----------------------------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