2002 Minutes of the Interpersonal Communication Division Business Meeting
Winston Salem, NC
Saturday, April 6
J. Hale called the meeting to order at 5:10 pm on April 6th, 2002. Name and e-mail list is passed around to record attendance.
Old Business:
Approval of the minutes: Minutes from last year's meeting were approved with a correction noted on pg. 2. The date 2001 should be 2002.
Reports:
Chair's Report (J. Hale).
Chair reported on the Executive Council meeting.
- Time and Place committee has recommended Baton Rouge for 2004. Hotel placement is an issue and the committee is leaning toward downtown location. Although that presents issues as well as there are few restaurants near the site. Members were encouraged to stock up on brown bags for bag lunches.
Business meeting notes:
- A standing committee has been established from the ad hoc committee on diversity to consider an award each year to reward diversity.
- Discussion of constitutional change and Web site maintenance change.
- The SSCA membership directory may be on-line like NCA with passwords, or may be available via CD for purchase at convention. It appears the preference is for making it available on-line.
Guests:
Martha Solomon Watson (UNLV) and Lawrence Frey (University of Memphis) addressed the membership regarding their respective agenda for the NCA 2nd Vice President position. Their statements will appear in the next issue of NCA. Members were encouraged to share opinions with them.
Vice Chair's Report (J. D. Ragsdale):
The division's paper submissions were low. Six papers were submitted. The best four were paneled into a Top four session. One paper was rejected. One panel suggestion was rejected. Lynn Webb provided several good suggestions and that helped fill in. In all, the division had 7 programs, one joint with Comm. Ed. Some ideas suggested last year were not enacted for various reasons. Vice Chair encourages the group to be creative in approach and include papers that would be easy for the Vice Chair to panel. No top paper award was given as there were too few submissions and all of excellent quality.
The Vice chair encourages Terry Tibedoux (2004) to consider creative approaches to the paper submission process. Attendance for the convention itself is good, so he believes it is the type and quality of scholarship in our region. Would like to see us make some changes.
Suggestions ensued: Lynn Webb suggests including top paper award for graduate students as other divisions do. If we announce that in our call it might encourage graduate student submissions. The top award could be a lunch ticket and give paper certificate. JD addressed problem with timing of the call, so suggests that we get with Rodney Reynolds to find out what he is thinking and get on it. We might not want to wait for Connections to publish the call. Paul King suggests that we send out the call via e-mail or on the Internet. Hal (not our J. Hale) will provide list of members and e-mail addresses. JD points out that the list is not always accurate. Lynn points out that we could make our due date later...we have some control over that. Panel proposals have to be organized, though so the deadline can't be pushed back too late. JD is thinking about using e-mail submissions to increase speed of transmission and decrease costs.
Vice Chair-Elect (Rodney Reynolds):
Rodney discussed some possible panels for next year: Panel on Interpersonal ethics, with three participants agreeing to participate. Persuasion research; proposal for undergraduate research workshop/panel for students interested in interpersonal research could come and get feedback from other faculty than their own to give them face-to-face input. A Top 4 panel is planned again.
Nominating Committee Report (Richard Conville)
Conville not present, so no report given.
Elections -- Division Nominating Committee
Report given by Tamara Bollis
One name forwarded for Vice Chair Elect: Patricia Rockwell. No other names forwarded. Rockwell elected for Vice Chair Elect. She will chair nominating committee next year.
Names forwarded from the floor for Nominating Committee: Chuck Grant, Mike Arrington. Both Elected.
New Business:
While there was no business to be acted upon, there were several announcements and recognitions:
Jim Roiger has been doing a great job as the web master for the division. Rodney Reynolds suggests a letter from this division should go to him to recognize this service, with a copy to his chair.
Francis reported on the Caring Connection project. 500 people were honored, clearing $2000. This is in comparison to $125 last year. Members were encouraged to mention to the leadership that this is a worthwhile use of space in Connections. Goal is to get all ten awards fully endowed. Only one is currently. The cost for endowing these awards is $5000 per award, so we have our work cut out for us. SCJ editorship is turning over soon. The membership recognized Ken Cissna for his service and excellent representation of our division.
In a final act as chair, Hale makes a final pitch for Birmingham. Hale promises it will be fun, noting it is historical, interesting...and childhood residence of JD Ragsdale. Ragsdale offers a walking tour. Hale passes invisible gavel to JD.
Lynn Webb is book reviewer for Family Communication. Send her suggestions for books to be reviewed.
The meeting was called at 5:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Melissa Young, Secretary
