COPA members are required to attend two committee meetings a year in Washington, D.C., with expenses reimbursed by APA, and to participate in interim conference calls.

Between meetings, members are also expected to devote a substantial portion of time to COPA projects, provide consultation to APA Office on AIDS staff and participate in advocacy activities as needed.

Candidates should have demonstrated expertise in dealing with HIV/AIDS issues as a researcher, practitioner, educator or policy advocate. COPA seeks to involve a diverse group of psychologists, including persons of color and persons who are openly living with HIV.

Additionally, COPA seeks candidates with expertise in the areas of HIV prevention and treatment for injection drug users, non-injection substance users, adolescents (especially young women of color) and for persons living with HIV who reside in rural areas.

Nomination materials should include the nominee's qualifications, a letter from the nominee indicating willingness to serve on COPA and a current curriculum vitae. Self-nominations are encouraged.

Nominations and supporting materials should be sent to Robert Beverly, Office on AIDS, at the APA address. All material must by received by Sept. 17.

Board of Educational Affairs keeps up despite fewer meetings

As a result of APA limiting boards and committees to one meeting for 1999, the Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) is using e-mail and listservs as a way to stay current on all board-related issues. BEA staff liaisons Christine Cubby and Mayella Valero worked with Jill Reich, PhD, former APA executive director of education, David Scott Hargrove, PhD, 1996-98 chair of BEA, and Leon VandeCreek, PhD, chair of BEA, to devise a system for the board to effectively handle their business without a second meeting.

"We hope to get as many of the routine things done electronically as possible and save the substantive issues for the fall meeting," says Cubby.

Valero adds that the listserv can be used ideally for time-sensitive matters that cannot wait until the fall meeting.

When agenda and information items need the attention of BEA members, the staff liaisons notify each BEA member via the listserv. The board has the authority on what is to be kept confidential on the closed listserv and what can go out on the open listserv for public review. Staff liaisons also mail a hard copy of the agenda items to remind members to comment and vote. The agenda items typically stay open three to four weeks so that liaisons to BEA from other education groups such as Divs. 2 (Society for the Teaching of Psychology) and 15 (Educational), and the Council of Teachers of Undergraduate Psychology can comment on them, although they are not permitted to vote.

Using closed listservs and e-mail also helped facilitate filling the slates of the new board members, says Valero. This year, four BEA members rotated off the board and four new members were welcomed. The BEA chair and the executive committee were able to establish recommended slates by using the closed listserv and receiving hard of the nominees' qualifications.

"I do find that using e-mail and listservs is an efficient way of doing business for some agenda items," says VandeCreek. "Items in which consensus already exists are more efficiently done by e-mail than by phone or by in-person meetings." However, he says, agenda items that need extensive discussion are probably best done with conference call or in-person meetings. "BEA has tried to build a system this year that relies extensively on e-mail and listservs, supplemented by conference calls," says VandeCreek. "I hope that some of our electronic innovations this year will be continued next year even if additional meetings are restored."

Multicultural student conference to lead off Boston convention

Ethnic-minority students heading to Boston for APA's 1999 Annual Convention can network with leading psychologists and learn about cutting edge multicultural research at a pre-convention conference entitled "Cultivating multicultural competencies in psychology: Preparing for the next millennium in mental health care," the first annual Conference on Ethnic Minority Affairs. The conference, to be held Aug. 18 at Boston University from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., is sponsored and organized by the American Psychological Association Graduate Students' Committee of Ethnic Minority Affairs (APAGS-CEMA), and co-sponsored by APA's Council of Representatives and Div. 12 (Society of Clinical Psychology). The meeting will provide students with an opportunity to discuss multicultural research methodology, gather tips on how to survive graduate school and learn about grant writing.

Jessica Henderson Daniel, PhD, will open the conference with a talk about her research on the self-esteem of African-American adolescent girls. Her presentation will be followed by a panel discussion on multicultural issues in psychology with researchers, educators, practitioners and students.

In the afternoon, participants can attend any one of eight two-hour workshops:

Following the workshops will be a graduate student panel discussion on the benefits of participating with APA and APAGS as a student. Afterward, Derald Sue, PhD, will present the closing address on the topic of personal and professional multicultural competence.

Registration is limited to 250 students. The cost for early registration (before July 30) is $25; the cost for late registration is $35. APAGS-CEMA will provide 30-40 scholarships to waive the registration fee; interested students should contact Dannelle Reed-Inderbitzin at dreedin@usd.edu no later than July 28.

To register, contact Lynissa Stokes, (617) 353-5434, e-mail: lstokes@bu.edu or Kamala Greene, (617) 353-5434, e-mail: kaguva96@worldnet.att.net. Students can also register online through July 29 on the APAGS web site, cyberstore.apa.org/cema/
index.cfm.

Committee on Women in Psychology announces call for nominations

APA's Committee on Women in Psychology (CWP) seeks nominations for two new members to begin terms in January. The committee interacts with and makes recommendations to the various parts of APA's governing structure, membership, Div. 35 (Women) and other relevant groups. The committee also collects information and documentation concerning the status of women, and develops strategies to increase women's roles and functions in the profession.

Committee members plan, develop and coordinate various activities that affect the status of women. CWP is interested in people with demonstrated interest and experience in women's issues to serve a three-year term from January 2000 through December 2002. To ensure representation of all constituencies within APA, CWP has divided members into four areas of expertise: extensive governance experience, academic, clinical and science experience. Each year, CWP selects new members based on their qualifications vis-à-vis the particular slate requirements for that year.

For this term's two slates, the committee seeks at least one member with extensive governance experience. The other slate should be filled by someone actively engaged in the practice of psychology, who can address issues of concern within the practice community. Letters of nomination should clearly describe the candidate's specific qualifications relative to these criteria.

Selected candidates will be required to attend two committee meetings a year in Washington, D.C., with expenses reimbursed by the APA. Members should work an average of 10 hours per month on CWP related issues, and attend a CWP meeting at APA's Annual Convention at the member's own expense.

Nomination materials should include the nominee's qualifications, a curriculum vita and a letter from the nominee indicating willingness to serve on CWP. Self-nominations are encouraged. Nominations are open to retired APA members or those employed less than full time.

Send all nominations and supporting materials by Sept. 1 to Susan Houston, Women's Programs Office, at the APA address.

Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs awards grants, but funds still available

APA's Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs has given several grants to organizations to address the under- representation of ethnic minorities in psychology in a growing minority population. OEMA allocated the grants to five funding priorities:

These grants are based on the $75,000 the Public Interest Directorate received for fiscal year 1999 to initiate APA's Five-Year Plan developed by the Commission on Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention and Training in Psychology (CEMRRAT).

The plan sets forth specific objectives and actions for encouraging all psychologists to attain some multicultural competence in their training, research and practice activities, and for dramatically increasing the number of people of color who are psychology students, faculty and professionals.

CEMRRAT funds primarily will be used for small grants intended to serve as seed money to energize, empower and support interested individuals, organizations and educational institutions. Eligible applicants for these grants are state associations, APA divisions, departments/ schools of psychology, APA boards and committees, other entities of organized psychology and individuals. Funded activities hopefully will serve as demonstration models; consequently, brief reports of findings or outcomes will be requested by APA.

APA's Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs has received several requests for CEMRRAT funds and have made the following awards to five funding priorities as of May 1:

Training/State Associations--State associations will make every effort to promote multicultural issues by initiating strategic plans and activities, such as recruitment of ethnic-minority members, encouragement of participation of ethnic minorities in state association leadership, advocacy of minority health issues and other policies. Three grants have been awarded:

*The Rhode Island Psychological Association received a $700 grant to support a Continuing Education in Cultural Competence Project. This project is designed to increase the number of culturally and linguistically diverse clinicians in Rhode Island that are qualified to serve the growing ethnocultural population seeking mental health services in the state. The proposed CE program will be offered to all members of the Rhode Island Psychological Association, and will focus on defining cultural competence and its application to assessment, treatment and research. The grant will be used to cover transportation and lodging costs for an invited speaker.

Training/Professional Development-Linguistic Minorities--Grants in this area will help faculty members develop programs to improve services to minorities who are learning English as a second language. One grant has been awarded:

Training/Science-Math and Science Research and Training--Funds activities that serve to identify, document or disseminate math, science and research training procedures and strategies--including distance learning--that increase the retention of students of color at any level of the educational pipeline with an emphasis on science. One grant has been awarded:

Faculty/Professional Development--Activities that promote multicultural competence in teaching, practice and research among psychology faculty. Two grants have been awarded:

Through this theme, the newsletter will feature model-training programs that prepare ethnic-minority students for practice in the public sector.

In the funding priority area Special APA Staff Efforts, one grant has been awarded:

The Public Interest Directorate is still funding proposals on a first-come-first-served basis so long as OEMA determines the projects to be consistent with the identified funding priorities and the Five-Year Plan to increase the retention and training of ethnic minorities in the field of psychology.

Questions about applying should be directed to Bertha G. Holliday, PhD, at the APA address, (202) 336-6029. Requests for copies of CEMRRAT's Final Report, which includes the Five-Year Plan, should be directed to Wanda Robinson at the same phone number.

Free 1999 international directories available

APA's Office of Inter-national Affairs has compiled two directories to help members contact their colleagues all over the world. The 1999 editions of International Psychological Associations and Related Organizations and National Psychological Organizations Worldwide provide current contact information, including e-mail addresses and web sites, for more than 160 international organizations.

To receive a free copy of the directories, contact the Office of International Affairs at the APA address, call (202) 336-6025, or e-mail.

Submit a proposal for APA's Annual Convention in Washington, D.C.

Proposal forms for the 2000 convention workshops will be available after Aug. 1. The deadline for submission is Nov. 1.

The Office of Continuing Professional Education seeks proposals from those in academics, research and practice. Submissions on industrial/organizational psychology, violence/abuse, addictions, adult development and aging, neuropsychology, and couples/marital/family, are among the topics underrepresented in recent years.

Call the Office of Continuing Professional Education at (800) 374-2721, ext. 5991 to request a form on paper or diskette. While some popular workshops from this year's program will be repeated, new presenters on cutting-edge issues of interest in psychology are encouraged to submit their proposals.

Minority excellence program recognizes students

Do you know an outstanding undergraduate student of color who shows potential to succeed in psychology? If so, APA's Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs (OEMA) welcomes nominations for its Minority Undergraduate Students of Excellence (MUSE) Program, which seeks to increase the numbers of persons of color entering graduate-level training in psychology and ultimately becoming psychologists. OEMA asks the chair, program directors, advisors or mentors within departments or programs of psychology to select undergraduate students of color majoring in psychology that meet the following criteria:

Based on the candidate's recommendations from each psychology department or program representative, these students will be identified by OEMA and APA as Minority Undergraduate Students of Excellence in psychology. Each student will be notified of her/his status and their names and other pertinent information will be submitted to graduate-level psychology training programs across the country. OEMA hopes the MUSE Program will facilitate the entry of more ethnic-minority students into graduate psychology programs.

The deadline for MUSE nominations is Aug. 31. To nominate a candidate for the MUSE Program, contact OEMA at the APA address, (202) 336-6029, fax: (202) 336-6040, TTD: (202) 336-5662.

Board of Professional Affairs seeks nominees for its advisory committee

APA's Board of Professional Affairs (BPA) is inviting nominations for membership on its Advisory Committee on Colleague Assistance (ACCA). There will be one vacancy with a three-year term beginning in January 2000.

ACCA investigates the unique occupational hazards of psychology and psychologists' resulting need for colleague assistance. It also promotes the development and continuation of state-level colleague assistance programs and peer assistance networks and develops relationships between state ethics committees, boards of examiners and colleague assistance programs.

Participation in ACCA requires a significant time commitment including two meetings per year in Washington, D.C., work on individual projects and conference calls.

In a continuing effort to broaden representation in APA governance, BPA seeks nominations from a wide variety of sources. Self-nominations are welcomed. ACCA will review nomination materials and forward its recommendations to BPA, which will select new members this fall. While all applicants will be seriously considered, those experienced in work with impaired or distressed professionals, occupational health programs, the development of prevention programs or management of change processes will be given preference. Those applicants with previous experience in division or state psychological association governance are encouraged to apply. BPA and ACCA seek candidates who will enhance the diversity of the advisory committee.

ACCA members cannot serve on an APA standing or continuing board or committee. Also, no one may serve consecutive terms on the advisory committee unless an exception is voted by two-thirds of BPA.

The deadline for nominations is Sept. 15. Send nominations, including a 75-word description of qualifications and a curriculum vita, to Christopher McLaughlin, Practice Directorate, at the APA address.

National Conversation on Racism gains momentum

A survey of participants at the National Conversation on Racism meetings found the gatherings to be informative and raised their awareness of minority issues. The National Conversation was initiated by APA in 1997. It involves a series of events linked by a common set of concerns related to the psychology of racism, racism in psychology and the psychology of anti-racism. These events are typically organized by psychologists in their local communities.

Rashad K. Saafir, PhD, and his students at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology conducted an evaluation of the first 30 events. The evaluation revealed that on average:

Psychological associations sponsored 53 percent of events, while academic institutions sponsored 33 percent. When asked the main outcomes or accomplishments of the event, 49 percent of sponsors indicated "frank discussions of race" and 13 percent said "encouraged networking among colleagues/departments."

APA's racism brochure, "What can psychology tell us about prejudice, discrimination, and racism," written by Mark Feinberg, PhD, was recently developed as a public information brochure and resource for National Conversation events. A complimentary copy of the brochure was sent to all U.S. graduate departments of psychology, all APA divisions and state psychological associations, and 700 ethnic-minority, human and race relations and civil rights organizations.

In addition, APA's Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs provides up to 100 brochures at no cost to sponsors of National Conversation events. Otherwise brochures are sold in lots of 100 for $65. The office also has developed an Annotated Bibliography on Psychology and Racism.

For more information, contact OEMA at the APA address, (202) 336-6029, e-mail, web site: www.apa.org/pi/oema.

APA committee requests nominations

APA's Continuing Professional Education Committee (CPEC) anticipates four vacancies in 2000. The selected candidates will serve a three-year term from February 2000 to December 2003. Members are required to attend two CPEC meetings each year in Washington, D.C., with travel and housing expenses reimbursed by APA. Members work on CPEC projects between meetings and are encouraged to attend APA's Annual Convention each year; however, APA does not reimburse travel and housing expenses for the annual convention.

As defined in the APA Association Rules, the Continuing Professional Education Committee shall have responsibility for developing policy and program recommendations for APA's continuing professional education program and for working collaboratively with the APA Office of Continuing Professional Education to implement these policy and program recommendations.

The Committee's tasks:

CPEC is interested in assembling a diverse group of psychologists, and encourages nominations from individuals with knowledge of or background in the following areas: gay/lesbian/bisexual concerns; psychopharmacology; humanistic psychology; technology issues; state associations/boards; and rural psychology. The Committee is especially interested in nominations of psychologists who can represent the practice community.

To nominate, submit the nominee's curriculum vitae and a letter stating the nominee's interest in serving on CPEC. Self-nominations are encouraged. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 31. Send nomination materials to Karen Kanefield, Office of Continuing Professional Education, at the APA address.

APA Committee on Children, Youth and Families seeks nominations

APA's Committee on Children, Youth and Families anticipates two vacancies in 2000.

The committee is particularly interested in nominees with demonstrated experience and expertise in adolescence, public policy advocacy and public mental health systems. Examples of current initiatives include training psychologists to work in the public sector; disasters; managed care; and immigrant children, youth and families with specific attention to diversity issues.

The committee places a priority on maintaining representation within the committee's to having a membership that reflects the diversity of psychology and society (ethnicity, culture, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and geographic location). APA nominations are open to members who are retired or employed less than full time.

The candidates selected to serve on the committee will serve 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 24-26 and Sept. 22-24, 2000; March 23-25 and Sept. 21-23, 2001; and March 15-17 and Sept. 20-22, 2002.

The successful candidate is expected to attend, if possible, the informal CYF meeting held during APA's Annual Convention at the member's own expense. In addition, members are expected to work an average of 10 hours per month on CYF-related issues.

Nomination materials should contain a current curriculum vitae and a letter from the candidate indicating a willingness to serve. Although it is not required, candidates may wish to have no more than three letters supporting their nomination. All materials must be received by Aug. 23.

Nomination materials received after Aug. 23 will be held for consideration the following year. Send all materials to CYF Nominations, Public Interest Directorate, at the APA address.

Committee on Professional Practice and Standards seeks candidates

APA's Board of Profession-al Affairs (BPA) requests nominations for two vacancies on its Committee on Professional Practice and Standards (COPPS) for three-year terms beginning January 2000.

COPPS addresses questions and issues of significance to professional psychologists. The committee researches, analyzes, monitors and reports on contemporary issues affecting the professional practice of psychology.

COPPS's charge includes:

COPPS will review nomination materials and forward its recommendations to BPA, which will select new members this fall. Individuals with experience in forensic psychology, APA governance and those who have a legal background are particularly encouraged to apply.

BPA and COPPS seek candidates from a variety of sources that will enhance the committee's diversity. Self-nominations are welcomed.

COPPS members may not serve simultaneously on another APA standing or continuing board or committee.

The deadline for nominations is Aug. 30. Send nominations with a 75-word description of qualifications and a curriculum vitae to Christopher McLaughlin, Practice Directorate, at the APA address.

Psi Chi selects recipient for this year's Edwin B. Newman Award

Allison M. Ryan, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Illinois, has been named as the winner of the 1999 Edwin B. Newman Award for her research paper "Why do some students avoid asking for help? An examination of the interplay among students' academic efficacy, teachers' social-emotional role, and the classroom goal structure."

The paper was published in the September 1998 issue of the Journal of Educational Psychology (Vol. 90, No. 3, p. 528-535). Following the publication of the research, Ryan completed all requirements for her PhD at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Psi Chi co-sponsors the Edwin B. Newman Graduate Research Award with APA and the National Honor Society in Psychology. Each year, Psi Chi gives the award to the best research paper submitted by a psychology graduate student who has either presented the paper at a national, regional or state psychological association convention, or has published their during the past calendar year.

The award itself consists of an all expense paid trip to APA's Annual Convention/ Psi Chi National Convention where the winner receives two plaques--one for the winner and one for the winner's department--and a three-year journal subscription. The award is presented during the APA/American Psychological Foundation awards ceremony. This is the only student research award presented during this prestigious awards ceremony.

Psi Chi established the award in 1979 to commemorate its 50th anniversary and to celebrate the 100th anniversary of psychology as a science. Psi Chi named the award after Edwin B. Newman, who served as chair of the psychology department of Harvard University. He was a founder and the first national president of Psi Chi (1929), a member of APA's Board of Directors, serving as recording secretary of the board from 1962-67, and was parliamentarian for APA's Council of Representatives for many years.

The chair of this year's Newman Award Committee was Dennis Carmody, PhD, from Saint Peter's College in New Jersey and Psi Chi Eastern vice president. Other committee members were Michael Robinson, PhD, from Texas Christian University and Psi Chi Southwestern vice president, Nolan Penn, PhD, University of California, San Diego, representing APA's Science Directorate and Cathy Epkins, PhD, Texas Tech University, representing APA's Education Directorate.

--Compiled by M. Waters

Partnership project will track the path of graduate students

The Association of Psychology Postdoc-toral and Internship Center (APPIC) and APA have developed a way to share data to better understand the process of education and training in professional psychology.

The new arrangement will link information from separate but co-existing databases to provide a more complete picture of the progress of the graduate student. The data will include demographic characteristics of those entering training to become professional psychologists and of those applying for, receiving and completing internships. Also tracked will be the entry-level positions they receive.

Data will be drawn from program-level resources, as well as from individuals, and will be joined by common links or identifiers. The data will be gathered and housed by APA so that demographic information is kept separate from the intern application process.

APA and APPIC encourage participation by intern applicants so that accurate information can be provided within and outside the psychology field about how the field looks today and how it might change in the future. This information will help psychology programs plan for the future and will yield data that will be useful in advocacy work with funding agencies.

--L. Mattas-Curry

GIVING TO THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION:

THE SMART WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO PSYCHOLOGY

Q. According to the April 11 issue of The New York Times, foundations are giving more money than ever before. What is the reason for this phenomenon?

A. Part of the reason has to do with the growth of the stock market, which has yielded more money for foundations to perform their charitable missions. This same economy is enabling donors to make more generous gifts. People are also becoming more educated about giving. Donors give because they want to help an organization and because there are certain financial benefits they can enjoy if they give wisely.

Q. What kind of financial benefits could I receive when I make a charitable contribution?

A. I am sure you are aware that any charitable contribution is tax deductible. A cash gift of $5,000, for example, could save you $1,980 in taxes. However, if you were to give $5,000 in appreciated securities, you would save taxes three ways: through the charitable deduction for the market value at the time the gift is made, the avoidance of capital gains tax, and the removal of the asset from your taxable estate. If you were to put the appreciated securities into a life income gift, such as a charitable remainder trust, you could save taxes three ways (as above) and receive an income for life for yourself and others. At the death of the last income recipient, the amount remaining in the trust would pass to the charity.

Q. We are in the process of planning our estate. We would like to give to the Foundation, but we want to make sure that we provide first for our children.

A. One option you could use is known as a residuary bequest. You could leave whatever amount to your children you feel they would need; the remaining amount, or the residue, could go to the Foundation. Your children would be provided for, and you could also save in estate and gift taxes.

Q. Our attorney has told us that we should consider making a gift of some of our life insurance policies. Can you explain the benefit of this sort of gift?

A. Some people purchased life insurance policies years ago to protect themselves or their loved ones. Now they find they no longer need that protection. There are a number of ways you can use such policies as gifts:

You can use the cash value of the policy to fund a gift.

You may name a charitable organization to receive all or part of the proceeds at death, in which case, your estate may also have reduced income and estate taxes.

You can assign the charity as the owner of the policy. You would receive a federal income tax deduction for the policy's fair market value or for the net premiums paid. If the policy is not paid and you assign your policy to the charity, you can make tax deductible contributions to the charity in order to fulfill the policy. These payments would be considered tax deductible charitable contributions.

Q. If I give to the Foundation, my primary purpose would not be to save money. I want to give because I believe in what you do. Could you tell me what the Foundation supports?

A. The American Psychological Foundation supports and enhances the discipline of psychology. Donations to APF allow us to do such things as give a scholarship to a gifted psychology student; provide a grant to a scholar conducting important research; or give an award to a talented early career psychologist to recognize and encourage continued contributions to the field.

Elisabeth Straus

For additional information, please contact Elisabeth Straus, Director, APF (202) 336-5814.

Rep. Strickland honored by National Academies of Practice

The National Acad-emies of Practice (NAP) honored Rep. Ted Strickland, (D-Ohio) at the State Leadership Conference in March, held in Washington, DC. At the meeting, members of the NAP Psychology Academy presented Strickland with a certificate naming him an honorary member of the academy, one of 10 health-care academies in the NAP.

The National Academies of Practice aims to improve the quality of health care by serving as the nation's distinguished, interdisciplinary policy forum that addresses public policy, education, research and inquiry.



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