Austin Psychoanalytic
A Chapter of the American Psychological Association, Division 39 Bylaws
Article I – Name and Objectives
A. The name of this organization shall be the Austin Psychoanalytic (the “Society.”)
B. The Society’s objectives and operations shall be consonant with those of Division 39 and the Code of Ethics of the American Psychological Association.
- Scientific Objectives: The Society seeks to support the systematic development of psychoanalytic theory as a comprehensive model for human behavior and psychotherapeutic intervention.
- Professional Objectives: The Society seeks to strengthen and broaden the professional practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis among mental health professionals in the Austin and Central Texas areas by effecting the following:
- a. establishing high professional standards for eligibility for membership and for practice;
- b. offering education and training designed to strengthen and broaden the understanding and practice of analytically informed psychotherapy and psychoanalysis;
- c. developing channels for public service;
- d. developing high visibility for the Society and its activities among the mental health community and the general public.
Article II – Membership
A. There shall be two categories of membership, namely Full Members and Student Members. The requirements for each category are as follows:
- Full Members – Full Members are mental health professionals with a master’s degree or above (e.g. licensed professional counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers) who have demonstrated an interest in psychoanalysis as evidenced by the pursuit of educational, research, and/or professional activities. They must be licensed and certified, provisionally licensed, license-eligible (e.g. psychologists in their post-doctoral, pre-licensure supervisory period), or employed by an exempt agency.
- Student Members – Student members are graduate students in psychology or related fields who are currently enrolled in an accredited graduate program. Student members shall not have voting privileges.
B. Termination of membership. Any member shall automatically be dropped from membership for either of the following:
- Failure to retain any one or more of the membership requirements for his or her membership category.
- Failure to pay dues for two consecutive years.
Article III – Officers
A. Qualification of Nominees for Office
1. Nominees for the Office of President Elect must be Full Members with the following qualifications: (1) five years of post-graduate clinical experience and (2) three years of demonstrated interest and activity in psychoanalytically-informed theory and practice. In assessing the latter, the Nominating Committee (see Article VI below) shall consider, without limitation, the following: Supervision of cases by a psychoanalytically-informed clinician; post-degree training in psychoanalytically-informed theory and practice, by means of course work, readings, etc.; a personal analysis.
2. Nominees for other officer positions must be Full Members.
B. Representation of Professions
In preparing a slate of nominees, the Nominating Committee shall ensure that the membership of the Executive Committee will include at least one member from each of the following professions: (1) psychology; (2) psychiatry; and (3) disciplines whose minimum educational requirement is a master’s degree.
C. Duties and Functions
1. The President shall be the previous year’s President Elect. It shall be his or her function as the chief executive officer of the Society to chair meetings of the membership and of the Executive Committee, to appoint committee chairs, and to implement such actions as may be decided upon by the members of the Society.
2. The Past President shall be the previous year’s President. The duties of the Past President shall be (1) to serve as a regular member of the Executive Committee; (2) to prepare, review with the Executive Committee, and submit to Psychologist Psychoanalyst (the Division 39 publication) an annual report of the Society’s activities; and (3) to discharge those duties as may be assigned, as the occasion demands, by the President and/or the Executive Committee.
3. The duties of the President Elect shall be (1) to serve in place of the President in the event of the latter’s unavailability; (2) to serve otherwise as a regular member of the Executive Committee; (3) to discharge those duties as may be assigned, as the occasion demands, by the President and/or the Executive Committee; and (4) to move into the office of President at the end of a one-year term. A vacancy in the office of President
Elect shall go unfilled until the completion of a special election or until the next annual election, as decided by the Executive Committee.
4. The Secretary shall be elected for a two-year term. The secretary’s duties shall be (1) to serve as a regular member of the Executive Committee; (2) to record and maintain the minutes of all business meetings of the Membership and of the Executive Committee; and (3) to discharge those duties as may be assigned, as the occasion demands, by the President and/or the Executive Committee.
5. The Treasurer shall be elected for a two-year term. The treasurer’s duties shall be (1) to serve as a regular member of the Executive Committee; (2) to undertake responsibility for the fiscal affairs of the Society and the maintenance of all of its financial records; and (3) to discharge those duties as may be assigned, as the occasion demands, by the President and/or the Executive Committee.
6. The Education Chair shall be the previous year’s Education Chair Elect. The Education Chair shall (1) serve as a regular member of the Executive Committee; (2) serve as Chair of the Education Committee; and (3) undertake such other duties as may be assigned, as the occasion demands, by the President and/or the Executive Committee.
7. The Education Chair Elect shall (1) serve as a regular member of the Executive Committee; (2) serve as a member of the Education Committee; and (3) undertake such other duties as may be assigned, as the occasion demands, by the President and/or the Executive Committee.
8. Two Board Members-at-Large shall be elected in alternating years. The Board Members-at-Large duties shall be to (1) serve as regular members of the Executive Committee; (2) undertake such other duties as may be assigned, as the occasion demands, by the President and/or the Executive Committee.
D. Elections shall be staggered so that the positions of Secretary and one Member-at-Large are to be elected in one year, and the positions of Treasurer and the second Member-at-Large are to be elected in the following year.
Article IV – Operative Structure of the Society
A. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is the policy-making body of the society. It shall consist of the President, the President Elect, Past President, Secretary, the Education Chair, Education Chair Elect, the Treasurer, and the two Board Members-at-Large. The Executive Committee shall meet as frequently as deemed necessary by the President and/or a majority of its members but no less than twice each year. It shall be responsible for the conduct of the ongoing affairs of the Society as a whole in the pursuit of its policies and objectives. It shall recommend for membership approval all dues, assessments, and fees at the annual business meeting. It shall appoint ad hoc committees as situations demand. Unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws, the Executive Committee is empowered to appoint officers to replace those who cannot fulfill the remainder of their terms.
B. Standing Committees. The President and/or the Excutive Committee may choose to convene the following Committees or others deemed necessary by same.
1. Membership Committee
The Membership Committee shall consist of members appointed annually by the President and/or the
Executive Committee. Its duties shall include the responsibilities to (1) increase and retain membership in the Society; (2) promote membership in the Society among all mental health disciplines in the Austin and Central Texas area; and (3) collaborate with area colleges and universities to increase student membership.
2. Program Committee
The Program Committee shall consist of no less than two members, the President and the President Elect, who shall function as its Chair and Co-Chair respectively. Its duty shall be to set the yearly program, including monthly meetings and conferences.
3. Education Committee
The Education Committee shall consist of the Education Chair and the Education Chair Elect who shall function at its Chair and and Co-Chair respectively. It shall also consist of any member appointed by the President and Executive Committee. It shall be responsible for whatever educational structure, curriculum, and programs seem appropriate, and, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, developing and implementing means for their realization.
4. Newsletter Committee
The Newsletter Committee shall consist of the Newsletter Editor and one or more members appointed by the President and/or the Executive Committee. The Newsletter Editor shall be appointed for a two year term and shall be responsible for the content and production of the Society’s newsletter.
Article V – Meetings
The Society shall hold a minimum of one general meeting annually, for which timely notices will be provided. A quorum shall consist of all Full Members present at the business meeting. At this meeting, the members eligible to vote shall approve by majority vote all dues, assessments, and fees. Additional meetings may be called by the President and/or by a majority of the Executive Committee. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the latest addition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Article VI – Elections
The election of officers of the Society shall be conducted annually and shall be concluded before June 1 of any given year. A Nominating Committee shall be constituted which will be chaired by the current Past President and include the
President Elect and up to two additional members appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee; provided, however, that the Nominating Committee thus constituted will include at least one member from each of the following professions: (1) psychology; (2) psychiatry; and (3) disciplines whose minimum educational requirement is a master’s degree. At least by April 1 of each year, the Nominating Committee shall develop a slate of nominees, consisting of two nominees per position when two are available to serve. At least by May 1 of each year, the Nominating Committee shall mail or email a ballot to each member of the Society who is eligible to vote. The members shall have thirty days from the date of mailing to return the ballots. Election results shall be tabulated by the Nominating Committee and announced to the Membership no later than at the first subsequent general meeting of the Society. Newly elected officers shall be installed on July 1 following the election.
Article VII – Division 39 Representative
The Division 39 Representative shall be elected for a term of two years. He or she shall serve as the Society’s representative to Division 39 of the American Psychological Association. The Division 39 Representative must be a member of Division 39 and must have previously served on, or currently be a member of, the Executive Committee. The Division 39 Representative must attend the annual Spring meeting of Division 39 and, when possible, the annual Summer meeting of the American Psychological Association.
Article VIII – Procedure for Amending these Bylaws
Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by petition of ten percent of all members of the Society who are eligible to vote. Voting on amendments shall be by mail or email ballot and voters shall be given thirty days from the date of mailing to return their ballots. The Bylaws will be officially amended if two-thirds of the returned ballot favor a proposed amendment.
Article IX – Procedure for Dissolution of the Society
If, by majority rules, the Society is dissolved, any moneys remaining following payment of any and all financial obligations will be donated to Division 39 of the American Psychological Association.
Bylaws History:
1. The original Bylaws were adopted in March 1988 when the ASPP was founded
2. Article III was amended August 1992 to permit election of two Associate Representatives rather than one.
3. November 1993: The ASPP membership votes to accept this Bylaws revision.
4. February 1999: The Bylaws were amended to change membership categories and procedures for selection of nominees of the offices of President Elect and President, and the ASPP membership voted to adopt those Bylaws amendments.
5. March 2000: The amendments to permit election of the Educational and Training Committee Chairperson and the Division 39 Representative were approved by the membership.
6. June 2009: Changed the Bylaws to reflect current Board functioning, namely replacing the Interdisciplinary Representatives with Members-at-Large and adding Program and Newsletter Committees as well as minor changes to guarantee Board diversity and clarify termination of membership.
7. June 2012: The bylaws were amended in order to improve consistency with Division 39 bylaws with regard to the circumstances under which ASPP can terminate an individual’s membership. The changes to the bylaws were approved by the membership.