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Committees and Task Forces

ISTSS has several committees that carry out a number of different functions for the association. Among them are the following committees. To learn more about them, click on the name of the committee below.

StressPoints Editor


Responsibilities:  The ISTSS StressPoints editor is responsible for the content of the StressPoints, the ISTSS online newsletter. An Editorial Board assists the editor with planning, solicitation, and editing of content. 

The editor is an ex-officio member of the ISTSS Board of Directors and will receive an annual honorarium.

Composition

Editor

The editor is nominated by the StressPoints Editor Search Task Force after email consultation with the ISTSS Board of Directors, and appointed by vote of the Executive Committee for three years. Ideally, the first 4-6 months will overlap with current editor for ease in transition.  The editor of StressPoints must be an ISTSS member, and is expected to attend the annual meeting of ISTSS for all years during their term as editor. The StressPoints editor will chair an Editorial Board meeting each year of their term at the annual meeting. 

Requirements for the editor position include: expertise in the area of psychological sciences and traumatic stress, advanced degree (e.g., PhD, MD, MSW, MS, MA) in a trauma related field or comparable experience, actively involved in ISTSS (e.g., maintained member status, history of regular attendance at the annual meeting), editorial experience (e.g., ISTSS abstract reviewer or deputy, experience conducting ad hoc peer reviews for scientific journals, editorial board membership or editorial status on scientific journals).

Editorial Board 
Duties and Expectations: Members of the editorial board (individually referred to as contributing editors) are expected to submit a minimum of two articles for publication per year. These articles may be written by the contributing editor or may be solicited from members of the ISTSS. 

Members are to be available for consultation as needed by the editor. The ISTSS president will provide a “president’s message” featured in each issue.

StressPoints is committed to increasing involvement by student members and representing their particular needs. There will always be a minimum of one student editor. This individual will be a student (preferably graduate level) who is a member of the ISTSS. This individual will be responsible for soliciting articles from student members and, if he or she chooses, writing articles of particular relevance to student members of the ISTSS. 

Members are expected to attend the annual meeting of the ISTSS and the StressPoints Editorial Board meeting held there each year. 

Appointment and Terms

  • Contributing editors are appointed by invitation by the StressPoints editor.
  • Contributing editors serve for three years unless arranged otherwise with the Editor. 
  • Contributing editors may be offered to renew for another three-year term at the discretion of the editor.

Representation
Effort should be made to stagger the terms of contributing editors to have a mixture of new and more experienced editors. In addition, effort should be made to have a mixture of specialty areas and interests reflective of the general membership of the ISTSS. Finally, in order to reflect the commitment of the ISTSS as an international organization, efforts should be made to have global representation on the editorial board, including members from low and middle income countries. 

Authority (including limitations): The editor has the authority to review content for placement in the newsletter with funds at his/her disposal within the budget.  The current editor does not have the authority to appoint the replacement editor of StressPoints.

Society Policies Impacting Function:  Advertising

  • Advertisement in StressPoints is limited to job postings.
  • No products will be advertised in StressPoints.


Interactions with other committees:  The editor and contributing editors are encouraged to establish liaisons with key ISTSS committees and workgroups, including but not limited to, Special Interest Groups, the Public Health and Policy Committee, the Public Information and Education Oversight Committee and Production Sub-Committee, and the Annual Meeting Committee. As detailed below (Processes/procedures section) the editors will work with the Public Information and Education Oversight Committee for peer review of articles submitted to StressPoints.

Products: StressPoints, the newsletter for the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, is primarily a vehicle for news and information relevant to the ISTSS and its members. StressPoints will be published bimonthly. A publication schedule will be produced each year and presented at the annual meeting. 

Staff resources available (from Kellen scope of work):

  • Prepare yearly editorial schedule in consultation with newsletter editor
  • Notify editor of important association news to be reported in newsletter
  • Write association news articles and edit submitted articles
  • Coordinate layout, production and distribution of newsletter 
  • Post newsletter on line

Financial and other resources available:  ISTSS provides a modest stipend for the editor, plus an annual production budget.

Processes/procedures:  
Solicited Articles Editorial Process:  Articles are solicited by a contributing editor and should go to the contributing editor for a first review to assess a) the appropriateness for StressPoints and the ISTSS, and b) the overall quality of the work.  The article then goes to the editor and to the Public Information and Education Oversight Committee for review of content. Once reviewed by the editor and the Public Information and Education Oversight Committee, the article may then be sent back to the author for rewrite with suggestions if needed.  It is the author’s responsibility to rewrite and resubmit to the editor.  Final content edits are at the discretion of the editor.  If a serious disagreement arises regarding content, the author may withdraw the article if needed.

Content:  Content should reflect the interests and needs of the membership of the ISTSS. Articles are typically 500-800 words in length, although in some circumstances the editor may allow longer submissions of particular merit or pertinence to the society.  An effort should be made to reflect the global nature of the society in both content and authorship. Book reviews are published at the discretion of the editor.  Non-print, for-profit products generally are not reviewed for StressPoints. 

Empirical studies better suited for a peer-review format are not published in StressPoints.  Exceptions may include surveys conducted of members and directly related to the functioning or well-being of the ISTSS or its members. Unsolicited articles are generally sent directly to the editor. If the article is appropriate for publication in StressPoints then the process for a solicited article is followed. If specific content consultation or expertise is required to evaluate the merit or appropriateness of the article, it may be sent for consultation to a contributing editor with specific expertise or experience.

Editor Duties

  • The editor will prepare the annual publication schedule to be presented at the editorial board meeting in person or via their committee report at the ISTSS annual conference.
  • The editor is primarily responsible for editing content for accuracy, relevance to the society and strategic plan, and appropriateness.
  • The editor will solicit articles as appropriate that may be particularly timely or relevant to the membership.
  • The editor will seek consultation as needed from members of the editorial board and EC liaison. 
  • The editor will attend the board of directors meeting at the annual conference.
  • The editor will work in collaboration with the managing editor.

Managing Editor Duties

  • The managing editor is a member of the staff of Kellen and is responsible primarily for copyediting, layout, and production of StressPoints. 
  • The editor will assist in copyediting and other duties as needed by the managing editor and as feasible.

Members

Amanda J. Khan - Member
Josianne Lamothe - Member
Kenneth J. Thompson - Member
Marine Tessier - Member
Mary Schacht - Member
Nicholas Livingston - Member
Noelle Smith - Member
Rida Khan - Member
Sukanya Ray - Member
Vuyelwa M. Ntoi - Member