The Fellowship Status Manual includes instructions for the nomination procedure approved in August 1994 by the Council of Representatives. The procedures are the same as in previous years for single nominations (only one division sponsoring a candidate); however, there are additional instructions to note, with regard to the procedures for nomination from multiple divisions.
INITIAL FELLOW STATUS
Request names of possible Initial Fellow nominees from your division's Members and Fellows. Send applications, endorsement forms, and information packets to the individuals named.
Suggestion: specify a return deadline to you, such as January 1, to allow preparation time.
Meet with your Division's Fellows Committee to determine who will be nominated from your division.
Send completed application packets to the APA Membership Development (c/o Membership Committee Liaison) by FEBRUARY 15.
The Uniform Fellow Application explains to the applicants that there can only be one nominating division. Please emphasize this in your instructions to all nominees, informing them that if they have been nominated by more than one division, it is the nominee's responsibility to select the division which best represents their major contribution to the field of psychology. It is the nominee's responsibility to inform you of the decision, which will then determine your role.
If the nominee informs you that another division will be the nominating division and your Fellows Committee wishes to sponsor the candidate as well, you many submit supportive documentation and endorsements from your division to the nominating division's Fellows Committee. If the nominee is elected to Initial APA Fellow status, election will take place in your division simultaneously with the nominating division, effective January 1 of the year following the year of nomination.
If your division is selected as the nominating division OR if only your division is making the nomination, please submit the following materials for each nominee:
REQUIRED:
Uniform Fellow Application (1).
Curriculum Vitae, publications list ( with R indicating refereed ).
Minimum of three evaluative endorsements, typewritten no longer than one year ago, from current Fellows of the APA. A Fellow Status Evaluation Form must accompany each endorsement.
Fellow Status Evaluation Worksheet (completed by endorser)
Division Fellow Committee's narrative explanation of its decision to forward the nomination to the APA Membership Committee.
OPTIONAL BUT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
Nominee's self-statement setting forth accomplishments which warrant nomination to Fellow status.
Any other supportive documentation.
Materials for nominees must reach the APA Membership Committee Liaison no later than FEBRUARY 14, 2005.
Immediately following the Membership Committee's Spring 2005 meeting, the Chair and Staff Liaison will report the Committee's recommendations to you by letter. The Committee will submit the list of recommended and non-recommended nominees to the Board of Directors in June. During its meeting at the APA Annual Convention, the Membership Committee will review any additional material for nominees not recommended, and/or discuss such nominations with Fellow Chairs who wish to present information in person.
The final list of nominees will then be submitted to the Board of Directors for nomination and then to the Council of Representatives for final approval/election. Election will take place during the August session of Council, after which your Council representative will be able to provide you with the final list of initial Fellows for 2006. In addition, the APA Membership Department will send you a confirmed Initial Fellows list.
If your division will not have nominations for Initial Fellow Status this year, please inform the Membership Committee Liaison.
APA Members who are already APA Fellows in other divisions (Current Fellows) may also become Fellows in Division 56 (Trauma Psychology) without approval from the APA Membership Committee. That is, once an APA member has been approved by the Membership Committee, Board of Directors, and Council of Representatives for Fellow status in one division, they do not need further approval from APA to become a Fellow in additional divisions. You do not need to submit Initial Fellow applications for Current Fellows. However, it is then incumbent upon any additional divisions to determine if the Current Fellow is a member of that division, evaluate the individual's qualifications according to the division's own criteria, and elect him or her to Fellow status. Division 56 Fellows criteria is that the applicant, in addition to making a substantial contribution to psychology, the member has made a substantial contribution to trauma psychology in particular. Most often contributions are in the form of publishing works relevant to trauma psychology in a refereed journal.
Here are the steps current fellows should take to become a Fellow of Division 56:
1. Join the division as a voting member.
2. Notify the Fellows Committee Chair and include
3. The Uniform Fellow Application
4. A current CV that demonstrates that publications that were refereed, and the
5. Nominee Self-Statement (letter indicating her or his interest in being considered, his or her accomplishments which warrant nomination.
The Committee will consider the application and forward to the Division 56 Council Executive Council (Fellows Only) their recommendations for approval. If the Division 56 Executive Council approves, the Chair of the Nominating Committee will then inform the applicant of the decision and inform APA Membershp Committee of the Division's decision.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can an individual apply to more than one division for Fellow Status?
Yes! A Member may be asked by two or more divisions to apply for Fellow status. The nominee must select the division that will be his/her nominating division for INITIAL Fellow status, but the nominee must send completed applications and materials to all sponsoring divisions.
What if the nominating division decides NOT to forward the nomination to the APA Membership Committee?
The Fellows Chair of the nominating division would then notify the nominee (and other divisions that may be nominating the individual) of the decision. The nominee would then select another nominating division (if there were more than two) or have the other nominating division forward their nomination (if approved by that division) to APA Membership.
What does the other sponsoring division do after reviewing and approving materials for a nomination when there is a different nominating division?
The Fellows Chair will send the three endorsements and any other supplemental information such as the Division Fellow Committee's summary of the individual's outstanding and unusual contributions to the nominating division's Fellows Chair (see note below), making clear that your division is also sponsoring this nominee. It is not necessary to send the Uniform Fellow Application or vita, as the nominating division should have already received these documents from the nominee. If your division decides not to sponsor the nomination, inform the appropriate Fellows Chair of the other division(s).
Note: The emphasis in this process is on communication between Fellow Committee Chairs. So long as the nominating division knows there is another sponsoring division and vice-versa, the materials from the nominating division may be sent to the APA Membership Department.
IT IS STRONGLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU KEEP PHOTOCOPIES OF ALL MATERIALS SUBMITTED.
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