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National psychology graduate student rally planned for August
The American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) will host a Psychology Graduate Student Rally Aug. 4 on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during APA's 2000 Annual Convention.
The rally will alert congressional leaders to graduate students' contributions to the community as research assistants, practicum trainees and interns. The rally will also encourage congressional leaders to expand support for graduate students through the Federal Work-Study Program (FWS).
Psychology graduate students often provide as many as 6,000 hours of service during their professional training, serving disadvantaged and distressed citizens in hospitals, schools, health centers, child and family centers, addiction facilities, homeless programs and prisons. The rally will provide a national forum for calling attention to the services students provide free of charge, and the sizable tuition debt they incur without reimbursement.
It is hoped the event can serve as a forum for students, professional psychologists, and various education and training groups in psychology, to join together. The rally is also an opportunity to educate the public and congressional leaders about psychology. To become involved or for more information, contact PGSRally@wrightinst.edu.
Science Directorate welcomes proposals for occupational health curricula
Reminder: APA's Science Directorate is accepting applications from universities interested in developing curricula in occupational health psychology--applying psychology to protect and promote the safety, health and well-being of workers, and to improve the quality of their work lives.
New awards will range from $20,000 to $24,000. Funded sites may submit new proposals for limited funds for second-year continuation of their program, depending on quality and feasibility of the proposal. Completed applications must be received by March 1.
The Science Directorate will administer and oversee the grants. Individuals and departments interested in obtaining application materials should contact Heather R. Fox, PhD, at the APA address, or hrfox@apa.org, or they can visit the web site www.apa.org/science/ohp.html.
Nominations requested for dissertation award
APA's Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA) seeks nominations for the Jeffrey S. Tanaka, PhD, Memorial Dissertation Award in Psychology, which recognizes work that contributes to a better understanding of the psychological issues and concerns facing communities of color.
Tanaka was an Asian-American scholar and psychologist whose work emphasized the importance of culture and ethnicity in the scientific understanding of behavior. He was a fellow of APA's Div. 5 (Evaluation, Measurement and Statistics) and a member of Divs. 8 (Society for Personality and Social Psychology) and 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues). Tanaka was chair-elect of CEMA at the time of his death in 1992.
CEMA welcomes applications from individuals who filed their dissertations in 1998 or 1999 on research involving one or more of the following areas:
Enhancing the psychological understanding of ethnic-minority issues.
Improving psychological service delivery systems to ethnic minorities.
Developing new concepts or theories relevant to ethnic-minority populations.
Creating methodological paradigms that promote effective research and understanding of the values, beliefs and needs of ethnic-minority communities.
A CEMA-appointed selection subcommittee will choose the winner through an anonymous review process. Criteria include impact on ethnic-minority populations, completeness and clarity, creativity and effectiveness of the research design. The subcommittee will choose semifinalists from submitted abstracts. Semifinalists must also submit copies of their entire dissertation for the final selection process.
The winner receives $500, a $300 travel award to APA's 2000 Annual Convention in Washington, D.C., Aug. 4-8, and an invitation to briefly present the dissertation to the membership. The deadline for submission of abstracts is April 1. Please provide five copies of no more than 1,000 words. The dissertation title should appear on all five abstracts, although only one should identify the author and provide a current mailing address and daytime telephone number. All submissions should be sent to the Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs at the APA address. For additional information, call (202) 336-6029.
Committee seeks participants for mentoring program
APA's Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology (CDIP) is looking for students and professionals who have a disability to participate in a mentoring program. Those who wish to participate as a mentor or mentee should contact CDIP to receive a brief questionnaire inquiring about background information.
The program coordinator will match mentors with mentees according to areas of interest and types of disability. The mentee will receive the mentor's name, contact information, and a summary of the information provided on the questionnaire; the mentee should take the first step to make initial contact with the mentor.
Mentees will receive emotional support and practical guidance in their academic or career pursuits, and will participate in discussions with experienced psychologists. This is a pilot program that will be evaluated within a year. If you have any questions, or are interested in volunteering, please contact the program coordinator, Katherine Schneider, PhD, Counseling Services, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004; e-mail: schneiks@uwec.edu; (715) 836-5521.
Committee on Children, Youth and Families seeks nominations
APA's Committee on Children, Youth and Families (CYF) anticipates two vacancies in 2001. The committee is particularly interested in candidates with experience and expertise in adolescence (particularly issues of communication and the media), public policy advocacy, children and families at multiple risk, educationally based interventions, early intervention and prevention, and resilience issues.
Examples of the committee's current initiatives include training psychologists to work in the public sector; psychological implications of disasters; managed care; and immigrant children, youth and families, with specific attention to issues of cultural competence.
The committee places a priority on maintaining representation within the committee's membership that reflects the diversity of psychology and society (e.g., ethnicity, culture, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and geographic location). APA nominations are open to all members including those who are retired or employed less than full time.
The candidates selected will serve on the committee for three years and will be required to attend two meetings a year in Washington, D.C., with expenses reimbursed by APA. The committee will meet on March 23-25 and Sept. 21-23, 2001; March 15-17 and Sept. 20-22, 2002; and March 28-30 and Sept. 19-21, 2003. The successful candidates are expected to attend--if possible, and at their own expense--the informal CYF meeting held during APA's Annual Convention. Members are also expected to work an average of 10 hours per month on CYF-related issues.
Nomination materials should include a curriculum vitae and a letter from the candidate indicating interest. All materials must be received by Aug. 21. Nomination materials received after Aug. 21 will be held for consideration the following year. Although it is not required, candidates may wish to have no more than three letters supporting their nomination. Send materials to CYF Nominations, Public Interest Directorate, at the APA address.
Committee on Accreditation updates two important publications for the future
APA's Committee on Accreditation (CoA) has made changes to its Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology (G&P) and Accreditation Operating Procedures. Following a period of public comment, CoA finalized the changes, which were officially adopted by APA's Board of Directors. CoA made the necessary modifications to G&P to comply with the U.S. Secretary of Education's regulations for recognition of accrediting agencies.
The G&P changes include guidelines for student achievement as related to program goals and objectives; standards for measurement of quality of adjunct faculty; and resources for student support services. The revised guidelines will also contain the appropriate procedures in recording student complaints as part of CoA's periodic review of programs.
Changes to the Accreditation Operating Procedures clarify language and amend accreditation processes. The changes include:
Reworking of the language regional accreditors use to direct CoA to consider information or actions, as well as the language used to compare a program's outcome.
Addition of an "accredited, inactive" status to replace the probationary status for "administrative" reasons.
Clarification of the process and material considered in an appeal, and clarification of time frames for processing complaints against accredited programs.
Addition of a process for filing a complaint against the CoA.
These changes went into effect on Jan. 1. Hard copies of the new documents will be mailed to accredited programs and site visitors.
To receive a copy of the amended guidelines, contact the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation at the APA address, or view the documents at CoA's web site: www.apa.org/ed/accred.html.
New report on adolescents' transition to working world is now available
Copies of the report of the multidivision School-to-Work Task Force, "How Psychology Can Contribute to the School-to-Work Movement," are available in printed form and on the Education Directorate's Center for Psychology in Schools and Education (CPSE) web site at www.apa.org/ed/applicat.html.
This report discusses how psychologists can use their knowledge to understand the transitions youth experience between high school and the world of work.
For further information about this program and the report, contact Courtney Leyendecker, program officer for CPSE, at (202) 336-6129; e-mail: cleyendecker@apa.org.
Nominations requested for achievement award in retention of ethnic-minority students
APA's Past President Richard M. Suinn, PhD, invites ethnic-minority students to nominate graduate programs in basic and professional psychology that have demonstrated excellence in the recruitment and retention of ethnic-minority students,
The Suinn Minority Achievement Award will be presented at APA's 2000 Annual Convention in Washington, D.C.
Nominations should include documentation from the department that contains the:
Name of the university program.
Number and percentage of ethnic-minority graduate students enrolled.
Number and percentage of minority students who have earned their doctoral degrees during the past five years.
Submissions should also include a 500-word description of what contributes to the program's success, including recruitment and retention strategies, integration of ethnic-minority issues in the curriculum, mentoring and modeling programs and funding.
All materials must be received by May 15. Send nominations to Adisa A. Ajamu, Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs, at the APA address, fax: (202) 336-6040; e-mail: aajamu@apa.org.
APA hosts meeting on cultural competence
On Sept. 18, the Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs (OEMA) hosted a meeting funded by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), a division of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to discuss the progress and future of diversity in mental health services at the CMHS Cultural Competence Planning and Consensus conference.
According to Harriet McCombs, PhD, a CMHS program officer, the cultural competence planning and consensus meeting was held as part of a contract between APA and CMHS to develop and distribute a comprehensive model for strategies that support cultural competence in the planning, administration, delivery and evaluation of the nation's public mental health services.
The meeting objectives included:
Summarizing existing knowledge about cultural competence in mental health.
Identifying gaps in existing knowledge and in future directions for knowledge development, skills and policy.
Gaining consensus for an integrated model of cultural competence that is responsive to the emotional, cultural and mental health needs of the nation's major ethnic-minority groups.
Identifying major principles and procedures for dissemination of the integrated model.
Finding ways to share cultural-competence strategies with mental health service providers nationwide.
Recommending policies that promote cultural competence in mental health research and training.
Thirty-four leading thinkers on cultural competency in mental health participated in the meeting, along with principal investigators of the 14 cultural competency projects funded by CHMS in the past five years. Representatives also attended from other federal agencies involved in mental health services delivery and financing, as well as psychology, psychiatry, social work and nursing professional associations and mental health consumers.
The meeting participants' recommendations to CMHS will appear in a report, which will be available from OEMA, e-mail: rtutt@apa.org.
Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs requests nominations
APA's Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA) seeks nominations for two new members to begin three-year terms of service on Jan. 1, 2001. The committee functions as a catalyst for action on ethnic-minority issues and concerns by interacting with and making recommendations to the various components of APA's governing structure, membership and other groups.
Committee members plan, develop and coordinate various activities related to advocacy and promoting an understanding of the cultures and psychological well-being of ethnic-minority populations. The committee also monitors and assesses institutional barriers to equal access to psychological services and equitable representation in the profession of psychology.
To fulfill the committee's commitment to full diversity in representation, the slates should be filled by an American Indian/Alaskan Native male psychologist and an Asian American/Pacific Islander female psychologist.
Committee members attend two committee meetings a year in Washington, D.C., with expenses reimbursed by APA. Members also work on CEMA priorities when necessary between meetings. If possible, CEMA members should attend APA's Annual Convention at their own expense to participate in convention programming sponsored by CEMA.
Nomination materials should include the nominee's qualifications (including a statement of relevant experience), a current curriculum vita and a letter of interest to serve on CEMA. Self-nominations are encouraged. Nominations and supporting materials should be sent no later than July 1 to the Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs at the APA address.
Council elects new board and committee members
APA's 1999 Council of Representatives has selected members to serve on APA boards and committees. The new board/committee members began their terms Jan. 1.
The terms run for three years with the exception of Publications and Communications Board, Slate I, which runs through 2005, and the Board of Educational Affairs, Slate V, and the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest, which end Dec. 2000. The new board and committee members are:
Committee on Structure and Function of Council: Lilli R. Friedland, PhD, Slate I; Terry S. Gock, PhD, Slate II.
Finance Committee: Sandra R. Harris, PhD, Slate I; Mark B. Peterson, EdD, Slate II.
Ethics Committee: Steven N. Sparta, PhD, Slate I; Wilbert J. McKeachie, PhD, Slate II; Carolyn B. Block, PhD.
Membership Committee: Irene M. Deitch, PhD, Slate I; Frances M. Culbertson, PhD, Slate II.
Policy and Planning Board: Kurt Salzinger, PhD, Slate I; Rosie Phillips Bingham, PhD, Slate II; Lynn T. Pantano, PhD, Slate III.
Publications and Communications Board: Randi C. Martin, PhD, Slate I; Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, Slate II.
Committee on International Relations in Psychology: Frederick Leong, PhD, Slate I; James S. Jackson, PhD, Slate II; Gary B. Melton, PhD, Slate III.
Board of Educational Affairs: Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, Slate I; Margaret A. Lloyd, PhD, Slate II; Martin E.P. Seligman, PhD, Slate III; Ronald H. Rozensky, PhD, Slate IV; Janis Sanchez-Hucles, PhD, Slate V.
Board of Professional Affairs: Barry S. Anton, PhD, Slate I; Sandra L. Shullman, PhD, Slate II; James R. Callan, PhD, Slate III.
Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice: Jessica Henderson Daniel, PhD, Slate I; Robert J. Resnick, PhD, Slate II; Stanley Moldawsky, PhD, Slate III.
Board of Scientific Affairs: Morton A. Gernsbacher, PhD, Slate I; Neal W. Schmitt, PhD, Slate II; Nancy A. Ator, PhD, Slate III.
Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest: Maria P. P. Root, PhD, Slate I; Michael A. Smyer, PhD, Slate II; George W. Albee, PhD, Slate III; Melvin N. Wilson, PhD, Slate IV.
College of Professional Psychology: Neil Alan Massoth, PhD, Slate I; Laura S. Brown, PhD, Slate II; Victor De La Cancela, PhD, Slate III; Sherry L. Skidmore, PhD, Slate IV.
Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and Proficiencies in Professional Psychology: Reuben J. Silver, PhD, Slate I; Arthur L. Kovacs, PhD, Slate II.
Committee on Rural Health: Paulette Running Wolf, PhD, Slate I; Kathleen M. McNamara, PhD, Slate II.
Reminder to renew subscriptions
Members and affiliates who have not renewed their memberships will be receiving follow-up statements. Payments may be taken via telephone, toll free in the United States, at (800) 374-2721, ext. 5580, or (202) 336-5580.
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