2024 Interest Group Annual Reports

Executive Summary

The 2024 Interest Group Annual Reports highlight the National Communication Association’s (NCA) coordinated efforts to support and advance strategic goals across its divisions, sections, and caucuses. Key themes include a strong emphasis on inclusivity, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA); engagement with students and early-career scholars; and strategies to address membership retention, leadership recruitment, and resource limitations.

Interest Groups reported taking active steps toward NCA’s strategic goals by developing IDEA-focused awards, enhancing mentorship programs, and amplifying underrepresented voices. Membership retention and recruiting leaders remain challenging, especially for smaller divisions, leading many to adopt digital communication, mentorship, and network outreach strategies. Some groups faced communication delays due to listserv issues, which affected member engagement.

Resource constraints, particularly limited programming slots, impact divisions’ abilities to fully showcase members’ diverse work, with students facing lower acceptance rates as a result.

Metrics Overview:

Membership: Post-COVID trends show stability or slight declines across divisions, with some reporting growth.
Programs: Most activity centers on the annual convention, with few sponsored events outside.
Awards: Many divisions have established awards, including IDEA-related recognitions and honors for early-career contributions.

These reports demonstrate NCA’s alignment with its strategic goals and commitment to impactful member engagement. Interest Groups report that additional support from the National Office, such as enhanced communication tools and more programming slots, could further enhance these initiatives and foster continued growth.

To view individual reports and insights, click on each Interest Group's name below.

Divisions

Activisim and Social Justice Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

NCA’s strategic plan focuses on empowering members, increasing public awareness of the importance of communication, enacting inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA), and collaborating with and advocating for impacted communities. These are all goals threaded into the fabric of the Activism and Social Justice Division. Our mission and efforts closely align with NCA's strategic plan. Below are examples of how our division has fulfilled the NCA’s Strategic Plan:

Support & Empowering members while promoting the values of communication (Goals 1 & 2)
- Talking through how members’ work IS considered activism/social justice based on their approach, the population, the issues of equity they may be focused on, etc.
- Engaging students by providing opportunities to engage with scholars and other grad students on ASJ panel topics in our virtual Speaker Series, our workshops, submitting at NCA, getting involved in leadership positions on GSC
- GSC’s Sunday Spotlight series also advances this by increasing member engagement and a sense of belonging.
- GSC execs continue to lead the submission of two discussion panels and one full paper panel of grad student work--one discussion panel and one paper panel was accepted
- GSC speaker series workshops/panels on pedagogy touch on this goal as well (see above)
- Main ASJD execs include GSC and value grad student work at the same level as all members
Embracing and enacting IDEA and a responsive organization. (Goals 3 & 4)
- ASJD, in partnership with NCA Executive Director Justin Danowski, developed a New Orleans outreach program to facilitate an ongoing relationship with a non-profit organization in the New Orleans area. This partnership has included monthly meetings with the Director of the non-profit organization to develop plans for how NCA and ASJD can support their mission. It also included the ASJD chair traveling back and forth from Texas to New Orleans over the summer to partner with and teach the youth of the nonprofit qualitative research skills and presentation skills. The youth utilized these tools by collecting data from their communities and presenting their findings in a research showcase on July 27, 2024. As NCA visits New Orleans two more times in the next 3 years, this ongoing partnership is the start of a larger effort to collaborate with impacted communities to advocate for Communication-informed practices, policies, and structures. The members of the nonprofit will present their findings and experience engaging with ASJD at this year’s National Convention.
- Main ASJD execs value grad student work at the same level as all members
- Main ASJD exec include GSC in important conversations

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

The ASJD Graduate Student Committee (GSC) has:

offered an Academic Freedom Townhall gathering to all Communication Studies instructors to delve into the pressing issues of academic freedom, specifically addressing the current political landscape targeting the current political landscape targeting higher education across the United States. Relatedly, we also hosted speaker series sessions on the Rhetorics of Resistance and Advocacy that coincided with National Coming Out Day in October to acknowledge the LGBTQ+ community’s continued struggle to belong while highlighting the role communication plays in queer advocacy, resistance, and social justice. Additionally, ASJD hosted a Ph.D. Application Workshop for students interested in applying to Ph.D. programs. ASJD also hosted a pre-NCA workshop to help students prepare their presentations before the convention.
ASJD also continued to promote the Sunday Spotlight social media series, which highlights graduate students across the field who are engaged in activism, social justice scholarship, teaching, and community engagement. This, in turn, has illustrated the diverse ways graduate students are working to advance NCA’s IDEA initiatives and, we hope, has inspired others with ideas for transformation.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

We continue to grow our membership with over 1000 members. We acknowledge the important role that our 1,000+ members play in being vehicles of social justice topics, research, and pedagogy in the academy.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

If yes, please describe your efforts

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

Yes

If yes, please describe the program(s)

Academic Freedom Townhall

Rhetorics of Resistance and Advocacy

Ph.D. Applicaiton Workshop

Pre-NCA presentation workshop

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Statements from Candidates for NCA 2nd VP

Introduction of division officers and Grad Student Committee officers

Elections

Awards

Continued social justice efforts in convention host cities

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Weekly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Pedagogy

community engagement

Scholarly/creative

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Getting support from NCA leadership for our partnership with the New Orleans nonprofit.

Our Vice Chair had health issues which caused them to step down from their position.

How were these challenges addressed?

We stayed consistent with Justin Danowski and eventually secured resources to reimburse the New Orleans travel and commitment.

After stepping down, this caused us to adjust our leadership roles and have our Vice Chair Elect program plan.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Exploring our resource needs and providing them ahead of time when we are doing costly community-based social justice projects.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

We acknowledge the important role that our 1,000+ membership plays in being vehicles of social justice topics, research, and pedagogy in the academy. We encourage our entire membership to take on the obligation of teaching and researching our social justice content, especially in the midst of our society and the attack on IDEA initiatives. Since our academic work is protected from these IDEA laws, we hope that our membership will continue to give voice to the underrepresented, unrepresented, and marginalized that our social justice work speaks to.

American Studies Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The American Studies Division has enhanced member access, engagement, and sense of ownership (1.2) through concerted efforts to recruit and maintain members in leadership positions. The division's leadership roles are currently filled with multiple new members of American Studies and first-time officers overall.

The American Studies Division's call for submissions continues to be clear about its inclusive definition of 'American' and the division's support for decentering whiteness and the United States of America within the division's work.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

While the American Studies Division supports and enacts the values of Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Access, as demonstrated by our programming choices, the division has not taken concrete or specific steps related to the goals of NCA's IDEA Strategic Plan. The division would likely be happy and willing to participate in those actions with more guidance from the EC and National Office.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our membership appears to have fallen from 2023-2024. A nearly identical drop occurred from 2015-16 before eventually recovering post-COVID. This drop in membership conflicts with the fact that we were able to fill all of the elected positions at the conference. This is the first time that has happened that I can remember, and I have been active with the division for around 10 years.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

These efforts tend to be low-level and personal. Members of the division's leadership are often recruiting individuals.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Division Membership

Elections

Changes to Division Leadership Structure proposed to LA

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Annually

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Top Book

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Membership is always our biggest challenge. We are small, but not tiny. We fluctuate in numbers often. It is difficult to recruit and maintain so many leadership positions, especially on a volunteer basis. We are also primarily an early-career scholar division. We have senior scholars, but they are in the minority.

How were these challenges addressed?

We decided to change the structure of our convention schedule and put the top paper panel right next to the business meeting. We also gave out awards at the business meeting instead of the panel. That helped us to fill our leadership positions for the first time in a long time. Hopefully, that will also help with institutional memory for the division.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

NCA has decided to have a lot of divisions. There are benefits and drawbacks to that decision. One of the drawbacks is that smaller divisions will likely struggle with membership and with recruiting leaders at times. Any kind of training for chairs would be useful. If there is some, I did not hear about it.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Applied Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

Our group has pursued opportunities to increase access for graduate students, as well as sought new pathways to ensure that a range of voices are represented in the papers and panels we present.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

Similarly to our commitment to aligning with the strategic plan, we are engaging in efforts to bring a diverse array of voices to the conference through our paneling.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our membership declined from pre-COVID numbers, though in the past couple of years we believe the membership numbers are stabilizing.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

If yes, please describe your efforts

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

In addition to the regular business of the division, we will discuss how we can best continue to recruit a diverse array of voices and seek to have the ACD be a place where multiple view points are welcomed and embraced.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

The Bill Eadie Distinguished Scholarly Article Award; The Sue DeWine Distinguished Scholarly Book Award; Distinguished Edited Book Award; Distinguished Journal Special Issue Award; Top Paper/Top Student Paper Award

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Engagement with membership, recruitment for new roles

How were these challenges addressed?

Discussion with leadership about future strategic planning

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

We will discuss this at the business meeting

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Argumentation and Forensics Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The interest group supports excellence in scholarship and pedagogy related to Argumentation and the activity of Forensics/Debate. We value and nurture member efforts to develop ideas related to these interest areas and provide access to have those ideas heard by a national audience.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

The interest group takes seriously the concerns of historically disenfranchised members of NCA. Our top paper award recipient this year highlighted the experiences of marginalized populations in the debate community. Our interest group provided this scholar an opportunity to create awareness and foster discussions among members of how to be more inclusive.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

I believe the group's membership has remained relatively consistent in the past few years.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

If yes, please describe your efforts

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We plan to celebrate our award winners at the business meeting, to elect new officers for the division, and to brainstorm collaborations with individuals from various institutions related to next year's conference theme as well as avenues for publication for members.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Bi-annually

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Communication and Aging Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

In support of Goal 1, the Communication and Aging Division (CAD) offered a variety of awards that support excellence in communication-related scholarship (i.e., thesis, dissertation, journal article, book, and distinguished scholar awards), pedagogy (i.e., distinguished scholar award), and service (i.e., distinguished scholar award)
In support of Goal 3, a core focus of CAD is to promote scholarship about a population often marginalized by communication scholarship (i.e., older adults)
In support of Goal 4, CAD leadership has discussions with graduate students about how they can get involved in CAD (i.e., as paper reader, by submitting work for thesis/dissertation award); involves members in the award nomination review process; implements feedback from membership about how to refine the CAD award process (e.g., distinguished scholar award process revisions were implemented this past year)

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

In support of Goal 2, completed the CAD annual report and detailed how CAD actions have aligned with the Strategic Plan and IDEA Strategic Plan
In support of Goal 4, elections for interest group members occur online so that interested parties are not required to travel to NCA in person (i.e., cost-prohibitive requirement) to be eligible to run for an elected position as well as vote for elected positions
In support of Goal 5, CAD awards procedures are made available online. Moving forward, CAD will work on creating standardized rubrics for all awards for award committee utilization

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

According to NCA's website, CAD membership decreased by about 18 members from 2023 to 2024. Of note, the new Death and Dying Division was launched this past year, whereas in the past CAD received many of these individuals' memberships and convention submissions; as such, we anticipated a decline this year and in the coming years as that division emerges.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Co-sponsorship with other divisions; Raising awareness among grad students; Annual awards (including monetary for students)

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Update on the implementation of the new process for Giles-Nussbaum Distinguished Scholar Award nominations
Discussing whether to add publication date criteria to the Outstanding Journal Article Award; currently, there are no requirements for how long ago the article must have been published
Rubric creation for Thesis Award, Journal Article Award, and Book Award (similar to the one that exists for the Dissertation Award)

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Outstanding Thesis Award

Outstanding Dissertation Award

Outstanding Journal Article Award

Outstanding Book Award

Giles-Nussbaum Distinguished Scholar Award

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Facing a reduction in number of panels allotted for the last two years, which runs the risk of submitters whose papers were rejected due to fewer number of slots not re-submitting to CAD in the future

How were these challenges addressed?

Requesting additional slot(s) from NCA and co-sponsoring panels with other divisions using their slots

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Increasing CAD’s allotted number of panels; clarify action that CAD can take to increase the number of allotted panels in the future

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Communication and Social Cognition Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

We have created a committee devoted to inclusion, diversity. equity (IDEA), and access as a "tool to help members value" these ideals, per the Strategic Plan. Members of this committee serve on our Nominating Committee and Awards Committee, ensuring that the nomination pool is composed of diverse candidates for officer positions and that award candidates are diverse.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

In addition to the efforts made toward the Strategic Plan above, which directly contribute to the IDEA Strategic Plan, we have also created a new award for the division: Outstanding Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. The Outstanding Contributions to Promoting Equity and Inclusion Award recognizes a division member who has clearly demonstrated excellence in promoting inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA), in the area of communication and social cognition through their research, teaching, and service.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our membership has grown over the past several years, and our submissions have grown as well. In 2021, we had 32 submissions and an 81% acceptance rate. In 2022, we had 80 submissions and a 60% acceptance rate. In 2023 we had 75 submissions and a 50% acceptance rate. In 2024, we had 136 submissions with a 32% acceptance rate. The continued growth of our division is great news for our membership, however the number of panel slots we have in the program is becoming problematic because of our competitive our division is becoming. This is making it such that work from students is less likely to be accepted.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Officers encourage their department colleagues to submit to our division

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We will discuss the division's growth and ask for input from members on how to increase the acceptance rate given the limitations on the number of panel slots we have. The primary consideration will be giving priority to student work despite the low acceptance rate.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

(1) Distinguished Article Award, (2) Distinguished Book Award, and (3) Outstanding Contributions to Promoting Equity and Inclusion Award.

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

The biggest challenge we face as a division is that we do not have enough program slots for the number of submissions we are receiving. This means that we were forced to reject a lot of great work that had good reviewer scores because we simply did not have the space to panel it.

How were these challenges addressed?

We addressed these challenges by trying to squeeze 6 papers in per panel, but even this solution still resulted in a 32% acceptance rate for our division, which is substantially lower than previous years. Ultimately, we cannot address this challenge ourselves, and we need more program slots.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Our division needs more program slots given the continued rise in membership. Without more program slots, our division will only become more competitive, which will ultimately mean that people (especially students) stop submitting to our division if they think they have no chance of being accepted.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Communication and the Future Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The Communication and the Future Division has actively worked to fulfill the NCA's Strategic Plan by fostering innovative scholarship and dialogue around a variety of topics, but especially emerging communication technologies, trends, and their societal impacts. The division also supports interdisciplinary research from a variety of methodologies and that aligns with NCA’s commitment to advancing communication as a field, promoting diversity and inclusion in scholarly work, and facilitating professional development for both faculty and students. By organizing panels that explore the intersection of communication, media, and future societal challenges, the division contributes to NCA’s goals of enhancing communication scholarship and addressing contemporary issues.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

The Communication and the Future Division has contributed to NCA’s IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) Strategic Plan by creating spaces for diverse voices and perspectives within the study of communication and the future. The division actively promotes research and discussions that address issues of social justice, equity, and inclusion in the context of emerging communication practices. We also encourage dialogue and participation from underrepresented scholars. In fact, we hope to center these efforts further in our call for submissions next year. We've also expanded the types of submissions we accept. Specifically, we allow extended abstracts for scholars who have work in progress or cannot commit to writing a full paper. This especially benefits early career scholars and historically marginalized scholars.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

We've seen continuous growth in our membership over the last years. This is largely due to the expansion of submission types and the increase of submissions.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Social events in collaboration with other divisions. Adding a social event for social connection.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Membership, DEI/IDEA Committee, future plans for the division, social events, potential support for graduate students (funding, mentorship)

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Attrition in the last year. We had someone removed from eBoard.

How were these challenges addressed?

We replaced the position based on the process outlined in our bylaws.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Nothing at the moment.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

N/A

Communication and Military Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

We have an outstanding article award that aims to both empower members and embrace inclusion. We have also connected with military organizations outside of NCA - particularly in our hosting cities - to advocate for the communication discipline and make connections to empower members in our community.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

Our award criteria includes the ways in which work contributes to practice, engagement, and/or social justice around military and/or veteran-related issues (IDEA).

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

We have retained members, but our membership (as a new division) is still a bit lower than we would like it to be.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Changed our Outstanding Article award criteria so the first author must be part of CMD; outreach annual meetings

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We will be discussing our membership, our retention/recruitment efforts, and ways that we can engage with the community more. We will also be discussing our bylaws related to our awards review.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

top convention papers and outstanding article award

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

We had a change in our leadership due to an officer withdrawing. We have also had trouble with getting volunteers to be in leadership positions.

How were these challenges addressed?

We had former officers step in to fill in the role of the person who needed to withdraw. We do a lot of outreach to recruit members and leaders.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

NCA was supportive in the changes we needed to make.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Communication as Social Construction Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The CASC division fundamentally centers around social constructionism as a means of understanding and shaping the world (no surprise, given the name!). We are a small division, and so in many ways our "reach" is limited. However, as we see it, communication is the primary means of *making* the world the way it is, and social constructionist theories are, broadly, quite practical in scope and purpose. As such, the theoretical underpinning of our scholarship and division is ever-pointed toward and always already enacting much (if not all) of what is shown in the strategic plan's statements and objectives; in other words, in many ways- it is baked in to what we do. For example, Goal 1, statement 1.2 focuses on membership, access, and ownership. We have worked to foster an environment that invites young scholars (including students and candidates) to engage the scholarly service process by serving on the CASC division board. Objective 2, promote communication's value, is achieved by the paradigm shift often embraced with the turn toward social constructionism, which renders communication the primary social process, rather than a tool or means to achieve other objectives (such as improved health indices, etc.). For both goals 1, 3, and 4, we are currently working to redirect awards moneys to travel funds for students, such that they will be be better able to "engage in the association and thrive in their professional pursuits" (3.2). These are just examples of the ways that the CASC embraces, engages, and enacts the NCA strategic plan at the core of it's small but mighty operations.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

At risk of sounding like a broken record, re: the short writing for the above question, I'll say again that in many ways, a social constructionist perspective is perhaps best suited to engage many of the challenges outlined by both the strategic and IDEA strategic plans. In fact, it often pains CASC division members in observing how more people do not engage this perspective, as we can see the power it has to transform individuals, organizations, and communities. One of the fundamental questions that guides much social construction theory and practice is "What are we making here?" (best attributed to W. B. Pearce). Built into this perspective is a tendency to "hold one's truths lightly," and embrace diverse points of view with curiosity and a genuine desire to coordinate efforts among often conflicting views toward whatever goals are established by the group's many voices in concert. Again, our reach is limited by the relatively small size of our division, but we embed many of the ideas and practices outlined in both plans in every conversation, every meeting, every panel we do.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

We have seen a *slight* growth. Several years prior to the last meeting we didn't even have enough submissions to fill our 3 programming slots, and held several "future of the division...." type meetings to brainstorm ways to foster more submissions and engagement. Last year, we had so many viable submissions that we asked for (and received, thanks!) an additional slot- and *still* could not program everything we wished! The cliche "a good problem to have" seems to fit this situation. We are hopeful that by continuing our grass-roots efforts (mostly word of mouth/email) and by programming high-quality, thought-provoking session we can continue to invite more folks to consider communication problems from a social constructionist perspective.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Quite simply, we build strong relationships, mostly in person at the conference and by word of mouth.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We have been discussing how best to support student travel for a couple of years now, and this continues to be a hot topic for us. We will discuss our relatively sparse web presence and whether we wish to better engage this space (many of us are...relatively tech averse, to be honest). We will invite nominations for and elect the next board member to move through the vice chair elect through chair positions over the next 3 years. And we will check-in and compare submissions and programming from last year to now to make choices about how to move forward with both strategic plans and our own efforts to continue bringing in more high quality, discipline-defining submissions.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Over the years we have often given the typical kinds of "top paper" awards that many divisions do and members expect. However, we are hoping to move away from this and toward travel funding.

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Despite our small growth in interest and submissions over the last year or so, we had difficulty finding folks interested in service and leadership.

How were these challenges addressed?

Some of our core members made themselves available to serve in various board positions an additional time. We hope to get new faces involved at the conference this year!

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Support our move toward spending our allotted funds on travel awards for students (chair will be contacting NCA office about this).

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

n/a

Environmental Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The Environmental Communication division continues to support excellence in communication research with our slate of awards for excellence in research and community engagement. We promote communication's value and impact for ongoing social issues our ECD newsletter and podcast. The ECD also began a new mentorship program for graduate students and early career scholars.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

The Environmental Communication Division has an IDEA strategic plan in place. The mentorship program noted above is also part of our IDEA work.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

We did decrease from 359 to 336 in our membership numbers. This is a minor dip in an overall upward trajectory.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

We started a mentorship program that is geared toward both recruitment and retention of grad student and early career scholars.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We will cover reports from each of the officers and committees and will have an award ceremony.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Tarla Rai Peterson Book Award in Environmental Communication

Stephen P. Depoe Book Chapter Award in Environmental Communication:

Christine L. Oravec Journal Article Award in Environmental Communication

J. Robert Cox Award in Environmental Communicatio

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Planning for the conference was a bit of a challenge because of the new system.

How were these challenges addressed?

Past planners worked with the current planner to answer questions and support the process.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Keep offering support for the program planners.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Experiential Learning in Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The purpose of our organization is to support excellence in communication pedagogy by promoting experiential and service learning. We provide resources and support for instructors interested in using these strategies in their classrooms. This activity falls under Goal 1 of NCA's Strategic Plan.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

We have not planned specific programing related to IDEA, but our division welcomes all NCA members and encourages diversity of ideas and representation on panels and in individuals presentations.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our group's membership has been fairly stable. We were down a few members in 2023-24, but representation on panels and in our reviewers was strong. We had solid audiences (15-30 people) for every panel at the conference.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

We maintain a social media presence on a semi-regular basis and communicate with members via email.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

In 2023 we changed our by-laws to allow the election of two representatives for Legislative Assembly, rather than having the chair and past-chair fill those spots. We also talked about future panels and activities for the 2024 conference.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Recruiting members is always a challenge because we are a small division and it's difficult to get the word out about what we do.

How were these challenges addressed?

We have attempted to use social media to reach more members, as well as encouraging members to share information with their colleagues.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

It would be nice to have a way to reach larger numbers of people. Maybe NCA could feature smaller divisions in newsletters or announcements to help spread the word about what we do.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Family Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

We created a social media manager position, and subsequently a Facebook page where we have actively worked to increase member engagement. In addition, starting last year we started taking work in progress extended abstracts to increase member involvement.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

We have increased member access and involvement through our social media account.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Honestly, I've never been provided with any statistics about the membership base and so I don't know how if at all this has changed.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Through our social media page.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Bylaw amendments, election nominations, awards, LA announcements, next years conference.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Weekly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Top Paper, Top Student Paper, Distinguished Article Award, Dawn O. Braithwaite Distinguished Book Award, Kathleen M. Galvin Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring Award in Family Communication, Leslie A. Baxter Early Career Award, Sandra Petronio Family Commu

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Slots, changes in award system, complaints about cost and location of NCA, lack of membership involvement.

How were these challenges addressed?

The first three we have no control over. The last one we've been increasing our communication with membership through social media.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

More clear and timely communication.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Feminist and Gender Studies Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

We have tried to build up and promote feminist scholarship, but we have a specific focus on intersectionality. We try to ensure that the scholarship presented at the FGSD sessions has a focus on intersectionality and our awards criteria specifically highlight an intersectional approach.
We tend to highlight research that involves a practitioner's approach and look at scholarship/teaching as an act of activism while we are highlighting research presented in FGSD panels or while we are awarding FGSD scholars.
Our focus on intersectionality and activism help us to value and promote inclusivity, diversity, equity, and access within our division and community.
We have an active process of mentoring within our division. We have several sessions dedicated to feminist mentoring and our leadership structure is unique and different from the rest of the divisions. We have a third vice-chair position, this allows the leadership to mentor incoming leaders and junior faculty to render the leadership structure more inclusive and diverse, and the decision-making process within the division is very equitable.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

The FGSD division ensures inclusivity, diversity, equity and access; has an active process of mentoring; focuses on accessibility and intersectionality; has historically highlighted research on marginalized and underserved communities and scholars; and tries to foster integrity, empathy and inclusivity in its scholarship, institutional structure, practices and overall approach.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

There has been a drop in membership post COVID. However we had the highest number of submissions to FGSD in 2023, with a significant increase in the number of student submissions. As a result we had to request extra slots for FGSD in 2023. The increase in submissions has continued in 2024, with a significant number of student submission, and extra slots have been requested for this year too.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

We actively promote our division through social media, and the FGSD listserv.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

Yes

If yes, please describe the program(s)

We generally have informal meetings (like breakfast and lunch meetings) of the leadership outside the annual convention. This helps in ensuring communication and bonding among all members of the leadership, and provides mentoring opportunities in an infor

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We will discuss several topics like membership and strategies to increase membership, number of submissions this year, reviewers and acknowledgment of reviewers etc. We also give our awards during the business meeting. Lastly we will conduct elections for the upcoming leadership positions.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Bonnie Ritter Book Award
Outstanding Article Award
Scholar-Activist Award

Besides these three awards we also give the best paper award to the paper that received the highest rating from the reviewers at the conference. This awardee only gets a ce

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

We would need more publicity to increase membership.

Also, we had a senior leader step down during mid year due to personal circumstances.

How were these challenges addressed?

We have tried to increase our social media presence to increase membership and publicize our division's mission.

We actively worked with the National Office to ensure there is a smooth transition in leadership during the next conference.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

We received incredible help from the National Office---especially Justin and Jennifer---and we are very grateful!

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Sincere thanks to the National Office for the work they do!!

Group Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

Honestly, we are a small division and it's all we can do to just manage our paper submission and run our business meeting. We affirm all aspects of the strategic plan and do our best to keep these strategies and plans in mind as we conduct the modest business of our division. Otherwise, we leave it to the association to fulfill the strategic plan and support those efforts. It's not clear what we're supposed to do as a division to advance the association's strategic plan...other than to acknowledge and support it.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

Same response regarding the IDEA plan. Our division supports everything in this plan and we do all we reasonably can to advance these principles. But practically speaking, this only entails how we revise our call for submissions and evaluate paper submissions. We are a small division and we simply do not have the critical mass of people to do much more than manage our paper submissions and run our business meeting. Again, it's not clear what more we as a small division can do here other than to affirm the principles of the IDEA plan and incorporate them into our planning process...which is what we currently do.

Several things we have done in the past three years to support NCA’s IDEA strategic plan include: (1) revise the GCD our call-for-papers that invites promotes diverse scholars and scholarship, (2) discuss and brainstorm within business meetings the cultivation of mentor programs with junior scholars and graduate students, (3) create additional service awards to acknowledge and reward unseen service labor, (4) offer creative panel presentation formats to accept additional full papers and projects-in-progress, and (5) change our bylaws to be more inclusive such as allowing for online elections.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our division is relatively small and our membership has remained steady over the last few years.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

We encourage people to select our division when registering for the NCA conference and to submit papers to our division. We also

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Just the regular agenda items we've done every year...legislative assembly updates, awards, program details, announcements, etc.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Top Student Paper Award (include a small monetary award)

Dennis Gouran Research Award

Ernest Bormann Research Award

Laura Crowell Thesis/Dissertation Award

Joann Keyton Service Award

Marshall Scott Poole Career Achievement Award

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

The email listserv stuff was a mess

How were these challenges addressed?

I don't know if this is fully resolved...many of us are still missing emails that are sent out to interest group recipients, which is an issue for interest group recruitment and retention

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Please get a functioning listserv for divisions

Please don't make us file interest group reports

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Health Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

Goals 1 and 3: We convened a subcommittee to evaluate the processes and criteria for our division awards with an eye toward inclusivity that embraces the diverse populations engaged in and the diverse nature of scholarship in health communication. We will be implementing the subcommittee's recommendations in the next award cycle.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

Goals 4 and 5: See above.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Unsure

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

If yes, please describe your efforts

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

A summary of this year's business decisions, including the award restructuring that was voted on by our membership.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Distinguished Article/Chapter Award

Distinguished Book Award

Dale E. Brashers Distinguished Mentor Award

Early Career Scholar Award

Outstanding Contributions to Promoting Equity and Inclusion Award

Outstanding Health Communication Scholar Award

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

N/A

How were these challenges addressed?

N/A

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

N/A

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Human Communication and Technology Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

Currently being discussed with executive committee

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

We had a pre-conference last year and made up a committee

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

maintained the same

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

If yes, please describe your efforts

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

nothing new

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

We don't send any announcements

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

book award, paper awards, and thesis and dissertation awards

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

people are still dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic

How were these challenges addressed?

trying to survey members to see if they wanted an online business meeting

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

facilitating easier ways to send a listerserv

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

thank you

Interpersonal Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

We have an IDEA committee that works on NCA’s Strategic Goal #3, Embrace and Enact Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Access through convention programming (see next question) and other initiatives.

We give annual awards and plan convention programming that fulfills NCA’s Strategic Goal #1, Create Conditions to Support and Empower Members.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

We give annual awards and plan convention programming that fulfills NCA’s Strategic Goal #1, Create Conditions to Support and Empower Members.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

In 2023 we had 1153 members, and in 2024 we have 1026 members.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

If yes, please describe your efforts

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

IDEA committee report, Chair Report, Nominating Committee Report (Division Elections), Vice Chair Planning Report, Social Media Chair Report, Legislative Assembly Committee Report

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Outstanding Thesis Award

Outstanding Dissertation Award

GERALD R. MILLER OUTSTANDING BOOK AWARD

EARLY CAREER AWARD

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Language and Social Interaction Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

We have worked to enhance member access and engagement by maintaining virtual forums for check-ins and information sharing in addition to the NCA conference division meetings held in-person. We have heard from several NCA members both within and outside of our division that this has been very welcomed to create more equitable efforts for participation.

Many of our members work directly with communities to both identify communication-centered challenges and develop communication-centered solutions. These efforts have also been highlighted in various forums and workshops of the division (including the preconference held at last year’s convention that centered student training in working on multidisciplinary teams to co-develop LSI-based initiatives with a number of local communities and organizations).

To enhance public awareness of the discipline, we publish a website for our NCA LSI members that is publicly available to anyone and we work to keep this updated and current. We recognize new (and sometimes old) LSI scholarship and its relevance to current Communication concerns and questions including how LSI scholarship is uniquely positioned to address issues of social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

As noted above, on our website and public communications with division members, we recognize LSI scholarship and its relevance to current Communication concerns and questions including how LSI scholarship is uniquely positioned to address issues of social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We have also begun discussing initiatives with members to develop a committee dedicated to IDEA concerns and initiatives.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

It has been relatively stable.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

We disseminate LSI-related scholarship and activities of interest to other divisions and collaborate on workshops

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We will discuss the current submission and panel rates and acceptances and reflect on trends over the last 5 years and membership rates and changes. We recognize all our award winners during the business meeting and celebrate their work and accomplishments and thank and recognize the award committees and reviewers. We advertise the doctoral student mentoring and early career mentoring programs and thank the mentors who have participated in the past and hear from past attendees about their experiences and invite recommendations for improvements. We hold any relevant elections and announce the time and location of the LSI social and any other community-building efforts developed for this year.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Top Student Paper

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Latina/o Communication Studies Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The Latina/o Communication Studies Division and the La Raza Caucus has expanded opportunities for members to volunteer for leadership positions by making bylaw changes that establishes separate vice-chair and vice-chair elect positions for the Division and the Caucus. This is meant to foster reflexive governance and collaborative/engaged membership support.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

The expansion discussed in the previous question connects with the IDEA Strategic Plan in that it creates a more transparent accountability structure within the Unit (Goal #2). Further, it expands access to full participation within the Unit, and this restructure increases inclusivity, diversity, and access to the organization (Goal #3 and Goal #5).

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our membership has not changed very much from last year. We had a rapid drop in growth during and immediately after COVID, but membership is slowly increasing.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

We have a Facebook group and X (formerly known as Twitter) account where we post updates, job calls, calls for submissions, etc.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

N/A

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

2024 Boycott of NCA convention, increasing membership, increasing submissions to the Division and Caucus, fostering leadership. Particularly in regard to the last point, we will discuss our revised bylaws which allows for broader opportunities in leadership in both the Division and the Caucus.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Division:

Cordova-Puchot Scholar of the Year

Excellence in Teaching and Mentorship Award

Book of the Year Award

Outstanding Journal Article Award

Outstanding Book Chapter Award

Top Overall Paper

Top Student Paper

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

The major challenge since COVID has been getting membership more involved in leadership. Particularly with our bylaw changes, we need to recruit co-leadership for the division and caucus, which means we need to find more people to volunteer when we have historically had a lot of trouble finding fewer people to volunteer.

How were these challenges addressed?

We really all reached out to our networks in order to recruit leadership. We are trying to avoid having the same people cycle through leadership every few years, so each one of us leveraged all of our networks to find people to run for leadership positions this year.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

It can be really difficult to talk people into committing to Legislative Assembly for years. A lot of people who volunteer for leadership are junior scholars, contingent faculty, and graduate students, and they have limited resources to travel and do service. NCA could help by looking into a virtual option for Wednesday's Legislative Assembly session, and could also provide small travel grants for junior scholars/contingent faculty/grad students who want to serve in leadership.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

No additional comments

Mass Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

GOAL 1-CREATE CONDITIONS TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER MEMBERS
- We are doing this through a mentoring initiative started by my predecessor. Specifically, we are currently working on a method to connect junior members of our division with senior scholars to help them navigate the field.
GOAL 3-EMBRACE AND ENACT INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESS
- We have created a IDEA chair which is now an elected position in our division.
- We have included IDEA principles as part of the submission process for conferences. Specifically, we ask authors and reviewers to indicate if a submission further IDEA principles.
GOAL 4-CULTIVATE A THRIVING AND RESPONSIVE ORGANIZATION
- We regularly reach out to members to keep them informed about what we are doing. For example, we have a quarterly newsletter that we send out to all of our members and we keep an active Facebook page.
- We have been limited in this as there have been issues with the email list not being current.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

Please see above.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

I do not know about this as this information has not been communicated to leadership of the division.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

As noted above, we regularly communicate to our members via our newsletter, we have expanded our IDEA initiatives, and mentoring

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Mentorship program
IDEA initiatives
Awards
Administrative changes to the bylaws
Division website

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Teaching award

Service award

Research award (given every two years)

Dissertation award (given every two years)

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Peace and Conflict Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

Our division leadership team held quarterly meetings to explore and strategize various approaches for enhancing engagement and collaboration within our division. We implemented a regularly scheduled newsletter to keep all our members informed of division and general NCA happenings. In the newsletter, we identified publication and service opportunities, celebrated member publications, and highlighted members and division award winners. These efforts enabled us to create conditions that support and empower our members through engagement and support of their efforts.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

Through our newsletter, we supported NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan, Goals 1, 2 and 4, such as when the PCCD Leadership Team produced and distributed a divisional response to the president’s address controversy at the 2023 Convention. We also created a new leadership position this past year, the “division historian,” to assist with preserving and documenting our division’s history, essential records, and best practices, ensuring that our legacy and critical achievements are meticulously recorded and accessible for future reference when division leadership changes hands.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Down 13 from 235 to 222

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

If yes, please describe your efforts

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Changeover leadership

Awards

Plan for addressing the next convention theme

Open forum for members requests/needs

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

We offer awards for the top 3 papers

We offer awards for the top 3 student papers.

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

We were not able to accommodate some worthwhile papers and panel sessions, due to an inadequate number of slots being allocated. Relatedly, we also started the year with an ambitious spirit to develop inter-divisional relationships, but found that structure for interdivisional sessions was not conducive to doing so. It is hard to consider giving up slots for interdivisional sessions with so few slots available and a good number of submissions to schedule.

How were these challenges addressed?

Not at all. It was clear that our effort would result in disadvantage to our members through the reduction of PCCD paper and panel slots, so the initiative was dropped.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Create a structure for interdivisional sessions that do not impact a division’s slots.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Political Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

We have worked to index public communications (via social media and to division members) to the initiatives that the NCA has advocated, including discussions related to the Resolution on Gaza and Dehumanization.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

Our Nominations Commitee works with the Executive Committee related to recruitment of new Division leadership, including as related to award committees to ensure representation across academic positions, identities, and experiences.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our membership base has remained constant during the past year. We are working to promote the benefits of being a part of the Political Communication Division to members of other professional associations (e.g. AEJMC, APSA).

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

We recruit via social media, as well as through our Nominations Committee to bring junior scholars onto award committees.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

The NCA Resolution on Gaza and Dehumanization

Membership and retention efforts

Updates on Relevant Journals to the Division (e.g. Political Communication, Communication and Democracy)

How Political Communication Division expertise can be brought to bear at all levels of the NCA organization

Awards and Honors

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Lynda Lee Kaid Outstanding Dissertation Award

Michael Pfau Outstanding Article Award

Roderick P. Hart Outstanding Book Award

Outstanding Service Award in Political Communication

Top Student Paper Award in Political Communication

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Public Dialogue and Deliberation Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

We have certainly been engaging with 1.1 of the strategic plan, with supporting communication-related excellence. We experienced mild growth in division membership over the past couple of years, and we hope that is as a result of some of our efforts to engage with 4.1 of the strategic plan. We are working hard to engage our current members and showcase how our division operates papers/panels quite differently than other divisions at NCA, with short presentations of work that are then moderated by a facilitator/respondent who engages Q&A with the audience for most of the time. We have also created and heavily promoted a student paper award in an effort to cultivate a new generation of scholars in our division. Finally, we have focused on goal 3.1 by devoting time during our conference business meeting to engage members in structured dialogue on improving the inclusive practices of our division.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

We discussed IDEA initiatives at our in person business meeting at NCA in National Harbor last year;

We have continued that discussion with the Executive Committee this year, and it will be an item on the pre-NCA virtual business meeting agenda;

Most concretely, we have prioritized addressing objective 4.3: Increasing the recruitment of new members from historically disenfranchised groups. To that end, members of our Executive Committee reached out via email to the various identity-based caucuses to let them know about our division and its work with dialogue and community problem-solving through deliberation. We encouraged co-sponsorship of our sessions, resulting in two co-sponsored panels with the Caucus on GLBTQ Concerns and with the Women's Caucus.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

We have had mild growth over the past couple of years from just over 100 members to approximately 150 members currently.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Social media presence, top student award, and outreach to caucuses; network partnership with Nat'l Coalition of Dialogue & Delib

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We will have reports from all of our leadership positions, as well as discuss recruitment for the division, open positions and the work of the nominating committee, as well as efforts to more directly engage in IDEA efforts with identity-based caucuses of NCA.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Top Student Paper Award

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Our division often has a relatively high proportion of our membership that balance academic work with deliberative practice, and in recent years we see quite a bit of movement from academic positions into industry positions. Offering programming and support across those academic and practitioner divides is challenging at times, especially as practitioners may see less value in belonging to a professional association like NCA.

How were these challenges addressed?

We designed our business meeting at NCA to live out our organizing principles of dialogue and deliberation, so we have a highly interactive, discussion-oriented session centered on shared problems. We also replaced the traditional respondent role with a moderator, whose job is to facilitate connections and discussion between presenters and members of the audience. And we created a new type of submission that focuses on innovations in practice, which allow for members to share projects that may bridge boundaries of academic and nonacademic life.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Offering career resources and webinars on alt-ac jobs

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Public Relations Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

GOAL 1-CREATE CONDITIONS TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER MEMBERS
- We continue to communicate to our members via email and social media on a regular basis. Members are also able to reach out to leadership with ideas or needs that need attention.
GOAL 2-PROMOTE COMMUNICATION'S VALUE
- We successfully built relationships with other divisions by creating co-sponsored panels. In fact, we have 3 co-sponsored panels at this year's conference to demonstrate our commitment to championing communication across disciplines.
GOAL 3-EMBRACE AND ENACT INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESS
- We created a sponsored DEI award to recognize the top scholarship in our field that addresses issues of DEI. This will be our second year offering the award.
- We created a task force to carrying out our DEI initiatives, including hosting an online workshop this fall prior to the conference.
GOAL 4-CULTIVATE A THRIVING AND RESPONSIVE ORGANIZATION
- Our membership continues to grow and thrive. We strive to be inclusive and responsive as a leadership team as well.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

We created a sponsored DEI award to recognize the top scholarship in our field that addresses issues of DEI. This will be our second year offering the award.
The PRD Leadership proposed establishing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) ad hoc committee. The committee's charge is to collaborate to plan, promote, and execute a yearly DEI webinar workshop held by the NCA PRD in partnership with the Tombras School as the sponsor and explore other opportunities to promote DE&I, as appropriate. We will be hosting our first webinar in October.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

We have stayed about the same over the last year. A few years ago, we had a dip, but are pleased to see our membership sticking around 450 members.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

We do not do formal recruitment, but we believe in consistent communication across multiple channels to engage our membership

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

Yes

If yes, please describe the program(s)

We will be hosting a DEI workshop in October.

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We do not have our business meeting planned, but the following will be the minimum of what is addressed:

Membership

DEI

LA topics

2025 conference

Awards

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Top Conference Papers - Faculty (1st, 2nd, 3rd)

Top Conference Papers - Student (1st, 2nd, 3rd)

Top DEI focused conference paper

PRIDE Awards (top journal article, top book, outstanding educator)

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

The listserv complications were a major issue for us since this is how we communicate with our members.

How were these challenges addressed?

We developed our own through our respective university until the NCA one was fixed.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

This issue is now fixed.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Spiritual Communication Division

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

GOAL 1-CREATE CONDITIONS TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER MEMBERS
- Provide warm spaces of camaraderie and mentorship.
GOAL 2-PROMOTE COMMUNICATION'S VALUE
- Emphasize and make space for research(ers) that have activist goals.
GOAL 3-EMBRACE AND ENACT INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESS
- Widen the definitions of spirituality beyond white/western notions.
GOAL 4-CULTIVATE A THRIVING AND RESPONSIVE ORGANIZATION
- Collaborate with community members towards collaboration

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

From our 2024 call for papers:

The Spiritual Communication Division is an ideal space to address the Convention's theme of Communication for Greater Regard.

We are particularly interested in submissions that center spiritual communication for greater regard towards marginalized communities such as LGBTQIA+ folks, Black, Indigenous and people of color, refugees and asylum seekers, disabled and/or neurodivergent people, communities from the Global South, and so on. Inquiries should be intentionally intersectional and interrogate systems and structures of oppression – well beyond harmful tokenizing.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

This year we saw a record number of submission -- so much so that we did not have enough allotments

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

If yes, please describe your efforts

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Membership and IDEA

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Bi-annually

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Outstanding Article (single-authored or co-authored)

Outstanding Book (single-authored or co-authored)

Outstanding Book (edited or co-edited)

Outstanding Book Chapter (single-authored or co-authored)

Outstanding Community Activism/Engagement/Service Award

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Not enough allotment from NCA

How were these challenges addressed?

We had to combine four panels into two

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Please provide more allotment

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Sections

Emeritus/Retired Members Section

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

Individually, members have engaged im efforts to promote communication beyond academia through activism in communities, including volunteering with literacy groups, civic organizations, philanthropic groups, etc., to promote civil dialogue and the importance of critical thinking and discourse in society.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

Program submissions have included underrepresented groups and created programs which involve accessibility for individuals to participate.

All program requests include accessibility accommodations for participants and attendees.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our membership has remained relatively static since around 2020. Since COVID, many more senior members have stepped away for a variety of reasons: health, reluctance to travel, cost, and a general feeling of irrelevance in the organization.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

If yes, please describe your efforts

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Attracting and engaging new members

Strategies for encouraging new, committed leadership

Next year's leadership

Program planning for 2025

Legislative Assembly Items

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Bi-annually

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

If yes, please list all awards offered

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Attracting new members who want to be actively involved

Getting members to want to assume leadership positions

How were these challenges addressed?

Discussion during 2023 Business Meeting

Individual contact with members to solicit engagement

General all for volunteers

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Assist i sending

Provide an easily accessible batch email list of members for easier bulk correspondence with members of unit

Other recruiting suggestions

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

The Emeritus/Retired Members Section holds a unique place in NCA. as it is comprised of scholars and academicians from all units and enjoys a cross-disciplinary philosophy that celebrates and promotes programming that includes all units.

But that presents a significant challenge in attracting members.

Communicating with current members is one challege. Reaching all other units to recruit and engage members from those is yet another.

Master's Education Section

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The work of the division feels a bit different than the entire organization's strategic goals, but we do the work of NCA by:

Supporting graduate student work specifically (Goal 1), and advancing their interests through awards and MA-only programming.
Through our many awards we highlight how mentors and programs exhibit Communication's core values (Goal 2)
In our awards, but even our evaluation of submissions, we consider how work contributes to understanding of diversity and inclusion (Goal 3)

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

We have:

Discussed electing a board member to work on diversity and inclusion efforts (Goals 1, 4, and 5). This is difficult as the division is so small, though.
In increasing transparency, we are moving our awards to the central submission system that NCA is developing (Goal 2). We will work on finalizing that at the upcoming conference.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

We have nearly double the members compared to the last decade, indicating very strong growth. Numbers of around 120-150 members are now seeing 280-320 per year, indicating both growth and retention. More programing would help, but we are limited to two sections.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Yes and no. We promote programing and awards to thriving MA programs that don't engage much. That helps, but wanes.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

Instructions and best practices for moving awards to the central system. Plus any advice on how to grow in conference spots. Despite our growing membership, we are still limited to two spots.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Annually

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Outstanding Master’s Degree Program Award

Outstanding Graduate Mentor in Master’s Education Award

Top Master's Paper Award (3 in: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Rhetorical Methods)

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Student Section

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The student Section aimed to support excellence in communication-related scholarship, pedagogy, and service, and promote communication’s value among undergraduate and graduate students by providing a platform for students to present their scholarship in a supportive environment. By offering opportunities to share their research and engage in scholarly discussions, the section fostered academic growth and professional development. This space not only encouraged the exchange of innovative ideas but also helped students build confidence and gain valuable feedback from peers and mentors in our conference submission process, ultimately contributing to the advancement of the communication field.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

The Student Section introduced our inaugural Graduate Student Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Award, which recognizes outstanding graduate student engagement with inclusion, diversity, equity, and access in research, teaching, and/or service endeavors. This award sought out communication students who reflect NCA’s IDEA principles in their application of communication theories, pedagogy, or direct action to create positive community change, and considered nominees who demonstrated impact, creativity, and dedication to promoting inclusion, diversity, equity, and access.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

The Student Section grew to 570 members in 2024, an increase from 2023 (569) and 2022 (529).

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

We recruited members by emailing communication departments across the country, asking graduate students directors to encourage t

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

During our Interest Group meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention, we will discuss the progression of our division, provide awards, and discuss upcoming available leadership opportunities including a vacancy for Vice-Chair Elect and Secretary. We plan to hold an election from November – December 2024.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

We gave seven total awards this year including a top undergraduate and graduate paper, as well as a Graduate Student Research Award, Graduate Student Teaching Award, Graduate Student Service Award, Graduate Student Mentorship Award, and Graduate Student I

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

The major challenges we faced are creating well-attended events or professional development opportunities outside of reviewing submissions for the Annual Conference. In previous years, online workshops and events were held, but poorly attended.

How were these challenges addressed?

We are working on ways to engage our members outside of the Annual Conference. To address this challenge, we are considering doing a needs assessment survey to better understand our members.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

The National Office could support the student section by offering funding for travel awards to provide to students.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Caucuses

Black Caucus

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

GOAL 1-CREATE CONDITIONS TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER MEMBERS

Our conference programmer crafted our call for submissions in accordance to the theme of the convention that would engage various perspectives and communicative value from our Caucus members:

The Black Caucus is centrally concerned with advocacy, policy, law, ethics, practice, and procedures regarding the practical and philosophical matters of what it means to identify as Black and/or African American in communication contexts in and outside academia. The interests of the Caucus also encompass the substance of intersectionality as it shapes individual and collective communicative experiences across the Diaspora.

The Black Caucus is especially interested in critical work attending to COVID-19 communication and disparities; education, electoral politics, and their effects on national and international race relations, policies, and politics; policing and the carceral system, community relations and political action; sexual, gender, and racial violence; and other social, cultural, and political concerns.

The Black Caucus also seeks paper sessions, panel discussions, and individual performances that engage the convention theme: “Communication for Greater Regard.” As a caucus —that embraces scholarship, research and discourse that is rooted in the history of the Black diaspora, which has routinely been disregarded in the scholastic field — this theme encapsulates our core essence to showcase and uplift Black experiences and scholarship. NCA First Vice President, Jeanetta Sims states:

“Regard is a word of Old French origin and is connected historically to New Orleans by the city’s fertile French roots—making this remarkable city an ideal location for learning, discussing, and contemplating communication for greater regard. Greater regard is a process of cultivating care and concern; that which we regard is deemed important, granted value, and given consideration. To be a “regarder” is to be one who watches, takes notice, and is expressive, often by increasing with thoughtful intensity amid a climate where less use of regard is occurring.”

Accordingly, submissions engaging with the conference theme may address but are certainly not limited to the following topics: criminal justice reform, misogynoir, environmental racism, voter suppression, digital divide and equality.

Through conference presentations and panels, members are given an opportunity to share in scholarship and expound on communication phenomena essential to their personal, cultural, and diasporic perspectives.

GOAL 2-PROMOTE COMMUNICATION'S VALUE

As a Caucus we zealously advocated for the fact-finding inquiry of the NCA Executive Board regarding the conclusion of the 2023 Presidential address. We were deeply disturbed by the censoring and treatment of other marginalized groups within the organization. Our Legislative Assembly representative and IDEA Council Representative were present and shared our Caucus position and concerns within the appropriate gatherings.

GOAL 3-EMBRACE AND ENACT INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESS

We actively participate in coalition building through inter-caucus and collaborative work when available. This is evident in our co-sponsorship with other caucuses when putting forth convention programming.

GOAL 4-CULTIVATE A THRIVING AND RESPONSIVE ORGANIZAT ION

This is exemplified by the implementation of the Founders Institute that will benefit the New Orleans Community at large. This institute will engage the membership of the caucus in service utilizing our professional skills for the greater good of the community. Additionally, partnering with Dillard University, we are actively responding to the needs of the community for job preparation and interviewing skills.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

After the abrupt and unceremonious ending to the 2023 Presidential address, our caucus issued a statement regarding what we assessed as the censoring of Dr. Walid Afifi and the delegation of scholars that were to participate in the address. Further, our statement addressed the ill treatment of paid delegates to the convention, censorship, and requested transparent review of what occurred. This statement was shared with the National Communication Association Executive Board, our memberships, and posted to all of our social media.

Our representative to the IDEA Council and immediate past present were active in the discussion regarding the proposed resolution and statement brought forth regarding Palestine through the IDEA Council and Legislative Assembly. Our IDEA representative brought the resolution to the e-board of the Black Caucus for discussion and a vote regarding our support for the resolution, which was supported by our board, although the resolution did not pass due to lack of a quorum.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our membership base is holding steady and we had a high level of interaction and interest through our 2023 business meeting at the annual convention and Harambe Ceremony.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

The Chair has created a quarterly news letter for to increase engagement and retention,

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

Yes

If yes, please describe the program(s)

National Communication Association Black Caucus Founders Institute

Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Location: Dillard University

New Orleans, Louisiana

Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Facilitators: NCA Black Caucus and AACCD Membership

The Founding members of

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

During the convention we will discuss the legacy of the Caucus moving forward and what the membership would like to in the future. Agenda items include awards, future convention submissions, and nominations.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Rex Crawley Service Award

Lifetime Service Award

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

One of the greatest challenges the caucus faced this year was disruption of our NCA sponsored Listserv. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we were unable to use the NCA listserv to communicate with membership through the NCA governed and approved channel.

The caucus still struggles with garnering nominations for the Lifetime Service Awards. both future officers but award recipients as well. Additionally, our submissions are dwindling from what we have seen in the past.

How were these challenges addressed?

After multiple communications with the national office, we were able to gain access to our listserv.
We have discussed the importance of the nominating committee to become more effective in helping recruiting potential officers and nominees for our awards. We will publicize our call for panels more next year and circulate our call more widely.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

We are aware of staffing and technology changes that occurred this year which contributed to some of our challenges. We understand this is not a normal occurrence and appreciate the National Office working as efficiently as possible to help us resolve our issues.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Caribbean Communication Caucus

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

The Caribbean Communication Caucus works to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan by supporting the development of communication scholarship related to the people, cultures, media, and politics of the Caribbean.
The Caribbean Communication Caucus creates a space within NCA to discuss, connect, and celebrate Caribbean languages, cultures, events, and people.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

The Caribbean Communication Caucus supports NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan by providing members with a community that values an array of communication scholarship and that promotes inclusivity in the field of Communication and within NCA. One way that our Caucus achieves this is through a monthly newsletter that highlights scholarship, scholars, and job opportunities related to Caribbean communication research, teaching, and service.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Caribbean Communication Caucus group membership has grown to 168 in 2024 from 141 in 2023, a 19% increase.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Yes, we attempt to recruit and retain Caucus members through our monthly newsletter, social media posts, sharing job postings

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

Yes

If yes, please describe the program(s)

We will sponsor a preconference in New Orleans about the historical connections between New Orleans and the Caribbean and its impact on the people, cultures, and communication over the last 200 years. Through this program, our members will collaborate w

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We will discuss the growth of our Caucus, the importance of supporting Caribbean Communication scholarship and scholars, and discuss the various opportunities for members to become involved in Caucus and NCA leadership.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Research Award, Lifetime Service Award, Caribbean Diaspora Scholar Award, and the Student Research Award.

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

One challenge we faced was the lack of funds available to support the pre-conference. More flexibility in how these collected funds are utilized would facilitate greater opportunities for innovative programming for participants.

How were these challenges addressed?

Yes, we lowered the number of pre-conference participants to allow available funds to cover more of the additional participant cost.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

More conversations between the National Office and Division/Caucus leadership about how to maximize attendee and participant experiences and opportunities.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

Provide greater financial support to NCA leaders, especially Legislative Assembly members, who need to arrive early for the conference. With cuts to faculty development funds across the country, NCA participation will decline among faculty who do not have sufficient financial support from their institutions without additional NCA support.

Caucus on LGBTQ Concerns

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

We continue to build community at NCA's convention and maintain communication with leadership about issues that are important to the LGBTQ community. For example, as Chair I reached out to Dr. Sims regarding the placement of pronouns on our badged. Last year, stickers were handed out but a lot of folks did not know there to get them. To be more inclusive, because we should not need to ask for stickers, I suggested a change to the name tag. Although I have no update on this request, it is out there.

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

We are constantly attempting to work towards a more inclusive and diverse NCA. Last year, we included asexual and aromantic panels and papers (which have previously had no voice at NCA) and we also added them to our latest COP. These are the types of maneuvers we do In support of the IDEA Strategic Plan.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Our membership has grown from 793 in 2023 to 1029 in 2025. Although this increase is not reflected in our spots (which I did reach out to Dr. Sims about), we are happy to see a healthy active membership. What I mean by active is that when I was program planner, I reached out to the membership to help with reviews and I had over 70 responses. This was great because almost everyone got only a single review and it was within their identified specialty areas.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

When I was program planner, we designed a nice looking social media flyer. We have a newsletter too.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

If yes, please describe the program(s)

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

We have a lot to cover. I think we will see how the issue regarding pronouns is worked out, discuss our NCA archives (currently in progress under an NCA grant), and see what ways we can partner with other divisions for a more robust offering.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Quarterly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

Lambda Award

Randy Majors Award

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

Too few sessions. We were told the reduction going into National Harbor (109th) was an issue of the convention site and space. We expected to be restore to New Orleans levels form the 108th convention but that never happened. It's my understanding that new Caucus needs sessions. I don't know how this stuff is calculated but take from the larger areas rather than us. We need more sessions.

How were these challenges addressed?

I think some of it was addressed by co-sponsorship.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

Restore our session from 2023.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?

N/A

South West Asian/North African, Middle East Caucus

Strategic Initiatives

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfill NCA’s Strategic Plan

Through our virtual workshop and community support space, our goal was to empower SWANA scholars, foster community and collaboration, and in general, make our presence and members feel they have a caucus that recognizes, values, and supports who they are and scholarly work. In 2024 we also started two other initiatives: decolonizing citations (promoting SWANA scholarship and its visibility) and our monthly newsletters (offering another form of communication that assists with accessibility and encourages member involvement).

NCA’s Strategic Plan goals aligned these efforts. For example, our virtual support groups “create[d] conditions to support and empower members” (Goal 1). Another example is how our newsletter and decolonizing citations initiative demonstrated “embrac[ing] and enact[ing] inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (Goal 3).

Please describe any efforts your Interest Group has made to fulfil NCA’s IDEA Strategic Plan

NCA’s IDEA goals were embedded into these efforts and programs. For example, Goal 1 - “Assess and improve the organization climate of NCA for historically disenfranchised members” and Goal 5 - “Evaluate and restructure the organization to render NCA a more inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible organization”.

Membership

How has your group’s membership base changed over the past year? (e.g., growth, retention)

Given the unfortunate circumstances at the NCA 2023 Presidential Address, and its direct impact on scholars of our caucus, recruitment and retention efforts were challenged. Although our group member base has not changed significantly this year, growth could have significantly been impacted by the boycott and direct impact (and harm) on scholars within our caucus.

Does your Interest Group engage in any recruitment or retention efforts?

Yes

If yes, please describe your efforts

Our leadership team has worked to recruit new members by promoting through interpersonal networks and holding community events.

Programs & Activities

Did your Interest Group sponsor any programs outside of the Annual Convention?

Yes

If yes, please describe the program(s)

The SWANA Caucus held a virtual workshop in Spring 2024 that was specifically designed to empower SWANA scholars. It was titled “Empowering SWANA Webinar: Mentorship, Networking, and Collaboration”. At this event, we had a 1) keynote speaker discuss how t

What topics will your Interest Group discuss during the business meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention?

At the 2024 SWANA Caucus business meeting this year we will: 1) discuss and reflect on the goals that were set in the 2023 business meeting, 2) set goals for 2025, and 3) solicit candidates for the 2025 leadership and discuss the voting process.

Communications

On average, how often does your Interest Group communicate with its members?

Monthly

Does your Interest Group have a listserv or similar discussion forum?

Yes

Awards

Does your Interest Group give awards?

Yes

If yes, please list all awards offered

This year, 2024, is the first year the SWANA caucus is holding a group interest award (Outstanding Research Award).

Challenges & Opportunities

What were the major challenges faced by your group this year?

The biggest challenges faced by this interest group stemmed from the censorship at the NCA 2023 convention and its aftermath having a direct (and personal) impact on our caucus and its members. As a young caucus, this was especially detrimental to our interest group.

How were these challenges addressed?

The SWANA Caucus leadership worked to maintain its members, support the community, and promote inclusion through communication and community building in the face of these obstacles.

How can the National Office support you in overcoming these challenges?

The National Office should implement and ensure NCA policies and actions publicly and structurally align with its values and goals - these efforts are crucial for SWANA Caucus members (and NCA members at large), especially in response to the 2023 censorship.

Additional Feedback

Additional comments?