BY-LAWS 

September 1, 1988

MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION FOR PSYCHOANALYTIC PSYCHOLOGY

An Official Chapter of the Division of Psychoanalysis (39) of the American Psychological Association

ARTICLE I -- NAME AND OBJECTIVE 

The name of this organization shall be the Massachusetts Association of Psychoanalytic Psychology.

Its objectives shall be consonant with those of the Division of Psychoanalysis of the American Psychological Association and its operations governed by the code of Ethics of the American Psychological Association.

The objectives are:

A. To provide psychologist interested in psychoanalysis a forum for scholarly and clinical exchange.

B. To provide a vehicle for psychoanalytic psychologists to foster and improve their level of training and clinical skill through the

development of both informal and formal educational and training

activities.

C. To provide a forum for the discussion and constructive expression of professional concerns and issues of interest to

psychoanalytically oriented psychologist.

ARTICLE II -- MEMBERSHIP 

1. Categories of Membership and Requirements:

There shall be three categories of membership; namely, Members, Associate Members and Student Members. Only Members shall have voting privileges.

The requirements for each category are as follows:

A. Members 

Full membership with all privileges in MAPP is open to:

a) all psychologists who are members of APA;

b) licensed clinicians for all the other mental health professions.

B. Associate Members 

Non-licensed but interested members of the professional community may qualify as associate members, without vote.

C. Student Members 

Graduate students who are currently enrolled in a recognized graduate program in mental health may be admitted as student

members, without vote, at the discretion of the Membership Committee.

2. Termination of Membership and Reinstatement:

Members or Associate Members shall automatically be dropped from membership for either (a) failure to retain any one or more of their respective membership requirements as indicated above or (b) failure to pay dues for 16 months. Reinstatement will occur upon remediation of the deficiencies involved as determined by the Membership Committee.

A member of any status may be dropped from membership or otherwise disciplined for conduct which is contrary to or destructive of the objectives of the Association. This is defined in the Code of Ethics of the American Psychological Association. Allegations of injurious conduct shall be submitted signed and in writing to the Executive Committee which shall have the power to conduct necessary investigations of the allegations, or appoint a committee to do so. Suspension from membership or other action may be made only after full investigation and examination of the conduct in question and a two thirds vote of the full Executive Committee.

ARTICLE III -- OFFICERS 

The officers of the Association shall include the President, the President-Elect or Past President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. They shall take office on September 1 of any given year.

The President shall be elected for a two year term. It shall be his or her function as the chief executive officer of the Association to chair meetings of the membership and of the Executive Committee, to appoint committee chairs, to implement such actions as may be decided upon by the members of the Association and the Executive Committee and to exercise supervision over the affairs of the Association.

The duties of the President-Elect (or Past President--to be served for one year terms prior to and after assuming the Presidency), shall be to serve in place of the President in the event of the later’s unavailability, to served otherwise as a regular member of the Executive Committee, and to discharge those duties which may be assigned, as the occasion demand, be the President, and/or the Executive Committee.

The Secretary shall be elected for a two year term with duties, beyond serving as a regular member of the Executive Committee, which shall include the recording and maintenance of the minutes of all business meetings of the Membership, the Executive Committee, and such other duties as may be assigned, as the occasion demands, by the President and/or the Executive Committee.

The Treasurer shall be elected for a two year term with duties beyond serving as a regular member of the Executive Committee, which shall include responsibility for the fiscal affairs of the Association, the maintenance of all of its financial records, and such other duties as may be assigned, as the occasion demands, by the President and/or the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IV -- OPERATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION 

The permanent operative bodies of the Association shall consist of the Executive Committee and the several standing committees. Nothing in the terms of office shall prevent committee chairs and members from being reappointed to committee service to maintain continuity of committee work.

1. The Executive Committee 

The Executive Committee is the policy-making body of the Association. It shall consist of the President, the President-Elect (or Past President), the Secretary, the Treasurer, four members elected for two year terms, two in each alternating year, by the membership of the Association (all of which members of the Executive Committee shall have voting privileges). The President, Secretary, and Treasurer cannot succeed themselves in that office. Members of the Executive Committee shall serve for as many as two consecutive terms on the board, after which they must step down for one year. After the one year hiatus, any member may run for member-at-large anew. The exceptions to this rule are the elected officers, whose term of office may carry them beyond the four year limit for consecutive tenure of the board. The chairs of all standing committees shall be members of the Executive Committee without voting privileges unless they are already elected members of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall meet no less than four times each year and at such times as the President may decide. Beyond its legislative functions, it shall determine all dues, assessments, and fees related to all aspects of the functioning of the Association and any of its subdivisions, and it shall act as final arbiter and have right of review in all issues of membership status which cannot be resolved by the Membership Committee. The Executive Committee is empowered to appoint officers to replace those who cannot fulfill the remainder of their terms. The Executive Committee shall establish its own rules of procedure and shall be deemed to have a quorum if chaired by the President or his/her designee and attended by four other members.

A member of the Executive Committee who fails to attend three consecutive schedule meetings of the Committee shall be considered to have resigned unless reinstated by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

2. The Membership Committee 

The Membership Committee shall consist of a chairperson and at least two other members appointed annually be the President. Its duties shall include passing of the qualifications of all candidates for membership in the Association; locating qualified persons and extending invitations to membership; maintaining the membership rolls of the Association; conducting outreach to retain members who may have dropped out of active statue; serving as the primary organ dealing with matters of termination and reinstatement; and determining eligibility for voting.

3. The Finance Committee 

The Finance Committee shall consist of the Treasurer, who shall serve as its chairperson, and not less that two other members of the Association to be appointed by the President on an annual basis. Its duties shall include the presentation of an annual budget to the membership of the Association; the maintenance of its financial records in readily accessible state; arrange for an audit on an annual basis; and, in general, conduct, monitor, and review the Association’s financial affairs.

4. The Education Committee 

The Education Committee shall consist of no less than five members, including its chair and co-chair, who are appointed by the President for a term of two years. It shall devote itself to those objectives of the Association relating both to the improvement of professional practice and the fostering of contributions to psychoanalysis as a scientific theory. As such, it shall be responsible for devising formal and informal means such as study groups, interest groups and other methods, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, to accomplish these goals.

Based upon wished of the membership, the Education Committee may establish interest groups, including a group of Women and Psychoanalysis and on Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychology, to reflect the professional and research interests of the membership. Interest groups shall be open to all members wishing to participate in them. These interest groups may elect chairs annually and hold specialized meetings open to those members wishing to associate with a group. Interest groups shall function in full accord with the by-Laws of the chapter.

The Education Committee may frequently seek to collaborate with the Program Committee in devising and implementing special workshops and seminars.

5. The Program Committee 

The Program Committee shall consist of no less than three members, including its chair and co-char, appointed by the President for a term of two years. It shall be responsible for the implementation of those aspects of short terms education and training functions in which it may wish to collaborate with the Education Committee. In general it shall be responsible for all special events of the Association, including the programmatic aspects of the two annual meetings, the procurement of speakers, the selections of suitable sites and physical facilities, and the administration of the programs themselves, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

6. The Professional Relations Committee 

The Professional Relations Committee shall consist of no less than three members, including its chair, to be appointed by the President of the Association for two year terms. It shall be responsible for the pursuit of that objective of the Association pertaining to its establishment as a visible presence among psychologist, among mental health professions in general, and with respect to the public at large. As directed by the President or the Executive Committee it shall represent and speak for the Membership in regard to professional and social issues deemed to require action or response, especially regarding issues affecting the practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

ARTICLE V -- REPRESENTATIVE AND AD HOC COMMITTEES 

The President or his or her delegate shall serve as the liaison to the Division of Psychoanalysis of the American Psychological Association and to the Massachusetts Psychological Association. Should the President not be a psychologist member of Division 39 he or she may designate an alternate who is eligible to serve as a liaison to Division 39.

Ad hoc committees shall be appointed by the President and/or the Executive Committee as the occasion requires. Standing committees may also petition the President to appoint ad hoc committees for certain aspects of their work.

ARTICLE VI -- MEETINGS 

The Association shall hold a minimum of two general meetings annually. 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 edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE VII -- ELECTIONS 

The election of officers of the Association shall be conducted annually and shall be concluded before July 1 of any given year. At least two months preceding July 1 of each year the Nominating Committee, appointed by the President and chaired by the 6

Past President or President-Elect, shall solicit the members of the Association for nominations for the elective offices of the Association. From these nominations and solicitations of the membership the Nominating Committee shall develop a slate of nominees for each office. At least one month preceding July 1 of the year the Nominating Committee shall mail a ballot to each member of the Association who has the 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 within ten days. Newly elected officers shall be installed on September 1 following the election.

ARTICLE VIII -- PROCEDURE FOR AMENDING THESE BY-LAWS 

Amendments to these by-Laws may be proposed either by the Executive Committee or by petition of ten percent of the voting membership of the Association. The by-Laws may be officially amended by a majority vote of those members voting on any proposed amendment provided at least fifty percent of the members have voted. Voting on amendments shall by by mail ballot and voters shall be given thirty days from the date of mailing to return their ballots.

ARTICLE IX -- ADOPTION OF BY-LAWS 

Following approval of the by-Laws by the current constituted steering committee they will be mailed to voting members (currently all APA Division 39 members who have paid initial local chapter dues) for approval. They will be considered adopted by a majority voting yes by return mail ballot.

In the initial year election of officers shall follow adoption of these by-Laws and in no instance later than 1 August 1984.

ARTICLE X 

All Board Meetings are open to the general Membership. However, the Board can retire to closed executive session by majority vote, should there arise issues that require confidentiality.

A special meeting of the Board may be called at the request of three Board Members, in which case the membership must be notified by mail at least 30 days prior to the meeting.