GCSC DIVISION
Accepted modification of by-laws, January 2023
ARTICLE I
Name and Purpose
Section 1: Name
GCSC DIVISION
Accepted modification of by-laws, January 2023
The name of this group shall be the Division for Global Communication and Social Change of the International Communication Association.
Section 2: Authority
The Division for Global Communication and Social Change exists under the authority of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the International Communication Association.
Section 3: Purpose
The overall purpose of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change is to promote theory, research, critical analysis and professional education in the area of global communication and social change.
ARTICLE II
Membership
Section 1: Membership
Any active member of ICA who expresses interest in, and subscribes to, the purposes of the Division is eligible for membership in the Division for Global Communication and Social Change. The Division shall be open to any Active Member of the Association who pays the Global Communication and Social Change membership fee.
ARTICLE III
Officers, Nominations, Elections
Section 1: Officers
The officers of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change shall include a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary, each elected by the membership and registered with the Executive Director. The term of the Vice Chairperson will be two years. At the end of that term the Vice Chairperson shall automatically assume the position of Chairperson for two years. The term of the Secretary shall be two years.
Section 2: Other Positions
In addition to a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary, the Division will elect other roles its membership deems necessary and desirable.
Section 3. Representation
The Division for Global Communication and Social Change’s Chair shall ensure that the division’s leadership reflects the diversity of the ICA membership, including methodological approach, nationality, regional identification, gender, and ethnicity.
Section 4: Nomination and Elections
Nominations for office shall be solicited from the active members of the division for Global Communication and Social Change. The Chairperson will prepare a slate of nominees. The names of at least two nominees who have given their consent must appear on the ballot for each vacant office. The election of any officer shall be by online vote of only the active members of Division.
Section 4: Vacancies
Unanticipated vacancies shall be filled by appointment of an Active Member of the Global Communication and Social Change division by the global headquarters of the International Communication Association who will consult with the Chair.
Section 5: Duties of Officers
Duties are determined by ICA.
Section 6: Removal from Office
Any elected officer of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change may be removed from office by the following procedures: At least one-third of the active members of the Division must sign a petition to the Executive Director of the ICA requesting a special election and including nominations for the office in question. The Executive Director will arrange an extraordinary election within 60 days at the Division’s expense, with the challenged officer(s) included on the ballot. The result of this election becomes effective immediately.
ARTICLE IV
Committees
Section 1. Committee Structure
The committee structure of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change shall consist of (a) Standing Committees and (b) Task Forces. All committees and task forces shall be accountable to the Division for Global Communication and Social Change officers. The Chair shall appoint the Chairperson and members of each committee or task force, with the exception of those filled by ex- officio roles.
Section 2. Standing Committees
Standing Committees may be established or discontinued by the Division for Global Communication and Social Change officers through majority vote. A Standing Committee shall have no less than three members appointed by the Chair with the advice and consent of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change officers. The duties and responsibilities of each Standing
committee, its structure, procedures for selection of its Chair, and terms of office of its Members, shall be determined by the Division for Global Communication and Social Change’s Chair when the Standing Committee is established.
Section 3. Task Forces
Task Forces may be appointed by the Chair to carry out particular tasks designed to make a substantive contribution to the mission of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change. The size of a given task force shall be in proportion to the duties to be performed. The Chair shall designate the term of the task forces, but they may be discharged earlier if, in the judgement of the Chair, they are not making substantial progress toward their assigned goal or if they have competed the task assigned to them and have delivered a recommendation to the Division for Global Communication and Social Change officers.
ARTICLE V
Annual Meeting and Reports
Section 1: Annual meeting
An annual business meeting of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change shall be held at the time and place of the Annual conference of the Association. Votes taken at annual meetings shall be considered indicative, since binding votes may only be taken via the ICA online election process.
Section 2: Agenda
The agenda for the meeting will be composed by the Chairperson and will include a summary of Division business for the year, and activity reports of officers and committees of the Division. The agenda will be announced to members attending the business meeting. Agenda items requiring action must be identified as such, and shall be discussed and presented for vote by the active Members of the Division in attendance at the meeting.
Section 3: New Business
Active Members of the Global Communication and Social Change division may initiate business at such meetings.
Section 4: Reports
The Secretary shall prepare a written report of the Annual Business Meeting for transmission to the Board of Directors of the Association and shall make copies available to the members of the Division. The Chairperson of the Division shall report on the Division’s activities to the ICA Board of Directors at the yearly Association annual Board Meeting
Section 5: Newsletter and Website
The Division may support the creation and maintenance of a newsletter and website to be published and disseminated to members. The Secretary shall edit the Division Newsletter or recommend an editor to the Division Chairperson. The Secretary also shall maintain or recommend a person to maintain the Division’s Web page. The appointments will be the two-year term of the Division Chairperson.
ARTICLE VI
Awards
Section 1. Academic awards
Each year the Division for Global Communication and Social Change shall identify and issue awards for Top Papers, of which at least one shall be a Top Student Paper. These awards shall be identified from the top overall scores yielded electronically from averages of reviewer scores, adjusted by standard deviation, as determined by the Chairperson in consultation with the Vice Chairperson.
Every second year, the Division shall make an award for the Top Doctoral Dissertation. This award will be judged by a three-panel committee of peers appointed by the Chairperson or designee. The Chairperson will announce a call for nominations and procedures for nomination via the division’s communication channels. Nominations will include a cover letter from a student’s advisor stating why the person should be recognized by the Division, the nominee’s vitae, and letters of recommendation. The nature of the award will depend on Division funds. The award committee shall have the option of determining one or more runner-up awardees if deemed appropriate.
Every second year, the Division shall make an award for the Best Book published in the preceding two years. This award will be determined by a three-panel committee of peers appointed by the Chairperson. The Chairperson will announce a call for nominations and procedures for nomination via the division’s communication channels. Nominations will include a cover letter from the nominator stating why the person should be recognized by the Division, the nominee’s vitae, and letters of recommendation. These shall be submitted to the Chairperson in one nomination package before the announced deadline. The nature of the award will depend on Division funds. The award committee shall have the option of determining one or more runner-up awardees if deemed appropriate.
Section 2. Other awards
The Chairperson shall determine any additional awards to be offered by the Division for Global Communication and Social Change, such as travel awards, on a yearly basis, depending on division funds.
ARTICLE VII
By-Law Amendments
Section 1. Initiation of Changes
Amendments to, or other changes in, these Division for Global Communication and Social Change Bylaws may be initiated in any of the following ways: (a) The Division for Global Communication and Social Change’s officers may formulate proposals for amendment of these Bylaws and submit them, via the Association online election, with any arguments it chooses, to the Active Membership for vote. (b) The Chair may appoint a Division for Global Communication and Social Change committee
to consider revising the Bylaws in general or in particular, and subsequently submit to the membership of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change the committee report, together with recommendations of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change’s officers for or against the proposals.
Section 2. Amendments
Amendments or revisions to this document may be considered formally, once a year via the ICA Annual Election, by the Active Members of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change as follows: (a) The Association headquarters shall send the proposed changes with explanations and arguments, a ballot, and a request for electronic vote to the Active Members of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change. An affirmative vote of at least the majority of the ballots returned shall be required for acceptance of the amendment(s). The results of the vote shall be reported to the membership following the vote.
Section 3. Enactment
Unless otherwise specified, an amendment approved by the Active Members of the Division for Global Communication and Social Change becomes effective upon approval.