The Executive Board members of the Council are pleased to present this Annual Report of Board activities to all Council members. As most of you know, the Council consists of all directors of community graduate programs who join the Council, and the Board of members elected by the Council. This past year, 1999-2000, the Board members were:

Chair:             Clifford R. O’Donnell, University of Hawaii
Chair-Elect:    Jim Emshoff, Georgia State University
Secretary:      Catherine Stein, Bowling Green State University
Treasurer:      Patricia O’Connor, Sage Graduate School
Member:        Alan Tomkins, University of Nebraska
Student Rep:  Alison Martin, University of Missouri-Kansas City

A summary of Board activities for 1999-2000 is presented below.

1. 1999 Survey of Community Graduate Programs

The Council’s 1999 Survey of Graduate Community Programs was published in the Fall, issue of TCP. It also is available on the Council’s website (http://www.msu.edu/user/lounsbu1/cpdcra.html). A former student representative on the Council, David Lounsbury, was instrumental in the implementation and publication of the Survey. Papers based on the Survey data to examine diversity and curricula and principles of Community Psychology are in progress.

2. 2000 Community Psychology Reading list

In 1994 and 1997, The Board developed community psychology reading lists to provide information about the field of community psychology to authors and publishers, especially of undergraduate psychology textbooks. These lists became multi-purpose, including use by several graduate programs as a reading list for comprehensive examinations. This year, the
2000 Community Psychology Reading list was complied. It was sent over the SCRA listserve, is available on the Council website (http://www.msu.edu/user/lounsbu1/cpdcra.html), and will be published in TCP.

3. International Expansion of the Council

The number of community graduate programs outside of North America has increased in the last few years. The Board thought that all community programs could benefit from the sharing of information and issues internationally. Therefore, the international regional representatives of SCRA were contacted to obtain the names and addresses of programs in Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia. Several programs were located, particularly in Europe, Latin America, and Australia. These programs are now being invited to join the Council. In addition, the Council welcomed it’s first member from Africa: the University of Zululand in South Africa.

4. Recruitment of Other New Council Members

Board members believe that the Council should serve as an inclusive organization to best represent the interests of graduate education in community research and action. Therefore, an effort was initiated to recruit new Council members from community graduate programs who responded to the 1999 survey of community programs, but were not currently CPDCRA members. These programs are now being asked to join the Council. In addition, contacts are being made with members of the fields of community development and public health to see if any of their programs would be appropriate for Council membership.

5. Employment Publication

A Council-initiated project on employment has now been published:

O’Donnell, C. R., & Ferrari, J. R. (Eds.) (2000). Employment in community psychology: The diversity of opportunity. New York: Haworth Press.

6. Distance Learning

The Board believes that distance learning has the potential to increase educational opportunities among community graduate programs. Therefore, an article is being published in TCP on distance learning. It will provide information on web-based resources, experience with distance learning in Alaska, and the possibility of a learning lecture series via distance learning among CPDCRA programs.

7. Interviews With Program Directors

Each year, Board members interview program directors by email and phone about the status of their respective programs. This year the directors reported that their programs were doing quite well. Several had added new faculty. The 1999 Survey and the Council reading lists were mentioned most frequently as the Council services most appreciated.

8. Student Exchange

The Council facilitates exchanges among students across community graduate programs. This year, Council Program Directors were contacted about hosting student exchanges. A list of interested programs was generated and sent to community students. Information about this exchange program is available on the Council website.

9. Student Liaison Network

To facilitate communication between community graduate students and the Council, a Student Liaison Network consisting of graduate students in member programs was created.

10. Partner’s in Graduate Programs

The Board is exploring the possibility of a "partners in graduate programs" idea.  In such an initiative, the Board and SCRA would work together and ask if program directors would like to act as partners where each partner would act to critique the other partner's program, encourage them towards positive program change, and serve as a potential resource for their partner.

11. Treasurer's Report

The treasurer reported a balance of $3,753 as of March 25, 2000.

12. APA Student Symposium on Graduate Funding

Our student representative, Alison Martin was a co-organizer of a symposium entitled Graduate Student Stipend and Research Funding: Issues and Directions presented at APA in August.

13. Award for Contributions to Training and Education in Community Research and Action

A process and criteria for the biannual Council Award for Contributions to Training and Education in Community Research and Action were developed. The next Award will be presented at the 20001 SCRA biennial. The process and criteria are as follows:

The Executive Board of Council of Program Directors in Community Research and Action (CPDCRA) shall present an award for "Outstanding Contributions to Community Training and Education" every other year at the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA) Biennial Conference.

The Executive Board shall solicit nominations, including self-nominations,
from members of the Council and SCRA by October 15 of the year preceding the Biennial Conference and set a date by which nominations must be received. Those making nominations shall submit information, not exceeding three pages, supporting their nominee. The Board shall decide on a recipient of the Award, from among those nominated, at their Mid-Winter meeting preceding the Biennial Conference.

The Board shall use the following criteria in selecting the Award recipient:

a. Development of a model graduate program, sequence of undergraduate
courses, or distance learning program in community research and action.

b. Service on the Executive Board of CPDCRA, including positions held and
involvement in Board projects.

c. Publications on community training and education.

d. Contributions to community training and education, that reflect community values, such as inclusion of students, cultural compatibility,
diversity, service to underserved populations, etc.

e. Contributions to the international development of community training and education.

f. Contributions facilitating cooperation and collaboration among members of the CPDCRA.

g. Other noteworthy contributions to community training and education.
 

In closing, please remember that the Board exists to represent the interests of the Council. It functions best with your participation. If you have an idea, suggestion, or an issue that you wish to address, please contact any Board member. In 2000-01, they are:

Chair:              Jim Emshoff, Georgia State University
Chair-Elect:     Diane Hughes, New York University
Secretary:        Catherine Stein, Bowling Green State University
Treasurer:        Robert Hoffnung, University of New Haven
Member:          Brian Wilcox, University of Nebraska
Student Rep:    Election Pending

For additional information about the Council, please see our website:
http://www.msu.edu/user/lounsbu1/cpdcra.html

See you at the Biennial!