What I Love About SRCD Membership and a New Opportunity for Service on Three Standing Committees
A good friend wrote me a few months ago and proudly announced that he had renewed his SRCD membership and has been an SRCD member for 50 years! Yes, that is five decades and counting. This kinda means that he joined SRCD when I was in kindergarten(!)…shh… don’t tell him. It might make him feel…well… “older.” SRCD has served him well in his career. I have been an SRCD member since 1993—28 years, not too shabby.
But why do I stay? Why do I renew my membership? Is it out of habit? An autopay that I never updated? I can get the journals for free through my university library, which used to be a huge member benefit back when my friend joined. So why?
I remain a member because I love the conferences, and I get a discount on registration. I love supporting the advocacy that SRCD does on behalf of its members and its ongoing efforts to translate policy to practice. I stay because it makes me eligible for awards and small grants and to serve on committees and have a voice. I remain a member because all my friends are members and I have access to the SRCD Commons where I can meet new friends, colleagues and share ideas.
New Opportunities for Service on SRCD's Committees
A lot has changed since I joined SRCD and people have many more options for joining professional associations. This has made us wonder how SRCD can better support its members throughout all the stages of their careers. To help understand what members need and how to help members stay connected, the Governing Council formed two new standing committees--the Membership Committee and the Development Committee—and broadened the scope of the Nominations Committee .
We have been wondering why people join, why they stay, and why they leave. That is the focus of the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee will work with the SRCD staff to better understand the needs of the membership, to learn what you want and need from SRCD across all stages of your career, and how you see yourself contributing to SRCD and the field.
Of course, getting involved is the best way to have a voice and see your ideas come to life. Ensuring that we have a diversity of voices at the table is foundational, as we are a Society that is welcoming and inclusive. The Nominations Committee will focus on identifying a slate of candidates for the Governing Council and officers and assist other standing committee in identifying new members from a broad range of backgrounds and interests.
Finally, we know that attending the Biennial and Special Topics meetings can be expensive, even with the membership discount, the Development Committee will focus on helping SRCD build partnerships with organizations and funders that are interested in co-sponsorship.
If you are interested in increasing your involvement and helping us figure this out, volunteer for committee service by March 31, 2022.
In the meantime, tell us in the comments or on Twitter why you’re a member and use the hashtag #SRCDMembers and tag @SRCDTweets. I look forward to hearing from you!
Black History Month and the Developmental Scientists Who Lead the Way
As Black History Month winds down, I am reminded of the pioneering work of Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950), the historian and educator who founded Black History Week (now month). Back when I was in graduate school, I studied him and his work in a course on Developmental Theory. I was particularly interested in his focus on education and preparing the next generation of African American youth. He mentored and equipped teachers to educate African American children about their culture and heritage, even when it was illegal to do so. By doing so, he ensured that African American children understood their heritage and the contributions of African Americans to society. Our nation continues to benefit from his legacy, as we strive to ensure that developmental science and educational curricula is inclusive of the diverse cultures and backgrounds that make up the human experience.
Woodson reminds us that “Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching biography and history.” Developmental science has begun to catch up and record and understand the experiences of children as it relates to their culture and their experiences with marginalization. Especially as an African American woman, I have been inspired by the work of many African American scholars. Over the years, it has been so meaningful for me to see my race and culture increasingly reflected in our research on normative child development.
Just a small fraction of the developmental scientists who have pioneered this work are featured in SRCD’s Black History Month member spotlights this month. I invite you to pause and get to know these scholars: Margaret Beale Spencer, Michael Cunningham, Deborah Johnson, Suzanne Randolph Cunningham, and Vonnie C. McLoyd. These are people whose work has shaped my own and who have been mentors and role models over the course of my career. They are just a few of the scholars who have ensured that the African American experience, along with the experiences of other ethnic minority children, have been integrated into developmental science. Learn how they have impacted me and more in my own Member Spotlight.
If you wish to learn more, I invite you to take a moment and enjoy the Hidden Figures video series, which was initiated by SRCD’s Ethnic and Racial Issues Committee. The series is designed to increase the visibility of developmental scientists of color who have made critical contributions to our science and paved the way for the next generation. In addition, I urge you to revisit the Member Spotlights from past cultural heritage months: Native American Heritage Month (November 2021) and National Hispanic Heritage Month (October 2021). These are just a few ways that SRCD is ensuring that there is a record of the accomplishments of our forebears that will inspire generations to come.
Even as we pause to celebrate Black History for just a month, for so many of us, we celebrate Black history and culture all year long.
Child Development Special Section: Highlighting Indigenous Child Development: Edges and Possibilities in State-of-the-Art Research
The deadline to submit has passed.
The Trip that Didn’t Happen and the Importance of Fine Print
In February 2020, my good friend and I planned a special trip to Vienna, Prague, and Baden-Baden, Germany. We had read biographies of Beethoven, Brahms, Liszt, and Mozart and planned an excursion that included visits to some of their places of inspiration and, as a treat, the spa life of Baden-Baden. We booked our flights and, quite by accident, I clicked “yes” to travel insurance and paid for it. This was clearly an accident because I never get travel insurance; I just go.
As the early stages of the pandemic unfolded, it became clear that this trip was not going to happen. I thought, “how fortuitous! We have travel insurance!” As borders closed and we attempted to unravel our plans, we learned the “fine print.” Travel insurance is not valid in cases of a pandemic. WHAT!?!? When we booked the trip, the idea of a pandemic was so far-fetched that I would have laughed at it, even if I had read the fine print. But now, I am stuck with the legalese of the fine print….Airlines be damned.
SRCD’s “Fine Print” (aka Bylaws)
The Bylaws are SRCD’s “fine print.” They guide us, but they do not lead us. They are the “bargain basement” of what we hold true. What I learned through a review of SRCD’s governance and climate is that our bylaws are not in line with our practices and sometimes our values. We have been flying by the seat of our pants, as it were--sometimes making things up as we go and trying to remember how we did things before. When challenging times came upon us, our bylaws were not aligned with how we do business and did not serve us well.
We need to align our bylaws with best practices for nonprofit governance and align our bylaws with the way we do business.
Upgrading SRCD’s “Fine Print”
For example, we need a treasurer that is separate from the executive director to ensure that there are at least two sets of eyes on our finances. We need to define the executive committee and its charge. We need to point our organization toward the future by reimagining the role of the past president into an “elder states person,” focusing on development and deepening our relationships with partners. We need to delineate membership in ways that are aligned with our values. We need to remove the language about religion(!). We need to remove the detailed position description for the executive director so that it can be more fluid and dynamic based on the organization’s needs. In short, we need bylaws that reflect the purpose and basic needs of the organization today and for the future.
Regarding my European composers trip, the bylaws or “fine print” (as it were) did not serve me well—they served the airlines very well. The airlines and the travel insurance company shrugged their shoulders and pointed to their “fine print.” In these last few years of transition for the SRCD, not only have the bylaws have not served us well, but they have not reflected how we do business.
One thing that the bylaws have right is that changes must be reviewed and voted upon by the full membership. There is nothing in my being that would change that. We are a membership organization that serves and reflects you and your interests.
Please review and vote!
I know it is tedious. I know that bylaws might be boring. But, I urge you to register your perspective by reviewing the changes that were unanimously approved by the Governing Council. There is a webcast where we discuss the rationale for the changes. If you have questions or concerns, reach out to me personally or to Saima our Executive Director. We can only go forward as a Society when we do so together. Join me. Review and vote on changes to our bylaws.
Review the Proposed Changes Vote Now
P.S. There are TWO more days to participate in the SRCD Blog Naming Contest. Login here to submit your ideas. We are gathering the top 5 and will let you -- our members -- vote on the best one. The winner will receive a free registration to either the Biennial or an upcoming Special Topics Meeting.
Please Vote on Proposed Changes to SRCD Bylaws
Ballot closes February 15, 2022
Why Blog? An Introduction from the SRCD President
Welcome. I love getting the SRCD newsletters and emails. But, before I joined the Governing Council, I sometimes wondered WHY SRCD made a particular decision, or I wondered what was happening behind the scenes. SRCD has a “professional” front and I wanted to know more about its personality.
While the lovely SRCD website provides helpful information about our mission, events, awards, and grant opportunities, as well as the myriad ways the organization is working on behalf of developmental science, it is by its nature static. A blog is alive and dynamic. We want the blog to create a warm community and dialogue between SRCD and you—our members.
Opening channels of communication
In addition to being a place for SRCD leadership to share our thoughts about what’s happening in the world and in developmental science, the blog will open a channel of communication that did not exist previously. Before, you might have wondered how to communicate with SRCD. I remember sending an email to SRCD and wondering if a real person would answer. When they did and I discovered that SRCD has warm and professional staff working hard behind the scenes. I discovered just how much the Committees and Governing Council care about the science and how it can improve the lives of children, youth, and families.
I want you to make that discovery as well. Through the blog, you can connect with us, leave comments (if you are logged into the SRCD system), share content, ask questions, follow-up with us, and more. This blog will give a window into SRCD, its work, and its members. Just as I wondered what was happening behind the scenes at SRCD, I wonder what’s on your mind. Tell us you think! What questions do you have?
Help us come up with a name!
Finally, we are launching a NAMING Contest. What should we call the blog? Put on your creative thinking hats and come up with a really exciting name. Click the link below to submit your ideas. We will gather the top 5 and let you, our members, vote on the best one. The winner will receive a free registration to either the Biennial or a Special Topics Meeting. Submit ideas by February 4, 2022.
**Please note that you will need to be registered in SRCD's database to comment. If not already a member of SRCD it takes a few minutes to sign up and open an account. If you are already a member, please login using your member credentials.**
Best Wishes for a Joyful Holiday Season
A Message from Nancy E. Hill, SRCD President.