The Fall meeting of SIOP’s Executive Committee and Committee Chairs was held September 20^th and 21^st, 1997. Some highlights of that meeting and the corresponding discussions include:

• SIOP remains financially healthy. Because of the tremendous success of a wide range of SIOP initiatives including the conference, the Frontiers and Professional Practice series, et cetera, our resources make it possible for us to do a number of things that in the past may not have been considered. Consequently, the Executive Committee will be meeting in January to focus on identifying the goals that SIOP should most actively pursue.
• Irv Goldstein reported that contributions to the SIOP Foundation are growing. He also reported that the Foundations Committee is continuing to work on issues related to its responsibilities to SIOP and the foundation.
• Katherine Klein, Conference Chair, reported on the exciting changes that are in store for the conference. Look for information here in TIP, in the mail, and on the WEB page.
• The demand for services is growing. The TIP home page is frequently visited; the WEB server is being transferred to the Administrative Office (along with other administrative duties), and the office space is being expanded as well. It has become clear that the Administrative Office has played and is playing an increasingly critical role in the Society’s growth.
• Membership retention rates are strong. Karen Paul, Chairperson of the Membership Committee, also noted that the committee continues to work on issues of membership criteria.
• Ann Marie Ryan, Chairperson of the Scientific Affairs Committee, reported that a task force has been formed to investigate and collect information regarding best practices related to competency-based approaches to HR systems. There was considerable discussion regarding issues related to information sharing and the protection of proprietary interests involved in that information.
• Bob Ramos reviewed the status of efforts initiated by the Ethnic Minority Task Force. There was lengthy discussion regarding membership recruitment efforts and the perception of I/O psychology by various groups.
• Nancy Tippins highlighted the efforts of the Task Force on Visibility. This task force was formed last winter to explore issues related to the visibility of the profession. The task force has interviewed a number of individuals, although the information obtained is not startling or unexpected. The Executive Committee deliberated at length regarding what SIOP as a society should promote as well as how SIOP represents and is different from the profession. Considerable discussion followed regarding students’ perceptions of both SIOP and the profession and how those perceptions are related.
• Three new volumes should soon be appearing in the Professional Practice Series: Dick Jeanneret and Rob Silzer’s book on individual assessment, Allen Kraut and Abe Korman’s book on the changing nature of human resource practice, and Jim Smither’s book on performance appraisal.

As always, if you have a specific question or comment regarding these or any other topics, please don’t hesitate to contact me or any other member of the Executive Committee. Your ideas and comments regarding how SIOP should serve its members would be particularly valued, as would any suggestions you might have regarding what you believe should be our priorities.