Southwestern Regional Fall Letter (2009)
Dear Fellow Psi Chi Members, Chapter Officers and Faculty Advisors,
It is a great honor for me to write another fall letter to you as vice-president for the region. I continue to enjoy the opportunities and the challenges that come with serving in this capacity. I have enjoyed getting to know new advisors, continuing advisors, student officers and many other persons who share my passion for Psi Chi. I encourage all of you to keep me apprised of how things are going in the region and to let me know where you believe Psi Chi at the National (now International!) level is meeting your needs and where we can do more.
In terms of the upcoming year, I have a couple of really important items to mention to you, so let me get right to it.
First, I want to remind you that the 56th annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA) will be held in Dallas, Texas (at the Dallas/Addison Quorum by the Galleria) April 8-10, 2010. Although I said this last year and I meant it, I believe this year’s programming is shaping up to be the best ever (not that it has ever been anything but excellent in my opinion!) and will include some new Psi Chi related initiatives just approved by the Board of Directors and continuing some new traditions developed last year. These include:
- funding for diversity programming – this year we will have Dr. Kathryn Lee present a workshop on multicultural teaching and learning,
- joint sessions with Psi Chi and Psi Beta on developing leadership skills in members and how to develop, maintain and enhance chapter vitality,
- and the second year of regional travel awards to assist students in attending SWPA (details to follow in the Spring letter).
Don’t forget to submit possible poster presentations to SWPA (go to https://www.swpsych.org/ for information). BE SURE and check that you are a Psi Chi member on the submission form so that your poster submission can be reviewed for Psi Chi programming and considered for a regional travel award. There may be a separate application for the regional travel awards (criteria and application procedures are still being developed by our regional steering committee) so check the Psi Chi website and the Southwestern Region homepage for details in the future. According to the SWPA website, proposals for the 2010 convention will be accepted from 12:00 a.m. CST October 12 to 12:59:59 p.m. CST November 30, 2009. See the SWPA website (URL above) for specific submission guidelines and submission advice.
Once again, I challenge EVERY chapter in the region to achieve model chapter status. If your chapter meets the requirements for model chapter (see the criteria at http://www.psichi.org/pdf/modchap.pdf), you will automatically receive the status, the certificate and the $100 award. What does it take to be a model chapter? Do the simple things Psi Chi expects healthy chapters to do (submit reports, hold inductions, vote in society elections, etc.).
Check out http://www.psichi.org/awards/chptr_awards2.aspx for information on all chapter awards.
Don’t forget that ALL chapters are expected to be involved in at least one of Psi Chi’s Society Service Projects. Information on these projects can be found at:
http://www.psichi.org/chapters/serviceprojects.aspx
Service is an extremely important component of Psi Chi and one that should be a centerpiece of any chapter’s activities.
I want to thank each of you, after-the-fact, for all that you have already given to Psi Chi and thank you, in advance, for all that you will contribute to Psi Chi during the coming academic Year. It is an honor to be your regional vice-president!
Randall E. Osborne
Southwestern Regional Vice-President
Professor of Psychology
Texas State University-San Marcos
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 245-8236
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