The Committee on Practice,
Applied, and Clinical Sociology concerns itself with matters that relate to the
application and practice of sociology, including its clinical applications,
such as monitoring the participation of applied sociologists in the discipline
and Association and planning activities associated with practice sociology at
the annual meeting. The Committee on Practice should also contribute
nominations to the Awards Committee for the Distinguished Contributions to
Sociological Practice, one of the awards the association provides.
The Committee generally
consists of six to seven members of the Association. Members are appointed for
a three-year term. Each year terms expire for two or more members who are
replaced with those members who are beginning their term. The Committee on Committees recommends membership
of the committee to Council. Appointments are made by the President and/or
Council. While members of the Practice, Applied, and Clinical Committee may
recommend prospective members to the Committee on Committees, they do not
select their own committee members. They do, however, elect the committee’s
chair who should be someone who will be a continuing and active member of the
committee. The Chair serves for one year, but can be reelected. One membership spot will be for a
graduate student member of CPACS. The suggested criteria are as follows: (a)
graduate student status; (b) member of PSA; (c) previous presenter at PSA;
(d) experience in applied, practice, or clinical work or experience in
community or social agency service or in social research.
1. Procedures for taking committee action.
Committee action is taken following a majority vote of the committee members. This is done either at the annual meeting or by mail or email at the request of the chair.
2. Specific duties of the chair.
The chair must develop the agenda for the year’s activities and must convene the annual meeting of the committee. In addition, it is the chair’s responsibilities to engage all members in the activities of the committee and to monitor and encourage their participation throughout the year by communicating with them via email, fax, phone, and regular mail. The chair also saves all significant correspondence directly related to committee policy or pertinent decisions not otherwise tracked in committee minutes or reports, maintains the committee’s file or archive, and passes it on to the next chair. The chair also makes certain that sessions which the committee proposes to sponsor at the annual PSA meeting are communicated to the Program Committee chair on time and that the proper Session Proposal forms are filled out. The deadline for proposals is usually around May 1. In addition, the chair should make certain that the committee engages in the process of soliciting nominations for the association’s Distinguished Contributions to Sociological Practice Award.
The chair must be very strong, someone who can provide clear, precise, and firm direction. There should be close contact between the new chair and the former chair so that ideas, unfinished business, etc. can be passed on from year to year. The chair should make clear to every committee member what the “rules” are--deadlines, procedures, constitutional responsibilities, etc.
2. Procedures.
Committee decisions are made by input from committee members, either via email or regular mail and/or at the annual meeting of the committee.
3. Calendar of Activities and specific chair duties.
Date Activity
By October 15: Chair communicates the committee’s agenda for the year to members.
By January: Chair contacts all committee members to check on progress being made on specific tasks, such as organizing sessions for the annual meeting and to get members back into the “committee mode,” if no items require action.
By February: Chair determines which members will be attending the annual meeting and who will be participating in sessions, panels, etc. Agenda for the annual meeting is sent to all committee members for their comments and suggestions.If the committee is working on a position paper or any action item that will go to PSA Council, the chair must maintain contact with all committee members throughout the year.
At the PSA meeting: Conduct committee meeting. Elect chair for next year. Discuss agenda for next year. Discuss proposed sessions for next year’s annual meeting. Session Proposal forms can be received from the Secretary/Treasurer or from the registration table at the annual meeting.
Assign specific committee members specific tasks.
By May 1: Chair writes annual report of the committee’s activities and sends it to the Secretary/Treasurer for publication in the PSA Newsletter. Committee members should be contacted for their input into the annual report.
