PRESIDENT LETTER BLOG
This blog contains an archive of "Greetings from the President" that appeared since January 2020 on the STP home page and in STP News. To view letters from STP Presidents from 2016 through 2019, click here.
By Loretta McGregor, 2024 STP President
As I sat writing this final column, I was reminded of the song “Seasons of Love” from the hit Broadway musical Rent. The lyrics are “525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?” (Did you sing the song in your head? I did).
Well, my 525,600 minutes as STP president are nearing the end. I have had many joyous moments, met many inspiring individuals, and seen the passion in your hearts and eyes for this noble profession we call the teaching of psychology. Thank you for embracing my vision of cultivating the next generation of psychology educators. My theme was not accompanied by grand fanfare. It was simple and from the heart. I desire this idea to germinate within each of you and become a part of your mentoring protocol. I want you to consciously and actively seek out current students with the talent and passion to educate the next generation about human behavior and thought. Moreover, I want our future colleagues to realize that teaching their students about the discipline of psychology has the potential to pay big dividends for our society for many years to come.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as your 2024 STP President. It has been an honor to work alongside such dedicated and passionate individuals. I stand here today because influential teachers and instructors saw my potential long before I could. You, too, have the power to be that influential figure for a student. Don't hesitate to share your passion and love for teaching with your students. Encourage them to explore the possibilities of one day joining our ranks. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your 2024 STP President. It has been an honor.
We are entering the final stretch of the semester. Mid-term exams have been administered, and first-term grades and parent-teacher conferences have come and gone. We have survived the constant barrage of political ads and another national election. Amid all these things, it is easy to get lost in the minutia of life and lose sight of the big picture. We prepare the next generation of parents, leaders, professionals, and others daily through teaching. We teach them how human behavior and thoughts interact with our environment(s) to influence our quality of life and the lives of others. For many of our students, the introductory course is the only psychology class they will ever take. With that in mind, what do we want all students to know when they leave our classroom?
The APA Education Directorate, along with the APA Committee on Associate and Baccalaureate Education (CABE) and the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP), have worked diligently to provide answers to this question. In October 2021, The APA Council of Representatives approved the APA introductory psychology initiative (IPI) student learning outcomes for introductory psychology. A working group created the recommendations found in the document. The group proposes that, upon completing the introductory psychology course, students should be able to: a). “Identify basic concepts and research findings”; b). “Solve problems using psychological methods”; and c). “Provide examples of psychology’s integrative themes.” The complete committee report and other recommendations can be read in the APA-sponsored book Transforming introductory psychology: Expert advice on teacher training, course design, written by Regan Gurung and Garth Neufeld (2021).
In 2023, a CABE working group created the APA Guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major, version 3.0. The group, comprised of experts in the discipline of the teaching of psychology, outlined the knowledge and skills all undergraduate psychology majors should possess after completing their baccalaureate degree. These guidelines are not just theoretical-they have practical value. In fact, CABE and STP collaborated to create the infographic The skillful psychology student: Prepared for success in the 21st century workplace. This document identifies a list of skills many students learn through completing various psychology courses, skills that employers highly value in the 21st-century workplace.
I am trying to make the point that, as a psychology educator, YOU have and continue to make a difference in the lives of your students. I know sometimes it is hard to accept that the things you do matter, but they do, and SO DO YOU! As this academic semester and calendar year draws to a close, so does my tenure as STP president. Thank you for reading my shared thoughts and ramblings. I hope my words have encouraged you to keep up the excellent work. I will post my final column in December. Until then, have a wonderful November.
With immense pleasure, I announce the 2024 Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP) Presidential Citation recipients. The STP president presents this annual award to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to STP and/or the teaching of psychology. This year’s recipients have positively influenced the discipline of psychology and STP through their work.
Dr. Karen Naufel, a psychology professor and former director of undergraduate programs at Georgia Southern University, received a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Arkansas. During the 2014-2015 academic year, Georgia Southern University recognized Dr. Naufel for excellence in teaching by presenting her with the university-wide Award for Excellence in Instruction. Dr. Naufel also received two national awards from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology: the 2010 Jane S. Halonen Teaching Excellence Award for early career teachers of psychology and the 2022 Civic Engagement Award for collaborating with her students and her community to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Naufel routinely serves on various committees and task forces created to enhance the teaching of psychology at all levels. In 2021, she was co-chair of the APA’s Committee on Associate and Baccalaureate Education (CABE). She currently chairs the APA’s Board of Educational Affairs (BEA), part of the APA Educational Directorate. BEA's primary function is to recommend policy on education and training to the APA Board of Directors and the Council of Representatives. Dr. Naufel’s research interests include the areas of applied social cognition, metacognition, and ethics in research. She is the author of numerous publications and presentations. I am pleased to award the 2024 STP Presidential Citation to Dr. Karen Naufel. Congratulations, Dr. Naufel! Thank you for your service to STP.
Dr. Lindsay Masland, professor of psychology and Director of Transformative Teaching and Learning at Appalachian State University, receives the STP 2024 Presidential Citation for her extraordinary service to STP.
Dr. Masland completed a Ph.D. in educational psychology with a concentration in statistics from the University of Georgia. She received the Appalachian State University’s Excellence in Teaching Award, a university-wide teaching award, and the 2020 Jane S. Halonen Teaching Excellence Award given by the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, a national award for early career teachers of psychology.
Dr. Masland has gone above and beyond in her service to STP as a consulting editor for the journal Teaching of Psychology (TOP) and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). She is also the current Director of the Annual Conference on Teaching, sponsored by STP, where she has done an amazing job. Dr. Masland’s research interests include student engagement, effective teaching practices, and inclusivity. She is also the author of multiple publications and presentations. I am pleased to award Dr. Lindsay Masland the 2024 STP Presidential Citation. Congratulations, Dr. Masland, and thank you for your many years of service to STP and the discipline of psychology.
This month’s guest columnist is Teceta Tormala, Ph. D. Teceta is the Vice President for Diversity and International relations in STP. I appreciate Teceta's initiatives that led to the development of STP's affinity groups and the work she does to support STP members.
by Teceta Tormala, Ph.D., STP Vice President for Diversity and International Relations
Thank you, Loretta, for allowing me this guest column to talk about the STP affinity groups! In 2020, I was co-chair of a STP task force that surveyed STP membership about ways to build a more inclusive and equitable division. One of the ideas that came from the survey was for the creation of affinity groups- small groups of individuals who share a similar social identity or lived experience, and who connect with one another to discuss identity-related experiences and ideas. When I started my role as VP of Diversity and International Relations on the Executive Committee of STP in 2022, one of my main goals was to continue our work to build a more inclusive division, and the creation of affinity groups was one important way to do that.
The significance of affinity groups has been reinforced by research demonstrating their value for connection, sharing, community, support, networking, andadvocacy. For many of our current and potential STP members, being in community with other members who share important aspects of lived experience can help to make a warm and friendly organization feel like a truly inclusive and welcoming space. In this affinity group process, we are following the model of other APA divisions and psychology organizations- such as Division 35 and the National Latinx Psychological Association - and creating a means for people who align around an underrepresented identity or lived experience to connect and engage with one another. Importantly, membership in all affinity groups is open to any STP member.
We put out the call for the creation of affinity groups last year, and I was thrilled about the response; STP members are excited about spaces for connection, support, and community. At present, there are 11 affinity groups aligned around a multitude of educator identities and experiences: Race and ethnic identity (Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi (APID); Arab, Middle Eastern, and North African (AMENA); Latinx; Black); queer identity; in/visible dis/ability identity; community of care and professional resilience; educators at community colleges; educators at Canadian institutions; late career and retired educators; educators who are parents and caregivers. At last year’s ACT conference, the ACT Director, Lindsay Masland, and programming committee graciously created space in the schedule for these newly formed groups to meet and connect. At the upcoming ACT this October, Lindsay has once again blocked out space for the affinity groups; this year, the affinity group meetings will be scheduled throughout the day, to allow conference attendees to attend multiple groups, as befits our intersectional selves.
For any STP members who might be interested, the process to join or create an affinity group is a straightforward one! To join an affinity group, complete a Google Form accessible to all STP members on our websiteto note which group or groups you would like to join. To create an affinity group, STP members- individually, in pairs, or in small groups- can email the VP for Diversity and International Relations at vp-diversity@teachpsych.org with the affinity group that they would like to create and facilitate, and what they see as the group’s purpose. Once the affinity group is finalized, it will be added to the list of affinity groups on our website, and members can choose to join it if interested.
I hope you consider joining an affinity group, or if you see a need for a new group to serve a constituency which is not currently served, to create and facilitate one!
Attending APA and Guest Column
Loretta N. McGregor, STP President
August 1, 2024
This month’s guest columnist is Danae L. Hudson, Ph. D. Danae is the Vice President for Membership in STP. I appreciate Danae and the work she does to support STP members.
If you are attending APA, I encourage you to download information about STP programming at https://teachpsych.org/conferences/apa/index.php. And, if you see me at APA, stop and introduce yourself. I hope to see you there.
by Danae L. Hudson, Ph.D., STP Vice President for Membership vp-membership@teachpsych.org
Hi STP friends! I hope your summer has been fun and rejuvenating. A new academic year is about to begin, and as Vice President for Membership, I wanted to share a few announcements with you. This information has already been communicated through our various channels, but we wanted to make sure everyone knows about some of the recent changes in STP.
Most people recognize that membership in STP has always been extremely affordable. Access and affordability are important values to our organization. But did you know that STP has not raised dues is over 19 years! Given the rising costs in all areas of life, the Executive Committee voted to modestly increase our dues. The new rates (effective July 1, 2024) are as follows: $35 psychology teachers; $20 students/ postdocs/retirees; $5 for members from countries not classified as high income. If you join/renew your membership now it will last throughout 2024 and all of 2025!
STP offers many free resources on the STP website that do not require membership in STP. However, as a member you have access to additional resources and support.
Once you login to the STP website you gain access to members-only benefits, which include:
Also, we now have a private STP Facebook group where members provide support for one another and share pedagogical ideas. This group includes only STP members and is already thriving with over 500 members. The public STP Facebook group still exists but has been transitioned to announcements only. So, if you haven’t joined our new group yet, please click here to join!
I wish all of you a happy and smooth start to the beginning of the new academic year. Please feel free to reach out anytime with questions or feedback. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as STP’s Vice President for Membership.
Apologize until you get it right!
I am the eldest of seven children. As expected, we often had disagreements, scuffles, and sometimes knock-down-drag-out fights. As the oldest, I learned early on that you must always apologize when at fault and do so until you get the apology right.
Therefore, on behalf of the STP Executive Committee, I humbly apologize for the scheduling of the 2024 ACT conference during the religious holiday of Yom Kippur. In my previous statement, I attempted to explain the complexities of conference planning and the added difficulties caused by forced rescheduling amid the pandemic. But I am now aware that my apology profoundly missed the mark.
Religious holidays and celebrations are a time for worship, ceremony, family, and tradition. I understand that many of our STP members are now faced with the choice between being in their community with loved ones to observe the High Holy Days or attending ACT. I realize that many will miss the professional development and networking opportunities they annually look forward to during ACT. Some may even sacrifice time with loved ones because this is the only conference they can attend this year. I deeply empathize with the difficult decision you are being forced to make, and I regret we have put you in this position. We will endeavor to be more mindful of our actions and intentional about the dates we select for future conferences.
As president, I am responsible for ensuring that our organization lives up to our mission statement, revised during the Executive Committee’s meeting in April 2024. Our proposed revised mission statement reads:
The Society for the Teaching of Psychology promotes excellence in the teaching and learning of psychology. The Society provides resources and services, access to a global collaborative community, and opportunities for professional development. It endeavors to promote equity and social justice for teachers and students of psychology with marginalized, racially minoritized, and intersecting identities. The Society also strives to advance the scholarship of teaching and learning; advocate for the needs of teachers of psychology; promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and belonging initiatives within the teaching and learning of psychology; foster partnerships across academic settings; and increase recognition of the value of the teaching profession [emphasis added].
I still have work to do to ensure that our organization embodies diversity, equity, inclusion, and belongingness. I want to reassure you that our commitment to these values is unwavering. Though we stumbled, we will continue to review, revise, and develop our practices to ensure a more inclusive and equitable organization.
Dear STP Family,
This month’s announcements come from our Executive Director, Dr. Thomas Pusateri and me. We have collaborated to bring you an update on actions taken during the Executive Committee’s mid-year meeting and to provide a rationale for several recent decisions by STP’s Executive Committee that are designed to maintain our Society's financial and operational health.
As you are aware, inflation has increased the prices of many goods and services, and the annual cost for STP to continue supporting its programming and services for teachers of psychology has also increased. For example, STP provides grants and awards that include travel support for STP members to attend conferences, and many STP leaders receive travel support to coordinate STP programming at ACT, APA, and other national and regional conferences. Because travel costs have increased, the Executive Committee will need to increase the maximum dollar amount for those who receive travel support from STP. In addition, the costs of hosting our Annual Conference on Teaching (ACT) have increased yearly; those who attend ACT pay only a fraction of the total cost to host this annual conference.
Therefore, the Executive Committee has recently voted to increase membership dues from $25 to $35 for non-student members and from $15 to $20 for students, post-docs, and retirees. This adjustment in dues will commence on July 1, 2024, the date when we begin to process new members and renewals for the 2025 calendar year. Those who join or renew in STP on or after July 1, 2024, will receive complimentary membership for the rest of 2024 and through December 31, 2025. This increase in dues will enable us to continue providing high-quality programming and services for our members.
The Executive Committee also voted to increase the registration fees for members to attend the Annual Conference on Teaching. The increase is modest and will not cover the full costs of those who attend ACT, but it will help reduce STP's overall costs of hosting this conference.
This year's Annual Conference on Teaching: On Location in Louisville is a rescheduling of the 2021 conference, which was canceled within a month of its intended start date due to rising COVID numbers. STP was originally penalized over $100,000 for this cancellation, but we were able to negotiate that penalty down to $10,000, plus a signed conference contract for October 10-12, 2024. Unfortunately, those dates fall on Yom Kippur. The STP Executive Committee, along with the ACT Committee members, offer our sincerest apology for this conflict and promise to select future dates for the conference that do not overlap with dates of religious and/or cultural significance.
The Executive Committee has also made a significant decision to divide the responsibilities of the current Executive Director into two budget-neutral positions: Executive Director and Operations Manager. This strategic move is aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations. The future Executive Director will oversee memberships, conference registrations, and communications with members and nonmembers, among other responsibilities. The Operations Manager will serve as parliamentarian and historian for the Executive Committee and will support the work of other STP leaders (e.g., drafting policies and procedures, updating pages on the STP website). Tom Pusateri, the current Executive Director, will complete his term of office in the Operations Manager position through 2027. Sue Frantz, the current Assistant Executive Director, will be appointed as interim Executive Director in 2025, during which there will be a call for applications for that position to begin January 1, 2026.
The decision to divide the responsibilities of the Executive Director will require a bylaws revision that will add the Operations Manager as an ex officio member of the Executive Committee. In addition, the Executive Committee supports a recent STP task force recommendation to revise the STP Mission Statement by changing the phrase diversity, equity, and inclusion” to “diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.” We will notify STP members when the vote for these bylaw revisions is open, and we encourage all STP members to approve both revisions.
I am a planner! And as a dedicated planner, I've already begun preparing for the next semester, even though the current one is still in full swing. Nevertheless, recent events reminded me of the need for flexibility in the classroom and in life.
Each spring, the STP Executive Committee members conduct an in-person business meeting. These meetings typically involve three days of intensive planning for the future of the Society. This year’s meeting occurred in Memphis, TN, April 4-7. After selecting the date and scheduling the venue, I discovered the meeting would coincide with the 56th commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, sponsored by the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Hotel. Several of us arrived early on the first meeting day and were able to attend the commemorative event. The ceremony featured exquisite music by a local university gospel choir, poetic readings by high school students, and presentations by local dignitaries and members of Dr. King’s immediate family. Touring the museum and reflecting on Dr. King’s life of service and sacrifice for others set a positive tone for the balance of our meeting. I am pleased that some committee members were flexible in travel, allowing us to participate in and witness this historical event together.
As a self-proclaimed planner, I have often followed the advice of Marilla Svinicki and Bill McKeachie (2011), who wisely wrote, “…spend a little time on your [course] plans each day…let them percolate in your mind, [and] ideas will come to you while driving, jogging, or walking into your office,” (p. 18). But I have been teaching long enough to realize that some of the best class lectures or activities were the ones I did not plan. Ideas or activities have organically arisen mid-semester and I have followed some of them to fruition. These diversions in my teaching plans have often paid big dividends. I have learned that allowing flexibility in my schedule can enrich my teaching experience and greatly benefit my students.
My recommendation to you is to embrace both approaches to teaching. Plan your lectures and activities for the entire semester but reserve the right to change directions if you can or feel the need to do so. Planning and spontaneity in teaching are not the antithesis of each other. They can co-exist and often result in an enriching experience for students and the instructor alike.
Reference
Svinicki, M. & McKeachie, W. J. (2011). McKeachie’s teaching tips: strategies, research, and theory for collect and university teachers (13th Ed.). Wadsworth, Belmont, CA.
Guest Column
Loretta McGregor, STP President
For this month’s update, I have invited our Vice President for Grants and Awards, Morton Ann Gernsbacher, to submit a guest column. Morton is seeking participants for a survey on renaming the Abnormal Psychology course to reduce stigma. Please complete the survey and encourage your colleagues to do as well.
by Morton Ann Gernsbacher
Academic course titles preview our courses’ content, connect with our departments’ curricula, and entice our potential students. We also hope that our course titles don’t offend or stigmatize any students in our courses or members of the general public.
Recently, many psychology departments have chosen to change the title of their “Abnormal Psychology” courses, due to concern that the term “Abnormal” might be offensive and stigmatizing. In 2022, the previously named APA Journal of Abnormal Psychology also changed its name to The Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science due to concerns about stigma.
Last year, then STP President Diane Finley commissioned a Working Group to investigate the curricular implications of changing the name of “Abnormal Psychology” courses. I heartily encourage everyone interested in this topic to read this Working Group’s masterpiece report.
The report answered the important question of how changing the name of “Abnormal Psychology” courses would affect high school advanced placement credits and applications to graduate programs. The working group concluded there would be “minimal problems” and any “problems can be minimized with communication among interested parties (alerting transfer institutions, providing course description and/or course syllabus).”
The report also recommended possible replacement names for “Abnormal Psychology” based on important metrics of stigma. Last summer, my lab conducted a study to evaluate the Working Group’s most highly recommended replacement name, along with the previous name “Abnormal Psychology” and an often-chosen replacement name “Psychopathology.”
In our study, we used assays for assessing both implicit and explicit bias. This past fall, we replicated the results of our previous one-site study on four additional campuses, plus a larger sample on our home campus.
I’ll be reporting the results of these studies in a future STP newsletter column. One preview I can share now is that the STP Working Group’s most highly recommended replacement name did indeed fare the best!
For now, I’d like your input. Has your department considered changing the name of its “Abnormal Psychology” course? If so, I would be incredibly grateful if you could complete this short survey.
Thank you in advance!
What do you love most about teaching? Take a moment to reflect on your answer. I’m confident your answer did not include “the pay.” I have taught for more than three decades, and on most days, I love my job. I still cannot believe I get paid to do what I do.
I put this question to a couple of my colleagues. Both are early career psychology professors. Each mentioned the thing they love the most about teaching is the ability to impart knowledge about psychology to others. One colleague added that it allows them to talk about psychology to a captive audience. I think these comments reflect how many of us feel, or have felt, about the teaching of psychology.
After many years of teaching, I’ve come to love my job because I now know I make a difference in the lives of my students. This may sound a bit self-aggrandizing, but I have evidentiary proof. Social media has given me the gift of remaining in contact with former students like never before. This continued contact gives me a glimpse into their lives after college. Occasionally, these individuals contact me and cite a specific previous interaction that has impacted their and their families' lives. I am grateful when someone recalls a particular event from class, a comment from an earlier conversation, or explains how they turned a psychological concept into something actionable. These interactions help me realize that what I do does make a difference in the world.
While teaching my students about psychology, they often teach me about pop culture, current events, and constantly challenge me to re-examine some of my beliefs. In other words, my current students keep me young at heart and encourage my continued cognitive growth through their questions and conversations. As I stated above, I love my job!
It is easy for us sometimes to lose sight of the joy we receive through teaching. Strained institutional budgets, governmental oversight, and politicization of the educational system can make even the most stalwart educator question their career choice. But take a moment to breathe and realize you are doing great work! You are changing lives! I appreciate your dedication to the teaching of psychology.
