New Branding, New Website, What next? Oh yes, a New Social Net!

If you haven't visited the ICA website lately, you are missing out on all the excitement! Our newly redesigned site introduces a whole new level of interaction. Most evident, aside from the new, more dynamic look, is the revamped MyICA section. Enter your MyICA section and you will find that the members' section is now a social/professional network.

• Log in, click the MyICA button on the right side of the page, and enter your new Community Services account where wide range of services are available. As before, you can manage various aspects of your ICA account: Update your contact information, catch up on ICA e-mails, pay your dues and update your sections, make donations, print receipts, and more.
• MyICA features your very own personal network of friends and colleagues-no more hunting around for fellow members! Invite a colleague to be part of your group and once they accept, that's it! Both of you will be connected.
   
  Create your own discussion groups or your own blogs. Store and share photos in your own Photo Album, or upload documents to your own Document Library and share with others in your group - or not - with the easy-to-use security settings.

All these features are exclusive to ICA members and each group includes only members of that specific group. So don't miss out!

Visit the new site -- oh, and while you're there, it's membership renewal time.

Membership Renewal

An invitation to renew your ICA membership went out a couple of weeks ago. As you know, our membership year begins 1 October and ends every 30 September. To renew now, click this link: http://www.icahdq.org/cgi-shl/Dues.exe?run:renew.

Log in and you will see an invoice number. Click to open the invoice detail and add or change interest groups or divisions. You may notice that we have added a new Interest Group. The Environmental Communication Interest Group invites ICA members to consider affiliating to the group.

Donations to ICA

Fundraising is a part of our dues process. We hope you will consider donating to a fund of your choice. If you can't decide which fund to donate to, keep in mind that the organization is still paying for its new office building in Washington, DC. A donation to the Building Fund always helps! That said, several sections have added their various award funds. New in the mix are the C. Edwin Baker Award for the Advancement of Scholarship on Media, Markets, and Democracy, and the Keith R. Sanders and Lynda Lee Kaid Best Political Communication Article of the Year Award Fund.

Call for Papers

Many of you are returning from a long break and may not have noticed that the ICA call for papers is now online on our web site. The call, in PDF format, details each section's requirements for submission. Event planners have readied the submission site for proposals. Next year's theme is, "Communication and Community." Get your copy of the CFP online at http://www.icahdq.org/cfp/2012/2012cfp_web.pdf.

If you prefer, each Division and Interest Group's calls are also available as separate documents. Access those here: http://www.icahdq.org/cfp/2012/divisionscfp.asp.

All program planners are looking for paper reviewers, chairs, and discussants for their various sessions. Be on the lookout for announcements from each section planner. Sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities are also available! Visit the conference index page for more information on all aspects of our upcoming conference in Phoenix. The site for conference information is http://www.icahdq.org/conf/index.asp. Be sure to check in periodically for updates.

ICA Elections

The polls for ICA President, At-Large board members, and other board positions are now open. As well, several Division and Interest Group officers and bylaws changes are up for votes. Read the candidates' statements at http://www.icahdq.org/elections/annual2011/CandidateStatements2011.pdf. It is a lengthy document so be sure to allow sufficient time for it to load.

Don't forget to vote! Here is the link to the polls: http://www.icahdq.org/elections/Annual2011/login.asp. Please note that members will only see candidates in the divisions to which they are members. All members will see the association-wide candidate statements.

As many of you start a new school year, we hope it proves to be a productive one for you!

Sam Luna
Director of Member Services
sluna@icahdq.org