Policy and Procedure Manual

Elected officials of Division 44 and their roles within the Division are as follows:

1. President : The President of the Division presides over all Executive Committee meetings. The President is an ex officio member of all standing and special committees and task forces of the Division. The President calls for reports from Division officials and committee chairs in advance of Executive Committee meetings. Except as noted otherwise, the President makes appointments of chairs and liaisons for the Division.
2. President-Elect : The President Elect chairs the Awards Committee, which may include other members appointed by the President-Elect. The President-Elect, jointly with the President, appoints the Suite Coordinator, who will coordinate programming in the Division's hospitality suite at the Annual Convention and who then becomes the Program Chair for the following Annual Convention.
3. Past President : The Past President chairs the Nominations Committee, which may include other members appointed by the Past President.
4. Treasurer : The Treasurer has primary responsibility for management of the Division's financial accounts. The Treasurer also chairs the Finance Committee, which includes the presidential trio, the fund-raising chair, and other members as may be appointed by the Treasurer.
5. Secretary : The Secretary maintains a record of the official minutes of all meetings of the Executive Committee, and serves as Parliamentarian during these meetings. The various liaisons to other organizations both within and outside of APA report to the Secretary. The Secretary is also a point person for official notifications and requests for information from APA.
6. Members-at-Large : Each year the Division elects a Member-At-Large for a three year period so that at any given time there are three people filling the positions. An important g oal of the MAL position is to facilitate a leadership pipeline, by increasing working knowledge and interaction with all facets of Division 44, acting as representative to Divisional Committees and Taskforces and monitoring APA Divisions with LGBT Committees to keep the Executive Committee informed of developments.
   • The First-year MAL shall serve as a voting representative to the EC for the Student Representatives, the Program Committee and all task forces. The First-year MAL shall also serve as a monitor of APAGS for Division 44 and work with the presidential trio on one (1) initiative/project to be determined by the presidential trio.
   • The Second-year MAL shall serve as a voting representative to the EC for the following committees: Communications (Website, listserv, Facebook, newsletter); Children, Youth and Families; Science; Aging; Bisexual Issues; and Gender Diversity and Transgender People. The Second-year MAL shall also serve as monitor to LGBT committees to Divisions 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women) and 51 (Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity). The Second-year MAL shall work with the presidential trio on one (1) initiative/project to be determined by the presidential trio and train the First-year MAL on responsibilities associated with the position and introduces the First-year MAL to the individuals they will be working with from the various committees.
   • The Third-year MAL shall serve as a voting representative to the EC for the following committees: Co-RED, Membership, Education and Training, Mentoring, and Public Policy. The Third-year MAL shall also serve as a monitor to Division 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of the Ethnic Minority Issues. The Third-year MAL shall work closely with the President in that person's role of enacting and updating the strategic plan and train the Second-year MAL on responsibilities associated with the position and introduces the Second-year MAL to the individuals they will be working with from the various committees.

   MAL Representation Duties and Responsibilities with regard to Committees, Task Forces, and Specified Divisions

   • Semi-annual phone conferences with committees and task forces, or as appropriate to the culture of the specific committees and task forces
   • Semi-annual phone conference with monitored division LGBT committee chair to update EC on monitored division's activities on LGBT issues and to explore ways that the monitored division and Division 44 might collaborate
   • Provision of semi-annual reports to presidential trio on committees and divisions for distribution at mid-winter and annual meeting.
   • Serve as liaison/monitor to EC for committees and divisions
   • Representation of committees not able to attend the division's mid-winter meeting
     • Provides a voice for the committee and/or task force at the Executive Committee table
     • Review report – updates, progress, concerns, needs
     • Report discussion and related decisions back to the committees and task force
7. Representatives to the APA Council of Delegates : The Division's Council Representatives maintain a close relationship with the Executive Committee and the President of the Division to provide the Division timely information about initiatives taking place in Council and to accurately represent the interests of the Division at Council.

Elected officials other than Council Representatives assume office at the Membership Business meeting held at the APA Annual Convention each summer. Council Representatives assume office in accordance with APA procedure.

1. Executive Committee : The Executive Committee meets three times per year. Two meetings occur at the annual APA convention held in August of any given year. The Outgoing Meeting reviews the activities, committee work, and division accomplishments of the past year. At the Incoming Meeting, new division officials and appointees assume their positions, address division business and review committee composition and the goals for the coming year. Sometimes the outgoing and incoming meetings are combined. The Midwinter Meeting occurs in January and is usually located in a city of the President's choosing. Attendance at the meetings that coincide with the APA Annual Convention is not funded by the division.
   
   For the Midwinter Meeting the travel expenses of the elected members of the Executive Committee and the following ex-officio Executive Committee members will be funded: Communications Chair; one Program co-chair; one Membership co-chair; one Transgender People and Gender Diversity co-chair; one Bisexual co-chair; and one Student Representative. As funds are available, other ex-officio members will be invited to the Midwinter Meeting. If additional funding is available, first invitation will be extended to the co-chair of the Committee on Racial/Ethnic Diversity and National Multicultural Conference and Summit Coordinator. Other ex-officio EC members are welcome to attend all meetings even though their expenses may not be reimbursed by the Division. The Division should inform ex-officio members in advance whether their attendance at the Midwinter meeting will be funded. Whether or not attending the Midwinter meeting, reports should be submitted in advance of the meeting so they can be distributed to other EC members.
2. Presidential Trio : The Presidential Trio meets typically every four to six weeks by teleconference (e.g., Skype, conference call). The Presidential Trio consists of the President, President-Elect and Past President. Typically, the Treasurer and the Secretary also attend these meetings. The Secretary takes and maintains minutes of all Presidential Trio meetings.
3. Parliamentary Authority : Meetings of the governing bodies of the Division follow the rules of Modern Parliamentary Procedure (Keesey, 1994).
4. Quorum for the Executive Committee shall be 50% of the voting members of each of those bodies.

The Mission, Committee and Task Force Member Composition, Current Activities, and Recommendations for Division Member Involvement for each committee and task force are described on the Division website (www.apadivision44.org/leadership/committees.php). The mission of each committee and task force reflects one of the four priorities of the Division: Science, Practice, Education and Training, or Public Interest.

Each Official, Liaison, Committee and Task Force should submit three reports per year to the Secretary for distribution to all Executive Committee members. The suggested format and due dates are as follows:

1. The first report per Division year is due prior to the Incoming EC Meeting. This meeting takes place during the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. This report should contain the goals of the committee or task force for the coming year (the Division year runs from August to August).
2. The second report should be submitted to the EC in advance of its Midwinter Meeting held yearly in late January. This report should discuss the progress made toward the goals outlined in the first report and any budgetary requests for the coming year. The report can be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the current President of the Division. Budgetary requests are submitted to the President and Treasurer.
3. The third report should be submitted prior to the Outgoing EC Meeting. This meeting takes place during the annual APA convention and is listed in the convention program. This report should contain the results of the year's progress toward the goals described in the Incoming report.

The incoming and outgoing reports may be combined, but should include all of the above information. Reports should be submitted to the president in advance of their respective meetings so that the president can distribute reports to attendees. Reports which are not submitted in advance should be presented at the meetings with enough copies for all EC members.

The Treasurer chairs the Finance Committee. The past president, president, and president-elect shall serve as members of the finance committee along with the fund-raising chair and two additional members appointed by the Treasurer. Tasks of the finance committee shall include: a) monitoring the status of investments, b) communicating with APA (for example around timeliness of billing) c) address current differences in accounting systems between the Division and APA (cash basis vs accrual), and d) increase revenue.

Each year, the President and President-Elect jointly appoint a Program Co-Chair. There are two Program Co-Chairs with staggered two year terms. During the first year the Program Co-Chair (Suite Coordinator) assumes primary responsibility for selecting the hospitality suite, determining programming to be held in the suite, and staffing suite events. During the second year the Program Co-Chair has the responsibility for training and mentoring the incoming Program Co-chair, as well as coordinating the selection of programming for the Division within the APA Convention Program. The Suite Coordinator becomes the primary Program Chair in the second year of service. If for any reason the Suite Coordinator is unable to successively serve as Program Chair, the President appoints a replacement Program Chair, who then serves for that President's Convention.

The Divisions of Social Justice include Division 9 (Society of Social Issues), Division 17 (Counseling Psychology), Division 27 (Society for Community Research and Action), Division 29 (Psychotherapy), Division 32 (Society for Humanistic Psychology), Division 35 (Psychology of Women), Division 39 (Psychoanalysis), Division 43 (Family Psychology), Division 44, Division 45 (Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues), Division 48 (Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence), Division 51 (Society for the Psychological study on Men and Masculinity), and Division 56 (Trauma Psychology). The President appoints a representative to the Divisions of Social Justice. The purpose of the coalition is to address pressing social issues.

The Outreach Coordinator is an appointed position, which has the following responsibilities:

1. Maintain and update a database of contacts external to Division 44 representing governmental agencies, advocacy groups, professional organizations, individual benefactors, and corporations which share common goals with Division 44
2. Makes this database available to Executive Committee members in support of their respective roles within the Division
3. Communicates with external contacts to facilitate the Division's fundraising, networking, advocacy, and education activities

Examples of past activities have been outreach to solicit attendees at the annual fundraising dinner, networking events held in conjunction with the midwinter EC meeting, and most recently an educational roundtable held during the EC midwinter in 2010.

The EC endeavors to host a social hour with local Division 44 members and representatives of allied organizations at the Midwinter meeting.

The Division has been a sponsor of the NMCS which is held on odd numbered years. The Division's involvement is overseen by the NMCS Coordinator in collaboration with the President, President-Elect, and Past President. The President appoints the NMCS Coordinator to represent Division on the NMCS organizing committee. The Division does not defray costs for members of the Executive Committee to attend the NMCS.

Every even numbered year, alternating with the NMCS, the Executive Committee sponsors anti-racism and/or diversity training for Executive Committee Members that corresponds with the current agenda of the Division. The training program will be determined by the President.

In lieu of the previously published Annuals, the Division has entered into a contract with APA Books to publish an ongoing book series with the theme of Contemporary Perspectives on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. As a member benefit, Division 44 members will have a time-limited opportunity to purchase the current book at approximately 64% of the list price.

The Division newsletter is published three times a year. Should you desire to submit an article for inclusion, the editor would appreciate a rigid adherence to the following deadlines:

1. Spring Issue - February 15
2. Summer Issue - May 15
3. Fall Issue - September 15

All elected and appointed Executive Committee members (including Liaisons, Committee and Task Force Chairs) are enrolled on the EC Listserv® called DIV44EC. The Listserv Manager is responsible for maintaining this list by adding and removing people. Within a month after the end of their term on the EC, former EC members shall be removed from the EC Listserv.

The main Division 44 Listserv, called DIV44, is a member benefit and is only open to those who are members of Division 44 (in any category of membership). Members can request to join this list with automated commands but these will be verified. Members can remove themselves from the list at any time with automated commands. The Listserv Manager is responsible for verifying requests to join and maintains the list.

The Division maintains an Announce Only Listserv in which all Division Members are automatically registered. Entries to the Announce Only Listserv are submitted to the Listserv Manager for posting. Announce Only Listserv postings are reserved for alerting the membership to official business and activities of the Division.

The Executive Committee passed the following resolution: Any Listserv associated with Division 44 must be approved by Division 44 and be managed by APA.

The EC has also empowered the Listserv Manager to develop guidelines for effective list management in consultation with the EC. The Listserv Manager will post these guidelines to the list when changes are made, and provide new list members with current list guidelines.

To be elected a Fellow of Division 44, a person must show “unusual and outstanding” contributions in the area of psychology related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, people.  In many cases this contribution will be made through research and scholarship about lesbian, gay, bisexual ,  transgender and gender identity issues.  In some cases, however, an individual might make an outstanding contribution in other ways:  through an application of psychological research on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender identity or related   issues to professional practice; through the application of research results to the resolution of social issues concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals; through major contributions to Division 44 as an organization; or through the dissemination of relevant research information (including teaching in academic settings, professional conferences and workshops, and other public forums). 

Comprehensive background information about the Division and APA can be accessed on the World Wide Web. The address for APA is www.apa.org and for APA's Division 44 website is www.apa.org/about/division/div44.html. At the APA web site you will find complete copies of the various Amicus Briefs filed by APA on behalf of LGBT issues as well as all of the policy statements and resolutions concerning our issues. This includes the Guidelines for Psychotherapy With Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People . Division 44 also maintains its own website and can be found at www.apadivision44.org. This site dynamically reflects updated information about the Division.

Approved: 3 August 2013