02/27/2024

CSCA Basic Communication Course Interest Group Information

Dear Basic Communication Course Interest Group Members,

We are nearly a month away from this year's CSCA conference, and we're so excited to showcase some great scholarship this year! Thanks to your work, our submissions were much higher than previous years, which means our interest group is very well featured in the conference program.

Last year, we discussed the need to update our interest group bylaws to reflect our actual practices and to consider a name change to the Interest Group. In accordance with our current bylaws, the executive board is offering updates for consideration. For your convenience, you will find three links that help you see what we are proposing. 

1) The current bylaws (http://tinyurl.com/mt8wk77v)

2) A document with suggested edits (http://tinyurl.com/mjx26rzy)

3) A document with what would be the final language if approved without amendments (http://tinyurl.com/ycyvtbvp)

Suggested edits fall in two categories. First, most of the edits are an effort to clean up language, update our procedures, or make something more clear. For instance, we've suggested revising language about the duties of secretary, which was vague and suggestive. Another example is updating language around awards. Monetary amounts are subject to endowment profits and the number of awards. The new wording is consistent with a long term vision to build our endowments (Beall, Trank, and Inclusive Scholarship Awards) to better sustain our awards. Other changes can be identified by viewing the edited version of the bylaws. 

The second substantial change members will notice is a change in the interest group name. While we acknowledge that many members and colleagues may not see a need to change the interest group name, and some may even reject it, we believe this is an opportunity to open discussion about it with those that have expressed concern. Our intention is to have an open dialogue. We have chosen to adopt the language from the National Communication Association resolution on the value of the course, which used the term, “Foundational Communication Course”. We will discuss these changes at the business meeting during CSCA on Thursday, April 4 from 3:30pm-4:45pm in Grand View A. Hope to see you there!

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Caroline Waldbuesser, Chair
Dr. Joshua Young, Vice Chair/Secretary