NVC
Division Bylaws
Passed with Amendments,
NCA, Boston MA, 2005
Revised July 2007,
January 2008
National
Communication Association
Nonverbal
Communication Division Bylaws
1. Establishment.
The Nonverbal Communication Division (hereafter, the Division) is a
constitutionally established division of the National Communication
Association (hereafter, NCA).
2. Membership. Members of the
Division are members of NCA in good standing who elect affiliation
with the Division.
3. Purpose and Goal. The purpose of
the Division is to unite theory, research, and practice of nonverbal
communication, honor scholarship in the study of nonverbal
communication, and create inter-divisional links between other NCA
divisions through liaisons with other divisions.
4. Meetings. The Division holds one
business meeting annually at the NCA convention (hereafter, NCA
business meeting) and conducts the rest of its yearly activities by
correspondence.
5. Officers. Officers of the Division
are (a) Chairperson (hereafter, Chair), (b) Vice Chairperson
(hereafter, Vice Chair), (c) Vice Chairperson Elect (hereafter, Vice
Chair Elect), (d) Immediate Past Chair, (e) Secretary, (f) Webmaster,
(g) Student Representative, and (h) Pre-Conference committee member
(if a Pre-Conference is planned for that year).
6. Officers’ Duties
6.1. Duties of the Chair
6.1.1. The Chair is responsible for all
fiscal decisions regarding the Division’s budget.
6.1.2.
The Chair is the Legislative Assembly (hereafter, LA)
representative for the Division. The Chair is contacted by NCA’s
Executive Secretary with information and guidelines concerning
participation in the LA. Prior to the NCA convention, the Chair
provides the LA with a report of Division activities (form to be
provided by NCA). The report follows the most current guidelines set
by the LA, a copy of which can be obtained from NCA’s Executive
Secretary. The Chair presents a report of important LA matters at the
NCA business meeting. If necessary (i.e., if membership numbers
increase), the Chair also appoints additional LA representatives.
6.1.3. The Chair arranges for the
preparation of awards given by the Division (i.e., prepares
certificates/plaques, arranges for checks to be available at the NCA
business meeting), which are presented at the NCA business meeting.
These awards include some form of commendation (e.g., certificate) for
the (a) Top Paper author(s) (see 6.2.6), (b) Top Student Paper
author(s) (see 6.2.6), (c) Outstanding Nonverbal Communication Scholar
Award (see 8.4), and (d) if applicable, other awards.
6.1.4. The Chair prepares the agenda for and
presides over the NCA business meeting.
6.1.5. The Chair
prepares and distributes copies of the call-for-nominations for the
NVC awards, if instituted (Dissertation award; Outstanding Nonverbal
Communication Scholar Award; Distinguished Book/Article award) at the
NCA business meeting. The Chair also distributes the
call-for-nominations for these awards on CRTNET.
6.1.6. The Chair serves on the Dissertation
Award committee. The Chair helps to evaluate submissions in early
spring.
6.1.7. After the NCA business meeting, the
Chair becomes the Immediate Past Chair and assumes the
responsibilities of that office as described below (see 6.4).
6.1.8 In the event the Chair is unable to
fulfill his/her duties, the Vice Chair, in consultation with the Vice
Chair-elect and the other officers shall take over the duties of the
Chair.
6.2. Duties of the Vice Chair. Due
to the heavy workload of this position, the Vice Chair can, if needed,
call upon the Secretary for organizational assistance (see 6.5.4.).
However, the Vice Chair remains personally responsible for all
duties.
6.2.1. In his/her first year, the Vice Chair
attends a convention planners’ meeting organized by NCA’s First Vice
President. This meeting is usually held on the first day of the
convention and lasts for 3 to 4 hours. At this meeting, the Vice
Chair receives information about the theme, location, and facilities
of the next convention and its planning as well as rules about
programming. The Vice Chair takes notes and presents a brief report
to the Division at the current (not the following) NCA business
meeting.
6.2.2. The Vice Chair announces (via all
academic, email, web post, hard copy, etc.) the Division’s call for
papers (if applicable), as well as the Top Student Paper award
competition, to at least all Vice Chairs from other divisions, and
more widely if possible (i.e., via CRTNET, NCA’s Spectra).
6.2.3. The Vice Chair provides information
to NCA’s First Vice President (typically in early December) concerning
(a) the names and affiliations of the current Division officers, (b)
the Division’s call for papers, and (c) a proposed time for the
Division’s business meeting.
6.2.4. The Vice Chair recruits and
corresponds with all division and caucus Vice Chairs/program planners
from other NCA divisions to determine potential co-sponsored paper
sessions, to solicit papers accepted to the other division/caucus and
to be considered for the top paper awards, and other convention
events. The program planners from the other divisions/caucuses will
in turn communicate with appropriate paper readers in the division
she/he represents (see6.2.6 for more on determining the top paper
award). Papers identified to be co-sponsored will be evaluated either
within the Nonverbal Communication Division or by the other NCA
division but not both. The Vice Chair and liaison person will
determine which is best in consultation with the appropriate
convention planners in the other division.
6.2.5. If the Division accepts its own papers,
the Vice Chair organizes and records electronically submitted
convention papers and distributes them electronically to submission
evaluators. The Vice Chair collects, summarizes, and rank orders
evaluations and uses the resulting data to make programming
decisions. When distributing papers to evaluators, the Vice Chair
makes all reasonable efforts to eliminate bias regarding conflicts of
interest between authors and evaluators; this includes ensuring that
competitive student papers, which are eligible for the Top Student
Paper award, are not reviewed by a majority of graduate student
evaluators (see 8.2.). Papers are grouped into programs and titled
(Panels are already titled at submission by their submitters). The
Vice Chair rank orders all programs. If the division does not accept
papers, the Vice Chair will work with the officers and other members
of the division to create invited panels.
6.2.6. The Vice Chair identifies the top (i.e.,
highest ranked) competitively submitted paper that has been accepted
for presentation by the division or (if not accepting papers) by other
divisions/caucuses. Papers from panel submissions are not eligible.
These rankings are based on rankings generated from the NVC submission
evaluation committee. A paper that is identified as a Top paper in the
co-sponsored division will not automatically receive the Top ranking
in the NVC division. All of the authors are awarded a Top Division
Paper award, and the Vice Chair communicates this information to the
Chair. The Vice Chair also identifies the top (i.e., highest ranked)
competitively submitted “student” paper that is accepted for
presentation through the same means as above. Again, papers from
panel submissions are not eligible. The authors, who must all be
students, are awarded the Top Student Paper award. If the Top Student
Paper is also the Top Division Paper, then its authors are given both
awards (i.e., the Top Student Paper is not then given to the next
highest ranked “student” paper). The Vice Chair communicates all of
this information to the Chair. If there are no student submissions,
the Top Student Paper award will not be awarded that year (see 9. for
award remuneration).
6.2.7. The Vice Chair identifies and assigns
program chairs, if applicable. Self-nomination for these positions
may be done on a circulated sheet of paper at the previous NCA
business meeting. The Vice Chair has discretionary power over the
specific format of programs (e.g., eliminating respondents in favor of
allocating more time to speakers and/or audience participation). The
Vice Chair enters the names on the All Academic web site and is
responsible for making corrections.
6.2.8. Once the First Vice President of NCA
indicates how many programs have been accepted (and not before this
time), the Vice Chair contacts all program submitters with the results
via e-mail.
6.2.9. The Vice Chair prepares a programming
report and presents it at the NCA business meeting. This report
includes at least: (a) the number of papers submitted, (b) the
percentage of papers accepted, (c) the number of panels submitted, (d)
the percentage of panels accepted, and (e) the results of liaisons
with other NCA divisions.
6.2.10. The Vice Chair serves on the
Dissertation Award committee and helps to evaluate submissions.
6.2.11.
In the event the Vice Chair is unable to fulfill his/her
duties, the Vice Chair-elect in consultation with the Chair and the
other officers shall take over the duties of the Vice Chair.
6.3 Duties of the Vice Chair Elect.
The Vice Chair Elect plans that
portion of the program of the annual meeting for which the Division is
responsible a year in advance in cooperation with the Second Vice
President of the Association.
6.3.1 The Vice Chair Elect is responsible
for polling the Division membership regarding resolutions to be put
forward to the elected NCA Committee on Resolutions for that
committee's review and possible presentation to the Legislative
Assembly.
6.3.2. The Vice Chair Elect chairs,
oversees, and fulfills the duties of the Nominating Committee (see
8.3). In the year when there is no Vice Chair Elect, the Chair
fulfills this duty.
6.3.3. The Vice Chair Elect organizes and
sits on the panel recognizing the Outstanding Nonverbal Communication
Scholar (see 8.4). This panel slot is programmed by the Vice Chair
(see 6.2.5), but the Vice Chair Elect is responsible for its
production and format (e.g., guest speakers).
6.3.4. If needed, the Vice Chair Elect acts
as one Legislative Assembly representative. (see 11).
6.3.5.
The Vice Chair Elect is responsible for counting ballots
during Division business meetings and for selecting additional people
to help counting.
6.3.6 In his/her second year, the Vice Chair
Elect attends a convention planners’ meeting organized by NCA’s First
Vice President. This meeting is usually held on the first day of the
convention and lasts for 3 to 4 hours. At this meeting, the Vice
Chair receives information about the theme, location, and facilities
of the next convention and its planning as well as rules about
programming. The Vice Chair takes notes and presents a brief report
to the Division at the current (not the following) NCA business
meeting.
6.3.7 In the event the Vice Chair Elect is
unable to fulfill his/her duties, the Immediate Past Chair, in
consultation with the Chair and the other officers, shall take over
the duties of the Vice Chair Elect.
6.4. Duties of the Immediate Past Chair
6.4.1. The Immediate Past Chair acts as the
second Legislative Assembly representative (see 11).
6.4.2. The Immediate Past Chair serves on
the Dissertation Award committee.
6.4.3. The Immediate Past Chair chairs the
Outstanding Nonverbal Communication Scholar Award Committee (see 8.4).
6.4.4. The Immediate Past Chair chairs the
Distinguished Book/Article Award
Committee (see 8.5).
6. 4. 5. In the
event the Immediate Past Chair is unable to fulfill his/her duties,
the Secretary in consultation with the other officers, shall take over
the duties of the Immediate Past Chair.
6.5. Duties of the Secretary
6.5.1. The Secretary takes minutes at two
NCA business meetings, one for each year he/she holds the office. The
Secretary types up the minutes for each NCA business meeting (which
typically fit onto one sheet of paper, double sided if necessary),
produces enough copies for all attendees at the following NCA business
meeting, and distributes them to attendees.
6.5.2.
The Secretary is responsible for posting emails to
the Division membership list.
6.5.3. The Secretary is responsible for
maintaining the membership list.
6.5.4.
If need be, the Secretary shall assist the Vice Chair
in organizational duties.
6.5.5 The Secretary is responsible for
maintaining the Division’s historical records. Each Secretary adds to
the historical records (e.g., information on awards, records of
business meetings, agendas), which are kept in electronic form. After
the NCA business meeting in which a new Secretary is elected, the
Secretary forwards the updated historical records to the new
Secretary.
6.5.6.
In the event the Secretary is unable to fulfill
his/her duties, the Webmaster, in consultation with the other
officers, shall take over the duties of the Secretary.
6.6.
Duties of the Webmaster
6.6.1. The webmaster is responsible for
maintaining the NVC website and for posting all calls for nominations
on the website.
6.6.2. In the event the Webmaster is
unable to fulfill his/her duties, the Secretary, in consultation with
the other officers, shall take over the duties of the Webmaster
7. Officer Succession and Annual Election.
A new Vice Chair Elect is elected at every other NCA business
meeting. This person assumes the position of Vice Chair Elect (and
its responsibilities) at the conclusion of this meeting. The Vice
Chair and Chair are both two year terms, and the Vice Chair Elect, is
a one year term. As such, over the next six years, at the conclusion
of every other NCA business meeting, the Vice Chair Elect becomes the
Vice Chair, then becomes the Chair, and then becomes the Immediate
Past Chair. The Secretary also has a two-year term. A new Secretary
is elected during the NCA business meeting constituting the present
Secretary’s second term and in a year when a new Vice Chair Elect is
not voted upon; the incoming Secretary assumes the office at the
completion of this meeting. The Webmaster has a two-year term but can
be re-elected to assure continuity of the NVC web page maintenance. A
new Webmaster is elected during the NCA business meeting constituting
the present Webmaster’s second term; the incoming Webmaster assumes
the office at the completion of this meeting.
7.1. If a Pre-conference is held, one
at-large PC committee member and one Graduate Student representative
are to be elected at the business meeting prior to the NCA annual
conference for which the pre-conference is planned and conducted.
8. Accepting Papers. The Division
will not accept its own papers, unless such a procedure is voted on by
Division members attending the NVC Division business meeting in the
previous year. To make the change from only creating our own panels
or cross-listing with other divisions, a majority of members at the
business meeting must vote in favor of the change.
9. Committees. There are six primary
committees: (a) Executive Committee, (b) Submission Evaluation
Committee; (c) Nominating Committee; (d) Outstanding Nonverbal
Communication Scholar Award Committee; (e) Distinguished Book and
Article/Chapter committee; (f) Dissertation Award Committee; and (g)
Pre-Conference Committee (see 10).
9.1. Executive Committee. The
Executive Committee consists of Division members whose role is to
implement the interdisciplinary goals of the Division. The Executive
Committee is made up of current officers in the Division and other
Division members invited by the Chair. The Executive Committee will
be consulted about issues facing the Division at the behest of the
Chair.
9.2. Submission Evaluation
Committee. The Submission Evaluation Committee, which is chaired
by the Vice Chair, consists of up to 5 elected members, and evaluates
paper/panel submissions to the Division for the following NCA
convention. The election process occurs during the NCA business
meeting, with names generated beforehand by the Nominating Committee
and other nominations taken from the floor; see 9.3). At least half
of all evaluators must hold a Ph.D. in either Communication or a
related discipline. Graduate student evaluators must have passed
their comprehensive/qualifying examinations in Communication or a
related discipline. All submissions must be read and evaluated by at
least one faculty member evaluator,
but preferably two, if each submission is
evaluated by three persons (which is standard). For example, given a
hypothetical 100 submissions, if there are 20 faculty member
evaluators and 10 graduate student evaluators, then 10 teams of 3
evaluators (each team consisting of two faculty member evaluators and
one graduate student evaluator) each review 10 submissions. In the
event that the Division does not accept its own papers, this committee
is responsible for choosing the top paper and top student paper from
accepted papers sent to our Division from other NCA units (see
6.2.4.).
9.3. Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee, which
is chaired by the Vice Chair Elect (or, in years where there is no
Vice Chair, the Chair oversees this committee), is made up of three
elected members, voted on at the business meeting. The Nominating
Committee generates prospective candidates for the following
positions: (a) Vice Chair Elect; (b) Secretary; (c) Graduate Student
Representative (who must be a Ph.D. student who has completed their
comprehensive/qualifying examinations in Communication or a related
discipline. This office will be filled only of a pre conference is
planned); (d) Webmaster; and (e) Submission Evaluators (see 9.2). It
is the duty of the Nominating Committee in general, and the Vice Chair
Elect specifically, to solicit, as thoroughly as possible, nominations
for all positions from the Nonverbal Communication Division at
large.
9.4 Outstanding Nonverbal Communication
Scholar Award Committee. This committee is
made up of the Immediate Past Chair and a committee elected at the
business meeting.
9.4.1
Description. The Outstanding Nonverbal Communication
Scholar Award recognizes a
significant and original contribution, in the form of a monograph,
book, and/or program of research, to the study and application of the
field of Nonverbal Communication.
9.4.2
Nomination Criteria. There are five nomination criteria. The
scholar’s work must have (a) a significant and long-lasting effect on
the field of Nonverbal Communication, (b) strong heuristic value, (c)
influence over others’ work, (d) originality regarding theory,
research, and/or practice, and (e) contributed to the development of
Nonverbal Communication as a distinct field of study.
9.4.3
Nomination Procedure. Although nominations are open to anyone who
has made a significant contribution to the Nonverbal Communication
field, preference is given to members of NCA’s Nonverbal Communication
Division. Nomination packets include (a) a single, detailed letter of
nomination addressing the aforementioned criteria, (b) the scholar’s
vita, and (c) the single most influential or representative piece of
work from the scholar. Self-nominations are encouraged.
9.4.4
Award Procedure. The call for nominations (if made, in a given year) goes out in January
of each year in the form of a letter to all NCA Nonverbal
Communication Division members. The letter also appeals for monetary
contributions to NCA’s Nonverbal Communication Division; these
contributions are intended to cover the costs of the scholar award and
other special events, to be determined at the discretion of the NCA
Division Chairs (e.g., a reception following the business meeting,
other awards, special speakers). Additional calls for nominations go
out in NCA’s Spectra. The deadline for nominations is May 1 of
each year. The award committee holds an initial screening meeting
during the ICA convention meeting to determine procedures for deciding
on the award recipient. A final decision is made by August 1. The
award recipient is contacted by the committee chair and asked to
attend the NCA meeting to present their work at a special panel and to
attend the Division business meeting to receive the award. Some form
of commendation is given to the award recipient (e.g., certificate,
money).
9.5.
Distinguished Book and Article/Chapter Committee. In years
when the membership wishes this award to be given, this committee is
made up of the Immediate Past
Chair and three Division members who (a) have their Ph.D. in
Communication or a related discipline; and (b) have authored a Top
Division paper in the previous three years. These three members are
appointed (with their permission) by the Immediate Past Chair, who
also chairs the committee. If any of the committee members are
themselves authors of a nominated publication, or if they were a
managing editor of the book or journal at the time of the nominated
publication, they must remove themselves from the committee. In this
case, the Immediate Past Chair appoints a replacement (with their
permission, and with the above requirements in mind). If the
Immediate Past Chair must remove him or herself, he or she is replaced
by the Chair. The Chair may appoint an alternate to chair this
committee (with their permission, and with the above requirements in
mind). Authorship and editorship are only one form of conflict of
interest and others might be considered.
9.5.1. Description. The
Distinguished Book and Article/Chapter Awards recognize a publication
that has made, or offers the promise of making, a significant
contribution to scholarship in Nonverbal Communication theory,
research, and/or practice. Awards are considered in two categories:
(a) outstanding scholarly book, and (b) outstanding article or chapter
published in a Communication (or related discipline’s) journal or
edited volume. Textbooks are not eligible for the book award.
Evaluation criteria will be developed.
9.5.2. Nomination Procedure.
Nomination packets should include (a) a brief rationale and
explanation of the significance of the nominated piece to the
advancement of Nonverbal communication theory, research, and/or
practice, (b) four copies of the nominated article (or four copies of
one or more chapters from the nominated book); and (c) published
reviews of the nominated work (if available). Self-nominations are
encouraged.
9.5.3. Award Procedure.
The deadline for nominations is
June 1 of each year (in those years where the award is given). The
committee makes a final decision by September 1. Award recipients are
contacted and asked to attend the NCA Division meeting to receive
their award. Some form of commendation is given to the award
recipients (e.g., certificate, plaque, money).
9. 6. Dissertation Award Committee
9.6.1. Nominating Procedure: In years
where this award is to be given, the same nomination procedure as was
outlined in 8.5 is followed. Nomination packets should include (a) a
brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the
dissertation to the advancement of Nonverbal communication theory,
research, and/or practice, and (b) four copies of the complete
dissertation. Self-nominations are encouraged.
9.6.2. Award Procedure.
The deadline for nominations is
June 1 of each year. The committee makes a final decision by
September 1. Award recipients are contacted and asked to attend the
NCA Division meeting to receive their award. Some form of
commendation is given to the award recipients (e.g., certificate,
plaque, money).
9.7. The Dissertation Award, Outstanding
Nonverbal Communication Scholar Award, and Distinguished Book article
award do not have to be awarded on an annual basis. It is at the
discretion of the Chair and the Vice Chair to decide whether and what
kinds of awards will be made.
10. Award Remuneration
10.1.
The Top Student Paper Award
is nominated with up to $100.00.
10.2.
The Top Paper Award
is nominated with up to $100.00.
10.3. All other awards that are handed out
any given year are nominated with either plaques or paper certificated
to be prepared by the Chair. If plaques are chosen, the costs for the
preparation of the plaques are to be covered by the academic
institution of the Chair with the option of requesting refunds from
NCA.
11. Pre-Conference. The Division may
choose to hold a “doctoral and early career” pre-conference every two
years. Traditionally, the pre-conference is held during even years
(e.g., 2002, 2004, 2006). The pre-conference is conducted in
accordance with NCA’s pre-conference guidelines.
11.1. Pre-Conference purpose. The
pre-conference is designed to enhance the academic work, research, and
network of doctoral students (i.e., who are finishing coursework,
working on dissertation proposals, conducting and writing
dissertations, etc.) and/or recent Ph.D.s working to establish their
career and research agenda (however, anyone may attend).
11.2. Pre-Conference committee. The
pre-conference committee (hereafter, PC) includes the PC Chair, the PC
Vice Chair, at least one PC at-large member, and the Division’s
Graduate Student representative. The PC Vice Chair assumes the
position of PC Chair in the following year. For all positions other
than PC Vice Chair, committee membership is a one-year commitment. In
years that the pre-conference is not held (traditionally, it is not
held during odd years; e.g., 2001, 2003, 2005), the Nonverbal
Communication Division Chair, in consultation with the incoming PC
Chair, appoints a new PC Vice Chair and at least one PC at-large
member. In the case that the former PC Vice Chair is unable to serve
as PC Chair, the Nonverbal Communication Division Chair is responsible
for appointing a new PC Chair.
12. Legislative Assembly Representatives.
Depending on the Division membership size, the Division has at least
two, but no more than five representatives at the Legislative Assembly
(Consult NCA's National Office for the Division's current allotment).
The Division Chair and Immediate Past Chair act as the minimum two
representatives. If needed, the Vice Chair Elect acts as a third
member. If this is not sufficient, the Chair appoints a fourth and/or
fifth representative. Appointees must be Division members and cannot
be students. Relative to extant members, appointees should fairly
represent Division sub-specialty interests.
13. How to Revise Division Bylaws.
In order for the Division bylaws to be revised, (a) the candidate
revision(s) must be announced, discussed, and approved to Division
vote for an NCA business meeting; and (b) these approved revision(s)
must be distributed to the entire Division membership and approved by
a two-thirds-majority vote.
