The History of the Formation of the Nebraska Psychological Society
Robert F. Rycek
University of Nebraska at Kearney

Memory does not reveal how or when the idea of forming the Nebraska Psychological Society was first made in the early 1990’s. It grew out of the perception that the focus of academic psychologists was quite different than the focus of clinical psychologists. Like most state associations, NPA was dominated by the practitioners and for good reason. Many laws that govern the practice of psychology are at the state and national level while the academic area has few regulations at this level. Also at this time, clinical psychology was under attack by the American Psychiatric Association at the national and state levels. Because of these differences, it was felt that a new organization that focused on the academic needs of psychology was needed.
On September 19, 1992 at a restaurant in Lincoln called “Spike and Ole’s,” the Academic Affairs Division of NPA met. At that meeting, Bob Rycek of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Mark Ware of Creighton University presented a proposal “to create a committee to investigate the possibility of establishing a Nebraska Psychological Society.” Eleven NPA members agreed to serve on the committee. At the NPA Spring meeting on April 16, 1993 the NPA-Academic Affairs Division voted to no longer sponsor the NPA Spring meeting and thereby essentially dissolved the main function of the Academic Affairs Division. We took our ball and went home.

On September 25, 1993 on the Nebraska Wesleyan campus the first meeting of the Nebraska Psychological Society was held. A draft constitution was discussed, amended, and ultimately passed as amended. A Caretaker Executive Board was formed until regular elections could be held. The Caretaker Executive Board served until December 31, 1993 and the first elected officers were Bob Rycek, President; Roxanne Sullivan, President-Elect; Ken Keith, Secretary/Treasurer; and Rick Miller, Program Chair.

In its early years, the Nebraska Psychological Society conducted two major activities during the year. Each Fall, we held a convention where student research papers were presented and each Winter we held a faculty retreat where colleagues from across the state came together to discuss issues in psychology of mutual concern. In more recent years only the Fall convention has been held. In 1994, NPS teamed up with the Association for Psychological and Educational Research in Kansas (PERK) to hold a joint meeting every other year alternating between a Kansas and Nebraska site. Both organizations have a strong commitment to student research and our association has benefited both organizations.