Report From APA Council Meeting
Kevin R. Murphy
APA Council Representative
The most recent meeting of APA Council (February 1416, 2003) was memorable for a number of reasons, few of which have to do with SIOP, but there were a few items of direct relevance. First, and most important, the Council of Representatives approved the continuing recognition of I-O psychology as a specialty in professional psychology. The process of specialty recognition, even for long-established specialties, is a long and arduous one, and special thanks are owed to
Mike Burke, who chaired the effort to put together SIOPs application for continuing recognition, and the many SIOP members who contributed to this effort. Second, APA Council considered but rejected a proposal to create an APA Council Task Force on Pro Bono Affairs. Third, they discussed financial plans for the APA conference, which they hope to use as a source of future revenue. Finally, APA has made significant progress in getting its financial house in order, turning a multimillion dollar deficit in last years budget into a small surplus project for next year (the bankruptcy of a vendor of some of APAs products could wipe this out). One way that APA made up the shortfall was by reducing its outlay for travel and meetings, although subsequent events certainly ate into those savings.
The February Council meeting was held in the teeth of one of the biggest snowstorms to hit the D.C. area in years, and numerous Council members were snowed in for days. Practically every store and restaurant in the area was closed down, and as the days wore on, hotels started running short on food. The wolves were not at the door of the Capital Hilton when the storm cleared, but it was a close call. We havent received a report on the extra travel costs incurred by Council members who were stuck in D.C., but it is likely that some of the surplus will be gone before APA ever sees it. The APA Council electronic mailing list is still buzzing with stories about the adventures of Council members during the days following the APA Council meeting.
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