Questions Regarding Ethics – A Public Letter to Candidates for the Board of Directors of ASHA
Questions Regarding Ethics – A Public Letter to Candidates for the Board of Directors of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
May 10, 2010
Dear Candidates for the Board of Directors: Shelly S. Chabon, Constance Dean Qualls, Brian B. Shulman, Jane A. Baran, Janet D. Koehnke, Neil T. Shepard, Susan W. Floyd, Wayne A. Foster, Barbara J. Moore, Cheryl C. Sancibrian, Rosalind Scudder, and Jennifer B. Watson
In the April 27, 2010 ASHA Leader, President Tommie Robinson Jr. wrote, “In our elections, we choose leaders who will shape ASHA and our professional future.”On this point, I agree with Dr. Robinson. I take voting seriously because I believe that the candidates I vote for are supposed to protect consumers, represent my values and enforce the values so clearly detailed in ASHA’s Code of Ethics.
On May 3, 2010 I sent a “Public Letter to Candidates for the Board of Directors of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association .” It is disappointing that only Neil Sheppard chose to respond. I find it curious that the majority of candidates for ASHA’s Board of Directors do not have the time or interest to respond to important campaign questions from a colleague, from a fellow ASHA member and from a voter. Part of ASHA’s mission is, “Promoting effective human communication.” Yet ASHA Candidates for the Board of Directors do not appear to be embracing effective communication on important issues pertaining to ethics and protecting consumers.
In the 2010 ASHA Elections Brochure, candidates for the Board of Directors were asked questions which included, “If leadership were an animal, which animal would it be and why?” I want to take this time to ask some more serious questions of our candidates.
My questions for the candidates are:
- The 2008 ASHA Audited Financial Statement reported that the Program Expenses for “Ethics” was $347,956. The 2008 ASHA 990 Form reported that ASHA’s Executive Director, Arlene A. Pietranton, made in total compensation more than $450,000. Do you feel it is appropriate for the total compensation of one ASHA employee to exceed by $100,000 the Program Expenses on ethics? In other words, is the total compensation of ASHA’s Executive Director more important than ethics? What will the public and our clients think when they learn that we spend more on a CEO than on ethics?
- ASHA’s 2008 Audited Financial Statement reported that ASHA collected $43,051,204 in total Program Revenue. Yet, according to ASHA’s own audited financial statement, less than 1% of this collected revenue is allocated to ethics. Is such an anemic allotment for ethics acceptable to you? Would you support an increase in the ethics budget to finance programs such as one which would allow ASHA to take a few minutes to review the marketing statements made by each member wishing to renew his or her membership? Wouldn’t this be an excellent way for ASHA to take its Code of Ethics seriously, to protect consumers and the public, and to uphold basic ethical standards?
- Do you agree with Dr. Tommie Robinson Jr., the President of ASHA, that it is acceptable for ASHA members to market stuttering treatment with statements such as “[statements removed]”?
- What can ASHA do in regards to ethics to better serve consumers?
- Do you think the Code of Ethics is properly enforced by asking ASHA members to police one another? Or do you think that ASHA should take greater responsibility for upholding ethical standards?
- Do you think ASHA does a sufficient job of informing consumers and the public on how to recognize professional misconduct and how to report it?
- What creative ways would you consider to better enforce the ASHA Code of Ethics?
- What is one area regarding ethics that you think ASHA handles well and why?
- What is one area regarding ethics that you think ASHA needs to handle better and why?
Sincerely,
Peter Reitzes, MA CCC-SLP
Co-host: StutterTalk.com podcast
CC: DIV4 email list
Posted by StutterTalk at 10/24/2007 4:21 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: ethics code of ethics stutter asha american speech language hearing association stuttering marketing
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: ethics code of ethics stutter asha american speech language hearing association stuttering marketing
Comments