[12][13][14] The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) was created in 1967 based on suggestions by Professor Walter Seifer of Ohio State University.

[15] In the 1970s to early 1980s, PRSA's female membership base increased, coinciding with more women pursuing a career in the field.

It issued a consent order that required PRSA to remove content from its code of conduct that contained sexist language, discouraged soliciting clients from other members, or encouraged price-fixing activities.

"[21] In 1986, PRSA's then President Anthony Franco resigned from his post after it was revealed he was accused of insider trading by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

"[29] In 1996 and 2011, O'Dwyer criticized PRSA on issues such as financial transparency, auditing, and spending in the context of proposed increases in membership dues.

[30][27] In 2000, PRSA and the Institute for Public Relations signed a mutual declaration saying the two would work together in areas like ethics, education, accreditation, professional development, and new media.

"[21] The winning definition was "a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.

"[32] According to the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), "reactions to the new PRSA definition were mixed and views vigorously debated.

[27][29] Later that year PRSA started refusing O'Dwyer entrance to their events and sent him a 23-page letter describing his behavior as disruptive and unethical.

The board has the authority to create or dissolve task forces and committees as well as revoke or reward membership status.

[43] In 2003 a proposal to amend the society's bylaws to allow non-accredited professionals to run for PRSA's offices was defeated,[44] but the motion passed the following year.

[47] PRSA hosts the Anvil Awards, which are issued based on four components: research, planning, execution, and evaluation.

[55] Its original mission statement was "to carry articles that deal with fundamental public relations problems, as they currently press for solution."

Additionally, the Board of Directors can decide to ban or revoke membership for individuals who have been "sanctioned by a government agency or convicted in a court of law of an action that fails to comply with the Code.

The Code lists the organization's core values of "advocacy," "honesty," "expertise," "independence," "loyalty," and "fairness" along with the PRSA Code Provisions of Conduct regarding the "free flow of information," "competition," "disclosure of information," "safeguarding confidences," "conflicts of interest," and "enhancing the profession".

[68] The PRSA objected to the actions of the Redner Group in 2011 when the PR firm threatened to blacklist media that gave Duke Nukem negative reviews.