2000 Business Meeting Minutes

Western States Communication Association
Health Communication lnterest Group Business Meeting
February 27, 2000, 7:00-8:00 a.m.

Stephanie Coopman, Chair of the Health Communication Interest Group, called the meeting to order at 7 a.m. She noted that the minutes from the previous year's meeting were posted on the interest group web site.

Coopman presented her report as Chair and Program Planner. She distributed the call for papers/programs in electronic and paper formats. Coopman thanked paper and panel readers Madeline Keaveney, CSU, Chico, S. Renee Gillespie, University of Colorado-Boulder, Marva L. Smith, San Diego State University, and Kandi Walker, University of Louisville. The Health Communication Interest Group received three program proposals and twelve competitive paper submissions. In addition, Leigh Ford organized two invited programs, and Coopman coordinated one panel. In all, the Health Communication Interest Group used all of its nine allotted program slots, and one of its panels was co-sponsored with the Organizational and Intercultural Communication Interest Groups. The HCIG program includes approximately 50 participants. Coopman noted that one author withdrew her paper due to illness. Another author withdrew her paper after Coopman discovered that the author had submitted the same paper to two conferences. Coopman awarded the Top Student Paper Award to Cyd Ropp from the University of Memphis and recognized the Top Student Debut Paper, authored by Carmen Lowry, University of New Mexico. Ropp received the interest group's $100 allotment as part of her award. Coopman concluded by thanking individuals who agreed to serve as chair or respondent for HCIG panels--Sandra Ragan, University of Oklahoma, Sandra Petronio, Arizona State University, S. Renee Gillespie, University of Colorado-Boulder, Marva L. Smith, San Diego State University, Bryan Whaley, University of San Francisco, Nancy Eckstein, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Julie Yingling, Humboldt State University, Christina S. Beck, Ohio University, and Connie Conlee, CSU, Fresno.

Julie Yingling offered the report from the Vice-Chair. She noted the deadlines for submissions for the 2001 conference in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho--June 15, 2000 for panel proposals and September 14, 2000 for competitive paper submissions. She emphasized that the resort in Coeur d'Alene will feature great prices, $74 for a standard room and $135 for a luxury, lakefront room. The conference theme will be Translating Scholarship into Practice, and the preconference will be Changing Tides of Social Trends. Yingling noted that audiovisual resources at the resort will be scarce and expensive, given the distance of the resort from host universities. The Health Communication Interest Group will once again be allotted eight and a half program slots. Yingling encouraged individuals to jot down panel ideas on sheets which she circulated throughout the meeting.

Robert Ivie and Judy Pearson, candidates for second vice-president of the National Communication Association, stopped by the meeting and spoke briefly about themselves and their platforms. Sandra Petronio, Program Planner for 2001, and Betsy Bach, 2001 local host, also visited the meeting and encouraged individuals to come to the conference in Coeur d'Alene.

Coopman noted that the website has received a lot of hits and asked if member names and e-mails could be posted on the website. The membership agreed to her request and expressed appreciation for her hard work on the website. Coopman noted that the HCIG had the only website of the interest groups.

Coopman raised the issue of the $100 allotment from WSCA. She used the money for the student award, but she asked how members wanted to spend the money in the future. Bryan Whaley volunteered his department to provide a plaque for the Top Student paper award, and the interest group voted to use the money for the student award until bylaws could be developed. Leigh Ford inquired if the interest group was official yet, and Coopman agreed to check into the interest group status.

Coopman opened nominations for Vice-Chair Elect and then nominated Madeline Keaveney for the office. Nominations closed with a motion by Juliann Scholl, University of Oklahoma, and a second by Leigh Ford, and Keaveney won by acclimation. The following individuals volunteered to serve as paper readers--Juliann Scholl, U of Oklahoma; Bryan Whaley, U of San Francisco; S. Renee Gillespie, U of Colorado, Denver; and Elaine Fredianelli, Ohlone College.

Yingling asked for suggestions for the 2001 convention, and ideas included a master teacher award, a spotlight panel, a panel on different perspectives of health communication, and a panel on alternative medicine. Christie Beck raised the need for bylaws, and Beck, Gust Yep, Leigh Ford, and Stephanie Coopman agreed to serve on the committee with Beck as chair.

Coopman adjourned the meeting at 8 a.m. and encouraged members to stay for the Top Three paper panel, immediately following the business meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Christina Beck
Secretary