About NCA Student Clubs
Created in 1995, the National Communication Association Student Clubs are an aggregation of student Communication clubs chartered on various college and university campuses that have elected to affiliate with NCA and have made a commitment to enriching the lives of undergraduate Communication majors and non-majors. NCA Student Clubs promote the study, teaching, and application of the principles of Communication through educational and social functions that are relevant to the membership of the club.
The NCA Executive Committee decided to discontinue NCA support of NCASC beyond facilitating the initial charter of new clubs. This decision was made due to the consistently low number of active chapters, inability to maintain a faculty advisory board, lack of submissions to NCASC sessions at the annual convention, and the absence of representation at annual NCASC business meetings. We hope this change will be a positive one as each club becomes fully autonomous.
NCA will continue to charter new NCASC chapters, and all current clubs will retain their standing as part of NCASC. However, clubs will no longer be required to submit the $25 annual renewal fee to remain active. Further, NCASC will no longer have convention programming slots, a faculty advisory board, annual business meetings, etc. As most clubs are not active at the NCA annual convention, the only immediate change is that there is no longer an annual renewal fee.
Requirements for Colleges and Universities
Student Communication clubs must be affiliated with a two- or four-year college of university, subscribe to NCA's purposes, and be officially recognized by their educational institutions. Club members do not have to belong to NCA
How to Join
Complete and return an NCA Student Clubs Chapter Application to:
National Communication Association
Attn: NCA Student Clubs
1765 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
The following dues and fees are necessary to become a chartered club:
- $100 applicaiton fee
Each club must submit chartering documents – mission statement, guidelines for membership and proof of campus recognition – with the chapter application form.
Once the chapter application has been processed and approved, the club may begin inducting members.
Each student club must have a faculty advisor who is included on the chapter application form. The advisor’s name will be recorded on the club’s membership. Clubs must inform NCA if there is a change in advisor.
The selection of the faculty advisor is the responsibility of the host institution. Each campus is to determine if and how advisors will be compensated for their efforts. The responsibilities of the faculty advisor should include:
- Assuring that the campus club carries out its mission
- Assuring that the campus club fulfills its reporting and financial responsibility to NCA
- Assuring that the campus club fulfills its responsibilities as required by the local institution
- Assisting the campus club in development and implementation of activities and services to assist the development of its members
Once a club is an NCASC member, it will retain that status as long as it conforms to the NCA constitution and by-laws, operates within applicable NCA policies and procedures, and remains in good standing on campus.
Student Requirements
The club may designate its own guidelines for accepting members based on grade point average, number of Communication credits, etc. Each club designates its own guidelines for accepting student members based on grade point average, number of Communication credits, etc. NCA has no national requirements for student members. Please consult with your local chapter leaders for details about your institution’s club membership requirements.
Benefits of Membership
Chapters receive the following:
- A guidebook for advisors
- A customizable membership certificate form
Student members receive the following:
- Voting rights in local chapter
Faculty Advisor Responsibilities
- Each student club must have a faculty advisor who is indicated on the chapter application. The advisor will receive all NCASC-related communications from NCA. Clubs must inform NCA if there is a change in advisor.
- The selection of the faculty advisor is the responsibility of the host institution. Each campus is to determine if and how advisors will be compensated for their efforts.
- The faculty advisor should ensure that the campus club carries out the NCASC purpose through development and implementation of relevant activities, fulfills its financial responsibilities to NCA, and fulfills its responsibilities as required by the local institution. The advisor is also responsible for submitting an annual student membership list to NCA
NCA Student Club Activities
Several ideas for potential activities and events that your club could host are listed below. The majority of these suggestions are real examples from current Lambda Pi Eta and Sigma Chi Eta chapters around the nation.
- Developing a student awards program for the chapter (e.g. Member of the Year)
- Organizing and hosting public speaking competitions
- Supporting and Incentivizing student submissions to and participation in activities at the NCA Annual Convention
- Attending and/or presenting papers at state and regional conferences (e.g. Eastern Communication Association)
- Producing a club newsletter to share with your university community
Programming that promotes interaction between students and the faculty, department, or university:
- Offering faculty presentations of ongoing research projects or of methodological issues related to the study of Communication
- Scheduling meet-and-greet mixers for students to socialize and network with faculty
- Developing mentoring programs that pair students and faculty members with related interests
Programming that promotes professional development and furthers the study and practice of Communication:
- Inviting area professionals to participate in panel discussions about working within their given fields
- Organizing Career Days and/or meet-and-greets with area professionals working in Communication
- Supporting community based and/or charitable communication efforts (e.g. get out the vote campaigns, health campaigns, etc.)
- Planning and hosting department or university-wide resume writing or interview skills workshops
- Developing mentoring or tutoring programs that pairs club members with other students in Communication
- Hosting graduate school and alumni panels
Programming that fosters social interaction between students and their local chapter and communities:
- Conducting fundraising activities in support of local charitable organizations
- Planning and executing community service projects (e.g. volunteering at local homeless shelters, hosting charitable drives (such as food drives, toy drives, blood drives), reading at children's hospitals or nursing homes, etc.).
- Organizing a themed film series with post-film discussions and analysis
- Arranging and sponsoring midterms and/or finals study groups and study breaks
- Establishing an alumni advisory board for members who wish to stay involved with the chapter after graduation