Today
The Bulletin of the North Carolina Sociological Association
Volume 27, Number 3
October 2001
 
 

NCSA Will Meet in Wilmington
on February 22-23 2002

by Richard D. Dixon
Dept. of Sociology and Criminal Justice
University of North Carolina-Wilmington
NCSA 2002 Program Chair

    I'm happy to report to fellow NCSA members that the 2002 Annual NCSA Conference is taking shape rather nicely. First, the date and place of the conference are confirmed. We will meet in Wilmington near the beach and that alone seems to be reason enough to attend among many inland NCSA members with whom I've spoken.

    The meeting will be on Friday, Feb. 22, 2002 (not exactly swimsuit season) but often quite pleasant here nonetheless (hurricane probability = 0; sig. = .001). The site for the conference will be UNCW's new Executive Development Center, a cluster of meeting rooms very nicely appointed with wired and wireless media capability.

    The previous evening, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002, we will have a reception at the Wise Alumni House, a restored grand old mansion located on Market Street next door (literally) to the UNCW Chancellor's residence.

    I thank everyone who responded to the webform I posted soliciting opinions about alternative meeting days and times, the returns strongly in support of what we've been doing right along.

    So, once again the days of the reception and meeting will follow our traditional Thursday/Friday pattern.

    I also want to take this first opportunity to thank both UNCW's Provost and its Arts and Sciences Dean for contributing money to help defray meeting expenses. I especially want to thank my own departmental colleagues for their (enthusiastic) agreement to draw upon our trust fund to sponsor the Thursday evening reception. While I'm at it, I want to thank everyone who responded to the second webform that I posted, in which I solicited a bit of information regarding lodging preferences at the meeting. And, finally, I would be remiss if I didn't thank the several members of my department who selected food menus for the reception, breakfast, snacks, and lunch. Trust me, they did a much better job than I would be able to do.

    The theme of this year's conference will be the prospects and pitfalls of electronic technology as it relates to our discipline.

    Already slated for breakout sessions are two demonstration sessions by a group of technology gurus at UNCW. One demonstration deals with a rather exotic pedagogical application that they have developed and currently are using in a basic chemistry course, and the other demonstration pertains to their development of a digital resource archiving system of potentially immediate use by sociology instructors.

    There will be a breakout session involving a panel of representatives from several publishing houses. The publishing industry is a major stakeholder in the support side of academic pedagogy, and is directly and almost immediately affected by a variety of new technological developments. The invited representatives will provide us with their take on which emerging technologies likely will be embraced by their companies, what kinds of products we likely will see from them in the near term, and what other prospects and threats they envision for their industry as new technologies change the rules of the game.

    The remaining breakout sessions are very much in the formative stage of development. I'm hoping that we will be able to coble sessions that are heavily oriented towards a CRITICAL assessment of electronic technology and from several vantage points.

    For example, we might find it instructive to consider such issues as the nexus between emerging electronic technologies and a host of issues that relate to our jobs as educators: academic freedom, the digital divide within academe, junior-senior institution articulation agreements, and reward and support structures. I'm especially hopeful that we will bring together an excellent group of panelists ( perhaps both faculty and students) who will provide us with insightful quality comparisons between chalk-and-chalkboard versus web-enhanced-to-fully-online teaching and learning styles.

    Finally, I hope that we will be able to venture outside of the academy a bit by taking a look (as the sociological students that we are) at the impact of these new technologies within at least some of our sub-disciplinary areas.

    In short, much of the world is experiencing the arguably most radical modification ever in how humans can and have begun to interact with each other, the core stuff of our field. Surely, we should be formulating salient questions (researchable questions) about the impact of new technologies of human communication upon social stability and change, organizational structure and culture, core social institutions, etc.

    Please feel very much invited to contribute your ideas about sessions that concerning issues that new technologies have thrust upon our discipline, upon the larger world of academe, and upon the world.

    The North Carolina Sociological Association may be the best professional bargain you, your colleagues and your students will ever find. With professional dues of only $11 per year and student dues of $3, the NCSA offers all students and practising sociologists an affordable opportunity to affiliate and promote our discipline in this state.

    Continuing your membership and recruiting new members help keep the NCSA a vital and growing professional association. The NCSA has over 400 institutional and individual members. Won't you continue to be a part of this organization?

    NCSA President Robert Wortham and members of the NCSA Executive Council encourage all sociologists, whether professionals or students, to join the state association. "There are many good reasons to join the NCSA and to encourage your colleagues and students to join as well," said Wortham. "Our association provides a forum where sociologists from across the state and from different institutional and applied settings can come together to discuss the issues of importance to our discipline and practice. We also maintain a website with links of interest to our members and their students. We have formed a task force to pursue means of allowing sociology graduates greater access to state jobs. To continue as a successful state organization," he added, "we need your support."

    "We would like for current members to pay their dues and to recruit their colleagues and students for membership in our association as well," said Sue Pauley, Secretary-Treasurer of the NCSA. "Dues are for the calendar year beginning Jan. 1. We are now soliciting for the 2002 annual dues."

    Dues are $11 per year for regular members and $3 per year for student members. There is no charge for institutions of higher learning. Payment may be sent to Sue Pauley, NCSA Secretary/Treasurer, Wingate University, P.O. Box 1015, Wingate, NC 28174. Questions about membership and dues should be directed to Dr. Pauley (704-233-8059).

    In previous years, the NCSA Executive Council passed a resolution to ask members to add an optional $4 to their annual dues as a way of partially defraying the additional costs of presenting both an undergraduate and graduate Himes Award. Members who select this option would pay a total of $15 in dues and contributions.

    How can you know when you last paid your dues? Look in the upper right hand corner of the mailing label on this issue of SOCIATION TODAY. The digits there indicate the last calendar year in which your dues were paid (for example, "2001" means you last paid dues for the calendar year 2001).

    Every few years, the NCSA has published a directory of members. Although there are inevitably some errors, most members have responded favorably to the directories which included all the colleges, universities, and community colleges in the entire state as well as listings for active members in the NCSA. Publishing a revised and updated directory and maintaining a listserv of NCSA members are two activities with which the NCSA needs your help.

    Every member should verify the basic information in the current directory and add any new information (such as e-mail addresses) which should be included in the future editions of the NCSA directory. Members are then asked to fill out the membership form included in this edition of SOCIATION to reflect their most current information. Members are further encouraged to join the NCSA listserv as described elsewhere in this issue of SOCIATION TODAY.

 
Himes Award Will Recognize Outstanding Undergraduate and Graduate Papers

    Now is the time to encourage your talented undergraduates and graduate students to rework that exceptional term paper, independent study project, or senior thesis into a research paper and submit it for consideration. In addition to being recognized as having written the best undergraduate or graduate paper of the year, winners of the Himes Award will receive a complementary one-year membership in the NCSA, free registration at the annual meeting and a cash award ($150 for undergraduates, $250 for graduates). Their papers will be posted on the NCSA official web site.

    Any current student enrolled in a community college or university in North Carolina may submit a paper for consideration. Students who graduated in the previous Spring or Summer Sessions are also eligible to submit a paper for consideration of awards that will be conferred in the following academic year.

    Coauthored papers written by graduate students are eligible for the graduate paper award and coauthored papers written by undergraduates are eligible for the undergraduate award. Cash awards will be evenly split among authors of award-winning paper. Coauthored papers between students and faculty and between graduate students and undergraduate students are ineligible. Individuals who have previously won the Himes Award are ineligible for future awards in the same category.

    The criteria for judging papers include: accurate, focused, and thorough review of the pertinent sociological literature; use of method related to topic; appropriate use of evidence in drawing conclusions; ability to use theoretical analysis and interpretation; insight and creativity; writing skill, clarity, and coherence; and proper use of citations and documentation. Procedures for Application Each applicant must include a separate title page with the following information: paper title, name of student author, home address of student author, e-mail of student, telephone number of student author, class standing and name of school, and the name of the class and instructor for whom the paper was prepared. Papers should use American Sociological Review style guidelines.

    Students should submit one electronic copy in WORD and one printed copy of the paper to: Robert Wortham Department of Sociology North Carolina Central University Durham NC 27707 (rawcbw@aol.com). Papers must be submitted by January 10, 2002.

    Questions about the Himes Award and paper guidelines may be addressed to Stephen J. McNamee, Professor of Sociology, Dept. of Sociology and Criminal Justice, UNC Wilmington,Wilmington, N.C. 28401. McNamee may be reached via email at MCNAMEE@UNCWIL.EDU or by telephone at 910-962-3421 (FAX: 910-962-7385).

    Even as the NCSA prepares to discuss the prospects and pitfalls of electronic technology at its next annual meeting, members of its Executive Council are making plans to bring the association's network and communications firmly into the electronic age.

    These plans include transforming SOCIATION TODAY from its present paper format to an electronic bulletin posted on the NCSA website and enhancing the communications among members through more extensive use of a listserv. "We hope these changes will benefit the membership and speed up the process of getting information to them in a timely manner," said Lee Dodson, editor of SOCIATION TODAY, the bulletin of the NCSA.

    These new arrangements will mean less time spent printing, folding, labeling, stamping, and preparing the newsletter for mailing, he added.

    Paper editions of SOCIATION TODAY will not become entirely things of the past. Each year members will continue to receive at least one printed edition of the bulletin containing registration materials for the annual meeting and ballots for the election of officers.

    Beth Davison of ASU has overseen the creation and administration of the NCSA's listserv, another way to enhance communication among the members of the NCSA. (Please note the check off box on this year's renewal form requesting that your name be added to the listserv. We need your permission to do so.) "Please join the NCSA listserv," implores Davision. "The purpose of the list is for general announcements concerning NCSA business and for disseminating  information pertinent to North Carolina sociologists."

    Davison has provided the following simple instructions for those wishing to add or delete their names from the NCSA listserv.
 

• To subscribe to the NCSA list send a one line message to listproc@listproc.appstate. edu containing the text: sub NCSA Firstname Lastname.
• To send a message to the list send the message to ncsa@listproc.appstate.edu.
• To unsubscribe to the NCSA list send a one line message to listproc@listproc. appstate.edu containing the text: unsubscribe ncsa.
• You may also e-mail Beth Davison (davisonb@appstate.edu) with your request.

    Nominations are now open for the North Carolina Sociological Association Award for Contributions to Sociology. This award recognizes excellence in teaching, service, research, or other activity. It is open to members of the NCSA in academic, research, or applied positions.

    Nominations may be made by an individual other than the nominee, an academic department, government agency, or employer. The nomination should include a summary of appropriate evidence, including information about items such as:

1. Teaching evaluations by students, peers, and administrators.
2. Developing and improving teaching techniques.
3. Advising and supervising students and serving as a mentor.
4. Developing, administering, evaluating and marketing courses and programs.
5. Fostering improved teaching through research, publications, conferences, and workshops.
6. Outstanding scholarly contributions through books, articles, or other publications.
7. Service to the academic community or one's place of employment.
8. Service to the profession of Sociology through work with either state, regional, national or international associations.
9. Community service at the local, state, regional or national level. This could include work with both nonprofit and profit organizations where the outcome demonstrated a significant contribution to sociology or to bettering society.
10. The application of sociological knowledge to a critical societal problem and its solution.

    This is a good opportunity to recognize a colleague who has labored long and hard for the discipline. The deadline for nominations is 5 PM on Dec. 7, 2001. Nominations should be sent to Angela Lewellyn Jones, Dept. of Social Justice, Elon University, Elon, NC 27244 (phone 336-278-6447, FAX 336-278-6494).

    The Nominations Committee is seeking suggestions concerning individuals who may be willing to serve on the Executive Council of the NCSA or who may be willing to serve as President-elect of this organization. We are seeking candidates from across the state who represent the rich diversity of our discipline both in terms of regional distribution and institutional affiliation.
    If you know of someone, or if you yourself are willing to serve, please contact Beth Davison, ASU, 209 Chapell Wilson Hall, Boone, NC 28608 (phone 828-262-6397, FAX 828-262-2294, e-mail Davisonb@appstate.edu).

2002 NCSA Membership Application/Renewal Form

Name:________________________________________________________


Institutional Affiliation:___________________________________


Institutional Address:_______________________________________


Office Telephone (including area code:_______________________


OfficeFAX: __________________________________________________


Office e-mail address: ______________________________________


Permanent Home Address:______________________________________


Home phone: _________________________________________________


Home FAX: ___________________________________________________


Home e-mail address: ________________________________________

Please include me on the listserv. Type of membership: _____student (dues $3 per year) _____professional (dues $11 per year)
Voluntary Contribution to the Himes Award Fund: _____$4.00 suggested donation
Total amount enclosed: __________
I give the NCSA permission to list the following personal information on its web site: (Check all that apply): _____name _____institution _____e-mail _____phone

    Please enclose a check for your 2002 dues in the amount indicated above. Make all checks payable to the North Carolina Sociological Association. Mail this form and your check to: Dr. Sue Pauley NCSA Secretary/Treasurer Wingate University P.O. Box 1015 Wingate, NC 28174 Questions about membership and dues should be directed to Dr. Pauley (704-233-8059). If you have any difficulties concerning the receipt of SOCIATION (incomplete address, misspelled name, new apartment number, etc.), please contact its editor, Lee Dodson, Rockingham Community College, P.O. Box 38, Wentworth, NC 27375-0038 (336-342-4261, ext. 2155.
 

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