1. The name of this organization shall be the Division of Psychologists in Public Service of the American Psychological Association.
2. The members of the Division are principally involved in public service through their common responsibilities to carry out programs that are publicly legislated, publicly funded, and accountable to the public.

1. As psychologists, we share these missions common to all organized groups of psychologists to:

(1) provide a forum for psychological information exchange,

(2) develop psychological knowledge through research,

(3) communicate psychological knowledge through education and training,

(4) apply psychological knowledge through services to the public,

(5) develop and maintain standards, and

(6) advance psychology and psychologists in the public interest.

2. As psychologists in the public service, we have specific additional missions to:

(1) promote the ability of psychologists to serve the public interests,

(2) communicate within the American Psychological Association about professional issues and programs in the public interest that concern all psychologists,

(3) study the psychological effects of public policies on various sectors of the public as well as on individuals,

(4) use psychological knowledge to develop and implement public policies in the public interests, and

(5) serve as advocates for the public and for psychologists with complex and sometimes frustrating bureaucracies by assisting the latter to understand psychological implications of their procedures and means of becoming more responsive to the public interest.

1. Introduction

(a) Membership in the Division of Psychologists in Public Service of the American Psychological Association shall be limited to persons who at the time of application for membership, are actively interested in the application or study of psychology in public service. Voting membership of the Division, shall consist of three classes: Fellows, Members, and Associates. Sections that so desire may also accept two categories of non-voting members: Student members of APA, and Affiliates who are not members of the Association.

(b) On all matters calling for action by the membership of the Division, voting eligibility shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws of the American Psychological Association.

2. Members, Associates, Students and Affiliates

1. Members and Associates must meet the minimum standards prescribed by the American Psychological Association.
2. New Members and Associates of the Division shall be elected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors upon nomination by the Membership Committee.
3. Students may become non-voting Division members by submitting an application to the Membership Chair of the Division. Student members may affiliate with Sections. Names of interested student applicants shall be submitted to the Board of Directors and elected by a majority vote upon nomination by the Membership Committee.
4. Non-APA members who meet APA standards for Associate or Member status may apply for affiliation with the Division and with all Sections that accept non-APA members. Affiliates pay the same Division and Section dues as Division members, but cannot vote on Division issues or hold Division offices. Names of individuals interested in affiliating with Division 18 or one of its sections shall be submitted to the Board of Directors and elected by a majority vote upon nomination by the Membership Committee.

1. Fellows

1. Fellows shall be characterized by outstanding contribution or performance in the field of public service.
2. Fellows must meet the minimum standards prescribed for Fellows of the American Psychological Association. Fellows of the American Psychological Association, and qualified Members with one year’s membership in the Division of Psychologists in Public Service, are eligible for nomination as Fellows of the Division of Psychologists in Public Service.
3. The Fellowship Committee of the Division shall have the responsibility of reviewing the applications of Division candidates for Fellow status on behalf of the Division 18 Board of Directors. In accordance with APA requirements, the Committee shall forward to APA the names of persons recommended for Fellow status in the Division and in the APA. Such recommendations shall require a majority vote of the members of the Fellowship Committee of the Division. Upon notification to the Division of election by the APA, successful applicants will become Fellows of the APA in the Division of Psychologists in Public Service.
4. All Fellows in the Division of Psychologists in Public Service shall be designated by the name, "Fellows in the Division of Psychologists in Public Service."

 

Article III. Officers

1. The officers of the Division shall be President, President-elect, Past President, Secretary-Treasurer, up to three Members-at-Large of the Board of Directors, the Chairs from each Section, and as many Division representatives to the Council of Representatives of the American Psychological Association as provided by the Bylaws of the Association.
2. The terms of office for the President, President-elect, and Past President shall be for one year; for the Secretary-Treasurer three years; for the Members-at-Large three years, each in staggered terms; for each Chair of a Section two years; for Division Representative(s) to Council is as determined by the Rules of Council.
3. It shall be the duty of the President to serve as Chairperson of the Division, to preside at all meetings, to exercise supervision over the affairs of the Division with the approval of the Board of Directors, and to perform such other duties as are incident to the office or as may properly be required by vote of the Board of Directors of the membership.
4. It shall be the duty of the President-elect to serve as member of the Board of Directors and to assume the duties of the President in case of the latter’s inability to do so. The President-elect shall also serve as chair of committees at the direction of the President.
5. It shall be the duty of the Past-president to serve as chair of committees at the direction of the President and as a member of the Board of Directors.
6. It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to keep records of all meetings of the Division; to issue calls and notices of meetings and of nomination of officers; or to arrange with the Central Office of the American Psychological Association of the issuing of such announcements; to cooperate with the Executive Officer of the American Psychological Association; to have custody of all funds and property of the Division; to collect any special dues that may be voted in accordance with Article VIII (1) of these Bylaws, and to make disbursements as authorized by the Board of Directors; to prepare in writing a fiscal report and budget for approval by the Board of Directors. The Secretary-Treasurer shall also serve as a member of the Board of Directors, the Division Nominating Committee, and the Division Membership Committee.
7. It shall be the duty of Division Representative(s) to APA Council to perform the duties and accept the responsibilities specified in the Bylaws of the American Psychological Association. The Representative(s) shall also serve as members of the Board of Directors.
8. It shall be the duty of the Section Chairs to serve as liaison between their Sections and the Division and to serve as members of the Board of Directors.
9. It shall be the duty of Members-at-Large to chair committees at the direction of the President and to serve as members of the Board of Directors.
10. In the case of death, incapacity, or resignation of any of these officers, the Board of Directors shall by majority vote elect a Fellow or Member to hold that office until a successor is election by the Division.

1. There shall be a Board of Directors of the Division consisting of the President, the Secretary-Treasurer, Representative(s) to the Council of Representatives, the President-elect, the Past President, up to three Members-at-Large, and Section Chairs. The Editor of the Newsletter and the Membership Chair shall be ex officio members of the Board of Directors without vote.
2. The Board of Directors shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Division, performing the duties and abiding by the limitations specified in these Bylaws. All actions of the Board of Directors are subject to approval by majority vote of the voting members of the Division at its annual meeting or by special mail ballot.
3. The President shall be presiding officer at all meetings of the Board of Directors, and the Secretary-Treasurer shall be Secretary of the Board.
4. The President shall designate each of the Members-at-Large to chair one of the Standing Committees. The designated Member-at-Large shall report to the Board of Directors on the work of his/her assigned Committee.
5. With the concurrence of the Board, the President shall appoint the Newsletter Editor and the Membership Chair.

1. The officers of the Division shall be elected in accordance with procedures specified by the Bylaws of the American Psychological Association.
2. There shall be a Nominations and Elections Committee that shall solicit nominations of Fellows or Members of the Division for the offices of President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer, Division Representative(s) and Members-at-Large of the Board of Directors. The Committee shall report to the Secretary-Treasurer the final list of at least three nominees for the office of President-elect and at least two nominees for each of the other offices.
3. The Chairperson of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall submit the names of persons nominated for each office and willing to serve to the Election Committee of the American Psychological Association for inclusion in the election ballot issued annually by the Association, in accordance with the Bylaws of the American Psychological Association.
4. Election results shall be announced at the annual business meeting of the Division.
5. Division Representative(s) to the Council of Representatives shall assume and hold office in accordance with the Bylaws of the American Psychological Association. All other officers shall assume office on the first day following the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected and shall hold office until their successors are elected and assume office. If an officer shall be unable to accept election, the Board of Directors shall by majority vote elect a Fellow or Member to hold that office until a successor shall be elected by the Division.

1. The annual meeting of the Division shall take place during the annual convention of the Association, and in the same locality, for the transaction of business, the presentation of scientific papers, and the discussion of professional matters in the field of psychology. The Division shall coordinate its program with, and participate in the program of the Association.

1. The committees of the Division shall consist of such standing committees as may be provided for by these Bylaws and such special committees as may be established by vote of the voting members of the Board of Directors.
2. Committee chairpersons shall be appointed by the President with concurrence of the Board of Directors.
3. There shall be a Membership Committee whose duty is to encourage psychologists interested in public service to apply for membership, to receive applications for membership, to examine the credentials submitted, and to recommend those qualified for membership to the Board of Directors.
4. There shall be a Fellowship Committee whose duty is to receive nominations for Fellow status, to examine the credentials submitted with special reference to unusual and outstanding contributions to, or performance in, public service, and to make recommendations in accordance with the requirements set forth in Article II of these bylaws. The Fellowship Committee shall consist of at least three members, a majority of whom are Fellows.
5. There shall be a Program Committee whose duty is to make arrangements for the program and annual meeting of the Division and to coordinate the program with the Association Board of convention Affairs. The committee shall consist of the Board member who has been assigned the Convention Program responsibilities by the President as Chairperson, and the Section Chair or a representative of each Section as determined by the Section Bylaws.

1. Annual dues and assessments shall be recommended by the Board of Directors and decided by two-thirds majority vote of the membership at the annual business meeting of the Division or by mail ballot at other times during the year.
2. Affiliates must pay annual Division dues to maintain membership.

Sections may be established within the Division by members with similar interests and goals.

1. Procedures for establishing Sections

(a) Organization of Sections from existing formal or informal groups

(1) Organized groups with officers or committees already in existence may petition the Board of Directors to become a Section. The Board of Directors shall determine by majority vote at its next business meeting the suitability of such a Section and shall invite the current officers to serve as a provisional organizing committee for the purposed Section. The Section will formulate its own name which will be subject to Board of Director’s approval.

(2) If several groups with similar interests petition the Division , the provisional organizing committee will consist of principal officers of the several groups to determine feasibility of joining as one Section.

(3) The provisional organizing committee will hold an organizational meeting at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association and will call for nominations of at least two candidates for Chairperson of the Section. Procedures for election of other officers and appointment of committees and preparation of Section Bylaws will be formulated.

(b) Organization of Section where no organized group exists

(1) An interested member of the Division may write a letter to the Newsletter outlining the conception and functions of a proposed Section and invite those interested to reply. The resulting group may petition the Board of Directors to appoint a provisional organizing committee.

(2) Upon approval of the Board of Directors, the provisional organizing committee will hold an organizational meeting at the next annual meeting of the American Psychological Association and will call for nominations of at least two candidates for the Office of Section Chairperson. Procedures for election of other officers and appointment of committees and preparation of Section Bylaws will be formulated.

(c) The Board of Directors shall be supplied proof by the provisional organizing committee that at least 50 persons have expressed interest and will become members of the Section upon its establishment.

(d) Upon presentation to the Board of Directors of its roster of officers, Bylaws and its membership list, the Section shall become an official part of the Division effective on the January 1 following acceptance by a majority vote of the Board of Directors at a regular meeting or by a mail ballot of the membership of the Division.

2. Internal Organization of Sections

(a) A Section shall elect its own officers and appoint its own committees. It shall have at least a Chairperson and Secretary-Treasurer, each elected for a two-year period.

(b) The Chairperson will serve on the Board of Directors.

(c) A Section may, if its members so indicate by a majority vote, collect dues from its Section members in addition to Division dues.

(d) Each Section may request a proportional amount of Association program time (based in part upon the ratio of the number of its Division 18 members to the membership of the Division as a whole), but additional program time may be allocated to a Section by negotiation with the Division Program Committee, subject to review by the Board of Directors. Sections may also submit suggestions for specific program proposals to the Program Committee. Final decisions on all programs shall be reserved for the Division Program Committee.

(e) Sections shall establish no policies which are contrary to the policies of the Division or the Association.

(f) Minutes of the Section business meetings shall be filed with the Division Secretary-Treasurer and published in the Division Newsletter.

(g) Sections which so desire may have Affiliates who are not members of the Association. Such Affiliates may neither become members of the Division Board of Directors nor vote on Division issues.

3. Dissolution of a Section

(a) Consideration for dissolution of any Section by the Board of Directors will be undertaken:

(1) when its membership falls below 50; or

(2) upon decision of majority of those Section members voting in a mail ballot; or

(3) upon recommendation of the Board of Directors and a two-thirds vote of those members of the Division voting in a mail ballot.

(b) Any Assets of the Section including monies in its treasury will, after meeting any financial obligations of the Section, become a part of the Division treasury.

 

1. Amendments may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by a petition signed by 30 members of the Division.

2. Proposed amendments to the Bylaws must be mailed to the membership of the Division at least 45 days prior to the closing date for receipt of ballots.

3. The Division by a two-thirds vote of those members voting by mail ballot shall adopt such amendments to these bylaws.

 

Date: August 1998