Board/Committee Members: Allyson J. Bennett, PhD, Chair; Fred L. Oswald, Chair-Elect; Carmela Alcantara, PhD; Tammy D. Allen, PhD; Noelle Hurd, PhD; Jermaine D. Jones, PhD; Arthur M. Nezu, PhD; Suparna Rajaram, PhD; and Janet K. Swim, PhD
Staff Liaison(s): Suzanne Wandersman and Amber Story, PhD
In 2020, the Boards of Scientific Affairs (BSA) and Publications and Communications (P&C) created a joint P&C and BSA Task Force, to discuss issues created by underrepresentation of key ethnic and other marginalized groups in the publication enterprise in psychological science. The issues initially raised resided in the area of publication, but diversity across the discipline was then considered more broadly. The task force was charged with recommending strategies and implementation steps to address the selection of journal editors, reviewers, and how research on underrepresented populations is considered.
BSA Task Force members, Carmela Alcantara, Allyson Bennett, Noelle Hurd, and Fred Oswald participated in several meetings of the Joint Task Force together with representatives from the Publications and Communications Board and a representative from the Council of Editors. Together they developed suggestions to implement EDI policies to address the issues of under-representation. Those suggestions reflect three goals (1) expressly support scholars and students of color within psychology; (2) prioritize action and impact; and (3) assign responsibilities and accountability across a range of stakeholders (APA, editorial teams, editors, and reviewers).
BSA’s collaborative work with P&C prepares the discipline and profession of psychology for the future, by attracting, diversifying, developing, and supporting the next generation of psychology professionals.
The Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) invited and BSA agreed to collaborate in the following areas of mutual interest:
Task forces, including BSA representatives, were appointed and continue their work into 2022.
BSA’s collaborative work with BEA prepares the discipline and profession of psychology for the future, by attracting, diversifying, developing, and supporting the next generation of psychology professionals.
The Task Force on Inequities in Academic Tenure and Promotion was created to develop guidance and considerations to address systemic inequities that affect the processes and outcomes of academic promotion and tenure. The guidance of this task force could become a valuable resource used by academic department promotion/tenure committees or academic deans and department chairs in promotion and tenure considerations. The work of the task force will begin in 2022.
BSA’s work in this area prepares the discipline and profession of psychology for the future, by attracting, diversifying, developing, and supporting the next generation of psychology professionals.