I. Call to Order & Welcome (John C. Tedesco, Chair)
John called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. and welcomed everyone. He thanked everyone for the privilege and honor of serving as chair.
II. Approval of 2005 Minutes (Secretary, Julia Spiker)
The minutes were approved.
III. Nomination & Election of New Officers (Nominating Committee Chair, Shawn Parry-Giles)

1. Vice Chair-Elect
2. Secretary
3. Nominating Committee

Shawn thanked the other members of the nominating committee for their efforts—Erik Bucy, David Domke, Glenn Hansen, and Kaye Trammell.
Two Vice Chair-Elect candidates were presented: Mary Stuckey (Georgia State University) and Mari Boor Tonn (University of Maryland).
Two candidates for Secretary were presented: Lisa Burns (Quinnipiac University) and Jeffrey Jones (Old Dominion University).
Ten candidates for the Nominating Committee were presented: Paul Achter (University of Richmond); Mary Banwart (University of Kansas); Vanessa Beasley (University of Georgia); Jill Edy (University of Oklahoma); Lisa Gring-Pemble (George Mason University); John Jones (Pepperdine University); Kate Kenski (University of Arizona); Nojin Kwak (University of Michigan); Monica Postelnicu (Louisiana State University); and Hernando Rojas (University of Wisconsin).
IV. Officers' Reports:
A. Vice Chair and Program Planner (Vice Chair, Lance Holbert)
1. Report on 2006 Program
Lance thanked everyone who served as reviewers, chairs and respondents. He presented the 2006 competitive paper and panel summary. The summary follows:

• Total panel submissions: 23
• Initial panels accepted: 9 (39%)
• Total paper submissions: 110
• Initial papers accepted: 65 (59%)
• Total Scholar-to-Scholar Submissions: 8
• Initial StS accepted: 5 (63%)

Division granted 27 slots, with allocation:

• 16 competitive paper sessions
• 9 competitive panel sessions
• 1 business meeting
• 1 social gathering

Argued for and received 3 additional slots from NCA on 4-26-06
Accepted 2 additional competitive panels
Final panel accept rate= 48%
Accepted 4 additional papers
Final paper accept rate = 63%
Passed along six well received, but rejected competitive papers to Paaige Turner on 3-20-06 for possible Scholar-to-Scholar presentation.
2. Top Papers for 2006
“Antapologia in the 1960 Spy Plane Incident.” Kevin A. Stein, Southern Utah University
“Intimacy Appeals in Israeli Televised Political Advertising.” Galit Marmor-Lavie, the University of Texas at Austin, Department of Advertising; Gabriel Weimann, University of Haifa, Department of Communication
“Contested Meanings: Public Perceptions of Feminist Ideology in the Clinton-Jones-Lewinsky Scandal.” Shereen Bingham, University of Nebraska, Omaha; Barbara Pickering, University of Nebraska, Omaha; Deborah Smith-Howell, University of Nebraska, Omaha.
“Examining Media Coverage and Casualty Intolerance for Post Invasion Iraq.” Glenn Hansen, University of Oklahoma; Michel M. Haigh, University of Oklahoma; Michael Pfau, University of Oklahoma
C.Chair (Chair, John C. Tedesco)
Legislative Assembly Report
John reported that the Political Communication Division remained the fifth largest division in NCA with close to 800 members. The Political Communication Division Reception is scheduled for Saturday, November 18, 2006 from 7-8:15 in Room 215 of the Gonzales Convention Center. The sponsor of the reception is Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. The top papers will be awarded at the reception. The awards champagne toast is compliments of Carole Lewis Morris in tribute to Lake Erie College and Patrick Morris for the political communication program at Emerson College.
The financial health of NCA is very good. John summarized a report by Kate Hawkins, Finance Board Director, given at the legislative assembly. The points summarized are as follows:

• NCA approved a contingency plan and a contingency fund of one million dollars. This amount approximates six months of operation for NCA.
• NCA approved a $10 increase in dues solely to keep the same services available to members.
• NCA approved an increase in Life Membership from $3500 to $4500.
• NCA withdrew a motion to eliminate sustaining and patron membership. This motion drew heated discussion. More than one third (36%) of NCA members are sustaining members. The proposal sought to unbundled conference and registration fees, thus adding significantly to the costs for all those who use this as their membership category.

John summarized other actions taken in the legislative assembly. They are as follows:

• NCA passed “Suggested Guidelines” for undergraduate programs in communication.
• NCA elected LA representatives to the Committee of Committees and the Committee on the Agenda.
• NCA adopted a proposed statement on labor disputes. This was not a political motion to indicate that we are pro- or anti-labor in any way. This was simply to provide us a legal out in contract negotiations if for some reason a hotel we contract with is unable to provide conference services for us.
• NCA approved two unit changes: Caucus on Gay and Lesbian Concerns will be the Caucus on Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns; Communication Apprehension and Avoidance Division will be the Communication Apprehension and Competence Division.
• NCA approved a Masters Education Section and a Communication as Social Construction Division
• Additional discussion of a sliding scale fee structure was introduced and heated debate followed.

John opened the floor for discussion on the use of a sliding scale fee structure for NCA. Comments included: opposition to a sliding scale due to cheating (not reporting salary accurately); suggestion of using another criterion such as membership based upon rank; and curiosity was expressed as to why the issue of recalculating membership fees is occurring now that NCA is in better financial health.
V. Old Business
A.Establishment of Division Awards (Mitchell McKinney, Immediate Past Chair)
The committee was composed of: Mitchell McKinney (Chair), Kathy Kendall, Sharon Jarvis, Glenn Hansen, Janis Edward, and Abby Hendren (graduate student representative).
A recommended action was brought before the body. A second was not needed since it came from committee. The motion follows:
Recommended Action
The Political Communication Division's Ad-hoc Committee on Division Awards moves adoption of the following motion:
The Political Communication Division shall establish three awards for outstanding scholarship, including:

1. Outstanding Book Award
2. Outstanding Article Award
3. Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award

An award for Outstanding Book may be given annually to the author(s) or editor(s) of an outstanding scholarly book. Textbooks are not eligible for consideration.
An award for Outstanding Article may be given annually to the author(s) of a journal article, chapter or essay appearing in an edited book.
Books and articles published within a two-year period preceding the annual award will be eligible for consideration (i.e., 2005-2006) publications are eligible for the 2007 annual awards).
An award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation may be given annually. Nominations for this award should be made by the advisor of the dissertation or a faculty member from the department in which the dissertation was completed.
Eligible dissertations must have been successfully defended in the calendar year preceding the award (i.e., candidates whose degrees were awarded in 2006 will be eligible for the 2007 dissertation and thesis award).
The Chair of the Division will annually appoint award committees, designating a Chair for each committee
The motion was discussed. One correction was approved—"and thesis" was removed. The motion passed.
VI. New Business
Members were asked to summarize their expertise in political communication and send that to John Tedesco.
Members were asked to nominate classic political communication articles for consideration by NCA. NCA is creating a compilation of the 400 most significant communication articles.
VII. Election Results

• Mary Stuckey (George State University) is the new Vice Chair-Elect.
• Lisa Burns (Quinnipiac University) is the new Secretary.
• The 2007 nominating committee is composed of Mary Banwart—Chair (University of Kansas), Vanessa Beasley (University of Georgia); Jill Edy (University of Oklahoma); Lisa Gring-Pemble (George Mason University); and Kate Kenski (University of Arizona).

VIII. Gronbeck Award Presentation (Judith Trent)
Mary Stuckey (Georgia State University) was the first recipient of the Gronbeck Award.
IX. Announcements

1. PCD Reception (Saturday, 7-8:15 p.m., Convention Center, Room 215)
2. Other announcements

John reminded everyone about the reception scheduled for Saturday. He thanked the outgoing officers for their past efforts and welcomed the new officers.
Meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Julia Spiker
Political Communication Division Secretary