MASS COMMUNICATION DIVISION
NATIONAL COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATION
Updated November 2023
ARTICLE I
NAME
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be: The Mass Communication Division of the National Communication Association.
Section 2. Official use of the Division’s name shall be made only through the authority of the Legislative Council of the National Communication Association and the Executive Committee of the Mass Communication Division.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE
Section 1. It shall be the dual purpose of the Mass Communication Division to (1) advance the study and teaching of mass communication media, their languages, images, codes, uses, roles, functions, effects, and audiences, and to bring to bear on the mass media the critical/analytical insights provided through academic study; and (2) provide a forum in which scholars and teachers with diverse interests and approaches can come together to contribute to the study of mass communication.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in the Mass Communication Division is open to all those who are members in good standing of the National Communication Association and who are interested in promoting the purpose of the Division.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1. The Officers of the Division shall be: Immediate Past-Chair Officer, Chair Officer, Vice-Chair Officer, Vice-Chair Officer Elect, Secretary, Secretary Elect, IDEA Officer, and Publications/Web Editor. All shall serve one-year terms, with the exception of the IDEA Officer who shall serve a two-year term and the Publications/Web Editor who shall serve a three-year term.
Section 2. The Chair Officer shall succeed to the office of Immediate Past-Chair Officer, the Vice-Chair Officer shall succeed to the office of Chair Officer, the Vice-Chair Officer Elect shall succeed to the office of Vice-Chair Officer, and the Secretary Elect shall succeed to the office of Secretary.
Section 3. The Immediate Past-Chair Officer shall serve as a representative of the Division of the Legislative Assembly in such form and manner as the Council shall prescribe, and shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Chair Officer.
Section 4. The Chair Officer shall serve as presiding officer of all Division business meetings and at all Executive Committee meetings. This officer shall discharge the usual responsibilities adhering to such an office, shall serve as a representative of the Division on the Legislative Assembly in such form and manner as the Council shall prescribe, and shall be responsible for seeing that the provisions of the By-Laws of the Division and the Constitution and By-Laws of the National Communication Association are enforced.
Section 5. The Vice-Chair Officer shall, in conjunction with the First Vice-President of the Association, coordinate the evaluation of the thematic paper proposals as part of the task of planning that portion of the program of the annual meeting for which the Division is responsible. This officer shall serve as an alternative representative of the Division in the Legislative Assembly, and shall perform the duties of the Chair Officer in the event of that officer’s absence or incapacity.
Section 6. The Vice-Chair Officer Elect shall serve on the Executive Committee of the Division, and shall perform the duties of the Vice-Chair Officer in the event of that officer’s absence or incapacity.
Section 7. The Secretary shall perform the functions usually adhering to such an office, including presenting minutes recorded from the previous year’s Division business meeting. The Secretary shall also serve on the Executive Committee.
Section 8. The Secretary Elect shall record meetings from the Division business meeting for presentation the following year. The Secretary Elect shall also perform the duties of the Secretary in the event of that officer’s absence or incapacity.
Section 9. The IDEA Officer shall oversee all inclusion diversity equity and access initiatives of the division. The IDEA Officer shall represent the Division at any meetings held by the Association at which IDEA issues are discussed and in which the general membership is invited to participate. When needed, the IDEA Officer with the approval of the Chair will appoint an ad hoc committee to assist in these efforts.
Section 10. The Publications/Web Editor shall maintain the Division’s website, assemble and distribute the Division’s electronic newsletter (The Gatekeeper) and other communication from the Executive Committee, maintain the Division’s e-mail membership list, and transmit news of the Division’s activities to Spectra.
Section 11. The Officer’s Transition of Power shall occur ceremonially during the Business Meeting of the Interest Division with the official transfer occurring based on the practices of the National Communication Association or January 1 if the practice is not listed.
ARTICLE V
STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 1. There shall be a Research Committee of four members elected by the membership. Its purpose shall be to coordinate the evaluation of competitive papers submitted to the Division for the annual convention, to plan the section meetings of the annual convention devoted to research in Mass Communication, and to coordinate and promote the research activities of the Division.
Section 2. There shall be a Nominating Committee of three members. Its purpose shall be to present a slate of potential candidates to the membership during the annual, convention business meeting.
Section 3. There shall be a Legislative Assembly Committee of one member, known as Representative to the Legislative Assembly. Its purpose shall be to attend the Association’s annual Legislative Assembly meetings and represent the interests of the Division at those meetings; to record the proceedings of those meetings; and to report a summary of those proceedings to Division members at the annual business meeting. The Vice-Chair Officer shall serve as an alternate on this Committee.
Section 4. Members of the Research Committee shall be elected for staggered four-year terms. The member in the last year of the four-year term shall serve as Chair Officer of the Committee, the member in the third year of the four-year term shall serve as First Vice Chair Officer of the Committee, the member in the second year of the four-year term shall serve as Second Vice Chair Officer of the Committee, and the member in the first year of the four-year term shall serve as Second Vice Chair-Elect Officer of the Committee.
Section 5. Members of the Nominating Committee shall be elected for staggered three-year-terms. The member in the last year of the three-year terms shall serve as Chair Officer of the Committee, the member in the in the second year of the three-year term shall serve as Vice Chair of the Committee, the member in the first year of the three-year term shall serve as Vice Chair-Elect of the Committee.
Section 6. Members of the Legislative Assembly committee (a.k.a. Legislative Assembly Representatives) shall be elected annually for one-year term.
Section 7: The Chair Officers and committee members of the Standing Committees shall carry out the duties customary to their respective offices.
Section 8. No Divisional officer shall serve concurrently as the Chair Officer of any Standing Committee.
ARTICLE VI
DIVISIONAL MEMBERS OF NCA COMMITTEES
Section 1. One member of the Division shall be elected each year to serve on the National Communication Association’s Nominating Committee.
Section 2. Officers of the Association and members who have served on the Association Nominating Committee during the previous five years shall be ineligible to serve on the Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE VII
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Executive Committee of the Mass Communication Division shall be responsible for administering the policy decisions of the organization. It shall be charged with the responsibility of handling all resources. The committee shall also insure that the decisions made and actions taken are in accordance with the By-Laws of the Mass Communication Division and the Constitution and By-Laws of the National Communication Association.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Immediate Past-Chair Officer, the Chair Officer, the Vice-Chair Officer, the Vice-Chair Officer Elect, the Chair of the Research Committee, the Secretary, the Chair of the Nominating Committee, and the IDEA Officer.
Section 3. The Executive Committee shall act for the Division in the interim between annual meetings with the understanding that all actions taken shall be summarized and announced at the Division’s annual meeting.
Section 4. The Division Chair Officer shall communicate with the Executive Committee at his or her discretion or upon receipt of a written request for action signed by at least two Executive Committee members.
Section 5. Action by the Executive Committee shall require the assent of a majority of members.
Section 6. In the event of the incapacity of any officer, the Executive Committee, with the advice and consent of the Executive Secretary of the National Communication Association, shall at its discretion, elect a replacement or establish a nominating and election procedure for doing so.
ARTICLE VIII
GRADUATE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
Section 1. Two graduate student representatives shall be elected for staggered two-year terms. The member in the second year of the two-year term shall serve as Graduate Student Representative. The member in the in the first year of the two-year term shall serve as Graduate Student Representative Elect.
Section 2. The Graduate Student Representatives shall represent the Division at any meetings held by the Association at which graduate student interests are discussed and in which graduate students are invited to participate.
Section 3. The Graduate Student Representatives shall work with the MCD Gatekeeper/Web Publications editor to produce content that is of interest to the graduate students of the division for MCD social media outlets (including but not limited to Facebook and Twitter) and the Gatekeeper.
ARTICLE IX
MEETINGS
Section 1. The Mass Communication Division shall hold its annual meeting in conjunction with and at the site of the national convention of the National Communication Association. The number of members of the Division present at each meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2. Time and place for the Divisional meetings shall be announced in the National Communication Association convention program.
Section 3. All meetings of the Division and its Committees shall be open to all members. The Officers of the Division and the officers of each Standing Committee may establish and control the privileges of the floor in their respective meetings.
Section 4. The Division shall assume no responsibility for statements of opinion expressed by participants in meetings of the Division or its constituent bodies or in programs sponsored under the Division’s name.
ARTICLE X
DUES AND FEES
Section 1. There shall be no dues or fees assessed or collected by any representative of the Mass Communication Division.
Section 2. Annual dues of the National Communication Association must be paid by all members of the Mass Communication Division.
ARTICLE XI
ELECTIONS
Section 1. The Nominating Committee and Immediate Past Research Committee Chair shall jointly and annually prepare a slate of nominees for the office of Vice-Chair Officer Elect and for the office of Secretary Elect of the Division. The Nominating Committee shall also assemble a list of nominees for the positions of Second Vice Chair-Elect of the Research Committee; Graduate Student Representative Elect; Representative to the NCA Nominating Committee; Legislative Assembly Representative (one, elected every year); Publications/Web Editor (one, elected every three years); and a Vice Chair-Elect of the Nominating Committee of the Division.
Section 2. The slate of nominees shall be announced at least two weeks prior to the annual Division business meeting. The Publications/Web Editor shall be responsible for the announcement of the Nominating Committee’s report. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor at the annual Division business meeting. All officers, committee members, and representatives must be elected by a majority vote of those members who participate in an online election within three weeks after the annual Division Business meeting.
Section 3. The Executive Committee shall establish procedures for conducting the election of officers.
ARTICLE XII
APPOINTMENTS
Section 1. Special ad hoc committees, as determined by the membership of the Division, shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XIII
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Section 1. All business meetings of the Division, the Standing Committees, or other subsidiary bodies, shall be governed by the parliamentary rules and usages contained in the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order.
ARTICLE XIV
AWARDS
Section 1. The Awards Committee shall consist of the Immediate Past-Chair Officer, the Chair Officer, the Vice-Chair Officer, the Vice-Chair Officer Elect, and the IDEA officer. Ad-hoc committees may be appointed at the discretion of the Executive Committee when deemed necessary.
Section 2. The division shall distribute four awards. The division shall award excellence in Teaching and Service annually. The division shall award excellence in Research and Top Dissertation biennially, with each award presented in alternating years.
Section 3. Nominees for all awards may be generated by any division member (including self nominations) or by the Awards committee. All winners must be members of NCA and MCD. Nominations must be submitted to the Vice Chair-Elect.
The MCD Teaching Award is designed to recognize excellence in teaching, using the term “teacher” in a broad sense. In order to be considered, nominees must have taught for over ten years (post-graduate), and must have evidence of outstanding teaching, which can be demonstrated through evaluations and testimonials or formal recognition for teaching excellence by the nominee’s department, unit, college/university, or other group or association.
The MCD Service Award is designed to recognize excellence in service, using the term “service” in a broad sense. In order to be considered, nominees must have served the NCA and MCD in a number of capacities, and must have evidence of exemplary service to several of the following: NCA, MCD, their profession, their community, their department, and/or their college/university.
The MCD Dissertation Award is designed to recognize an outstanding doctoral dissertation in the field of Mass Communication. Nominations should reflect the division’s focus, which seeks to enhance understanding of the structure, content, function, interpretation, and effects of our complex media environment. To be eligible for the award, the dissertation must have been officially completed (i.e., defended and filed) within the two years preceding the biennial award. This award is awarded in even-numbered years.
The MCD Research Award is designed to recognize an outstanding and significant contribution to Mass Communication scholarship. Mass communication scholarship is defined broadly to include mediated and mass communication and all methods of inquiry. To be eligible for the award, the essay, online or print article, book, or book chapter must include a first author who is a member of NCA and MCD and must have been published within a five-year period preceding the biennial award. This award is awarded in odd-numbered years.
ARTICLE XV
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to these By-Laws may be initiated at any legally constituted meeting of the Executive Committee of the Division.
Section 2. Amendments to these By-Laws may be proposed by membership petition provided that at least thirty (30) members of the Division have signed the petition and presented it to the Executive Committee of the Division.
Section 3. Amendments to these By-Laws must be announced by mail or e-mail to Division members or in Spectra at least two weeks before they may be voted upon. A two-thirds majority of those present at a meeting of the Division shall be required for adoption of an amendment.
Section 4. Any change in the National Communication Association’s Constitution or By-Laws, which has direct bearing upon the By-Laws of the Mass Communication Division, shall be incorporated into the By-Laws of the Division.