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The Association for the Development of the Person Centered Approach.

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New Editor Shares Plan for the Future

Jo Cohen

Recently elected Editor of the Journal, Dr. Jo Cohen Hamilton, begins indefinite term, and offers some updating and calls for ADPCA members and others interested.

The Person-Centered Journal (TPCJ) will continue to strive for open reviewing that aims to assist writers toward their goal of publication. Although reviews will continue to be open in the sense that reviewers will be known to authors, new policy will specify an authors' right to be anonymous to reviewers. All publication opportunity announcements will note this option for writers.

A change in policy is as follows: All reviewers of the journal must be members of either The Association for the Development of the Person-Centered Approach (ADPCA), or the British Association of the Person-Centered Approach (BAPCA). This policy follows the spirit of business committee members' recent decisions regarding movement toward collaborative and exchanging partnership between ADPCA and BAPCA. In addition, Jo believes that requiring membership of reviewers is consistent with the mission of the journal being one of the key scholarly purposes for the ADPCA's existence- a chief raison d'etre. Membership coordinator is Julia Rabin: jlrabin@aol.com

With pleasure, Dr. Cohen announces the present editorial staff to include:

Dr. Margorie Witty: Associate Editor beginning her third term.

Dr. Jonathan Rose: Associate Editor beginning his first term.

Dr. Douglas Bower: Managing Editor beginning first term in this office.

Dr. Paula Bickham: Associate Editor of Poems, Essays and Recollections

Dr. Jere Moorman: Chief Advertising Editor and Marketing Consultant

Ms. Susan Reffie: Layout Editor, Copy Editor

Journal Reviewers: During Jeanne's editorship, several individuals had responded to her inquiry re: continued interest in reviewing for the journal. Jo will make contacts with all review staff to secure their continued interest. It is very difficult to keep track of and feel able to rely on reviewers who express a willingness to review on a part-time basis. The number of articles presented for consideration are usually not so overwhelming as to place any one reviewer in a burdensome position. However, with respect for the fact that a comprehensive review may take considerable time and effort, Jo acknowledges that a reviewer may be unable to commit to participating in a year-long review process. An attempted compromise will be: if a reviewer receives a manuscript that s/he believes s/he cannot review- for any reason- it will be returned immediately through mail, or passed on to another reviewer, or a notice of some kind (e-mail or phone) will be immediately given so that another reviewer may be secured for a piece. Reviewers who do not follow-through on reviews in a timely way, or who do not give notice should not express continued interest in serving as a reviewer. The review team member, including and especially for associate editors, should attempt in their reviews, to present viable suggestions for shaping an initially unacceptable article into a publishable manuscript. While the onus of responsibility for creating a publishable work will lie with the author, the reviewers' onus will be to offer where possible, a direction for achieving a credible piece of the journal. Jo offers apologies that reviewers will not be able to be announced in this publication.

Board of Directors: At present, Jo is opening up an invitation to ADPCA, BAPCA and non-members alike, to join the Board of Directors of TPCJ. The board member would function as an advisor for journal direction. With her or his knowledge of journal publishing on one hand, and/or affiliation with person-centered philosophy and practice, s/he would recommend on various issues to the journal's editorial staff. The board will also function as consultants to Jere Moorman's advertising policy decisions. Advertising decisions will be made chiefly on the basis of apparent interest to readership.

Finally, writers are what keeps the journal alive. Calling out to all person-centered data, quanititative and qualitative. Calling out to client- and person-centered recollections of therapy and transcripts with commentary. Releases of consent must be retained by authors and available if necessary for all clients on whom identification might reasonably be discerned. Calling out to all poets who reveal the essence of person-centered phenomenology in some poetic way- or through the essay. A call to for reflections, including personal experiences in a workshop, seminar and so forth. Writers are requested to submit their work (the sooner the better!) to:

Kutztown, PA 19530 USA

With thanks for everyone's support,

Jo