Environmental Communication Division Bylaws

ARTICLE 1: NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Environmental Communication Division (ECD) of the National Communication Association (NCA).

ARTICLE 2: PURPOSE

The purpose of the Commission is to promote scholarship, research, dialogue, teaching, consulting, service and awareness in the area of environmental communication.

ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Membership is open to all members in good standing of the NCA.

Section 2: The voting membership shall consist of those regular NCA members who have affiliated with the Commission and/or are in attendance at a formal business meeting of the Commission.

ARTICLE 4: OFFICERS

Section 1: The Officers of the Commission must affiliate with the Commission, and shall consist of the President, the Vice-President, the Vice-President Elect, the Publications Director, the Secretary, the Student Representative, and the Immediate Past President.

Section 2: Elections.
  A) The election of the Publication Director, the Student Representative, and the Secretary shall be conducted biannually in even years at the regular business meeting of the Commission at the NCA Convention.
  B) Election of the Vice-Chairperson Elect shall be conducted annually at the regular meeting of the Commission. The Vice-President Elect succeeds to the office of the Vice-President, who succeeds to the office of the President.
  C) Officers will be elected by those voting members present at the annual business meeting at the NCA Convention. Officers will be selected from a slate presented by the Nominating Committee and by nominations from the floor at the annual business meeting.

Section 3: Responsibilities.
  A) The Secretary shall take minutes at the business meetings and distribute these minutes prior to the next subsequent meeting. The Secretary is a member of the Nominating Committee.
  B) The Publication Director will produce a Newsletter, maintain a current membership list, and in conjunction with other Officers, mail information to the members and prospective members of the Commission. The Publication Director will serve on the Outreach Committee.
  C) The Vice-President Elect assists the current Vice-President with program planning, and serves on the Planning Committee.
  D) The Vice President serves as the Program Planner, is Chair of the Planning Committee, and is responsible for the formation of the Planning Committee.
  E) The President presides at the business meetings of the Commission. The President has the authority to request funds from the NCA office and to authorize release of Commission funds provided by the NCA. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, may appoint and empower ad hoc committees and task forces as needed to address significant issues.
  F) The Student Representative must be a registered student in a degree program at the time of their election. The Student Representative will encourage student participation and interest in Commission activities and will inform the Executive Board and the general membership of student concerns.

Section 4: If any office is vacated, the Executive Board will be empowered to appoint an individual to fill the unexpired term.

ARTICLE 5: MEETINGS

The regular annual business meeting of the Commission shall be held during the NCA Convention.

ARTICLE 6: EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1: The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Vice-President Elect, Publications Director, Secretary, Student Representative, Immediate Past President, and the Chairs of Standing Committees.

Section 2: The Executive Board will act in the stead of the organization between annual business meetings.

Section 3: The Executive Board will solicit nominations for and individual expressions of interest in serving as Chair of the Committee on Teaching and the Committee on Outreach. The Board will appoint or reaffirm appointment of these Chairs annually at the business meeting. Chairs of these two Standing Committees may serve no more than three consecutive years.

Section 4: A Nominating Committee will be constituted every year, consisting of the Secretary and two other voting members who do not hold an office. The Secretary, with Executive Board input and approval, will appoint the two other Committee members. Members of the Nominating Committee are ineligible to be nominated to hold an office. Nominating Committee members may not serve more than two consecutive years. The Nominating Committee will present a slate of candidates for Publications Director, Student Representative, and Secretary biannually every even year to the business meeting of the Commission. The Nominating Committee will present a slate of candidate(s) for Vice-President Elect every year to the business meeting of the Commission.

Section 5: The Executive Board will retain oversight over all Standing and ad hoc committees and all task forces. The Board may establish guidelines for selection and retention of committee and task force members.

ARTICLE 7: STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1: The Commission will have three standing committees: Planning, Teaching, and Outreach.

Section 2: The Planning Committee
  A) The Planning Committee will consist of the Vice-President (Committee Chair), the Vice-President Elect, and between three and seven other members appointed by the Vice-President with Executive Board input and approval.
  B) The Planning Committee will assist the Vice-President in coordinating and planning the convention programming for the NCA annual convention. The Committee may advise the Vice-President in establishing guidelines for program offerings and proposals, submission dates, presentations, and feedback to submitters. The Committee will serve as a liaison with ERIC to encourage members to submit their scholarly materials.
  C) The Planning Committee will make an annual report at the Commission business meeting.

Section 3: The Teaching Committee
  A) The Teaching Committee will consist of the Chair, appointed by the Executive Board, and between two and eight other members appointed by the Chair of the Teaching Committee with Executive Board input and approval.
  B) The Teaching Committee will serve as a liaison for all members with regard to course offerings, teaching methods, curriculum advancements and educational technology for teaching environmental communication.
  C) The Teaching Committee will make an annual report at the Commission business meeting.

Section 4: The Outreach Committee
  A) The Outreach Committee will consist of the Chair, appointed by the Executive Board, between two and eight other members appointed by the Chair of the Outreach Committee with Executive Board input and approval, and the Publication Director.
  B) The Outreach Committee will serve as a liaison to other groups and individuals, including but not limited to other NCA units and members, other disciplines, non-academic individuals, and other professional, public, private, and non-profit organizations. Outreach efforts may include development of informational materials, sponsoring of professional panels and programs at other professional meetings, select advertising, the use of electronic information technologies, and the integration of diverse sources into the dialogue on environmental communication.
  C) The Outreach Committee will work closely with other committees and task forces to maximize the outreach of the Commission.
  D) The Outreach Committee will make an annual report at the Commission business meeting.

Section 5: The Research Award Committee
  A) The Research Award Committee will consist of the Immediate Past President (chair), the President, two Division members elected at the annual business meeting, and the previous year's winner(s) of the award. In the case of multiple-author publications, only one of the authors shall serve.
  B) The Committee will decide the annual winner(s) of the Division's research award, which shall be named the “Christine L. Oravec Research Award in Environmental Communication.”
  C) The Committee will solicit nominations for the award in a timely manner through recognized Association and Division means of communication (e.g. CRTNET, Spectra, ECN listserv). Solicitations should include eligibility information and award criteria as stated below.
  D) The Committee will consider nominations (self or peer) that fulfill the following eligibility requirements:
    1. Both books and monographs are eligible for the award.
    2. Monographs include peer-reviewed articles in scholarly journals and chapters in edited books that have undergone peer-review.
    3. At least one author must be a member of the Division.
    4. Publication must have occurred during the prior two years: between September 1 two years prior to the award year and August 31 of the award year.
    5. Recipients must agree to attend the Division business meeting at NCA to receive their award in person.
  E) The Committee will evaluate nominations according to the following criteria:
    1. The nomination addresses significant scholarly questions about the relationship between communication and the environment.
    2. The nomination demonstrates intellectual rigor appropriate to its mode of inquiry.
    3. The nomination is forward-looking in its contributions to the field.
    4. The nomination has the potential to influence future research in the field.
    5. The nomination is clear and compelling to its intended audiences.
  F) The Committee may give an award in one or both of the Book and Monograph categories at their discretion. No more than one book and one monograph may win the award each year.
  G) Members of the Committee are not eligible for the award during their service on the Committee.
  H) The Committee will make an annual report and announce the award winners at the Division business meeting.

ARTICLE 8: AD HOC COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES

The Executive Board is empowered to appoint ad hoc committees or task forces as needed to address significant issues. Unless specifically reaffirmed, ad hoc committees and task forces will exist for no longer than two calendar years.

ARTICLE 9: QUORUM

A quorum for the annual business meeting shall consist of two officers and those additional voting members of the Commission present at the business meeting.

ARTICLE 10: PARLIAMENTARY SOURCE

Section 1: The parliamentary source for the Commission will be the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

Section 2: The President may appoint a voting member to serve as Parliamentarian during business meetings or Executive Board meetings.

ARTICLE 11: ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT

Section 1: This document shall be adopted by a 2/3rds vote of the members present at the 1998 business meeting of the NCA Environmental Communication Commission.

Section 2: Amendments to this document must be presented in writing to the Secretary at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual business meeting. The Secretary shall distribute them to the membership prior to the annual business meeting.

Section 3: A 2/3rds vote of the voting members responding to a mail ballot to registered members of the Environmental Communication Commission is necessary for the adoption of an amendment.