Central Ohio Psychological Association
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 About COPA - Constitution - Executive Board - Minutes

About COPA

Who are we?
COPA is a regional organization that addresses the needs of psychologists in the Central Ohio area. COPA’s mission is to:

  • advance scientifically based psychology
  • support the highest professional standards for psychological practice
  • promote and advocate for human health and welfare

Where have we been?

  • A special thanks to Dr. Pam Deuser for her time, efforts, and leadership as President for the past two years. Under Dr. Deuser’s leadership, COPA has continued to progress, as we meet the needs of psychologists in central Ohio.
  • We held two successful workshop programs during the past year - the first was a dual track workshop, giving attendees the option to obtain continuing education in Pediatrics or Geriatrics and the second was an Ethics roundtable that allowed members to receive their 3 credit hours in Ethics before the end of MCE biennium.
  • Based on the positive feedback we have received in previous workshops, we are proud to be able to offer more low cost continuing education workshops this year. Attending even one of the workshops at the member-discounted rate will entirely offset the cost of your membership. Topics slated for presentation this year include Risk Assessments and Duty to Protect; WAIS-IV administration, scoring, and interpretation; and Ethics.
  • We continue to update the web site so that it is fully functional for all members. Over the course of this coming year, we want our site to be even more personal and more functional for you. We are now providing opportunities to have your name on our web site linked to your web page, and to highlight public and /or media presentations you have been a part of.
  • The COPA listserv allows members to network via e-mail about a wide range of psychological issues. If you are not already subscribed, you can join the listserv by sending a request to be added to Denise Brenner.  If you are already subscribed, you can send a message to fellow COPA members here

Where are we headed?

  • Now is a critical time in the history of COPA, and your continued support is vital to helping us achieve our objectives for the benefit of psychologists in central Ohio and throughout the state.
  • To make this Association even stronger, I am challenging each of you to find at least one other psychologist who is not currently a member, and get him or her signed up. You can then invite that colleague to join you at our next CE workshop, where you will each receive a $30.00 member discount (completely off-setting the cost of the membership)!

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Executive Board (Click to contact)
Bob Stinson, Psy.D., ABPP, President
 Pamela G. Deuser, PhD, Past-President
Lisa Gordish, Psy.D., Secretary
Margaret Richards Mosher, PhD, OPA Representative
Michael Ranney, MPA

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Constitution and Bylaws
Download a printable version of the COPA Constitution

Central Ohio Psychological Association Constitution and Bylaws
Revised September, 2003 

Article I. Name and Purpose

1. The name of this Association shall be the Central Ohio Psychological Association (COPA).

 2. The purpose of this Association shall be the advancement of psychology as based on scientific principles, the maintenance of high professional standards in the application of psychology, and the promotion of human health and welfare.

Article II. Membership

1. The Central Ohio Psychological Association shall consist of members, affiliates, and students.

2. Members of the Central Ohio Psychological Association (COPA) shall be expected to abide by and uphold the ethical principles and standards of conduct set forth by the American Psychological Association.  Members and affiliates of COPA shall be persons who maintain high standards of professional conduct and ethical behavior, as defined by such ethical principles.

3. Members shall be persons with the doctoral degree based in part upon a psychological dissertation or the Psy.D. degree conferred by a graduate school of recognized standing, or persons who hold a currently valid Ohio license as a psychologist or school psychologist.  No person who was a member of the Association prior to March 9, 1988 shall lose membership status if he or she does not meet eligibility requirements as stated in Article II, Section 3.

Affiliates shall be: (a) persons with a Master’s Degree in Psychology or the equivalent in subject matter and extent of training; or (b) persons not eligible for membership who may in the opinion of the Board of Directors, advance the purpose of the Association. 

Students shall be: (a) graduate students from a regionally-accredited university preparing for a career in psychology or school psychology; or (b) other persons with credit for a minimum of 30 semester hours in psychology, or its equivalent in nature of subject matter.

4. Affiliates and students may serve on committees but may not vote or hold elected office.

5. Members shall be residents of or employed in Central Ohio (OPA Area I, composed of the following 12 counties: Marion, Union, Delaware, Morrow, Richland, Ashland, Knox, Licking, Fairfield, Franklin, Pickaway, Madison).

6. Names of the prospective members, affiliates, and students shall be presented by the Membership Chairperson to the Board of Directors and upon their recommendation shall be elected by majority vote to membership, affiliation, or student status.

7. A member, affiliate, or student is automatically terminated upon non-payment of dues.

8. Membership in COPA does not, per se, permit an individual to utilize the title “Psychologist.” The title “Psychologist” shall be used only as defined by the rules governing psychologists as published by the State of Ohio Board of Psychology..

9. Life member shall be any member who has been a member of the Association for at least five years and has reached or exceeds the age of 65 years. Upon application, life members shall be exempt from further payment of dues upon informing the Board of Directors of his or her eligibility. Although such members shall be exempt from paying dues, they shall retain all other rights or privileges of membership in the Association

Article III. Officers

1. The officers of the Association shall be a President, a President-elect, a Past-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Representative to OPA.

2. The President and President-elect shall be elected for two years.

3. The Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Representative to OPA (who must be a member of OPA) shall be elected for two years. The term for the Secretary and the Representative to OPA shall start in odd years; the Treasurer’s term shall start in even years.

4. A Nomination and Elections Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates from the active membership list at least two months prior to the final program meeting of the year, usually held in June. Members may submit suggestions for candidates to the Chairperson of the Nominations and Elections Committee throughout the year.  The Nominations and Elections Committee shall conduct the election for the Association by a mail ballot of the active membership at least one month prior to the annual business meeting.

5. Officers shall be elected by a plurality vote of those returning ballots. These officers shall be full members of the COPA. Their duties shall be such as usually pertain to such officers.  They shall hold office until the end of the fiscal year, and until the newly elected officers assume responsibility on September 1.

6. In the event of death or resignation of any officer, the Board of Directors shall appoint a successor to serve until the next regular election.

Article IV. Board of Directors

1. There shall be a Board of Directors which shall consist of the President, the President-elect, the immediate Past-president, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Representative to OPA and the Chairpersons of all standing committees. The duties of the Board of Directors shall be those usually delegated to this body, such as planning programs, approving new members and affiliates, and determining general policies.

2. The Board of Directors shall meet once a month (with the possible exception of the summer months).

3. The President may cancel an Board of Directors meeting due to severe weather or other emergency or by lack of quorum (1/4 of the Board of Directors).

4. The Board of Directors meetings are open to the general membership except at such time as the committee may, by majority vote, declare an executive session.

5. The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors shall be comprised of all elected Board officers. The current President will convene this committee as needed and will serve as its Chair.

Article V. Standing Committees

1. The Standing Committees of the Association may include Nominations and Elections, Membership, Publications, Constitution and Bylaws, Ethics, Continuing Education and Program, Diversity, and Legislation and Licensure.

2. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall be composed of the three immediate Past-presidents. The Chairperson of this Committee will be the very immediate Past-president.

3. The Membership Committee shall review and pass on to the Board of Directors with a recommendation for acceptance or rejection, all candidates for member or affiliate. The Chairperson shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors.

4. The Publications Committee shall prepare a Newsletter, a Membership Directory, and other publications of interest to the Association. The Chairperson shall serve as Editor of the Newsletter, and shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors.

5. The Continuing Education and Program Committee shall be responsible for the development and implementation of the Association’s educational programs. The Chairperson shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the board of Directors.

6. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall prepare constitutional changes as required.

7. The Ethics Committee shall be responsible for providing informational and educational resources regarding ethical and professional issues.

8. The Legislative and Licensure Committee shall review and report on all legislative matters pertaining to psychology, to the problems of licensure and to related matters such as insurance or professional status. The Chairperson shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors.

9. The Diversity Committee shall be responsible for addressing the full continuum of diversity issues and fostering multicultural and diversity effectiveness throughout the association and the larger psychological community.

10. The Chairpersons of all standing committees may, unless otherwise provided, appoint additional members as needed.

11. The President and the Board of Directors may create ad hoc committees as required.

Article VI. Affiliations

1. The Association shall maintain affiliation with the Ohio Psychological Association, and may affiliate with other professional associations.

Article VII. Dues

1. The dues of members affiliates, and students shall be determined by a vote of the membership on recommendation from the Board of Directors. This can be accomplished either by a majority vote of those members attending a regular business meeting at which a quorum is present or of those members returning a mail ballot.

2. The fiscal year for COPA shall be from September 1 to the following August 30.

Article VIII. General Meetings

1. For the transaction of business, one-fourth of the members shall constitute a quorum.

2. Annual business shall be conducted during the fall of each year for the purpose of presenting new officers, giving a Treasurer’s report, and receiving the President’s summary of the work of the Association.

3. Regular and special meetings shall be held when called by the Board of Directors. At least one meeting shall be called each year.

Article IX. Amendments

1. This constitution and bylaws may be amended either by (1) a two-thirds vote of those members present at a regular business meeting or, (2) a two-thirds vote of those members responding to a mail ballot.

Article X. Dissolution and Disposition of Assets

1. In case of COPA dissolution, the Board of Directors at the time will recommend and the members will approve disposition of assets according to the aims and purposes of this Association. Preference should be given to the granting of assets to the Ohio Psychological Association.

(Original Constitution approved May 31, 1974; revised 3-82, 12-84, 3-88, 7-90, 5-95, 4-96, and 9-03)

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