REVISED WPSP BYLAWS (Approved by Membership as of April, 2007)

ARTICLE I - NAME and OBJECTIVES

  1. The name of this organization is Washington Professionals for the Study of Psychoanalysis. It is a local chapter of Division 39 of the American Psychological Association.
  2. The objectives of this local chapter shall be consonant with those of Division 39 and shall be in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the American Psychological Association. The purposes shall be:
  • To broaden and enhance scientific and professional interest in the contributions of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy as a method of scientific inquiry and a theoretical model;
  • To encourage and support educational programs and research having to do with the discipline of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy and its application to the public welfare;
  • To promote psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy within mental health and related health communities, and to assist with informing the public of current applications through the exchange of scientific ideas;
  • Such other purposes as the organization may, from time to time, elect to pursue for the benefit of its members.

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

  1. There shall be one class of members in WPSP, namely "MEMBER". The Chapter is an interest group and not a recognizing or an accrediting body. Membership in WPSP shall in no way constitute an endorsement of the professional qualifications of any member.
  2. Members may include persons who have demonstrated an interest in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy as evidenced by the pursuit of related educational activities, professional practice, scholarly contributions, and artistic and/or humanitarian endeavors. Members of Division 39 are eligible for membership.
  3. Members shall be eligible to vote on Chapter affairs and hold offices. The membership dues are set by the Executive Board of the Local Chapter and paid annually. There are two (2) categories of dues assessment: Member and Student. The Executive Board may determine additional dues, assessments, and fees.

ARTICLE III - EXECUTIVE BOARD

  1. The Executive Board shall consist of the President, the Past President, The Recording Secretary, the Treasurer, two Division 39 Representatives, and Chairs of Committees. The Recording Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected for one-year terms. The Division 39 Representatives shall be elected for two-year terms. No person may service in more than one elected office simultaneously.
  • The duties of the President shall be to function as chief executive officer of the Chapter, to chair meetings of the membership and the Executive Board, to appoint committee chairs, and to implement such actions as may be decided upon by the members of the chapter.
  • The duty of the Past President shall be to provide continuity in an advisory capacity with the previous year's board;
  • The duties of the Recording Secretary shall include responsibility for recording minutes of the Executive Board meetings and distributing them to members of the Executive Board;
  • The Treasurer shall serve as custodian of all WPSP funds. The Treasurer shall be authorized to sign checks on behalf of WPSP. In the absence of the Treasurer, checks may be signed by the President. The Treasurer shall keep a record of receipts and disbursements. Disbursements shall be made on production of itemized receipts of authorized expenditures. The Treasurer shall propose the amount of dues and assessments, and the amounts proposed shall be voted on by the Executive Board. The Treasurer, in conjunction with the President, shall present a budge and a fiscal report to the Executive Board at the beginning of the fiscal year for their approval. The fiscal year shall extend from January 1 to December 31, as required by Division 39;
  • The duties of the Division 39 Representatives shall include liaison with the Division 39 Section IV Senate, attendance at Spring and/or Summer Division 39 meetings, communication with other local chapters' representatives, and offering articles to the Division 39 Newsletter in the Local Chapter Section. The Division 39 Representatives must be members in good standing of Division 39 of the American Psychological Association;
  • In the event of a vacancy in any elected office, the Executive Board shall elect a successor to serve until a new officer is chosen at the next annual election.

ARTICLE IV - THE WORKING STRUCTURE OF THE CHAPTER

  1. The Executive Board is the policy-making body of the Chapter.
  • The Executive Board shall meet as frequently as deemed necessary by the President and/or a majority of its members but no less than three (3) times each year. It shall be responsible for the conduct of the ongoing affairs of the chapter as a whole in the pursuit of its policies and objectives. The minutes of Executive Board meetings shall be available to members upon request. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Business shall be conducted only at scheduled meetings attended by a quorum of Board members and chaired by the president or his/her designee.
  • Executive Board meetings may be attended by members of WPSP. Members may speak if they have requested to have a particular issue put on the agenda, notifying the President in writing.

2. Committees: The chair of each committee shall function as a liaison and shall report communications from committee members to the Executive Board and to the membership as a whole. The President shall appoint the chair of each committee. The members of each committee shall be appointed by the committee chair.

  • Program Committee: The Program Committee and/or the Executive Board, shall be responsible for arranging programs of WPSP;
  • Meeting Arrangements Committee: The Meeting Arrangements Committee shall be organized on an as-needed basis. The committee will be responsible for coordinating and contracting the location of the meeting(s), arranging for refreshments, and shall discharge other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the President and the Executive Board;
  • Outreach Committee: The Outreach Committee shall be organized on an as-needed basis and shall serve as liaison to the general educational and professional community and perform such other duties that may, from time to time, be determined by the President and Executive Board;
  • Seminar Committee: The Seminar Committee shall be responsible for coordinating WPSP seminar study groups, and for administering continuing education requirements, as well as other duties that may be assigned by the President and the Executive Board;
  • Archives Committee: the Archives Committee shall be responsible for maintaining a permanent file which records the Chapter's history. The committee shall also maintain files of minutes of the Executive Board meetings and newsletters;
  • Local Chapter Liaison Committee: The Local Chapter Liaison Committee shall be responsible for coordinating events with other Washington area local chapters of Division 39, on an as-needed basis, or as requested by the President.
  • Student Outreach Committee: The Student Outreach Committee shall be responsible for outreach to graduate students interested in the study of psychoanalysis.

ARTICLE V - MEETINGS

  1. Meetings may be called by the President, by a majority of the Executive Board, or at the written request of eight (8) members of WPSP to the President. In the latter two cases, the President must hold a meeting within thirty (30) days.

  2. A quorum at a general meeting of WPSP shall consist of 10 percent (10%) of the members of WPSP for the purposes of voting and transacting business. A majority vote at Executive Board meetings and general meetings shall be defined as a majority of the members present and voting. Business shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order. Any disagreement about procedure that cannot be settled within WPSP shall be referred to an official parliamentarian or other neutral person satisfactory to all parties to the dispute.

ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed either by the Executive Board or by petition of ten percent (10%) of the voting membership of WPSP. Bylaws may be amended by a majority of those members voting on any proposed amendment. Voting on amendments shall be by mail ballot and voters shall be provided thirty (30) days from the day of mailing to return their ballots.

ARTICLE VII -ELECTIONS

  1. Election of officers of WPSP shall be conducted annually, and shall be completed by June 15 of any given year. Nominations for each office shall be made by a nomination ballot sent to members not later than April 1, and nominations shall remain open until April 15th. The President must appoint an Election Committee and announce its composition to all members by May 1st of each year. This committee shall be composed of three (3) or more members of WPSP who state that they do not plan to be candidates for elected office in that year. Members of the Election Committee may not accept if nominated to any office on the ballot. The Election Committee shall be responsible for mailing, receiving, and counting of ballots and for final decisions on eligibility of voters. Ballots shall be opened, separated from their envelopes (which shall be stored in a separate container), and counted in the presence of at least three (3) members of the Election Committee. Any member of WPSP who so wishes may be present at the opening and counting of ballots. Envelopes and ballots shall be stored in separate containers at the home or office of one of the Election Committee members for four months after the election, after which they may be destroyed.

  2. From the nomination ballots the Election Committee shall prepare an election ballot on which shall be listed the names of those with the two (2) highest number of votes from among those nominated, and whose willingness to serve has been ascertained by the Election Committee.

  3. The Election Committee shall mail one ballot to each member by May 1st. The election shall close one month after the mailing of the election ballot.

  4. The Election Committee shall declare to the respective offices those candidates who receive the largest number of votes and shall report the results by mail to the newly elected officers and to the membership by June 15. In case of tie for any office, The Election Committee shall determine by lot which candidate shall be elected.

ARTICLE –VIII - ETHICAL CONDUCT

WPSP and its members consider themselves bound by the Ethical Principles promulgated by the American Psychological Association.

ARTICLE IX - REVOCATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership in WPSP may be revoked by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board. Membership may be revoked for unethical conduct, as stated in the APA ethical principles, or for actions counter to the principles and philosophy of the organization. Any member whose membership is so terminated may request a special meeting with the Executive Board to reconsider his/her membership.

ARTICLE X - DISSOLUTION OF WPSP

In the event that there are insufficient members to take over the responsibilities of the Executive Board, the chapter may be dissolved.

  • A minimum of two (2) notices will be sent to all members alerting them to the need for Board positions to be filled in order for WPSP to continue to exist.
  • If there is insufficient response from the membership to fill the needed Board positions, the existing Executive Board will take the necessary steps required for dissolution.
  • Any money remaining in the treasury of WPSP at the time of dissolution will be distributed in one of the following ways, to be decided by a majority vote of the entire membership. A mailing will go out to all members from the Executive Board, with the following options:
  1. The money may be donated to an institution or organization so designated by the existing Executive Board and specified at the time the mailing to the membership occurs;
  2. The money may be donated to a particular cause in order to provide counseling services to people in need who would otherwise not be able to afford mental health services; (examples: particular homeless population/shelter; battered women;)
  3. The money may be used to endow a chair/scholarship/internship at one of the institutions of higher learning in the Washington, DC area.

Additional options may be added by the existing Executive Board if dissolution is required.

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