Mary Kay Switzer, associate professor of communication, has been elected to vice president/president elect of the National Text and Academic Authors Council (TAA). TAA includes textbook authors and authors of academic journal articles. Switzer will be installed as vice president at the organization's international conference in June in Minneapolis. Next year, she will begin her two-year term as president.

TAA is part of the International Authors Coalition. It is also affiliated with the International TAA Foundation and International TAA Council of Fellows. Each year, TAA presents the prestigious Texty and McGuffey Awards to outstanding textbooks, which includes various disciplines for K-12 and college/university levels.

TAA also awards research grants to promising authors. TAA also sponsors a series of teleconferences and workshops to assist academic journal authors and textbook authors.