----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Dear CSCA Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Interest Group
Members and Members of the National Communication Association,
 
The study of small groups has been a central and significant
context for theory, research, pedagogy, and practice in the
Communication discipline.  The study of small groups and teams
has experienced explosive growth in recent years in a number of
disciplines,  and Communication is no exception.
 
Currently studies of group communication are submitted to several
different divisions, including the Interpersonal and Small Group
Interaction Division, the Organizational Communication Division,
the Family Communication Division, the Applied Communication
Division, the Instructional Development Division, and the Health
Communication Division.  While these divisions respect such work,
there is no intellectual center for group communication studies
in the National Communication Association.  Since the group is a
special context for communication and is widely represented in
many different social contexts, group communication research and
pedagogy would benefit greatly by having its own Division within
NCA.  Over the past two years a number of us have been discussing
the possibility of establishing such a division.
 
At the national convention in San Diego last Fall, over 150
people signed a hastily-circulated petition supporting the
establishment of a Small Group Communication Division in NCA.  We
are in the process of gathering support for and formalizing the
application for divisional status.  By NCA by-laws we must gather
300 signatures supporting divisional status in order to qualify,
so we still have some distance to go to make the division a
reality.  We would like to ask your help.  Could you please print
and return the enclosed petition form in the mail to Scott Poole?
We need to have your signature for the petition to count, and
currently there is no way we can receive these electronically.
 
Could you please also gather signatures from members of your
department and academic community who support the division and
mail them to Scott Poole?
 
We would like to receive your reply by May 31, 1997 (however, it
is never too late to send it in).   Poole will collate them with
the master list and submit them to SCA when we have gathered
enough petitions.  Please feel free to make additional copies of
the petition and to send them them on to others who might be
supportive.  Thanks!
 
Marshall Scott Poole, Texas A&M University
Larry Frey, Loyola University Chicago
Joann Keyton, University of Memphis
 
                  Send the signed petitions to:
 
                           Scott Poole
               Department of Speech Communication
                         Mail Stop 4234
                      Texas A&M University
                College Station, Texas 77843-4234
 
PETITION:
 
I support the establishment of a Group Communication Division in
the National Communication Association.  I am an NCA member and I
am willing to join this division if it is approved.
 
NAME (PRINTED)     SIGNATURE         ADDRESS        PHONE & EMAIL