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There was an extraordinary amount of conference activity in January with conferences occuring in many regions of the US. The conferences reflected diverse and creative approaches to our work and indicate the robust interest that still exists in group relations and it's practice. Some were sponsored by AKRI or its affiliates, other by Universities. Each was directed and significantly staffed by AKRI members.
Boston Center for the Study of Groups and Social Systems (From Margaret Parish, Secretary)
Our annual residential conference was in January -- this was the second of three conferences directed by Jerry Fromm, held at the Connors Family Retreat and Conference Center in Dover, MA. 43 members, many of them young leaders concerned with social justice attending their first conference, joined 10 staff around the theme"Leadership, Passion, and Accountability in Organizational Life Today" -- it was diverse, lively, energizing. We had a post-conference application event that a couple of members attended in Cambridge in mid- March, followed by the conference review, where center members and conference staff and members discussed the conference.
We have recently hired Evangeline Sarda to direct a series of weekend non-residential conferences dates to be determined. For a number of years we have been attempting to establish a regular local weekend conference. Dannie Kennedy directed our last two, in the spring of 2009 and fall of 2010.
Our next five day residential will be January 16-20, 2012. We are currently in the process of hiring a director for the following series of residential conferences 2013-2015.
We will have our annual meeting on Sunday, June 5. This is an opportunity for center members to gather and reconnect and reflect on our work over the past year.
We are currently planning an event to precede the but there are no details about the subject yet. Our annual election also concludes at the annual meeting. Currently nominations are in process for open positions on the board: president, secretary, and two members of the nominating committee. Since we will have no past president (Charlie Morgan resigned the presidency last month) and no president elect, we will also elect a fourth member at large for a one year term, to complete the seven member board. The other members currently are treasurer Kevin Wilson and members at large Samar Habl, Mason Smith, and Holger Durre.
Chicago Chicago Center for the Study of Groups and Organizations
of the A.K. Rice Institute (CCSGO-AKRI) Celebrating Thirty Years of Group Relations Conferences in Chicago recently co-sponsored a three day non-residential conference on recovery from addiction in Chicago.
Conference Director: Jeffrey D. Roth, MD, FASAM, FAGPA Associate Director: Vivian Gold, PhD The Conference was a fine success with a membership of 58. This innovative conference design involved the application of an Addictions Theme in a Group Relations setting. The success of this conference and the significant interest in participation is evidence of great potential in the creative and application based use of conferences with
potential adaptation to other fields and themes. On June 30th John Bair becomes President of CCSGO and Seth Harkins serves in the role of Past President for
one year. Several Board Member Positions will be filled.
There were two successful conferences at Northwestern University. The Graduate Student and Professionals Conference was directed by Sonny Cytrynbaum and Vickie Seglin, and the Undergraduate Conference was co-directed by Vickie Seglin, and Tom Golebiewsk. A small group conference at Rosalind Franklin Medical School was directed by John Bair. The next On-line Small Group Training will be directed by John Bair with Lynn Hiller as Associate Director is scheduled for 2012. There are two training positions open to AKRI and CCSGO Members for this On Line Training Event. The next installment of the On-line Virtual Large Group directed by Jeffrey Roth with staff and supporting organizations from around the world is scheduled for 2012. Research from the 2009 and 2010 Large Group On-Line Conferences will be presented at the International Society for Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations (ISPSO) International Conference in Melbourne, in June. The Research Team was headed by John Bair, and included Ms. Nuala Dent and Mr. Tim Roberts-Ferguson who completed their Master of Applied Science in Organization Dynamics Research Papers from Australia's RMIT University based upon this data. They will present their Papers at the (ISPSO) Conference. In addition, CCSGO members have three current university approved research projects related to group/social systems dynamics in process.
GREX (west coast) GREX has been active in a number of areas including holding a non residential conference in January Balancing Authority and Power in Fast Changing Societal and Natural Dynamics directed by Shahin Sakhi, Associate Director Ara Haroutiounian. The conference had 38 members plus 9 trainees who participated in a unique training program developed by the Director which included post conference application work. This represents the second conference held at UCLA after many years without an on campus conference. GREX member Ara Haroutiounian directed a one day in-class workshop at Cal State University Los Angeles and with Shahin Sakhi gave a presentation at the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Society of Trainers and Developers. GREX has had a resurgence in membership and will be holding a board election in early May. Midwest Center (from Gordon Strauss, President)
The Midwest Center had it's 3rd biennial Klein Symposium on New Developments in the Theory, Practice and Application of Group Relations on Sat April 9 in Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute. Our topic was Ethical Leadership and we began with a viewing of the recent Oscar-award winning film Inside Job. Then wehad a panel from a variety of professional backgrounds--organizational consultation, government, religion and psychoanalysis--which intereacted in a lively discussion with our audience regarding the issues raised by the film. Before the Klein Symposium we had our first Center meeting of 2011. We used much of our meeting time to address what we see as our purpose as a Center. What we agreed is that we in the Midwest Center are most interested in and committed to " applying group relations in the world." While this certainly includes group relations conferences, it is explicitly our center's sense of its own task, mission and vision that we care about more than conferences alone or only for their own sake. We have in recent years had programs applying group relations to the arts (Shakespeare, Harry Potter and contemporary theater) and this year's Klein Symposium extended the focus to the realms of political discourse, economics and ethics. Finally, we are continuing our collaboration with CCSGO, the Chicago Center, in co-sponsoring a residential group relations conference in the fall (October 27-30, 2011) in Chicago. New York Center, Autumn/Winter/Spring, 2010-2011 (prepared by Frank Carson & Howard Friedman) The New York Center has actively participated in the National Symposium, co-sponsored one conference, held its own colloquium, collaborated on a second conference, and is about to host an author's night on June 7. Our annual election was held in January 2011, when we added two new members to our Executive Committee, Jackie McCaffrey and Anne Onoue who joined Frank Carson, Howard Friedman, Frank Marrocco. We are planning our annual meeting via teleconference for July 2011. In October 2010 The New York Center was represented at the AKRI National Symposium, in Chicago. New York Center members Sarah Brazaitis, Laura Danforth, Ken Eisold, Howard Friedman, Frank Marrocco, Mary McRae, Anne Onoue, Sarah Rosenbaum and Jeanne Woon presented in Chicago. In November 2010, we co-sponsored the group relations conference with Teachers College, Columbia University entitled "Consciousness, Authority, Leadership, and Life,"directed by Zachary Green. December 3, 2010, was the first of what is planned to be an ongoing series of colloquia. Center members Patricia Kummel & Laurie Nisco provided presentations for group discussion; future colloquia are planned for autumn 2011 and winter 2012. The New York Center collaborated in the group relations conference with New York University in March 2011. The conference was titled "Leadership and Team Development in a World of Difference," and was directed by Mary McRae. On June 7, 2011, we will host our first Author's Night in collaboration with the William Alanson White Institute. Ken Eisold will offer a presentation & discussion of his book, "What You Don't Know You Know," with Center member discussants Anne Onoue and John Frazee. The evening has been organized and will be facilitated by Center member Jackie McCaffery. Harvard University
Dannie Kennedy directed a non residential conference at Harvard as part of a new degree program. University of San Diego
There was a three day conference at the University of San Diego Directed by Terri Monroe, Associate Director Bruce Irvine LEADERSHIP FOR CHANGE :Engaging Emergence: Calling Forth "What Could Be" January 14-16, 2011
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