THE SCA CONFERENCE ON LONG-RANGE GOALS AND PRIORITIES.

This paper offers a look at ideas generated by the Speech Communication Association (SCA) conference held in Arlie, Virginia, on September 6-10, 1972. The conference was opened with a special presentation on institutional long-range planning by Darrell T. Piersol, personnel director of IBM. It is the belief of those involved in the Arlie conference that some such review of the where the SCA is, where it is going and where it should be going and how SCA is going to get there should be done on a regular basis. The Educational Policies Board should appoint a committee to develop an Interpersonal Communication Instruction package for speech communication teachers from kindergarten through grade twelve. SCA should give high priority to establishing at least minimum certification standards for teachers of speech communication in the secondary schools. The SCA National Office should find out what is now being done by those professional associations conducting accrediting programs, which associations have such programs and how they go about it. Forensics, debate and theatre activities should be considered workshops or laboratory activities supporting the objectives of the speech curriculum and not become ends in themselves. The Administrative Committee should establish a mechanism by which congressional and other governmental actions affecting the profession are regularly reported to the Legislative Council to the membership.