Committees

Why Committee Service is Important  

As a volunteer organization, The College relies on committees to conduct its business and carry out the strategic direction articulated by the Board of Regents. Committee service is one factor considered in elevating members to fellowship status (along with professional achievement and other service to The College, such as speaking at an annual meeting or nominating others for membership in the organization).  Once elevated, fellows are eligible to serve as chair of a committee (members and fellows are both eligible to serve in the newly created position of vice chair).  Serving as chair, in turn, makes fellows eligible for being elected to the Board of Regents.    

How Committee Appointments are Made 

Each spring, we send out committee volunteer forms to the membership, soliciting interest in serving on specific committees.  In the fall, the President-Elect reviews the list of volunteers and the committee openings for the following year and makes appointments.  Preference is given to members over fellows (to allow them to demonstrate service to The College and qualify for elevation).  The College’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is also taken into account when making committee assignments.  Finally, we send out e-mails to newly appointed committee members in the fall, letting them know their three-year terms will commence on March 1 of the following year.  Unfortunately, because there are limited committee positions available, we’re not able to accommodate everyone’s request.  Therefore, we encourage those not selected for committee positions to volunteer again the following spring.

Standing Committees 2023 - 2024

Audit 
The Audit Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the audit process of The College, including selecting an independent audit firm for the purpose of regularly conducting an audit and preparing an audit report of the finances, internal controls and accounting of The College, and reviewing and assessing management’s compliance with the auditor’s recommendations. 
Laura Fochtmann, Chair

Awards 
The Committee on Awards shall recommend to the Board of Regents the names of candidates for the awards to be given at the Annual Meeting. The Bowis Award recognizes special contributions to The College. The Distinguished Service in Psychiatry Award is given for outstanding achievements in the field of psychiatry and is not limited to Members of The College. The Board shall make the final selection and shall also recommend the form and manner for granting the awards. 
Jay Shore, Chair 

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Award 
The Committee on the Award for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry shall recommend annually to the Board of Regents a nominee from among those practitioners who are recognized as leaders among their peers and whose body of work to date has had a substantial impact on the field of child and adolescent psychiatry. 
Barbara Coffey, Chair 

Continuing Medical Education 
The Committee on Continuing Medical Education shall design and implement Member-oriented and non-Member oriented courses, institutes, and conferences. The Committee shall design and implement educational programs in the form of audiocassettes, video, or CD-ROM, and other such programs as approved by the Board of Regents. The Committee will also design educational programs geared to certification and re-certification. The Committee reports to the Committee on Education. 
Phebe Tucker, Chair

Contributions 
The Committee on Contributions is the only component authorized to seek funds on behalf of the association. The Committee on Contributions shall report its efforts directly to the Board of Regents. 
Bennett Leventhal, Chair

Dean Award 
The Committee on the Dean Award shall recommend annually to the Board of Regents a nominee from among those scholars and scientific investigators who have made outstanding contributions to the understanding and treatment of schizophrenia. The Chair of this Committee shall submit to the President and to the Chair of the Committee on Scientific Programs the curriculum vitae of the recipient of the Dean Award. 
Mark Rapaport, Chair 

Diversity, Respectful Inclusion, and Equity
The Committee on Diversity, Respectful Inclusion, and Equity shall oversee and promote the College’s diversity, respectful inclusion, equity and anti-racist initiatives; advise the Board of Regents on the establishment of policies related to these principles; and serve as a consulting body to the various elements of The College (including but not limited to those responsible for awards and honors; membership; and governance and administrative activities of the College).
Iqbal Ahmed, Chair 

Education 
The Committee on Education shall make recommendations to The College pertaining to its plan for meeting the professional and educational needs of the Membership and psychiatric residents. The Committee shall be responsible for obtaining CME accreditation for The College. The Committee shall be composed of the Chairpersons of those components related to continuing education. 
Jeffrey Lyness, Chair

Education Award 
The Committee on the Education Award shall encourage creativity in psychiatric education through the presentation of a financial award given annually to a qualifying program. The award is presented to the program which best represents creative thinking while engaging in teaching timely psychiatric issues at the medical school, residency, or post-graduate level. The award is presented at The College's Annual Meeting. 
William Haning, Chair

Ethics 
The Committee on Ethics shall have responsibility for handling complaints made against Members of The College consistent with the Procedures for the Processing and Disposition of Complaints adopted by the Board of Regents, as from time to time amended thereby. The Committee shall also maintain and recommend changes to the Code of Ethics to the Board of Regents. 
Catherine May, Chair