Procedures for Submission and Review of Public Statement Proposals

The National Communication Association should only take an official stand on those policy issues that are central to the contribution of communication to the health and richness of the human condition or to the commitments of the membership to the study, teaching, or practice of communication.

The NCA Public Policy Platform shall consist of the following preamble and all resolutions approved by the Legislative Assembly unless formally withdrawn from the platform or revised in future years:

"Preamble: This policy platform contains the positions officially endorsed by the researchers, teachers, and practitioners allied as the National Communication Association on issues vital to human communication. The Association is committed to include within this document only positions: (1) upon which the organization and membership have engaged in ample and careful deliberation; (2) upon which a substantial consensus of supporting knowledge has been developed; (3) addressing issues which have attracted the concerted inquiry of an acknowledged segment of the discipline, and (4) central to the contribution of communication to the health and richness of the human condition, or to the commitments of the membership to the study, teaching, or practice of communication."

1. Members of the Association shall be invited to submit resolutions to the Resolutions Committee for consideration for inclusion in the NCA Public Policy Platform.  The procedures for submitting resolutions shall be printed annually in the association’s newsletter or similar outlet. In addition, the Executive Director shall remind all NCA members that they are invited to contact the Resolutions Committee Chair directly to discuss a resolution proposal.  
2. Proposed resolutions must include the following content to be considered appropriate for Legislative Assembly consideration:
   • rationale for why it merits Legislative Assembly consideration and how it meets the criteria for inclusion in the Public Policy Platform specified in the Preamble,
   • background information regarding the public policy issue being addressed
   • demonstration of the relationship of the issue to existing communication scholarship, including specific citations
   • specific action being requested of policy makers
   • specific actions the Association will be expected to take if the resolution passes
   • an explicit statement of the resolution,
   • consideration of how this fits with the rest of the current public policy platform, and
   • an assessment of the resources required (both financial and human) to implement the resolution (to be determined in consultation with the Executive Director) and justification for priority of this expenditure
3. NCA members may submit proposed resolutions to the Resolutions Committee from the end of a convention until June 30th of the following year. Proposed resolutions submitted by June 30th will be considered by the Legislative Assembly if the Resolutions Committee determines that they meet the specified requirements. Provided that the Resolutions Committee determines the specified requirements have been met, proposed resolutions submitted after the June 30th deadline will require a majority vote by the Legislative Assembly to be considered by the body.  
4. All proposed resolutions submitted by the June 30th deadline shall be published in the association’s newsletter or by similar means prior to August 1st at which time the Resolutions Committee may convene to make formal recommendations.  Members may offer comments on proposed resolutions directly to the National Office
5. The Resolutions Committee is required to review all proposed resolutions it receives. The review must include confirmation that the necessary content is included in the proposal as well as a determination that enough information is provided to allow the LA to make a thoughtful judgment about the issue.  The Resolutions Committee may contact proposal submitters to request additional information and/or do due diligence research on its own with support from the National Office.  The Resolutions Committee can determine that a proposed resolution does not meet the requirements for submission and therefore should not be considered by the LA.  If the Resolutions Committee determines that the whole body should consider a proposed resolution, it must make one of the following recommendations:  accept, reject, no recommendation, accept with the following amendments.  Prior to making its own recommendation, the Resolutions Committee may refer the proposed resolution to another committee with particular expertise on the issue for recommendation.
6. The Chair of the Resolutions Committee shall present resolutions to the Legislative Assembly. Presentations should include a summary of the proposal, the results of any additional inquiry undertaken by the Resolutions Committee, and the recommendation of the Resolutions Committee.  The recommendation of the Resolutions Committee should be presented with substantial justification.
7. Resolutions shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of those present and voting at the Legislative Assembly meeting to be included in the Public Policy Platform. 

The National Communication Association should only take an official stand on those ethical issues that can guide more specific decisions of the association and members of the discipline.  The NCA Ethical Statements Platform shall consist of the following preamble and all resolutions approved by the Legislative Assembly unless formally withdrawn from the platform or revised in future years:

"Preamble: This ethical statements platform contains the positions officially endorsed by the researchers, teachers, and practitioners allied as the National Communication Association related to general beliefs of right and wrong that can guide more specific decisions of the association and members of the discipline. The Association is committed to include within this document only positions: (1) upon which the organization and membership have engaged in ample and careful deliberation; (2) upon which a substantial consensus of supporting knowledge has been developed; (3) addressing issues which have attracted the concerted inquiry of an acknowledged segment of the discipline, and (4) central to the concerns of communication scholars and teachers."

1. Members of the Association shall be invited to submit resolutions to the Resolutions Committee for consideration for inclusion in the NCA Ethical Statements Platform. The procedures for submitting resolutions shall be printed annually in the association’s newsletter or similar outlet. In addition, the Executive Director shall remind all NCA members that they are invited to contact the Resolutions Committee Chair directly to discuss a resolution proposal.
2. Proposed resolutions must include the following content to be considered appropriate for Legislative Assembly consideration:
   • Rationale for why this statement merits Legislative Assembly consideration and how it is reflective of beliefs of those in the communication discipline
   • Relevant background information regarding the ethical issue
   • An explicit statement of the resolution
3. NCA members may submit proposed resolutions to the Resolutions Committee from the end of a convention until June 30th of the following year. Proposed resolutions submitted by June 30th will be considered by the Legislative Assembly if the Resolutions Committee determines that they meet the specified requirements.  Provided that the Resolutions Committee determines the specified requirements have been met, proposed resolutions submitted after the June 30th deadline will require a majority vote by the Legislative Assembly to be considered by the body.  
4. All proposed resolutions submitted by the June 30th deadline shall be published in the association’s newsletter or by similar means prior to August 1st at which time the Resolutions Committee may convene to make formal recommendations.  Members may offer comment on proposed resolutions directly to the Resolutions Committee Chair.
5. The Resolutions Committee is required to review all proposed resolutions it receives.  Review must include confirmation that the required content is included in the proposal as well as a determination that enough information is provided to allow the LA to make a thoughtful judgment about the issue.  The Resolutions Committee may contact proposal submitters to request additional information and/or do due diligence research on its own with support from the National Office.  The Resolutions Committee can determine that a proposed resolution does not meet the requirements for submission and therefore should not be considered by the LA.  If the Resolutions Committee determines that a proposed resolution should be considered by the whole body, it must make one of the following recommendations:  accept, reject, no recommendation, accept with the following amendments.  Prior to making its own recommendation, the Resolutions Committee may refer the proposed resolution to another committee with particular expertise on the issue for recommendation.
6. The Chair of the Resolutions Committee shall present resolutions to the Legislative Assembly. Presentations should include a summary of the proposal, the results of any additional inquiry undertaken by the Resolutions Committee, and the recommendation of the Resolutions Committee.  The recommendation of the Resolutions Committee should be presented with substantial justification.
7. For inclusion in the Ethical Statements Platform, resolutions shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of those present and voting at the meeting of the Legislative Assembly.

The National Communication Association should only take an official stand on those academic/professional issues for which support for a particular position would enhance the ability of communication educators/scholars to do their work effectively and/or enhance the stature of the discipline in the academy or more broadly.  The NCA Academic/Professional Statements Platform shall consist of the following preamble and all resolutions approved by the Legislative Assembly unless formally withdrawn from the platform or revised in future years:

"Preamble: This academic/professional statements platform contains the positions officially endorsed by the researchers, teachers, and practitioners allied as the National Communication Association related to issues that are vital to the professional endeavors of communication educators and scholars. The Association is committed to include within this document only positions: (1) upon which the organization and membership have engaged in ample and careful deliberation; (2) upon which a substantial consensus of supporting knowledge has been developed; (3) addressing issues which have attracted the concerted inquiry of an acknowledged segment of the discipline, and (4) central to the enhancement of the ability of communication educators/scholars to do their work effectively and/or to the enhancement of the stature of the discipline in the academy or more broadly.”

1. Members of the Association shall be invited to submit resolutions to the Resolutions Committee for consideration for inclusion in the NCA Academic/Professional Statements Platform. The procedures for submitting resolutions shall be printed annually in the association’s newsletter or similar outlet. In addition, the Executive Director shall remind all NCA members that they are invited to contact the Resolutions Committee Chair directly to discuss a resolution proposal.  
2. Proposed resolutions must include the following content to be considered appropriate for Legislative Assembly consideration:
   • rationale for why it merits Legislative Assembly consideration and how support for a particular position would enhance the ability of communication educators/ scholars to do their work effectively and/or enhance the stature of the discipline in the academy or more broadly
   • background information regarding the academic/ professional policy issue being addressed
   • specific action being requested by external parties and identification of those parties
   • specific actions the Association will be expected to take if the resolution passes
   • an explicit statement of the resolution, and
   • an assessment of the resources required (both financial and human) to implement the resolution (to be determined in consultation with the Executive Director) and justification for priority of this expenditure
3. NCA members may submit proposed resolutions to the Resolutions Committee from the end of a convention until June 30th of the following year. Proposed resolutions submitted by June 30th will be considered by the Legislative Assembly if the Resolutions Committee determines that they meet the specified requirements.  Provided that the Resolutions Committee determines the specified requirements have been met, proposed resolutions submitted after the June 30th deadline will require a majority vote by the Legislative Assembly to be considered by the body.  
4. All proposed resolutions submitted by the June 30th deadline shall be published in the association’s newsletter or by similar means prior to August 1st at which time the Resolutions Committee may convene to make formal recommendations.  Members may offer comment on proposed resolutions directly to the Resolutions Committee Chair.
5. The Resolutions Committee is required to review all proposed resolutions it receives.  Review must include confirmation that the required content is included in the proposal as well as a determination that enough information is provided to allow the LA to make a thoughtful judgment about the issue.  The Resolutions Committee may contact proposal submitters to request additional information and/or do due diligence research on its own with support from the National Office.  The Resolutions Committee can determine that a proposed resolution does not meet the requirements for submission and therefore should not be considered by the LA.  If the Resolutions Committee determines that a proposed resolution should be considered by the whole body, it must make one of the following recommendations:  accept, reject, no recommendation, accept with the following amendments.  Prior to making its own recommendation, the Resolutions Committee may refer the proposed resolution to another committee with particular expertise on the issue for recommendation.
6. The Chair of the Resolutions Committee shall present resolutions to the Legislative Assembly. Presentations should include a summary of the proposal, the results of any additional inquiry undertaken by the Resolutions Committee, and the recommendation of the Resolutions Committee.  The recommendation of the Resolutions Committee should be presented with substantial justification.
7. For inclusion in the Academic/Professional Statements Platform, resolutions shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of those present and voting at the meeting of the Legislative Assembly.