (Fall)
  
• Participate in New Governance Member Orientation Conference Calls (Fall)
  
• Develop agenda items and participate in the APAGS Business Meeting, held in Washington, D.C. (October and March)
  
• Review and rate between 40 and 60 Convention proposal submissions (December)
  
• Chair Convention Committee meeting (December or January)
  
• Assist APAGS Central Office staff in the creation of convention promotional materials for: student proposal submissions, student attendance at convention, student social/networking opportunities at convention, and special activities. (All year)
  
• Monitor and assist with program development (January–March)
  
• Develop and coordinate reoccurring programs/resources such as the APAGS Making the Most of APA Convention and the APAGS Convention Survival Guide for Students. (March–April)
  
• Attend Strategic Planning Meeting (March)
  
• Review and rate scholarship applications (May)
  
• Review and edit convention advertising materials (Spring)
  
• Attend APA Convention, monitoring APAGS programming and social events. (August)
  
• Submit quarterly submissions for the APAGS Campus Bulletin, highlighting Convention activities. (All year)
  
• Write and submit monthly reports detailing activities (All year)
  
• Work with the Associate Executive Director and APAGS Committee to develop annual program themes and topics; Develop annual advertising materials for these topics
  
• Work with the Associate Executive Director and Convention Committee to review proposals and make program selections and modifications/recommendations as appropriate
  
• Attend the annual APA Convention
  
• Attend annual Convention Committee meeting to select convention programming/activities
  
• Develop, conduct and analyze annual convention program evaluation process and report results to the full APAGS Committee Participate in selection process of next APAGS Convention Committee Chair and provide mentoring
  
• Write and submit monthly reports describing your activities as chair

APAGS — Committee for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns (CLGBTC), chair

• Solicit, recruit and evaluate applicants for APAGS-CLGBTC member positions

• Participate in selection process of next APAGS-CLGBTC chair and provide mentoring

• Train new committee members and develop relevant training resources

• Identify and advocate for the needs of LGBT students in training and professional settings

• Identify issues of importance for LGBT students and educate the APAGS Committee about special needs and issues for LGBT students

• Develop APAGS resources, programs and initiatives to promote the interests and needs of LGBT students, as well as training in competencies related to research and practice with LGBT individuals

• Establish relationships and joint projects with APA staff member in the Public Interest Directorate and work with APA Boards and Committees that address LGBT issues

The APAGS Advocacy Coordinating Team (ACT) is composed of psychology students who primarily engage in legislative advocacy work on behalf of the science and profession of psychology, in the interest of individuals studying, researching and practicing psychology, and on behalf of individuals who are recipients of psychological services. ACT members promote the welfare of graduate students and the vigor of the profession by their participation in legislative lobbying efforts. APAGS-ACT represents all subfields of psychology equally in its legislative and advocacy efforts. Members and designees of the ACT committee assist with the recruitment, organization and administration of the Campus Representative network to help facilitate the flow of communication between the APAGS Board and its constituents.

ACT subcommittee member

The ACT Network is composed of psychology graduate students who primarily engage in legislative advocacy work on behalf of the science and profession of psychology, in the interest of individuals studying, researching and practicing psychology, and on behalf of individuals who are the recipients of psychological services. ACT members promote the welfare of graduate students and the vigor of the profession by their participation in legislative lobbying efforts. Responsibilities of Regional Advocacy Coordinators:

• Assist with the recruitment and organization the Campus Representative network.

• Disseminate information about advocacy issues related to psychology.

• Distribute information about APAGS activities, membership and benefits through the Campus Representative network to help facilitate communication between APAGS and its constituents.

• Attend APA State Leadership Conference in early March for training in advocacy and congressional hill visits for live advocacy activities with legislators and legislative staff.

Time commitment and responsibilities:

Members of APAGS-ACT are required to participate on periodic conference calls throughout the year, as well as communicate regularly over a closed committee listserv. Members are expected to provide feedback and support for projects and plans related to advocacy. They are accountable throughout the year for making progress and for meeting their responsibilities as assigned by the APAGS-ACT Chair.  Members coordinate reports and materials from members of the network on a monthly basis.  APAGS-ACT members attend APA State Leadership Conference, typically held over 4 days in Washington, D.C.; APAGS will cover expenses (e.g. hotel, airfare, meals) for this meeting.

CEMA represents and advocates for the perspectives and concerns of ethnic minority graduate students within psychology. APAGS-CEMA's main goal is to ensure that the specific interests and needs of ethnic minority graduate students are given a voice within the large domain of APA. APAGS-CEMA attempts to achieve this goal by increasing the membership and participation of ethnic minority graduate students within APAGS through the development and advertisement of various educational and training opportunities. CEMA promotes cultural competency and sensitivity, and encourages the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority students in psychology by developing ethnic minority student resources, providing small grants for regional student-organized multicultural training events, and engaging in other advocacy activities to increase awareness of multicultural issues.

APAGS-CEMA members (referred to as Regional Diversity Coordinators) engage in the following activities:

• Identify issues of importance to ethnic minority graduate students

• Monitor and oversee cultural diversity initiatives and activities in assigned geographic regions;

• Develop special programs, resources and activities to promote the needs of ethnic minority students and enhance competencies related to research and practice with ethnic minority individuals;

• Review grant submissions for the APAGS CEMA Training Grant;

• Advocate for ethnic minority graduate students in APA and other relevant organizations;

• Comment on APA policy from an ethnic minority graduate student perspective.

• Collaborate with APAGS and other APA staff in the Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs and APA boards and committees to address ethnic minority issues.

Time commitment and responsibilities:

Members of APAGS-CEMA are required to participate on periodic conference calls throughout the year, as well as communicate regularly over a closed committee listserv. Members are expected to provide feedback and support for projects and plans related to ethnic minority issues. They are accountable throughout the year for making progress and for meeting their responsibilities as assigned by the APAGS-CEMA Chair.

CLGBTC facilitates communication among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender graduate students in psychology by providing forums to discuss common issues or difficulties. CLGBTC also helps to educate psychologists, faculty and students of the concerns and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.

Members of CLGBTC will:

• Identify issues of importance for LGBT students

• Develop APAGS resources, programs and initiatives to promote the interests and needs of LGBT graduate students;

• Advocate for LGBT students in APA and other relevant groups;

• Review grant submissions for the APAGS CLGBTC Training Grant;

• Comment on APA policy from an LGBT student perspective;

• Collaborate with other APA staff in APAGS and the Public Interest Directorate and APA boards and committees to address LGBT issues.

Time commitment and responsibilities:

Members of APAGS-CLGBTC are required to participate on periodic conference calls throughout the year, as well as communicate regularly over a closed committee listserv. Members are expected to provide feedback and support for projects and plans related to LGBT issues. Members are accountable throughout the year for making progress and for meeting their responsibilities as assigned by the APAGS-CLGBTC Chair.

The APAGS Convention Committee is responsible for planning the APAGS convention programs and activities for the annual APA convention, with the assistance of Central Office Staff. Convention Committee members are fully funded to attend the APA conventions and the annual planning meetings each winter during their terms of service.

Members of the APAGS Convention Committee:

• Evaluate and select APAGS convention programs;

• Develop student focused programming and activities;

• Contribute to the APAGS Ambassador program;

• Create and develop materials for students to use at APA convention;

• Speak in small and large sessions at APA convention, providing highlights of APAGS convention programming;

• Monitor programs at APA convention;

• Collaborate with other APA divisions, boards, committees and leaders to help make APA convention and APAGS programming attractive and relevant to graduate students

Time commitment and responsibilities:

Members of the APAGS Convention Committee are required to attend the winter planning meetings (generally held in December or early January) and the annual conventions during their terms (Washington, D.C., Aug. 4–7, 2011, and Orlando, Fla., Aug. 2–5, 2012), fully funded by APAGS. Members must be willing to dedicate the necessary time to sufficiently prepare for meetings, the convention, and follow-up. Members are also required to participate on periodic conference calls throughout the year, as well as communicate regularly over a closed committee email list during the year.

APAGS Convention Committee members are very busy at the annual convention-overseeing and monitoring APAGS programs, assisting staff, helping at the APAGS booth, participating in APAGS dinners and social hours, and attending daily meetings. Convention committee members are expected to represent APAGS at the convention, which is simultaneously exhausting and exhilarating!

Convention Committee members are expected to spearhead projects and plans related to APAGS convention programs as assigned by the APAGS Convention Committee chair. They are accountable throughout the year for making progress and for meeting their responsibilities at the annual convention.

The APAGS Science Committee represents and advocates for the perspectives and concerns of graduate students in psychological science. APAGS’ newest committee, the Science Committee is in the process of developing its goals. The Science Committee advocates for science to be represented across APAGS and APA activities, and examines strategies for the recruitment and retention of emerging scientists within APAGS and APA. The Science Committee reviews the applications for the APAGS Basic Psychological Science Grant, a competitive grant open to students in the science oriented fields of psychology. The Science Committee also develops innovative programming for APA Convention.

APAGS Science Committee members engage in the following activities:

• Identify issues of importance to science oriented graduate students

• Develop special programs, resources and activities to promote the needs of science oriented students;

• Advocate for science oriented graduate students in APA and other relevant organizations;

• Review grant submissions for the APAGS Basic Psychological Science Research Grant;

• Comment on APA policy from a science perspective;

• Collaborate with APAGS and other APA staff in the Science Directorate and APA boards and committees to address science issues.

Time commitment and responsibilities:

Members of the APAGS Science Committee are required to participate on periodic conference calls throughout the year, as well as communicate regularly over a closed committee email list. Members are expected to provide feedback and support for projects and plans related to ethnic minority issues. They are accountable throughout the year for making progress and for meeting their responsibilities as assigned by the Science Committee Chair.