2012 Political Communication Division Business Meeting
April 14, 2012, San Antonio, Texas
2011-2012 Officers
Chair: Patrick Wheaton, Georgia Southern University
Vice-Chair: Kenny Smith, Samford University
Secretary: Melissa M. Smith, Mississippi University for Women
Web Editor: Barry P. Smith, Mississippi University for Women
Immediate Past Chair: Bill Edwards, Columbus State University
In attendance: Brian Brantley, William Harlow, Larry Powell, Darrell Roe, Barry Smith, Kenny Smith, Lauren Reichart Smith, Melissa Smith, Patrick Wheaton.
This year’s business meeting in San Antonio, Texas, was called to order at 5:31 p.m. in the appropriately named Crockett Room.
A motion was made to approve the meeting agenda. The motion was seconded, and it was approved unanimously.
A motion was made to approve the minutes from the 2011 business meeting in Little Rock, Ark. The motion was seconded, and the minutes were approved.
There was a slight distraction when Barry and Melissa Smith’s 4-year-old, Matthew, somehow got stuck between the cushion and the back of his wing chair. His mother rescued him, and returned to the meeting. This was destined to happen two more times during the meeting, for which his parents apologized.
Patrick Wheaton, the division chair, reported several items that were discussed in this year’s Executive Council Meeting. He reported that SSCA is contracting with a new vendor for its website. The newly designed site should be up and running by mid-May.
He also reported that the organization will no longer be giving plaques to those who win best-paper awards. Each plaque now costs about $28, and Wheaton said the organization made the decision to swap to certificates next year. This was met with disappointment by most of those on hand, but most seemed to understand the cost was becoming prohibitive.
Wheaton also reported that a lively debate occurred in the executive committee meeting regarding the topic of job postings on the SSCA website by non-member institutions. Apparently, the organization did not have a policy in place regarding such postings, and it was decided that this type of job posting would cost $50 for a non-member institution.
Vice-chair Kenny Smith reported that the division received 12 paper and two panel submissions for this year’s conference. Eight of the papers were accepted, as well as both panels. This year’s top student paper went to Jeremy Cox of Texas State University. The top faculty paper was again given to Lauren Reichart Smith of Auburn University for a paper that was co-authored with Kenny Smith. Larry Powell noted with amusement that Lauren Reichart Smith seems to win each year, which elicited many humorous comments from those in attendance. Once again, it was suggested that she submit to another division next year so that someone else might have a chance to win. She was also encouraged to appreciate her plaque, as it is one of the last that will be awarded by SSCA.
Vice-chair elect William Harlow did not have a report, as he had not yet been able to attend the planning meeting for next year’s conference. He did ask for help in reviewing papers for next year’s conference, as well as responding to papers that are presented in panels.
Darrell Roe asked how many members the division now has, and, after consulting some documents from the SSCA business meeting, it was noted that there were 77 members listed as belonging to the division before the conference began. It is possible that additional members were gained during the at-conference registration.
In her secretary’s report, Melissa Smith noted that she produced a newsletter last fall to be delivered electronically to all members of the division. However, there was a problem with the e-mail list, as several people were not listed as being a member of the organization. The newsletter was then re-vamped and placed on the division website prior to the 2012 conference.
After the officers’ reports, elections were held for three positions. Lauren Reichart Smith, the chair of the nominating committee, reported that the committee had nominations for two of the three slots. The committee nominated Melissa Smith as vice chair elect and Darrell Roe as secretary. Barry Smith nominated himself to continue as the division’s Web editor. There were no other self-nominations, and it was moved to close nominations. That was seconded, and the nominations were closed. William Harlow moved to accept the slate of candidates by acclimation — or by unanimous vote. The slate was accepted, and the meeting moved on to old business.
The only discussed item was old business, indeed. For the past several years members in attendance at political communication division business meetings have lamented the division’s use of a nominating committee to propose a slate of candidates for election. It has been noted by several people that the current process, which calls for nominations to come from a nominating committee, has never worked very well. Once again last year, it was requested that this nominating process be evaluated.
Barry Smith reported this year that he wanted to propose a change in how the nominating committee is comprised. In accordance with the division’s bylaws, each year three members are elected to serve on the nominating committee, and those members are not eligible for nomination to any open offices the following year. This might work well for a division with a large number in attendance at a business meeting, but for a small turnout, it can create the problem of not having enough willing and eligible candidates for office.
Barry Smith proposed making the nominating committee comprised of the division’s immediate past chair and the outgoing chair. These officers — who would not be eligible for nomination as candidates — would be responsible for presenting a slate of candidates for open offices. The motion was seconded. There was support for the change, and the motion passed unanimously, which was required because it was not distributed to members prior to the convention.
In new business, William Harlow mentioned a panel being held the next morning, on the last day of the conference, and encouraged people to attend. He apologized that he would not be able to attend, even though he was listed as a respondent on that panel. Lauren Reichart Smith said she had been contacted by a student member of that same panel who wanted to know why he or she had not received responses to his or her paper ahead of time. This was a surprise to those in attendance, who rarely, if ever, make responses to papers ahead of time. Lauren Reichart Smith then said that the student also would not be in attendance at the panel, which elicited a round of groans from the room, as well as some interesting verbal comments.
Lauren Reichart Smith also asked if this division could make exceptions for work-in-progress papers for next year’s conference, as the paper submission deadline is in September, but the general election doesn’t happen until November. Several of those in attendance noted that they plan to do research on the 2012 election, but that data cannot be collected prior to the paper deadline. This suggestion was a popular one, with various ideas on how to implement this idea. William Harlow, who is planning the Louisville conference, promised to try to make this happen.
In other new business, Powell mentioned that his book “Political Campaign Communication” (co-written with Joseph Cowart) has been updated and a new edition is now available. This was met with great enthusiasm.
With no more business to conduct, Wheaton made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Lauren Reichart Smith seconded and the meeting was adjourned at 6:15 p.m.
Several members retired to the Osborn Reception to hold the second annual candle-flame contest. This year Barry and Melissa Smith declined to participate, citing their 4-year-old who was in attendance and the likelihood that he would think holding your hand over an open flame is a good thing. Last year’s winner, William Harlow, was bested this year by Patrick Wheaton.