APA resolution recommending the retirement of American Indian mascots, symbols, images, and personalities by schools, colleges, universities, athletic teams and organizations
APA Resolution Recommending the Retirement of American Indian Mascots, Symbols, Images, and Personalities by Schools, Colleges, Universities, Athletic Teams and Organizationsopens in new window
Resolution on enhancing diversity in APA
WHEREAS in 2005 the President of the American Psychological Association (APA), Ronald F. Levant, EdD, MBA, appointed a Task Force on Enhancing Diversity to suggest ways that APA can be a more welcoming place for psychologists who are members of marginalized groups – more specifically, members who are African American/Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino(a); lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered; persons with disabilities; older persons; Muslims and others of non-dominant religious orientation or heritage; and women, and
WHEREAS conflicts occur not only between the majority and the marginalized groups, but among marginalized groups, and WHEREAS one charge of the Task Force was to identify conceptual models for use in reconciling differences when they occur among diverse groups and between majority groups and specific marginalized groups, and
WHEREAS this Task Force also was charged to develop recommendations for how the American Psychological Association can become more welcoming to its many diverse constituent members, and
WHEREAS many of the Task Force members and the members they represent have reported that interactions between members of dominant groups and the marginalized groups identified above sometimes exhibited insensitivity, an appearance of invisibility, or outright rudeness, and
WHEREAS the Task Force has completed its Final Report, which provides the basis for this resolution by: (a) presenting the past and current history of APA and diversity, (b) describing 10 major principles of change, (c) identifying the benefits of change to APA and its majority and marginalized group members, (d) explaining through use of examples, the need for change in APA, (e) outlining specific models of change and specific conflict resolution/reconciliation strategies, (f) recommending prioritized actions for enhancing diversity in APA, and (g) providing reference citations of the report’s major concepts and models;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that enhancing diversity and increasing the sense of being welcome in APA by diverse groups are top priorities for APA.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that APA’s Council of Representatives directs APA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to develop a Diversity Implementation Plan to ensure that diversity is an integral part of APA structures and activities. In developing this plan, the CEO should consider, among other things, the Immediate, Medium-term, and Long-range recommendations outlined by the Task Force on Enhancing Diversity in APA that are included as the Appendix to this resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that $10,000 be budgeted in 2005, and $25,000 in 2006, to facilitate the development of the Diversity Implementation Plan, and that beginning in 2007 a specific line item appear in the annual APA budget to operationalize the Diversity Implementation Plan in an amount recommended annually by the CEO.
APPENDIX
The APA President’s Task Force on Enhancing Diversity in APA Immediate, Medium-term, and Long-range Recommendations
Immediate:
(a) Supporting an anti-discrimination policy.
(b) Surveying all governance entities as to “climate” (current level of participation, relative level of comfort) and current level of participation of members of diverse groups.
(c) Enhancing inter-Directorate collaboration through joint columns in the Monitor and other collaborative projects.
(d) Adopting the policy of incorporating language and principles from the APA Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice and Organizational Change for Psychologists, the APA Guidelines for Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients, and the APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Older Adults into publication and editorial policies/procedures.
(e) Expanding the editorial/publications pipeline with respect to greater inclusion of diverse persons.
(f) Obtaining relevant governance groups’ feedback to the Office of Accreditation and Program Consultation for its consideration in supporting more effective implementation of Domain D of the APA Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology.
(g) Developing a training mechanism for psychological researchers in skills, knowledge, and attitudes requisite for conducting research with diverse populations.
(h) Recognizing the needs of APA meeting and convention attendees who are from various marginalized religious groups.
(i) Increasing attentiveness to diversity issues in areas such as awards and the content of membership promotional materials.
(j) Providing favorable consideration of a new Division on Disability.
(k) Conducting a study of barriers facing students with disabilities.
(l) Developing a newsletter from the Office of Disability Issues.
Medium-term:
(a) Planning mechanisms for diversity enhancement within the Association.
(b) All governance groups organizing discussions of having joint meetings to promote collaboration with other governance groups.
(c) Developing experiences and activities to encourage diverse marginalized students and early career psychologists to enter research careers and APA governance/leadership.
(d) Opening opportunities for students from marginalized groups to be mentored as ad hoc journal reviewers.
(e) Developing site visitor training materials relevant to the assessment of APA Guidelines andPrinciples for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology, Domain D, for consideration by the APA Committee on Accreditation.
(f) Providing educational materials to increase awareness at meetings to diverse religions’ food restrictions.
(g) Developing strategies for recruiting and retaining members from marginalized groups.
(h) Initiating an APA Monitor series on international issues.
(i) Improving attention and commitment to issues facing persons with disabilities such as access, resource materials, and representation among staff.
(j) Examining states’ laws and positions that may be oppressive to marginalized groups or insensitive to persons with disabilities relative to decisions about locations of APA meetings.
Long-range:
(a) All governance groups formulating plans for increasing representation of individuals from marginalized groups.
(b) Developing ideas for increasing APA’s involvement with international psychological organizations.
(c) Initiating non-English translations of key APA publications.
(d) Encouraging increased attention to tolerance and understanding of religious, sexual orientation, and disability issues, especially in psychology education and training.
(e) Expanding efforts related to increasing research training to marginalized students at all levels of the educational pipeline.
(f) Evaluating the value of reduced dues for marginalized groups.
(g) Increasing the Association’s understanding of, and commitment to persons with disabilities.
(h) Developing leadership mentoring opportunities for marginalized students at all levels of the educational pipeline.
