August 1, 2026      

Dear STP Members, 

As I flip the calendar, I get a sense of excitement at what lies ahead – the start of a new school year! Of course, I am also kicking myself for not doing all of the things on my summer to-do list I so diligently prepared in late April, but after going through this routine many times, I know I’ll be ready when the bell rings. I know you will be ready, too, because after all – we are the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, and we’re always ready to serve our students. 

Today, I have three reminders I want to share with you. 

First, the early registration period for the Annual Conference on Teaching (ACT) is August 15. Please register soon to take advantage of this fantastic bargain. I look forward to seeing you in St. Louis for this outstanding professional development experience, which will be held October 15-17. 

Second, if you are attending the APA Convention next week, please join us for an array of excellent programming. APA has a curated list of events for psychology educators, and of course, we have STP-specific talks and discussions. 

Finally, I want to remind those of you who are APA members that elections will open soon. The STP Executive Committee has reviewed and discussed the candidates running for President of APA. With this election opening next month, we would like to draw your attention to the candidate statements so that you can learn more about each one. 

After discussion, the Executive Committee has endorsed Dr. Margaret Bull Kovera for APA President. Dr. Kovera’s exemplary record as a teacher, researcher, and advocate perfectly aligns with STP’s mission to advance the teaching of psychological science. As APA President, she will commit to partnering with us on three vital initiatives:

• Establishing Psychology as a STEM Discipline: Launching a coordinated national campaign to reframe psychology as an empirical science at the precollege level.
• Expanding Undergraduate Research Access: Disseminating innovative institutional models that train doctoral students to teach foundational research skills, enabling seamless undergraduate entry into faculty labs.
• Advocating for Equitable Resources: Using data to challenge administrative disparities and secure fair funding for psychology departments nationwide.

 Furthermore, Dr. Kovera will directly address STP’s recent presidential focus on faculty well-being and burnout. Dr. Kovera treats faculty well-being as a structural and advocacy priority rather than a one-off temporary wellness initiative. She rejects the institutional pressures to lower academic standards, publicly affirming that academic rigor and high expectations are central to student success. Externally, she is prepared to protect our professional integrity against political interference. By collaborating with STP as an early warning system, she aims to systematically monitor state-level curricular challenges so the APA can swiftly deploy amicus briefs to defend academic freedom. In short, Dr. Kovera is a fantastic fit for what STP values and does.

 Thank you for the time you took to read this letter during the last bits of your summer. I am looking forward to a great school year ahead. Thank you for all you do for your students and colleagues. 

Drew Christopher
President, Society for the Teaching of Psychology

Read past letters from the STP President