Minutes

NJCA Annual Board Meeting
April 14, 2021

Discussion Points:

  • Brief Review of 2020 Conference
  • 2022 Conference
  • Board Openings
  • Other

2020 Conference

Overall discussion and feedback was that the Conference went well and was well attended given the circumstances, with over 100 attendees.
Attendance was somewhat inflated with 2020 submissions being invited back to present. Overall attendance was in line with recent years if we include the 2020 attendees.
We were pleased with the number of student presentations.
Rick commended Todd for setting up and managing with the “hosts” Section B, which was the most complicated with the Breakouts.

Some glitches to learn from:

  • Agenda and day was somewhat packed and this made specific attendance erratic
  • It was not always clear about what was a paper or a panel and this also impacted specific presentation attendance
  • Some issues with specific Zoom invitation links
  • Not all sessions were recorded

Christina is working on the Awards from 2020/21. A few weeks away. We will be able to use them to promote NJCA overall and to bring 2020/21 to a close.

2022 Discussion

Good interactive discussion about the 2022 Conference. Erica framed the discussion by letting us know that decisions about on-campus activities at Rowan are still fluid so we need to be ready to adjust as needed.

Key points:

  • After an active discussion, it was agreed that we should plan for the Conference to be:
    • A two day event (Fri/Sat) which will be ‘hybrid” in format with both online and on-campus elements.
      • We can pivot to a fully online Conference if needed.
    • The reasons for this hybrid format were mainly:
      • To allow for more time and flexibility in the schedule.
      • To appeal to a broader audience so that anyone can attend. Those comfortable to be back live in-person and those who may still prefer to be remote.
      • To attract more student submissions with the remote element.
      • To attract a broader audience with the remote element, even more global submissions.
      • To allow us to be creative in how to format the sessions.
      • To avoid a very long day, similar to 2021, which went from 8:30 – 6pm.
  • Erica is working on a date, ideally a Fri/Sat between mid-March and mid-April 2022, keeping in mind both Easter and the ECA Conference dates.
  • Some brief discussion about potential themes, no decision yet. Erica is working on a theme and will share soon.
  • The idea is to lock in the dates and theme as soon as we can and to start the pre-promotion (e.g. “Save the Date, etc).
  • We also discussed extending the “free” submission for Students in 2022.
    • We may charge a nominal fee for those students attending on-campus to cover the cost of lunch (TBD).

Board Openings

Active discussion on our current openings:

  • 2d Vice President for 2023 Conference
    • Discussion revolved reaching out to various schools to gauge interest:
      • Ramapo
      • William Patterson
      • Stockton
      • Seton Hall
  • Recording Secretary
    • Big shoes to fill from Evelyn (miss you already!)
    • No current nominees
  • Historian
    • Gary and Chris C. stepped up to act as co-Historians (Thanks!)
  • Organizational Rep
    • Todd may have a candidate

Additionally, some discussion on the process to formally vote on the Board, more to follow on this.

Other

Rick reiterated that Rutgers is making a $1000 donation to NJCA in support of the 2020/21 Conferences. He also noted that Rutgers is paying the $500 stipend for our Keynote Speaker. Rutgers also covered the cost of the IT support (thankfully not really needed) of $400.

Chris C. will provide Rick the details so the $1000 donation can be processed.

We had some discussion on offering some events (scholarly, or social) between now and our 2022 Conference to engage members, attract new members and also to build our brand further.

These would all be live, Zoom-based and about an hour in duration.

  • Some early thoughts:
    1. An Awards event for our 2021 Winners
    2. A Workshop on “How to Submit and Present at a NJCA Conference”
    3. To encourage more student submissions
    4. A Panel Discussion on our 2022 Theme
    5. To help promote the Conference
    6. A NJCA Journal Event
    7. To discuss our long and rich journal history
    8. To promote Journal submissions
    9. The History of NJCA
    10. A tour of our long and rich history using our archives and highlighting past conference events, themes, keynotes and speakers


More ideas are welcome…

There was also some discussion on updating our WebSite, ListServ, & membership list.
Our PR Directors are standing by to start promoting our events when ready.
Some discussion to ensure we transition passwords, access, etc for our sites, social media platforms, etc.

Minutes of the NJCA annual business meeting
March 20, 2021 – (virtual) Rutgers University, NJ

  1. Call to Order: The meeting of the was called to order at 12:33pm by President Todd Kelshaw. He welcomed attendees to the 24th/25th annual NJCA conference: Communicating in Challenging and Difficult Times and the Need for Clarity and Transparency. (The 2020 conference was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.)
  2. President’s Report: President Todd Kelshaw acknowledged the two year break since the last NJCA conference and complemented 1st Vice President Rick Dool for having to plan the conference twice–once for last year’s cancelled, in-person meeting and again for today’s virtual gathering. Next year’s conference is scheduled to be at Rowan College at Burlington County. In addition. Todd recognized the hard work and accomplishments of some members of the Executive board who were leaving their positions. In particular, he thanked 1st Vice President Richard Dool for his diligence in planning and running the 2021 conference; Recording Secretary Evelyn Plummer for her many years of outstanding service in that role; and Adjunct Certification Coordinator Christopher Lynch for his contributions in creating and developing the Adjunct Certification Initiative. Evelyn Plummer has accepted the nomination to succeed him in that position. The minutes for the last business meeting on April 19, 2021 were approved via a (virtual) hand vote.
  3. Second Vice President’s Report: 2nd Vice President Erica Osmond of Rowan College at Burlington County reported that her campus in Mt Laurel, currently is planning for 50% return in Fall 2021. Therefore, at this time, it is not possible to guarantee the campus will allow large gatherings in March/April 2022. This may result in either a virtual conference in 2022 or use of an alternate school. Erica will keep us apprised. Announcement of a conference theme is pending.
  4. First Vice President’s Report: Rick Dool, as the conference organizer, thanked Rutgers University for its continued support. Overall, the conference went well: over 100 attendees and 50 accepted submissions.
  5. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Christopher Caldiero reported we’ve saved money with a virtual conference because of the reduced costs & Rutgers’ underwriting. Overall, the financial status of the organization is good. With an approximate balance of $10,5000, NJCA could have covered the costs for an in-person conference. Eventbrite has worked more smoothly this year and currently shows approximately 99 registrants. Chris reminded us of the changes in fees instituted because of the virtual nature of the conference ($40 for faculty / free for students [no journal] / $100 for Institutional memberships). Rick Dool pointed out that Rutgers is funding the IT costs as well as contributing $1000.
  6. Membership Report: Membership director, Allison Edgley reported that things are working smoothly with our now completely digital Atlantic Journal of Communication (AJC). Paid members of NJCA receive an email from the publisher and then simply need to create an account in order to have full access. Todd Kelshaw clarified that the journal goes only to paid members. Any students wishing to receive the AJC should contact NJCA for further information. Allison is working on initiatives to increase membership–including reaching out to Kean’s PRSSA.
  7. Journal Editor’s Report: Journal editor Gary Radford reported on the status and strength of the Atlantic Journal of Communication (AJC). He reminded the body that the Journal began in 1991 and next year will mark Volume 30 (30 years). Since October 2009, it had been published by Taylor and Francis (same company used by the National Communication Association) under their Routledge imprint. The AJC attracts high quality, international submissions which are all subject to blind, peer review. The acceptance rate is competitive (29%) with most submissions receiving a revise & resubmit response.
    The journal currently is accepting submissions for inclusion in the November 2022 print issue; however, a new publication policy will allow accepted articles to be available online within five-six weeks. Such online publications receive a d.o.i. and can be cited. Download access is robust. In 2020 there were approximately 25,000 downloads– up from 2019.
    He thanked NJCA for its ongoing support. NJCA is unique among state organizations in having such an asset and should be proud of this accomplishment. Please contact Gary with any questions: gradford@fdu.edu.
  8. Adjunct Certification: Coordinator Chris Lynch attributed the program’s success to its continued emphasis and exploration on the discipline-defining question: “What makes a Communication Classroom different from other kinds of classrooms?” This morning’s two sessions on Communication pedagogy had 20+ attendees from various locations throughout the country.
    Chris also announced that an article about NJCA’s “Certified Communication Adjunct Initiative” has been published in the Journal of the Association of Communication Administrators. Email Chris if you would like a copy of the article. clynch@kean.edu.
    Today’s certificate recipient represents the fourth round of certificate completions [since none was awarded last year]: Judy Zocchi. Her certificate will be mailed.
  9. Top papers: For logistical reasons, this year’s review and selection process will occur after the conference, as coordinated by Special Projects Director, Christina Mastroeni.
  10. Elections: Due to the suspension of the conference, no election was held in 2020 and all officers’ terms were extended by a year.
    Nominations had been solicited prior to and throughout the conference and some self-nominations were taken from the floor. All but four positions were populated with either incumbents or nominees. For the three instances in which more than one name was offered for a position(*), President Todd Kelshaw recommended expanding participation in the association by allowing both parties to cooperate in fulfilling the given positions. The assembled body agreed to this procedure and he moved that the entire slate be elected. The slate was approved by a majority vote (via virtual hand raising). A meeting of the executive board will be held as soon as possible in order to find candidates for the remaining open positions—particularly urgent are the Recording Secretary and the 2nd Vice President.
    Therefore, at this meeting, the following people were elected to the 2021 – 2022 NJCA Executive Board:
    • Immediate Past President: Todd Kelshaw, Montclair State University
    • President: Richard Dool, Rutgers University
    • 1st Vice President: Erica Osmond, Rowan College at Burlington County
    • 2nd Vice President: Open____
    • Treasurer: Christopher Caldiero, Fairleigh Dickinson University
    • Recording Secretary: Open____
    • Membership Director: Allison Edgley, Kean University
    • Journal Editor: Gary Radford, Fairleigh Dickinson University
    • Social Media Director: Christopher Walker, St Peter’s University
    • Historian: Open____
    • *Adjunct Certification Coordinator: Eve Plummer, Seton Hall University;
      Barbara Baron, Brookdale Community College
    • Special Projects Director: Christina Mastroeni, Kean University
    • *Public Relations Director: Stephanie Davis, Montclair State University;
      Bond Benton, Montclair State University
    • *Member At-Large 1: John Pollock, The College of New Jersey;
      Philip Bakelaar, Montclair State University
    • Member At-Large 2: Jennifer Shamrock, Monmouth University
    • Student Rep (U.G.): Shani-Lee Purcell, Kean University
    • Student Rep (G.): Joseph Brecht, Rutgers University
    • Organizational Rep.: Open____
    • Community College Rep.: Robb Lauzon, County College of Morris

Past President Gina Marcello “virtually” passed the gavel to Rick Dool.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:05pm.
Respectively submitted by E. Plummer, recording secretary – 3/30/21

NJCA Executive Board Zoom Conference
Thursday, October 1, 2020 – 2:30pm

In attendance (9) : Rick Dool; Allison Edgley; Todd Kelshaw; Jessica Junqua; Christopher Lynch; Christina Mastroeni; Evelyn Plummer; Shani-Lee Purcell; Christopher Walker

Meeting called order at 2:33
President Todd Kelshaw specified the meeting’s limited agenda: (1) The format for the Spring 2021 conference & (2) The association’s subsidizing of the members’ digital subscriptions for the journal.

Discussion on item 1: Format for the Spring 2021 conference:
Several options were mentioned:
(a) Have the conference fully online
(b) Wait a little longer to see what happens with COVID-19 & Rutgers’ policies
(c) Switch the conference to another school which has fewer limits on in-person events
(d) Have a hybrid conference which would enable small numbers of attendees in the room with the rest of the attendees/presenters joining remotely
(e) Have the sessions & presentations online and have some small, in-person events using safety protocols (e.g. a Friday evening activity; an outdoor activity)
(f) Moving the conference to later in the semester. Weather would be more amenable to outdoor events and COVID might be less of an issue by then.

Points and Perspectives which emerged during the discussion included:

  1. About staying at Rutgers: First Vice President Rick Dool reported that, although a final decision is not due until the end of October, all indications suggest that Rutgers will continue to be mostly remote in the Spring and is likely to restrict indoor gatherings to no more than 25 people. There are large spaces available—both indoors and outdoors–but weather is always a factor. He spoke in favor keeping the conference in March in order to better coordinate with Spring Break. Rutgers continues to be supportive. In addition to their $1000 underwriting, we would be able to use their Zoom license without charge.
    Adjunct Coordinator Chris Lynch spoke in favor of keeping Rutgers as an active participant in NJCA.
  2. About being creative with conference formats: These included possibly packaging some perks with the conference fee. The digital journal (Atlantic Journal of Communication) will continue to be linked to the conference registration. Various people reported on their experiences over the past few months with virtual conferences & noted that hybrid conferences were particularly hard to manage. Also, current uncertainties make it hard to predict how many people even would be willing to attend any in-person events. We should continue to monitor the situation and we can add small, in-person events as we get closer.

After discussion it was agreed to circulate a motion among the board for a full vote proposing that the 2021 NJCA Conference be held virtually as hosted by Rutgers.

Discussion on item 2: Subsidizing members’ online subscriptions to the Journal:
Because of the cancellation of the 2020 conference & its fees, members have not paid for their 2020-2021 subscriptions to the Atlantic Journal of Communication.
Points of clarification included the fact that the current treasury balance is $9500 and can cover the cost for these digital subscriptions. In addition, the money saved due to the lower costs in producing a virtual conference, also can help cover the AJC subscriptions. As an act of courtesy and good will, it is preferable for NJCA to cover this TEMPORARY cost until the Spring 2021 conference.

Next Steps:

  1. Rick & Todd will confer to create a Google folder for archiving & dropping off materials
  2. Rick will create a revised Call For Papers/Presentation. First, those presenters who were accepted for last year will be contacted to assess their continued interest and availability.
  3. Special Projects Director, Christina Mastroeni will create a new Infographic to clarify the submission process and will coordinate with Public Relations Director, Jessica Junqua for wide and frequent distribution.
  4. Student Representative, Shani-Lee Purcell will initiate the contact toward Graduate programs.

Meeting adjourned at 2:59pm

Respectfully submitted by Evelyn Plummer, Recording Secretary, 10/1/20

Minutes of the NJCA annual business meeting
April 6, 2019, Montclair State University, NJ

  1. Call to Order: After the Keynote address by Dr. John Gastil, the meeting was called to
    order at 1:09 by First Vice President Todd Kelshaw, serving on behalf of President Barbara
    Baron who was unable to attend this year. He welcomed attendees to the 23rd annual NJCA
    conference: Fun and Games.
  2. President’s Report: First Vice President Todd Kelshaw shared a report prepared by
    President Barbara Baron. She thanked Montclair State University, Todd, the attendees and
    the supporters of this year’s conference. In particular, she acknowledged the efforts of
    Treasurer Chris Caldiero, Social Media Director Chris Walker, and Journal editor Gary
    Radford for their efforts in such initiatives as regaining the not-for-profit status, maintaining
    the NJCA website, and moving members’ subscriptions for the Atlantic Journal of
    Communication to an electronic journal format.
  3. First Vice President’s Report: Todd Kelshaw, as this year’s conference organizer, thanked
    Montclair State University administrators and colleagues: College of the Arts Dean Daniel
    Gurskis, School of Communication and Media Director Keith Strudler, Associate Director
    Christine Lemesianou, Phil Bakelaar, and students in the Events Planning class for hosting
    NJCA this year. He also thanked NJCA Board members Barbara Baron, Chris Caldiero, Chris
    Walker, Evelyn Plummer, and Allison Edgley their particular assistance and support.
  4. Journal Editor’s Report: Journal editor Gary Radford reported on the status and strength
    of the Atlantic Journal of Communication (AJC). Few state organizations have such an
    asset. He reminded the body that the Journal began in 1991 and is currently under the
    imprint of Taylor & Francis, the same company used by the National Communication
    Association. The AJC attracts high quality, international submissions which are all subject to
    blind, peer review. The acceptance rate is competitive (29%) with most submissions
    receiving a revise & resubmit response. There are five issues per year with the fifth being a
    special, guest-edited issue. The next special issue, to be edited by Dr. Valerie
    Manusov, will focus on Interpersonal Engagement.
    The journal is currently accepting submissions for inclusion in the April 2020 issue; however,
    a new publication policy will allow accepted articles to be immediately available online.
  5. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Christopher Caldiero reiterated that NJCA maintains its
    nonprofit status with the IRS. The association is in a good financial state. Chris also
    acknowledged the efforts to run an efficient and economical conference.
    This year, Eventbrite was selected for event registration services. A few glitches have been
    reported but, for the most part, the transition from using Paypal appears to have gone
    smoothly. Eventbrite provides several advantages in terms of facilitating online advance
    registration and tracking membership information. A decision has yet to be made
    concerning what system to use next year.
  6. There was no Membership Director report.
  7. Adjunct Certification: Coordinator Chris Lynch reviewed the steps toward certification involved in this program. In a desire to expand the impact of the program, he asked that conference attendees actively spread the word about the NJCA “Certified Communication Adjunct Initiative” among all graduate students and adjunct faculty at their institutions. Included in the program’s goals is a desire to increase awareness of how teaching in the communication discipline has unique and distinct sensibilities—despite the variety of the departments within which the courses might be housed. Participants who complete the multi-step procedure receive a listing and mini-resume in the NJCA online database which is offered as a resource to hiring administrators. Current holders of the certificate were asked to stand (approximately 10 awardees were recognized). Additional information about the program can be found via the NJCA website. Today’s certificate recipients represent the third set of certificate awardees:
    • Sharon Wiltshire
    • Susan Wildorf
  8. Top papers: Public Relations Director Allison Edgley presented the following awards:
    • Top Student Paper – “Perfumed Nightmare: A Personal Revolutionary Film”, Jessica Schlimmer, Montclair State University
    • Top Faculty Paper – “Hating in Plain Site: The Hide and Seek Game of Hatejacking Brands”, Bond Benton and Daniela Peterka-Benton, Montclair State University
  9. Election: The slate of executive board positions was displayed on the screen. Nominations had been solicited prior to and throughout the conference. All but two positions were populated with either incumbents or nominees. First Vice President Todd Kelshaw moved that the entire slate be elected. The assembled body agreed to this procedure, and the slate was approved by a majority vote. A subsequent e-vote will be conducted to fill the remaining open positions—additional self-nominations came forward after the end of business meeting.
    Therefore, at this meeting, the following people were elected to the
    2019-2020 NJCA Executive Board:
    NJCA EXECUTIVE BOARD 2019-2020
    • Immediate Past President: Barbara Baron, Brookdale Community College
    • President: Todd Kelshaw, Montclair State University
    • 1st Vice President: Richard Dool, Rutgers University
    • 2nd Vice President: Erica Osmond, Rowan College at Burlington County
    • Treasurer: Christopher Caldiero, Fairleigh Dickinson University
    • Recording Secretary: Eve Plummer, Seton Hall University
    • Membership Director: Henrietta Nwako, Kean University
    • Journal Editor: Gary Radford, Fairleigh Dickinson University
    • Social Media Director: Christopher Walker, St Peter’s University
    • Historian: Thom Gencarelli, Manhattan College
    • Adjunct Certification Coordinator: Christopher Lynch, Kean University
    • Special Projects Director: (Open)
    • Public Relations Director: Jessica Junqua, Montclair State University
    • Member At-Large 1: John Pollock, The College of New Jersey
    • Member At-Large 2: Jennifer Shamrock, Monmouth University
    • Student Rep (U.G.): Shani-Lee Purcell, Kean University
    • Student Rep (U.G./G): Ngwa Numfor Kean University (B.A.= 5/2019)
    • Student Rep (G.): Veronica Agudelo, St Peter’s University
    • Organizational Rep.: (Open)
    • Community College Rep.: Robb Lauzon, County College of Morris
  10. Second Vice President’s Report: 2nd Vice President Rick Dool announced the date and location for next year’s conference: April 4, 2020 on the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus. The gavel was passed, “symbolically,” and the meeting was adjourned at 1:25.

    Respectively submitted by E. Plummer, recording secretary – 4/13/19

NJCA Executive Board “Special” Phone Conference
Thursday March 12, 2020 – 10:30am
Single Topic: Conference Contingencies

In attendance: Barbara Baron, Chris Caldiero, Rick Dool, Jessica Junqua, Todd Kelshaw, Evelyn Plummer, Shani-Lee Purcell, Chris Walker

–a special meeting called to discuss options now our that annual conference cannot be held as scheduled on 3/28/20 at Rutgers University, due to the evolving situation with COVID-19.

Issue 1– How to reschedule? After discussion of the various options previously shared via email by President Todd Kelshaw, the consensus of those present on this call was to minimize confusion, disruption, and schedule conflicts, yet maximize fairness by officially suspending this year’s conference, leaving the current slate of officers in place, and conducting the Spring 2021 conference at Rutgers and moving the Rowan College conference to 2022. This is an unusual situation not addressed in the NJCA constitution, and Todd Kelshaw will be conducting an e-vote with the full executive board prior to issuing any updates to the listserv or to the Association web page.

Accordingly, First Vice President/Conference Organizer Rick Dool will email relevant updates to those who have submitted but are not yet on the NJCA mailing list.

Issue 2– Refunds? Treasurer Chris Caldiero provided assurance that only a few advance registrations had been received via Eventbrite so it is quite feasible to process refunds either through that site or by sending refund checks. He will deactivate the registration function on the NJCA site. NJCA will still owe a fee to Eventbrite—estimated at about $30. per registrant. Rick Dool, noted we probably will owe Rutgers approximately $100.

Issue 3– How to handle submissions? Consensus supported handling the already accepted submissions as juried and deserving of validation for listing on CV’s. If they wish, these “acceptees” can present their work at the 2021 conference; however, a new round of submissions will be solicited. Since many student presenters (the majority of submissions) might be unable to carry over to next year, ideas were offered for the best way to acknowledge their acceptances (For example, a post meeting suggestion to provide certificates for student presenters came in through email).

Issue 4– How to adjust dues & membership structure? This area is largely TBD. Chris Caldiero pointed out we need to start with a concrete understanding of what Taylor & Francis is going to charge us now that the journal is online only (except for individuals who opt to pay the additional fee for a hard copy). Barbara Baron has a record of the amount mentioned during her original negotiations with T & F and Todd Kelshaw will follow up with Allison Edgeley who has had recent contact with T & F in setting up the current membership email lists.

Discussion also addressed the need to encourage people to sign up for this one-year, non-conference membership. In addition to the journal (Atlantic Journal of Communication) additional benefits should be explored (e.g. podcasts, teaching tips, etc. could be provided online). Social Media Director Chris Walker pointed out that our website already supports special media such as the Adjunct Certification videos.

Additional membership adjustment ideas were discussed but all are “ideas-in-progress” and none received full support at this time. Ideas included: (1) Membership tiers with students receiving free membership with Listserv access/no e-journal and regular members receiving Listserv access + the e-journal OR (2) for this year only, NJCA could subsidize or even cover the costs of e-journal access OR (3) just underwriting e-journal access to those members who are real users.

Ultimately, we want to maintain a membership list in order to fulfill our agreement with T & F, but the specific dues to be charged should also encompass any value-added features we develop for the NJCA 2020-2021 membership.

Conference call ended at 11:05.
Respectfully submitted by Evelyn Plummer, Recording Secretary, 3/12/20

NJCA Executive Board Meeting & Conference Site Visit
Rutgers University, School of Communication and Information -RM 323
Saturday, January 25, 2020 – 12:00pm–1:45pm

In attendance:  Veronica Agudelo, Christopher Caldiero, Richard Dool, Allison Edgley,  Jessica Junqua,  Todd Kelshaw,  Ngwa Numfor,  Erica Osmond, Evelyn Plummer, 
Shani-lee Purcell , Christopher Walker

The meeting was called to order at 12:10pm.

President Todd Kelshaw thanked the attendees and distributed the meeting agenda, past minutes, and a draft of the “Data Processing Addendum I” document from journal publisher, Taylor and Francis.

The minutes of the 12/16/19 Executive Board Phone Conference were approved.

1. Reports

        a. Membership –  Membership Director Allison Edgley has  been working on outreach through various methods including working on the brochure for the Adjunct Certification Initiative. Also, she is working with Taylor & Francis to ensure they are working from accurate membership lists, ensuring all NJCA members will receive the digital copy of the Atlantic Journal of Communication (AJC). In addition, Todd recommended that we seek out our specific contact person to make future troubleshooting more efficient.

         b.   Financial Matters – Treasurer Christopher Caldiero reported that the Association is good shape with an approximate balance of $9000.00 which will cover conference costs.We remain up to date with the IRS and our 501(c)(3), non-profit status. We haven’t yet received a bill from Taylor and Francis reflecting the new ejournal procedure, but we can expect that expense to be much lower going forward. He soon will be building our Eventbrite page for this year’s conference registration and will be working closely with Allison Edgley to ensure that we are collecting the appropriate information for our recordkeeping needs.  The meeting attendees agreed that we should maintain last year’s rates and to once again use an “early bird” registration incentive.

         c. Communication (website and social media) – Public Relations Director Jessica Junqua is now able to access the NJCA Facebook page and has been doing the needed updates.  The potential for doing paid promotion was briefly discussed. Graduate Student Representative Veronica Agudelo expressed experience in this area and First Vice President Rick Dool suggested putting together a proposal. Todd mentioned the possibility of taking an ad in the program of the upcoming Eastern Communication Association (ECA) conference.  
Social Media Director Chris Walker reported he has been exploring adjusting the plug-ins on the NJCA website.  One goal is to enable email messages to go out via the listserv without automatically going through a posting on the website. He also is exploring plug-ins that would enhance site security.

         d. Journal – Under old & new business, Todd Kelshaw presented the legal agreement Taylor & Francis is now asking all clients to sign.  In brief, in order to be compliant with new European regulations for online privacy and security (“Data Protection Law”) Taylor & Francis is subject to new regulations & protections. Our switch to a digital delivery of the journal means that T & F will have access to our members’ email addresses. The new agreement outlines the very limited number of entities who are allowed access to this information but also would require that NJCA agree not to bring action against Taylor and Francis and their agents in the event of a breach.  In addition, NJCA would need to provide verification that our members are aware of this and explicitly opt in to having their email information provided to Taylor & Francis.  After some discussion, many recommended seeking additional advice about the implications—particularly legal.  Since the deadline for returning the signed document is 2/14/20, Veronica Agudelo will ask one of her contacts with a background in contract law, and Todd Kelshaw will contact the president of NYSCA (New York State Communication Association), our partner in sponsoring the journal, in order to investigate how they are handling this.

         e. ECA – The planners of the upcoming ECA conference (Eastern Communication Association) have reserved a room & meeting time for NJCA (Thurs. 4/2/20 at 2:30-3:45) and Todd will be sending out a message to the NJCA membership to see if any NJCA members will be attending the conference at that time. In addition, ECA is making available three, free annual memberships and it was agreed to use a raffle as a way to distribute. Todd will send out an email soliciting declarations of interest–prioritizing those intending to attend this year’s conference in Baltimore. 

2. Conference Planning Updates

     a. – The Call:   The conference theme is: Vision 2020: Communicating Clarity and Transparency and First Vice President Rick Dool has received 8 papers, 4 panel proposals, and 1 workshop proposal—and  no posters. After discussion, it was agreed to extend the call once – until Feb. 21- 11:59pm. The conference day’s scheduling structure will be comparable to last year, but there is flexibility in the length of the sessions if the number of submissions is sparse. The possibility of guest or speciality presenters was raised, but the issue of presenters needing to register & pay for the conference continues to be an obstacle to that idea.

      b. – Facilities & Logistics
          ◾ Conference date: Saturday March 28, 2020 (one week before ECA)
          ◾ Location/host: Rutgers University- New Brunswick, College Ave campus. The events are planned to occur in the “Academic Building“ with modern facilities, WiFi, and standard A/V capabilities.  Directional signage will be provided.  Details on parking arrangements are still being worked out.

      c. – Anticipated Costs & Underwriting
          ◾ Facilities – Currently, Rick Dool expects Rutgers to underwrite the costs for use of the facilities.
          ◾ Keynote – Juan Gonzalez, journalist and Rutgers professor, will be the Keynote speaker. At this time, no details have been discussed with him regarding an honorarium. Several people pointed out the possibility of getting these costs underwritten.
        ◾ Food – After some discussion, it was agreed the service that provided today’s lunch would also be used to provide buffet-style breakfast and lunch for the conference. Costs should be reasonable.
        ◾ Awards – Special Projects Director Christina Mastroeni already has emailed the board a plan for reviewing papers and selecting winners. Todd, Allison, and Christina will review the papers. There was some discussion about the most appropriate form for the award: a plaque, money or a certificate, although there seemed to be more support for the certificate idea. The decision is TBD.
        ◾ General Underwriting – The sense of the discussion supported approaching potential exhibitors (publishers, etc.) who might want to purchase table space. The recently used rate has been approximately $200.

   d.  – Additional Conference Items
        ◾ Adjunct Certification – Specific details will follow, but it was verified that Adjunct Certification Coordinator Chris Lynch is planning sessions for this conference. Allison Edgley has created a digital brochure for this initiative which Chris previously has emailed to the board. 
        ◾ Registration – Overall, there will be an emphasis on registering in advance via Eventbrite. Several students will be available to assist with check-in, directions, and distributing welcome packets.
        ◾ Post Conference Feedback – It was agreed that we should conduct some sort of post conference feedback—whether via hard copy, end-of-day survey instrument, or a Survey Monkey-type emailed survey or a combination of both methods.  Final decision on format is pending.

3. Outreach & Promotion

        a. The session ended with most members volunteering to take actions in three main areas:
               1) saying which school, person, entity they would be contacting in order to generate interest and conference attendance.
               2) Gathering past photos & images to update the NJCA online presence- especially on Instagram & Facebook.  In addition, Allison will ensure that Veronica and second Vice President, Erica Osmond have succinct “bios” of NJCA, since there is a lot of uncertainty among non-NJCA members about exactly what the Association is.
               3) Tracking down the gavel. There was some thought that Gina Marcello might have it.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:45.

Respectfully submitted by Evelyn Plummer, Recording Secretary, 1.30/20

Minutes of the NJCA annual business meeting
April 6, 2019, Montclair State University, NJ   

1. Call to Order: After the Keynote address by Dr. John Gastil, the meeting was called to order at 1:09 by First Vice President Todd Kelshaw, serving on behalf of President Barbara Baron who was unable to attend this year.  He welcomed attendees to the 23rd annual NJCA conference: Fun and Games.

2. President’s Report:  First Vice President Todd Kelshaw shared a report prepared by President Barbara Baron.  She thanked Montclair State University, Todd, the attendees and the supporters of this year’s conference.  In particular, she acknowledged the efforts of Treasurer Chris Caldiero, Social Media Director Chris Walker, and Journal editor Gary Radford for their efforts in such initiatives as regaining the not-for-profit status, maintaining the NJCA website, and moving members’ subscriptions for the Atlantic Journal of Communication to an electronic journal format.

3. First Vice President’s Report: Todd Kelshaw, as this year’s conference organizer, thanked Montclair State University administrators and colleagues:  College of the Arts Dean Daniel Gurskis, School of Communication and Media Director Keith Strudler, Associate Director Christine Lemesianou, Phil Bakelaar, and students in the Events Planning class for hosting NJCA this year. He also thanked NJCA Board members Barbara Baron, Chris Caldiero, Chris Walker, Evelyn Plummer, and Allison Edgley their particular assistance and support.

4. Journal Editor’s Report:  Journal editorGary Radford reported on the status and strength of the Atlantic Journal of Communication (AJC).  Few state organizations have such an asset.  He reminded the body that the Journal began in 1991 and is currently under the imprint of Taylor & Francis, the same company used by the National Communication Association. The AJC attracts high quality, international submissions which are all subject to blind, peer review. The acceptance rate is competitive (29%) with most submissions receiving a revise & resubmit response. There are five issues per year with the fifth being a special, guest-edited issue. The next special issue, to be edited by Dr. Valerie Valerie Manusov, will focus on Interpersonal Engagement.

The journal is currently accepting submissions for inclusion in the April 2020 issue; however, a new publication policy will allow accepted articles to be immediately available online.

5. Treasurer’s Report:  Treasurer Christopher Caldiero reiterated that NJCA maintains its nonprofit status with the IRS. The association is in a good financial state. Chris also acknowledged the efforts to run an efficient and economical conference.

This year, Eventbrite was selected for event registration services. A few glitches have been reported but, for the most part, the transition from using Paypal appears to have gone smoothly. Eventbrite provides several advantages in terms of facilitating online advance registration and tracking membership information.  A decision has yet to be made concerning what system to use next year.

6. There was no Membership Director report.

7. Adjunct Certification:  Coordinator Chris Lynch reviewed the steps toward certification involved in this program.

In a desire to expand the impact of the program, he asked that conference attendees actively spread the word about the NJCA “Certified Communication Adjunct Initiative” among all graduate students and adjunct faculty at their institutions.  Included in the program’s goals is a desire to increase awareness of how teaching in the communication discipline has unique and distinct sensibilities—despite the variety of the departments within which the courses might be housed. Participants who complete the multi-step procedure receive a listing and mini-resume in the NJCA online database which is offered as a resource to hiring administrators. Current holders of the certificate were asked to stand (approximately 10 awardees were recognized).   Additional information about the program can be found via the NJCA website. Today’s certificate recipients represent the third set of certificate awardees:

  • Sharon Wiltshire
  • Susan Wildorf

 7. Top papers: Public Relations Director Allison Edgley presented the following awards:

  • Top Student Paper – “Perfumed Nightmare:  A Personal Revolutionary Film”, Jessica Schlimmer, Montclair State University
  • Top Faculty Paper –   “Hating in Plain Site: The Hide and Seek Game of Hatejacking Brands”, Bond Benton and Daniela Peterka-Benton, Montclair State University

6. Election:  The slate of executive board positions was displayed on the screen.  Nominations had been solicited prior to and throughout the conference. All but two positions were populated with either incumbents or nominees. First Vice President Todd Kelshaw moved that the entire slate be elected. The assembled body agreed to this procedure, and the slate was approved by a majority vote.  A subsequent e-vote will be conducted to fill the remaining open positions—additional self-nominations came forward after the end of business meeting.

Therefore, at this meeting, the following people were elected to the 2019-2020 NJCA Executive Board:

NJCA EXECUTIVE BOARD 2019-2020

Immediate Past President                    Barbara Baron, Brookdale Community College

President                                            Todd Kelshaw, Montclair State University               

1st Vice President                                Richard Dool, Rutgers University  

2nd Vice President                               Erica Osmond, Rowan College at Burlington County

Treasurer                                           Christopher Caldiero, Fairleigh Dickinson University

Recording Secretary                           Eve Plummer, Seton Hall University

Membership Director                         Henrietta Nwako, Kean University 

Journal Editor                                     Gary Radford, Fairleigh Dickinson University

Social Media Director                       Christopher Walker, St Peter’s University

Historian                                             Thom Gencarelli, Manhattan College

Adjunct Certification Coordinator     Christopher Lynch, Kean University

Special Projects Director                     ______Open__________

Public Relations Director                  Jessica Junqua, Montclair State University

Member At-Large 1                             John Pollock, The College of New Jersey

Member At-Large 2                              Jennifer Shamrock, Monmouth University  

Student Rep (U.G.)                            Shani-Lee Purcell, Kean University  

Student Rep (U.G./G) Ngwa NumforKean University (B.A.= 5/2019)      

Student Rep (G.)Veronica Agudelo,St Peter’s University

Organizational Rep.                                 ______Open__________

Community College Rep.                        Robb Lauzon, County College of Morris

7.  Second Vice President’s Report: 2nd Vice President Rick Dool announced the date and location for next year’s conference: April 4, 2020 on the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus.

The gavel was passed, “symbolically,” and the meeting was adjourned at 1:25.

Respectively submitted by E. Plummer, recording secretary – 4/13/19

NJCA Executive Board Meeting & Conference Site Visit

Montclair State University, Morehead Hall-rm 204

Saturday, February 9, 2019 – 2:00pm

In attendance: Barbara Baron (via phone), Chris Caldiero, Alison Edgeley, Tihesha Jackson-Aaron, Todd Kelshaw, Erica Osmond (via Skype), Evelyn Plummer, Gary Radford

The Meeting was called to order at 2:15pm.

First Vice President Todd Kelshaw distributed the meeting agenda, a summary of submissions received so far, and thanked the board members in attendance (both in person and virtually).

Throughout the meeting it was noted that broader participation was needed among the executive board. Many service opportunities are available.

The minutes of the 11/8/18 Phone Conference were approved.

1.   Financial Matters:

         a.   Financial Health – Treasurer Christopher Caldiero reported that the Association’s healthy balance of $8577.00 is due in large part to Taylor & Francis waiving the two, large outstanding invoices.

        b. Accounts payable & receivable – We remain up to date with the IRS and our non-profit status. The Association now has its own checking account through the FDU Credit Union –providing easy access to our funds. Chris stressed that this makes accounts payable much easier to accomplish.  Vendor invoices can be forwarded to Chris who can pay them directly by check.President Barbara Baron suggested that an additional signator be added to the checking account to ensure association business can proceed in the event the treasurer should become unavailable. 

        c.  Deduction eligibility for donors – Chris Caldiero will investigate if the NJCA is listed as a 501(c)(3).  Such a designation would provide an incentive for potential donors & sponsors since such  contributions could be tax deductible.

Todd thanked Chris for his diligence and effectiveness in solving several issues.

2.   Update on Journal Matters

a. Journal Status –Journal Editor Gary Radford reported on the continuing health of the Atlantic Journal of Communication (AJC).  The current number of submissions will reach through April 2020.  In addition, January 2020 will feature a   special, guest-edited issue.

b. New Mailing lists – Through the NJCA’s efforts—led by President Barbara Baron and Gary Radford–Taylor & Francis agreed there had been several instances of mis-delivery and/or incorrect mailing lists for the journal (AJC), and the best way to proceed would be to start fresh by wiping out any payment balances and retiring any current “mailing lists”. Going forward, T & F will wait to receive the list of eligible recipients directly from NJCA. These lists will be generated by the Membership Director in coordination with the Treasurer via information gathered during registration. (NB: Student members do not receive the journal and Institutional Members receive only one copy to be distributed to a designated individual. 

c.  Conversion to ejournal format- Through detailed communication with Patrick Fallon at Taylor & Francis, Barbara Baron researched the comparative costs to the Association as based on delivery method. The current, mailed, hard copy method = $23 per volume. A digital-only version would be $10 per volume [i.e. $2. PER issue].

 Todd Kelshaw emphasized this is a matter of function. – not a policy change to the bylaws.  The board members in attendance all agreed that the digital version was preferable for several reasons: cost saving, more accessible delivery system, more control of distribution. Neither the NJCA constitution nor the AJC Constitution mandate a specific journal format. Gary Radford observed that since the mailing lists are now to be directly tied to the current conference registration lists, this was the best time to enact any changes.  Consequently, the Board members in attendance agreed no amendment would be needed and voted that Barbara Baron should proceed with Patrick Fallon to convert the delivery of the Atlantic Journal of Communication to NJCA members in a digital-only servicing.

3.   Report on Membership Records

a. Reconstructing Membership lists – Todd will be working with Membership Director, Henrietta Nwako to compile the current Paypal information.

          b. Because the past distribution lists are being discarded, Gary noted that, starting in April, the onus is on NJCA to supply T & F with an updated membership list of confirmed email addresses.  The Membership director should work in coordination with the Treasurer to fulfill this responsibility.

4.   Conference Updates

        a. Seeking Underwriting – Todd has been reaching out to publishers and is activelyseeking ideas& leads for finding sponsors, advertisers, etc. Among the ideas mentioned were:

> Approach ONLY book publishers that we are already using in our classes. Otherwise, it might constitute a breach of ethics. (contact Barbara Baron if you have questions about propriety)

> Approach Taylor & Francis (through Patrick Fallon) to sponsor the Keynote speaker.

>Approach Second Vice President Rick Dool for sponsorship from Rutgers programs – Graduate &/or Undergraduate. ( Rutgers has supported us in the past and it is the site of next year’s conference.

> Solicit advertisement placement from companies who are interested in attracting/hiring Communication majors

> Barbara Baron suggested a possible rate card of:  Quarter page = $100   /   Half page = $250  / Full page  = $400.  Note:  substantial lead time is needed to get camera-ready copy for program printing purposes.

        b.  Planning & operations

                            – Registration & Membership–

– Although we used Paypal last year, Chris Caldiero will be investigating Eventbrite to see if it can provide us with a smoother registration process– including gathering the kinds of records we now need.  Chris Caldiero will work with Social Media Director, Christopher Walker to ensure that the fees are listed correctly on the registration form. Last year’s fees should have been listed as Faculty= $100 / Student = $40. / Institutional = $ $290.

– It was suggested that we implement an “early bird” incentive (e.g. $10 off if registered by a specified date.) Details to be finalized.

– Much discussion followed on the need to confirm (and possibly adapt) membership fee structures (which were formally updated in 2016), a copy of the posted fees from that year are indicated below. **

-Programming –  

– A variety of submissions have already come in andTodd is still willing to accept submissions for this year’s conference. For example, he was expecting some posters from Adjunct Certification Coordinator Christopher Lynch’s students, none have been received so far. Todd will reach out to Chris L.

-In addition, he would like to have a session with members of different PRSSA members from area chapters.

– Alison Edgeley suggested a practical workshop run by an actual PR company.

– As of now, the planned schedule for the day will likely result in five(5) concurrent sessions per time block.  After discussion the following sequence was supported:  Lunch & THEN the Keynote & THEN the business meeting. The planned structure for the Keynote is 20 minutes prepared address + 10 minutes Q & A

– Specific time slots are being finalized but the day will likely start with registration at 8:00am.

-Keynote Speaker – Dr.John Gastil of Pennsylvania State University–will deliver the  Keynote address. We expect him to drive to the conference but as yet, no specific figure has been proposed for reimbursement +honorarium. Several people pointed out the possibility of getting these costs underwritten (Taylor & Francis?).  We could expect these costs to be $250–$500.

– Selecting winning papers – Todd asked for assistance in reading and selecting the top winning papers. So far, Chris Caldiero & Allison Edgley have volunteered, and Todd will categorize and provide online access. Assistance is also needed for devising the actual awards. Last year we gave printed certificates. However, other options include giving small plaques. Todd will work with Chris Caldiero to determine a reasonable expenditure and investigate whether a discount is possible if using MSU’s connections. Assistance welcome.

– Events Planning – Students in Montclair’s events planning class have beenhandling many of the “pre-production” tasks including accumulating “swag”.  They also will assist on the conference day with registration, troubleshooting, set up, “seat filling”, etc.  Anyone having flyers, pens, or similar materials for inclusion in the swag bags should contact Todd directly.

– Post Conference – As a departure from the last few years, today’s attendees did not support having a Board-to-Board meeting at the end of the conference day. 

There are still plans to have The Professors perform starting at 6:00pm – possibly at Tierney’s– a tavern about a mile down the road. Todd will be finalizing details.

– Facilities – Todd took the board members on a tour of the Presentation Hall and the meeting rooms areas. All session will be located within or adjacent to the SCM building facility (School of Communication and Media) and elevators are available to ensure accessibility.  The only area that will have dedicated tech support is the Presentation Hall- the site for the various plenary events. However, in addition to the hired tech person for the Presentation Hall, student event workers will assist with technology in all of the various session rooms. Another cost saving factor is that Montclair is not charging us the usual $500 for using Presentation Hall.

        c.  Issues being to be resolved/ investigated

At various times, the discussion acknowledged the need for more board member engagement (and ample opportunities for service).

 – No-show panelists – The goal is to ensure everyone shows to present.  Overall, the no-show problem occurs more so with panels & roundtables. Perhaps a more ‘robust” registration system would be able to track whether panelists have registered in advance and, if necessary, reminders could be sent out.

– Getting people to stay until the end of the conference day –  ECA & NYSCA use the technique of conducting a raffle for something to be given away at the end of the conference. Additional ideas included putting more interactive sessions later in the day and having strategically timed coffee breaks. 

– Food Costs – As with most academic institutions, all campus events must be serviced by the “official” food vendor (In this case = Chartwell).  Todd is exploring possible deals in order to achieve the most cost effective options and even the possibility for us to self-cater breakfast. Chris Caldiero notes our food costs have ranged from $750 to $1500.

– Food for student volunteers – Also being considered is how to provide food for the student volunteers (e.g. subsidize them by adding to the day’s menu, providing pizzas, etc.) Overall, the board was not in favor of charging hem a fee for their share of the day’s food.

– Parking – There is no free parking available on the Montclair campus. The likely procedure will involve discounted vouchers available for purchase at the NJCA registration desk.

– Nomination committee –  A committee is needed to prepare a slate for the election to be conducted at the business meeting.  The recording secretary can assist with a list of which positions are up for election this year.

**As posted on NJCA site  as of 3/12/16 ( last formal change)

  • Graduate Student Membership & Conference Registration (includes lunch) $ 40.00
  • Undergraduate Student Membership & Conference Registration (includes lunch) $ 40.00
  • Faculty and Professional Membership & Conference Registration (includes lunch) $ 100.00
  • Includes subscription to The Atlantic Journal of Communication, which is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December.
  • Academic Institutional Membership $ 290.00
  • Fee includes 2 faculty members and 4 students. (Or 1 faculty member and 6 students.) Institutional memberships also include special rates for an ad in the program, names listed in program, and acknowledgement during the business meeting. Contact njca@mmm.edu to submit copy and for deadline information.
  • Corporate Institutional Membership $ 290.00
  • Dues & Conference Fees for 3 Regular Members Note: Corporate Membership includes: a table at the conference for recruitment, a 1/4 page black and white advertisement in the conference program, or upgrades to half and full page advertisements at discounted rates. Contact njca@mmm.edu to submit copy and for deadline information.

Respectfully submitted by Evelyn Plummer, Recording Secretary, 2/16/19

NJCA Executive Board Phone Conference
Thursday, November 8, 2018 – 7:30pm

In attendance:  Chris Caldiero,  Rick Dool, Todd Kelshaw,
Erica Osmond,  Evelyn Plummer, Gary Radford

Call to Order 7:34pm

  1. Reports/Information
  1. First Vice President Todd Kelshaw thanked those who were able to call in and asked for approval of the minutes of  April 14, 2018–both for the Annual Business meeting and  the Board to Board meeting)
  2. Atlantic Journal of Communication: Journal Editor, Gary Radford reported on the strength of the journal. Current submissions are under consideration for the April 2020 issue. Several updates followed.

(1)   Journal Editor, Gary Radford, President Barbara Baron, and Treasurer Christopher Caldiero have spoken with the publisher, Taylor & Francis who acknowledged that its mailing lists had become so outdated, it was willing to waive all outstanding invoices (approximately $5000-$6000). We currently have a zero balance. It’s now up to us to provide a correct membership list. Gary will forward the details of our new operational agreement with T & F to Todd.

(2)  Although Todd has received email correspondence from Taylor & Francis requesting information for mailings to start in October 2019, he will follow up with Membership Director, Henrietta Nwako to ensure that T & F knows to await our updated list of names. Todd also pointed the Membership Director’s role in ensuring institutional members receive only one copy of the journal.  Gary suggested following up directly with the source of these mails from T & F.

(3)  Once again, the prospect was raised of converting to a digital journal format. Chris Caldiero agreed that such a format would save money for the association and, if we have an appropriate membership/registration software process, it should be easy to generate the necessary access information.   As a next step, Gary noted that we should research the details and implications of such a change. Todd pointed out the need to review the Association’s bylaws to determine whether this is a decision to be made by the Executive Board, or by the membership as a whole.

  • Treasurer’s report: Chris Caldiero affirmed that the waiver of the outstanding Taylor & Francis bill will strengthen the Association’s financial standing. The current bank account balance is about $ 8500. Todd thanked Chris for his diligence and effectiveness in dealing with several problematic issues. We are now up to date with the IRS and our non-profit status; the Association now has its own checking account with easy access to our funds. Chris noted that, our Paypal account still needs to be tweaked if we want to resume using it for registration. Going forward, he also will explore the possibility of other platforms that can create smooth registration processes including gathering the kinds of records we need. Chris Caldiero will work with Social Media Director, Christopher Walker to ensure that the fees are listed correctly on the registration form.
  1. Conference planning updates
  • The call: Todd Kelshaw is completing the final revisions to the CFP which will be distributed through a variety of media platforms– including the NJCA website. He noted that the theme of “play” (which should be interpreted broadly, creatively, and hands on) was selected prior to NCA’s theme announcement but this provides an opportunity for presenters to expand upon projects they may have introduced at this year’s NCA conference). The current call information is as follows:

     ◾Conference date: Saturday April 6, 2019

◾Location/host: Montclair State University, School of Communication and Media

◾Conference theme: Fun and games!

◾Keynote: Dr. John Gastil of Pennsylvania State University–a noted scholar of deliberative democracy and experienced game-maker and player–will discuss the prospects for “gamifying” online civic engagement.

◾Call: The New Jersey Communication Association invites submissions for participation in its 23rd annual conference, to take place at Montclair State University on Saturday April 6, 2019. We welcome academic papers, posters, thematic presentation panels, conversation circles, hands-on workshops and demonstrations, and, of course, fun and games of any creative sort. Submissions are due by Monday February 4, 2019 and may be emailed to Dr. Todd Kelshaw at todd.kelshaw@montclair.edu. The NJCA values participation of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty bedava bonus veren bahis siteleri canlı bahis oyna bedava bonus veren bahis siteleri canlı bahis canlı casino eryaman escort ankara escort scholars, and practitioners whose ideas and applications span wide-ranging topics and contexts of communication.

◾The theme: “Fun and games!” celebrates the playfulness of communication, and may be approached from many orientations and topical concerns. Surely, post-structuralist notions like Wittgenstein’s and Lyotard’s “language-games” and Derrida’s jeu libre ‘s pertain. Or the competitive spirit of, say, legal and political communication. Or the ways in which online gaming brings people together in playful relationships. Or the fun of romantic flirtation, or stand-up comedy, or… There is truly no non-fun way to approach this theme.

 

  • Financial support: Todd reported on the progress in securing outside sponsorships and/or financial support. He has already approached Sage & Oxford Press and encourages the board members to make similar contacts with their respective book representatives. As one selling point,  NJCA is a pedagogy-friendly conference with the added perk of adjunct certification participants thus making it a rich opportunity for exposure to a publisher’s products.

(1) He also wants to encourage institutional memberships

(2) He reminded us to talk up the conference to our students and colleagues.

  • Support from Montclair: The usage fee will be waived for the presentation hall. Todd will continue to negotiate with his dean. NJCA will be considered a “client” in Todd’s events planning class and those students will be providing such services as pre-event outreach and marketing as well as on-site hosting on the day of the conference.  Please contact Todd with any other ideas you may have for gaining financial support.
  • After Party: After some discussion, the board agreed to explore the details and logistics involved for an post-conference party at Tierney’s  which is 1-2 miles away from the campus. The preliminary plan is to rent the upstairs room for a brief gathering including a performance by “The Professors”. Current considerations include:

(1) The cost would be $75 per hour + the fee for the upstairs bartender fee.

(2) Using this venue would exclude participation by underage conference attendees.

(3) One way to offset costs could be to include a small fee option during registration (e.g. $5)

Chris Caldiero has some previous experience with this establishment and he and Todd will contact Tierney’s manager for additional information.

  1. Next meeting

      Todd would like to have another phone meeting for the board before the end of the semester and a face-to-face meeting on site, probably in January. He will send out Doodle polls accordingly.

Phone conference ended at 8:05pm
Respectfully submitted by Evelyn Plummer, Recording Secretary, 11/11/18

NJCA: Incoming and Outgoing Members’ Board Meeting – Brookdale Community College (Navesink 1 – Student Life Center) Saturday, April 14, 2018 -approximately 4:40-5:15pm

In attendance: (partial list): Martin Alonzo, Barbara Baron, Allison Edgley, Todd Kelshaw, Chris Lynch, Dan Leyes, Henrietta Nwako,  Evelyn Plummer, Gary Radford, Chris Walker,  Cynthia Walker

  1. Initial conference post mortem observations –

> Gina Marcello was unable to attend so at this time, the gavel was passed in-concept-only  to incoming president Barbara Baron.

> The online registration form incorrectly listed the faculty fee as $90 instead of $100.

> Using Paypal still is not ideal for our registration needs. Treasurer, Chris Caldiero had to manually create a spreadsheet in order to keep track of memberships and had to contact registrants separately—outside of the Paypal application.

> The display tables (Publishers – e.g. Kendall Hunt and Institutions– e.g. Rutgers) constitute a valuable means for promotion and we should work to solicit more participation. One idea offered was to include a table in the Institutional membership fee. Overall, Barbara would like to see a wider presence of such sponsorship.

> Chris Walker was thanked for his work on restoring the NJCA website. It was suggested that we use the site to foreground such promotional items as images from the conference and/or the names of award winners—rather than having visitors land first on such internal information as the minutes from board meetings.  P.R. director, Allison Edgley will work to ensure photos from the conference are posted on the site.

> The adjunct certification program continues to be a strong selling point. Chris Lynch reminded all to promote it to graduate students and current adjuncts at our respective institutions. He would like to see wider representation from institutions throughout the state. In addition, he is planning to contact department chairs to let them know of our growing database of certified adjuncts (now up to 10).  Barbara pointed out that some schools have very strict hiring regulations and having candidates’ images visible might create a problem for objective hiring practices. Consequently, current practice will be maintained which lists only names, date of certification, degrees, courses taught, and previous adjunct employment.

> Some discussion followed regarding procedures for this year’s top paper awards, including: “What are the requirements for author to be present?” and “Is there a limit on the number of co-authors?”  Todd clarified that he and Rick had read the submitted papers and believed it was appropriate this year to add awards for faculty & for an institution; however, with only two posters, they decided not to give an award in that area.  Mostly due to oversight, no monetary awards were distributed at this year’s conference.  It was noted that a variety of procedures have been used in the past—depending on the financial health of the Association. This year, some of the winners received autographed copies of Dr. Olson’s book.

  1. Suggestions & looking to the future

> Now that we have regained our nonprofit status, several past obstacles are now gone. Chris Lynch noted that, once again, it might be possible to accept donations and in-kind contributions such as publishers sponsoring breakfast/refreshment breaks.

> Barbara suggested writing a congratulatory letter to the institutions of award winners.

> Barbara mentioned that in addition to promoting communication pedagogy in the broad sense, it might be beneficial to offer some ultra-basic instructional workshops–such as how to grade a speech. Chris Lynch confirmed that as the program grows, so will the breadth of the topics.

> Having a mini-job fair was mentioned as a possibility, but the additional costs to registrants (both the candidate and the interviewing institutions) might prove to be hindrances to participation.

>Todd will be emailing the Board over the summer reminding us to give our students early notice in order to have papers ready for submission by January. Montclair has new facilities and will be well suited to media-related topics. And the renowned music group, THE PROFESSORS , likely will perform at the end of the conference.

  1. Issues with the Publisher

> Barbara and Allison reiterated issues mentioned at the previous meetings. They continue to receive very little response from “Gillian” who is supposed to be the person in charge of our account at Taylor & Francis. Gary pointed out that he has had a long standing, face-to-face relationship with an administrator in a higher position at T & F and part of the problem may be due to “Gillian’s” brief experience with the company and our needs.  The mis-delivery problems are probably due to T & F not using the correct mailing list (e.g. several instances where those who should receive it, don’t (e.g.  faculty/institutional members) and those who shouldn’t receive it do (e.g. student members).   Another issue is the continually increasing cost. The fee we are being charged has increased by about $1400 over the last 2 years. (currently approximately $3800/$23 per copy). Barbara also would like to explore the possibility of converting to an ejournal.   Gary should be copied on any future correspondence conducted with T& F.

Respectively submitted, Evelyn Plummer, recording secretary 4/21/18

NJCA Executive Board Phone Conference
Thursday, February 8, 2018 – 5:30pm
In attendance:  Barbara Baron, Rick Dool, Mike Echols,  Allison Edgely, Todd Kelshaw ,               Christopher Lynch, Robert Mann, Gina Marcello,  Nick Messina , Evelyn Plummer, John Pollock , Christopher Walker

Conference Planning Updates:

  • First Vice President, Barbara Baron gave several updates. Currently approximately four submissions have been received from faculty and six from individual students. Several board members announced plans to submit additional panels. Nevertheless, the board strongly supported sticking to past practice and extending the submission deadline beyond the current date of 2/14/18.
  • Some clarification was requested on the features of an Institutional Membership (Fee includes 2 faculty members and 4 students [or 1 faculty member and 6 students] / Institutional memberships also include special rates for an ad in the program, names listed in the program , and acknowledgement during the business meeting.)
  • Although many of the College of New Jersey authors have a scheduling conflict (a health conference in Kentucky occurring on the same date) Barbara pointed out that in the case of multiple-author, student papers, it is not appropriate for the same individual to present more than one paper orally — even if he/she was a listed author on more than one paper.
  • Immediate Past President, Bob Mann will work to ensure that the keynote speech is recorded.
  • Brookdale Community College is generously providing usage of their facilities without extra charge and is allowing for use of outside catering services.
  • Second Vice President, Todd Kelshaw volunteered to assist Special Projects Director, Rick Dool with reading submissions and selecting the best paper winners.
  • Todd Kelshaw will coordinate with Barbara about which institutions might want to have a table. For example, he is interested in starting to promote Montclair as the location of next year’s conference.

Financial Matters:

  • Prior to the phone meeting, Treasurer, Chris Caldiero reported a balance of $8300  in the treasury—not including a pending payment to Taylor Francis for the Atlantic Journal of Communication. Chris is working on reactivating our Paypal account which currently is still under the name of a long past treasurer.
  • Several entities are providing financial support. We are particularly grateful for the continued contributions and support from Rutgers. This year Rutgers is providing $1500. The board expressed the importance of maintaining this alliance and Rick Dool verified that Rutgers is still interested in maintaining this connection. We probably should work toward holding the conference at Rutgers in the near future.
  • Barbara has been able to gain additional financial support from a variety of sources:
  • Kendall Hunt will pay for air fare of the keynote speaker (Dr. Clark D. Olson, Professor of Communication at the Hugh Downs School of Communication at Arizona State University. Dr. Olson is also willing to do an additional guest talk at Rutgers on the topic of civil dialogue but Rick Dool observed that might not be logistically feasible at this time. MacMillan publishers will be contributing $175 which we will put toward Dr. Olson’s lodging costs. Right now, the plan is for Dr. Olson to stay for two nights and he will receive an honorarium of $600.
  • Once again, the issue was raised about the high charges we receive from Taylor Francis (approximately $2000 a year). Of particular concern is the inaccurate distribution of the hard copy journals and the desirability of conversion to an ejournal. Some of these issues might be fixed with a more direct connection between our conference registration lists and Taylor/Francis’ mailing lists (e.g. student registrants should not be receiving the journal).   Barbara Baron and Public Relation Director, Allison Edgely have been unsuccessful in getting satisfactory responses from the contact person at Taylor/Francis: “Gillian”. They will be reaching out to our Journal Editor, Gary Radford who also has raised some of these issues with T/F in the past. Barbara also is pursuing the possibility of having AJC copies available at the conference.
  • Our non-profit status problems have been solved!

Updates on Website & Listerv issues.

  • Recently both the NJCA website as well as the membership email list has required major reconstruction. Social Media Director, Christopher Walker has already migrated key elements. There are still several problems with the reconstruction of the listserv. Several people have reported not receiving the calls this year even though Barbara had her secretary create a mass mailing of approximately 570 names in order to resend the call on 1/31/18. However, some people reported seeing lists out there with as many as 1600 names although not all may be valid. Several board members commented that this is an easy problem to fix and should be a task priority after this year’s conference.  In addition, information about the call has been disseminated through other means. Graduate and Undergraduate communication departments and Community Colleges have been directly contacted via those board representatives. In addition, President Gina Marcello has posted the call on Twitter and Facebook.
  • The conference registration function still needs to be added to the webpage. Barbara Baron and Chris Caldiero both endorse having all registrations done in advance if at all possible.
  • Christopher Walker has put in considerable work to re-instate our website. According to current arrangement is that Chris receives $20. monthly to maintain the site and he will submit an invoice for $200 for the work done to accomplish the migration. Although precedent exists for paying for website maintenance (e.g. we had agreed to pay Andy Mudrak of Rutgers $500 per 6 months—even though he did not receive all payments), Adjunct Certification Coordinator,  Christopher Lynch offered the recommendation to have the job performed by a fulltime faculty member who could use the website work to fulfill service-to-the-organization. President Gina Marcello observed that a high level of skills will be necessary to maintain a professional looking site, and we probably will need to pay for that.

Respectfully submitted by Evelyn Plummer, Recording Secretary, 2/11/18

Minutes – NJCA Meeting (submitted by Erica Osmond)
October 14, 2017, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ

Attendance:

  • Barbara Baron, Brookdale Community College
  • Gina Marcello, Georgian Court University
  • Todd Kelshaw, Montclair State University
  • Christopher Caldiero, FAirleigh Dickinson University
  • Christopher Lynch, Kean University
  • Allison Edgley, Kean University
  • Erica Osmond, Rowan College at Burlington County
  • Henrietta Walker, Kean University
  1. Call to order: 10:17am and welcome by Barbara Baron
  2. Approval of minutes: approval of minutes were passed from the March 25, 2017 meeting.
  3. New Business:
    a. Conference Date: The annual NJCA conference will be held at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, New Jersey on Saturday April 14, 2018.
    i. The NJCA “not for profit” status was reinstated.
    ii. Concerns about conference cost came up during discussion by meeting attendees. It was shared that Brookdale Community College will waive the conferences space. However, the NJCA will be responsible to pay a maintenance fee (fee total was not shared), a technology fee for one technology person (fee total was not shared), and a food and beverage fee (fee total was not shared).
    iii. A review of the current budget was presented. An estimated total of available funds is $5,500. The $5,500 estimated budget will need to be used for partial conference costs and web page creation project. (See IV regarding web page project)
    iv. Currently the web page for the NJCA does not display correctly. Viewers are seeing the code (HTML) on the home page and the webpage sits on the Rutgers server. Gina Marcello has been working with the Rutgers University technology department to solve this issue with little success. It was decided after discussion that the NJCA would like to create a web page that its Executive Board could have control of easily through a program such as WordPress. Some of this years estimated available assets ($5,500) will need to be used to support this project. We will need to pay a web builder to move information from the broken site to the new site.b. Journal
    i. Questions came up as to who actually receives a hard copy of the journal. After discussion it was concluded that some members are getting online access to the journal if their names are in the database. However, we need to find an efficient way to send current member names to Taylor and Francis for journal access.
    ii. Questions arose regarding what the cost of the journal was based on and if a hard copy was any longer needed.
    iii. Dan Leyes, Membership Director should be sending an updated list of names to Taylor and Francis and needs to get clarification from them on the procedures for journal access.c. Theme
    i. Taking Sides: The Challenge of Civil Discourse will be the 2018 NJCA conference theme.
    ii. Keynote Speaker: Barbara Baron will be inviting Dr. Clark Olsen from Arizona State University to be the keynote speaker for the NJCA 2018 conference in April.
    iii. Barbara Baron will also speak with Oxford University Press to possibly sponsor Dr. Olsen’s trip if he accepts the invitation to speak. She will also ask if Dr. Olsen’s new text can be issued to conference participants.
    iv. The idea of “Fun & Games” was suggested as a theme for a future conference.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:30 am.