Welcome to the Mass Communication Division of the National Communication Association. Our division is coming off a year of key changes: We have developed a new IDEA initiative with several key action items intended to increase the recognition and celebration of scholarship and scholars that embody Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access.
Our research chair, Arienne Ferchaud , has modified the conference submission process so that the division now asks authors to indicate whether or not their paper/panel has a specific focus on IDEA. This indication has no bearing on acceptance, but will be used to establish baseline numbers on how well our division is recruiting and accepting scholarship that speaks to these important efforts. Additionally, by allowing authors to define IDEA, we have intentionally refrained from constraining the definition
At our business meeting in November, we also elected a new IDEA officer, Sumana Chattopadhyay , who will oversee all future initiatives related to IDEA. Right now, Sumana is working with past chair Valerie Kretz to plan a discussion panel devoted entirely to IDEA efforts for this November.