1. Each interest group must plan its conference sessions using the Council of Divisions Conference Programming Process. All convention programming is done through this process. Your group must be represented at both of the Council of Divisions’ meetings at the convention.
2. Meet all deadlines for filing information for conference programming, sessions and workshops.
3. Meet all deadlines for filing official interest group reports with the AEJMC Central Office. Formats for these reports will be mailed to you by the Central Office.
4. Mail some type of newsletter to your members at least twice each year.
5. Interest groups are granted AEJMC status for a finite period of time, from one to three years. Groups seeking a renewal of interest group status must formally petition the AEJMC Board of Directors for renewal. These renewals must include the following:
• A formal statement of the mission and goals of the group;
• A list of current and incoming officers;
• What this group has accomplished thus far (include specifics);
• Why this group fills a unique niche within AEJMC; and
• Copies of the annual reports for the past two years.
6. Interest group renewal petitions will be considered at the first or second AEJMC Board of Directors meeting during the conference, depending on when the petition is filed. Ideally, the petition is filed with the Executive Director before the conference via email in early July. If not filed by early July, then one set of all the paperwork for the renewal must be filed with the Executive Director (or left at the AEJMC registration desk) by the end of the AEJMC plenary session, which occurs on the second morning of the AEJMC Conference.
If a renewal petition is filed late, it will not be considered by the Board of Directors at its second meeting, and might result in a loss of interest group status. Failure to file a renewal petition at all will result in loss of interest group status.
Current Interest Groups, 2017-2018
Participatory Journalism (2020) — established in 1994
Community Journalism (2019) — established in 2004
Entertainment Studies (2019) — established in 2000
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (2019) — established in 2003
Graduate Education (2019) — established in 1993
Internships and Careers (2019) — established in 1994
Political Communication (2019) — established in 2010
Religion and Media (2020) — established in 1996
Small Programs (2020) — established in 1994
Sports Communication (2019) — established in 2010
Creation of New Interest Groups
All requests for new interest groups must petition with a formal statement of the mission and goals of the group as it fits within AEJMC’s three core areas: teaching, research and public service. You also need to explain how this group would fill a unique niche within AEJMC. New interest group requests may be filed with the Executive Director as in number 6 above or by November 1 each year. Petitioners must also submit signatures (email signatures will be accepted) from at least 100 voting AEJMC members who support creation of the new group. Since AEJMC graduate students are not voting members, their signatures do not count toward the 100 needed signatures.
New petitions will only be voted on during the Board of Directors’ Winter meeting. If approval is granted at the Winter Meeting, the organizers must get at least 75 voting AEJMC members to pay dues to the new group by the end of the next conference, in order for it to be formally created on the following October 1st. At the conference after approval the new group will be allowed to conduct a business meeting in order to establish itself and elect officers. If there are timeslots remaining after all other groups have programmed, then the Council of Divisions’ chair may grant the incoming interest group an available timeslot for a program.
For example, if a new group petitions for interest group status by November 1, 2016, then the Board of Directors will consider the petition at its 2016 Winter meeting. If approved, the new group will have a business meeting at the August 2017 Convention, after which they must have gathered at least 75 dues-paying voting AEJMC members to join the group in order to formally become an interest group on October 1, 2017. The group would have full interest group programming rights for the 2018 Conference. Since graduate students are not voting members, their dues do not count toward the 75 dues-paying members.
UPDATE: 8/16