S O U T H E R N S T A T E S C O M M U N I C A T I O N A S S O C I A T I O N

SPRING 2017 VOL. 35, NO. 1

2016-04-05 14.18.27. by Matt Glaman/CC BY-SA 2.0

Change, alteration, revolution, up-heaval, transformation, metamorphosis, breakthrough: what do these words have in common? Are they a set of terms that capture the essence of our contemporary moment? Or perhaps the state of higher education today? Are they the terms as-signed to the stages of a social movement or the life and death cycle of a political party or candidate? In fact, these words are all listed as synonyms for “innova-tion.” Additionally, an innovation may be defined as “a new method, idea or product.” Despite the seemingly clear link between our communication schol-arship and pedagogy and the term in-novation, it is interesting to note that we have never, in our association’s history, used the word innovation in a conference theme up to this point. Yet our associa-tion has been both the catalyst for and the

stage on which we have developed and shared countless innovations. It’s time to celebrate, recognize, and develop the re-lationship between innovation and our communication research, scholarship and teaching even as we challenge our-selves to re-think old assumptions and to renew our commitments to scholarship and teaching that matter in the world. I look forward to joining each and every one of you in Greenville, SC for our 87th annual convention. GO GREENVILLE!

Our convention features 192 panels and sessions that address all aspects of communication and innovation. As you consider the many offerings available during the convention, I want to draw your attention to several panels that fea-ture the city of Greenville and/or the con-ference hotel including, “Communicat-ing Greenville as Innovative Space: From Southern to Global Village,” hosted by our colleagues from Furman University on Thursday morning. This panel and tour promises to provide convention at-tendees with a fulsome introduction to the convention city. A companion panel scheduled for Friday around noon ex-plores Greenville as a “Communicative City” case study and features urban com-munication scholars in conversation with

SSCA’s Path to Communication and Innovation Leads to Greenville, SC

Please see Greenville, page 4

VICTORIAGALLAGHER

First Vice President

Southern StatesCommunication

Association

vgallagh@ncsu.edu

SSCAElections

Page 2

Challengesand Changes

Page 3

Southern Reflections

Page 3

UHCGreenville

Page 5

CaringConnections

Page 5-6

INSIDETHIS ISSUE

Click to connect with SSCA.

SSCA SPRING 2017

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Many Americans were fatigued at what seemed to be a never-ending national election cycle and so I hope the title of this piece does not conjure up adverse reactions. It is SSCA elec-tion time again! I hope you received an email from SSCA indicating that the SSCA polls were open and offer-ing directions for accessing candidate information.

To access the candidate statements and CVs you must follow three sim-ple steps. First, login to ssca.net. Sec-ond, click on the Members tab in the menu at the top of the page. Third, on the left hand side of the page you will see a tab labeled Candidates for 2nd VP and a tab labeled Candidates for NCA Rep. If you click on those tabs you will see candidate statements and abbreviated CVs.

The email sent to members includ-ed a link to the Survey Monkey site to vote. In case you have inadvertently deleted the email you will also see a Vote Here tab beneath the candidate tabs.

Voting closes March 1, 2017.

Early Conference Registration is Our FriendEarly conference registration and membership renewal is encouraged for

three reasons. First, it will save most SSCA members some money. The confer-ence registration rate is discounted to non-members, regular members, and student members, so you can save money by registering early. Second, your early conference registration helps SSCA more accurately plan the conference activities and better manage conference costs. Third, your early conference registration and membership renewal will reduce your waiting time when you arrive for the conference. Your conference badge, program, and other materials will be waiting for you with minimal waiting time. Please consider renewing your membership early and pre-registering on or before March 19, 2017 for this year’s conference. See you in Greenville!

Hotel Registration and the SSCA Room BlockThe SSCA room rates for the Hyatt Regency Greenville are $169 per night

for single or double occupancy, $179 for triple occupancy, and $189 for quad occupancy. Those room rates are only guaranteed until the block of rooms included in the SSCA contract fills or until March 27, whichever occurs first. As of January 31, 2017 the room block was 85% full. To reserve your room at the conference rate go to ssca.net, click on the Convention tab at the top of the page, and then on the Hyatt Regency Greenville tab that will appear.

head

Election Time Again

VOL. 35, NO. 1

Spring 2017

Connections is the official

newsletter of the Southern States

Communication Association (SSCA).

It is published two times a

year by the School of Humanities

and Social Sciences

at the College of Charleston.

Jerold L. HaleExecutive Director

Thomas EzellEditor and Designer

Southern States Communication Association

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

2 GreenwayCharleston, SC 29424

Jerold L.HALE

Executive Director

Southern StatesCommunication

Association

director@ssca.net

For SSCA convention and hotel reservation information visit www.ssca.net/convention.

SSCASPRING 2017

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 SSCA’s Future Challenges and Changes – Stay Tuned!

Warmest greetings from central Texas! This is an exciting time for our association. We gathered last spring in Austin for our largest convention ever, and are preparing for a fantastic meeting in Greenville, South Carolina this year. Many thanks to Vicki Gallagher for her terrific efforts in planning our 2017 program, and to Jason Munsell for planning the 2017 Theodore J. Clevenger Undergraduate Honors Conference. This promises to be an outstanding meeting, so be sure to make your travel plans soon.

When we meet in Greenville in April, to-gether we will be considering several policies

and practices at our business meeting and in conversations throughout the conven-tion. Many of these are connected to SSCA’s new strategic plan, particularly the need to update our association’s efficiency and plan-ning, our need to responsibly manage our budget and plan for the future, and the ne-cessity to review our governing documents to reflect some recent changes.

The issues that we will bring forward in-clude the beginning stages of what will likely be a multiple-year project to examine con-ference fees, restructure the registration fee schedule, and reorganize our membership categories and periods to provide for greater predictability in the budget process. We also will be discussing an advertising policy for our Connections newsletter and convention program. Third, the Constitution committee will be bringing forward some proposed up-dates to our governing documents as part of the necessary maintenance for our associa-tion. Finally, we will take a look at our typical

convention offerings and discuss whether and how to launch some of the good ideas in the strategic plan, including short courses, programs in collaboration with local com-munity colleges and HBCU’s, and honorary programs for award winners.

I also will report further on a renewed collaboration between the National Com-munication Association and the regional Communication associations. We had a very frank and productive meeting in Novem-ber at the NCA convention in Philadelphia among the Presidents and Executive Direc-tors of the four regionals and the NCA lead-ership that bodes very well for the future.

I hope that all of this “administrative talk” has convinced you that SSCA is hard at work to serve its members and plan for its future. Please do not hesitate to contact me with ideas, suggestions, and concerns at rm07@txstate.edu. I look forward to seeing you in Greenville!

ROSEANN M.MANDZIUK

President

Southern StatesCommunication

Association

rm07@txstate.edu

In my role as Marketing Director, I have often reported on my areas of responsibility, particularly highlighting program advertising, conven-tion exhibitors, UHC sponsorships, and institutional memberships. Soon after accepting this position, I realized the important budget-ary impact of my efforts. Consequently, you have heard my numerous pleas for support over the years, and many of you responded time and time again. I am overwhelmed by your generosity! Just take a look:

I want to personally thank you for your love of Southern! I know firsthand that many of you support the Association in multiple ways, year after year, even when departmental budgets are tight. I recognize your commitment and the faith you place in the Association to stew-ard your dollars in smart and useful ways. It is these partnerships that afford the Association both stability and opportunity for growth. Thank you for answering the call, for responding to my emails, for

meeting publication deadlines, and for being so kind and pa-tient in the process.

Other marketing efforts have had a less direct impact on the Association’s bottom line but are important in different ways. It was always my goal to cultivate members’ identification with and excite-ment about SSCA, and I encouraged everyone to Share the Southern Experience! We have increased our social media presence, particu-larly around convention time, and it has been fun to watch members connect with colleagues and friends. I have enjoyed giving away some Southern merchandise, from t-shirts to pens, and I hope you have enjoyed taking home a little something to remind you of SSCA throughout the year.

I think most would agree that there’s something special about this Association we call ‘home,’ and it has been a highlight of my pro-fessional career to have served as your Marketing Director. I wish my successor, Ashli Quisenberry Stokes, the very best, and I look forward to serving Southern in other capacities in the future. See you in Greenville!

Source of RevenueProgram AdvertisingConvention ExhibitorsUHC SponsorsInstitutional Memberships

TOTAL TO DATE

Total Raised from 2012-2017$33,745 and counting$ 8,925 and counting$ 8,500$10,400

$61,570 and counting!

JENNIFERMIZESMITH

Marketing Director

Southern StatesCommunication

Association

jennifer.mize.smith@wku.edu

Southern Reflections

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An SSCA BOLO Alert—Life, Patron, and Sustaining Members

Life, Patron, and Sustaining member-ships to SSCA all include the cost of annual conference membership. Our Patron and Sustaining members frequently renew their memberships at the conference. While we welcome onsite membership renewals

those renewals make it harder for the SSCA staff to plan the conference. Our food and beverage orders are due in a month before the conference and can be influenced by conference reg-istrations at the time the order is due.

Life, Patron, and Sustaining members BE ON THE LOOK-OUT for an email from me asking whether you will be attending the conference. We hope the information the replies we get back from you will help us with more accurate conference at-tendance projections.

Advantages of Early Conference RegistrationRegular and Student members of SSCA, along with non-

members who will attend the annual conference in Greenville, please consider registering for the conference on or before March 19, 2017. There are three advantages to registering on or before March 19. First, you will be helping the SSCA staff more accurately project conference membership. Second, you will save money by registering early. Non-members will save $15, Regular members will save $10, and Student members will save $5 by registering early. A third advantage is that you will avoid lines at registration if you register early.Book Hotel Rooms Immediately

The Hyatt’s group room block is full unless there has been a random cancellation. The overflow room block at Home2Suites by Hilton is limited. If you are attending the Greenville confer-ence please book your room immediately. Check availability on the SSCA website where the hotels’ reservation links are provided.

Officer recruitment

local Greenville leaders and activists. On Saturday, our colleagues from Greenville Technical College will put on an original, site specific performance titled, “Too Per-fect?: The Cyborg Who Schooled Me” to further engage us in our convention lo-cation. And on Sunday morning, an art/performance installation titled “Afterlife” will be available all morning long at the hotel for viewing/experiencing. These programs feature not only innovative approaches to communication research and pedagogy but also, innovations in the types of panels we feature during our conventions. I hope you will join us for one or more of these site-specific programs.

Of special note is the Vice President Spotlight Panel scheduled for Friday late afternoon. I am pleased to announce that Michael McCurry, Distinguished Professor of Public Theology at Wesley Seminary, head of the presidential debate commission, and former White House Press Secretary to President Bill Clin-ton, will be joining us for a conversation about communication and innovations

in presidential campaigns. This is a panel you will not want to miss as three of our SSCA colleagues, Drs. Jennifer Mercieca, Navita Cummings James, and Ken Za-gacki (with Dr. Mary Stuckey serving as our moderator) discuss timely issues such as the impact of social media on the abil-ity of a president and the White House to promulgate messages, the key ingredients of effective communication in the White House, analysis of the communication strategies of the 2016 Presidential Cam-paign, and an assessment of the efficacy and significance of presidential campaign debates.

In addition to the many exciting and thought provoking panels and presenta-tions scheduled for our convention, plan to take some time to experience the city outside the doors of the hotel. Greenville’s main street has been recognized as one of America’s Top 10 Main Streets by “O” magazine. It is delightfully walk-able with many restaurant and retail options along with cultural and sporting venues within a 5-10 minute walk. Consider taking time to visit the Greenville County Museum of Art, just 3 blocks from the hotel featuring the work of Grainger McCoy, bird carver and artist and an exhibition of 80 works providing a retrospective of Andrew

Wyeth’s paintings as well as the work of his father, N.C. Wyeth son Jaimee and sisters, Carolyn and Henrietta. Or plan ahead and book tickets for An Evening with Gladys Kinght on Wednesday night, April 5, 2017 at the Peace Center for the Performing Arts or for the Greenville Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Mahler’s 6th Symphony also at the Peace Center on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Or if you are more inclined toward sporting events, the Greenville Drive—the minor league baseball team whose Greenville stadium is a miniature version of Fenway Park—is playing a home stand against the Delmarva Snowbirds April 6-9, 2017. In any case, do not miss the chance to ex-plore Greenville’s Falls Park at the Reedy, a beautiful downtown park that repre-sents what is possible when a community works together to restore its environmen-tal resources.

Thank you for the opportunity to plan this convention, to observe, first hand, the generosity and rigor of our colleagues who served as division and interest group planners, reviewers, presenters and pan-elists. My world has been improved by working with you all. I look forward to seeing you and thanking you personally in Greenville, SC, April 5-9, 2017.

GreenvilleContinued from page 1

Jerold L.HALE

Executive Director

Southern StatesCommunication

Association

director@ssca.net

Convention Notes from the Executive Director

SSCASPRING 2017

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I have no idea what that title is sup-posed to mean; I guess that’s the point and I’ll come to that later…

In April we’ll enjoy the 27th annual Theodore Clevenger Jr. Undergraduate Honors Conference (UHC) during our 87th annual SSCA convention. The num-ber of submissions for the UHC exceeded my expectations and it was only slightly down from Austin at approximately 120 submissions! I expanded the number of reviewers this year by about +20% so reviewers only had to read and com-ment on four papers as opposed to six. I asked countless colleagues to review for the UHC for the first time and had a very diverse pool of reviewers. I’m amazingly thankful for their time and effort over the holiday season; the turnaround for the UHC is always very tight. I’m also very thankful to those who have volunteered to respond to the presentations in Green-ville. Responding takes a load of work! The names of all the UHC reviewers and of course the respondents will be in the convention program. In sum, we have 16 panels and thus 75 papers that will be

presented as well as a performance and four digital presentations. The first set of panels will start on Friday, April 7 at 10:15am and the last set will be on Sat-urday, April 8 at 4:15pm. I want to par-ticularly note the Top Papers Panels. For the first time in the UHC’s history, we have designated the Top Paper Panels as Clevenger Panels and each student pre-senting on those panels are designated as Clevenger Scholars. This honors the student scholars as well as the legacy of Theodore Clevenger, Jr. There’s a Top Pa-pers in Media and Popular Communica-tion on Saturday at 9:30am; Top Papers in Survey and Applied Research on Satur-day at 11am; and Top Papers in Rhetori-cal Theory and Criticism at 2:45pm on Saturday. We will announce the winner of the coveted Franklin Shirley Award for Top Paper at our Saturday morning UHC Breakfast as well, of course, at the Awards Luncheon. And at the breakfast Saturday morning we will have several graduate programs with tables there recruiting; so sort of like a graduate school fair with grits. Thank you to Jennifer Mize-Smith and those graduate programs for putting that together. I highly encourage SSCA members to attend the UHC panels. The undergraduate students always do a fabulous job. And please don’t forget to come to the Osborn Reception on Satur-

day evening to congratulate our students, talk with them, recruit them, and the like. Finally, I used references to popular 80s bands or songs for the names of the pan-els—I just thought that would be fun. In our current political climate, we have to fight for our right to party. In short, I look forward to a fantastic UHC in Greenville!

And to now link all this to the stupid ar-ticle title and the confusion of our current political (or whatever) climate, I have the theme (which I announced in Philly) and the details for our 88th annual conven-tion in Nashville, “Muses and Musings in the Music City.” The theme “Muses and Musings in the Music City” (a strategic tongue twisting alliteration) calls on us all to consider inspiration, engage in reflec-tion, and to listen to each other. “Muses and Musings” as a theme invokes kairos and provokes inspiration. Contemporary times demand invention and discovery requires a muse; a telos of passion. This conference asks us to sustain and stimu-late enthusiasm in our craft(s), to offer motivational research and pedagogy, and to create art and action. More details and the full call are forthcoming. And, no, my own muse for this theme was not my favorite film; though I do adore Xanadu. You have to believe it—Nashville will be magical!

Again, America Great Make!JASONMUNSELL

Second Vice President

Southern StatesCommunication

Association

jmunsell@columbiascedu

Happy 15th birthday to the Caring Connections program! Since its inception in 2002, members of SSCA have greeted first-time attendees and reconnected with long-time friends and colleagues by purchasing and sharing CCs. The image of those stitched hands joined together in a warm greeting serve as a visual reminder of the hospitable environment that is SSCA.

The purpose of the program is to serve as a source of fund-ing for each of the association’s awards, with the goal of funding all awards at the $10,000 level. This year’s spotlight is on the Minority Recruitment and Retention Award, which “hon-ors institutions that have demonstrated noteworthy commit-ment to the recruitment and retention of minority students for their campuses.” The current balance for this award is $5,819.

Wouldn’t it be thrilling if at the end of our Greenville confer-ence we could say this award is fully funded?

While you’re welcome to purchase Caring Connections on-site in Greenville, pre-convention purchase ensures that the CCs will be waiting with your honorees’ name tags for pick-up at registration. Please consider showing a friend or colleague how much you care by sending a Caring Connection. To pur-chase Caring Connections in advance, do so electronically at http://www.ssca.net/membership. If you prefer the USPS route, you may fill out the order form on page 6 and mail to the address listed there by March 21, 2017. And don’t forget, your Caring Connections purchases, or direct donations to any of our awards, are tax deductible.

Thanks for your support of the association!The Resource Development Committee

Caring Connections at 15

SSCA SPRING 2017

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CARING CONNECTIONS PRE-CONVENTION ORDER FORM (Use this form only if you want to mail your order via USPS)

Please complete this order form and return it to Sherry Ford, Department of Communication, University of Montevallo, Station 6210, Montevallo, AL 35115, with a check for your order. Caring Connections are $5 each and you will receive a tax receipt.

Pre-convention orders must be received by March 21, 2017 in order to be processed and waiting for your honoree when s/he arrives at the convention. You may purchase and deliver additional Caring Connections at the convention. Please note that Caring Connections are distributed to convention attendees only. If you wish to honor someone not in attendance, you may mail the honor yourself.

PURCHASER'S NAME: _________________________ E-mail_______________________

PURCHASER'S INSTITUTION: ________________________________________________

Number of CCs Purchased = __________ x $5 = $_________

Please make all checks payable to the Southern States Communication Association

Honoree’s Name Honoree’s Affiliation

SSCA DIVISIONS AND INTEREST GROUPSSSCA DIVISIONS• Applied Communication• Communication Theory• Community College• Freedom of Speech• Gender Studies• Instructional

Development• Intercultural

Communication• Interpersonal

Communication

• Language and Social Interaction

• Mass Communication• Performance Studies• Political Communication• Popular Communication• Public Relations• Rhetoric and Public

Address• Southern Argumentation

and Forensics

INTEREST GROUPS• Association for

Communication Administrators (ACA)

• American Society for the History of Rhetoric

• Ethnography• Kenneth Burke Society• Philosophy & Ethics of

Communication

Jerold L. Hale, Executive DirectorSouthern States Communication AssociationSchool of Humanities and Social Sciences2 GreenwayCharleston, SC 29424

Don’t forget to visit the SSCA website at www.ssca.net! Click to connect with SSCA.