MEDIA BOARD CONSTITUTION

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, Connecticut

PREAMBLE: This Constitution for the CCSU Media Board provides the structure for the continuity and functioning of student media at the University.  It is the intent of the Media Board to approve the operating parameters as determined by student media organizations that will govern the student media while providing for the exercise of freedom of expression.

Statement of Policy as per the approved University Statement on the Rights, Freedoms, and Responsibilities of Students (1969).

            1.1     Student publications and the student media are valuable vehicles in establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of free and responsible discussion on the campus.

            1.2     The editorial freedom of the student editors and managers entails corollary responsibilities to be governed by the canons of responsible journalism, such as the avoidance of libel, indecency, undocumented allegations, attacks on personal integrity, and the techniques of harassment and innuendo.  As safeguards for the editorial freedom of student media, the following provisions are necessary:

a.   Student publications and student media shall be free of censorship and advance approval of copy.  Its editors and managers shall be free to develop their own editorial policies and news coverage.

b.   Editors and managers of student publications and student media shall be protected from suspension and removal because of student, faculty, administrative, or public disapproval of editorial policy and content.

c.   Each media organization is responsible for the appointment/removal of editors and managers in accordance with their organization’s constitution.

d.   All University-published and financed student publications shall explicitly state on the editorial page that the opinions there expressed are not necessarily those of the University or student body.

ARTICLE I:      NAME

                           The name of this organization shall be the CCSU Media Board (hereinafter referred to as the Board)

ARTICLE II:     PURPOSE

                           The purpose of this organization shall be advisory to all student-sponsored media at Central Connecticut State University including, but not limited to The Helix (literary magazine), The Recorder (student newspaper), and WFCS (student radio station).

ARTICLE III:   MEMBERSHIP

                           All students at CCSU shall have primary access to the services of the media under the authority of the Board.

ARTICLE IV:    ORGANIZATION

4.1     All student media funded by the Media Activities Fee shall be administered by the Board.

4.2     The governing authority for student media at CCSU shall be the Media Board.

A.  The following shall serve as members of the Board:

1.      One full-time undergraduate student at large appointed by the Student Senate (not necessarily a member of the Senate).

2.      Two students from The Recorder: the editor and one other permanent designee

3.      Two students of the Helix: the President and one other permanent designee

4.      Two students of WFCS: the General Manager and one other permanent designee

5.      Two students at large appointed the Media Board (applications may be solicited from campus at large in the beginning of each academic year). 

 6.     One academic faculty representative at large appointed by the President

7.      One administrative faculty resource appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs (can not be the same as SA/LD rep)

8.      One representative of local community.

                                    Non-Voting Members

1.      Faculty advisors of record to student media organizations

2.      Department of Student Activities/Leadership Development (SA/LD) media liaison to serve in the capacity of secretary/fiscal manager to the Board

      B.   The terms of office of Board Members shall be as follows:

1.      The student and community representatives shall serve for a period of one academic year.  Reappointment shall be permitted.

2.      Faculty and administrative representatives shall serve for a period of two academic years.  Reappointment shall be permitted.

4.3        The Board shall meet monthly during the academic year on a designated day and time to be determined by the Board members.  Special meetings may be called from time to time by the Board.

A.     A quorum shall consist of the Chairperson plus six (6) voting members.

B.      All decisions shall be reached by majority vote with only the Chairperson voting to break a tie.

C.      At the last meeting of the spring semester, the Board shall establish policies and conduct such business as necessary for the maintenance of media operations during the summer if necessary.

4.4        Duties of Board Members

A.     The Board shall elect a student Chairperson each year by a simple majority vote.  The term of office shall be May 1 – April 30 of each year.  The position of Board Chairperson is only open to voting members who do not also serve as the Editor-in-Chief of The Recorder, General Manager of WFCS, and/or the President of the Helix due to the potential conflict of interest.

B.      The Board Chairperson shall preside over all Board meetings working closely with the SA/LD liaison to set up and run meetings and facilitate the budget process in accordance with developed bylaws and initiatives of interest to the Board; and, sign all official documents of the Board.

C.      Media Editors/Managers/Presidents shall work to advance the goals of their respective medium, ensure their medium is in compliance with the standards appropriate to that medium, oversee financial and general operations of the medium, and attend every Board meeting unless excused by the Chairperson.

D.     Students at large shall provide a perspective of the general student population into the activities of student-funded media.

E.      Faculty Representatives shall actively participate in all Board meetings providing input into the operation of student media.

4.5        Chartering and Inclusion of a New Medium to the Board

A.     If the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) of the faculty senate considers a petition for recognition of an organization that they believe falls in the Media category, the Board requests that the newly forming organization be required by the SAC to petition the Media Board for membership on the Board.  Media Board membership is required to secure funding from the Media Activity Fee but also is a beneficial development experience for all media organizations.  All newly-formed media organizations are invited to attend Media Board meetings (as non-voting guests) immediately after their recognition from the University becomes formal.  Petitions for new membership on the Media Board, however, must be received no later than spring break in order to be considered for membership and funding in the next academic year.  A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote is required to confer voting rights on a newly recognized medium.  Only Media Board Members may receive a budget for the following active year.

B.      Removal of a Medium from the Media Board

         University recognized media organizations must register annually with the University in order to maintain their membership on the Media Board.  Media Board member organizations that fail to register in a given year will be denied access to funding and may risk removal from the Board.  Media Organization Board members with more than two (2) unexcused absences from Media Board meetings may also be removed and denied access to their funds.  The removal of a member organization from the Board will be reported to the Student Affairs Committee.

ARTICLE V:     RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1        The Media Board founded in 1997 by student media officers at CCSU is a student-faculty board created to offer media leadership a forum in which they can gain insight and advice on current issues and concerns of student media organizations.  The Board shall be responsible for promoting responsible student broadcast and written journalism on campus and assisting in the protection of their freedom of speech and expression.  The Board may

            be a forum for complaints against a medium that have not been successfully resolved by the medium itself (see Appendix A).  The Board is also charged with the allocation of the Media Activities Fee and the approval of budgets submitted by member organizations including their own.  The Board is charged with providing necessary fiscal and operational guidance and support to student media organizations.

5.2        The Board shall be a resource in connecting student media with professional associations that would enhance their respective medium’s development as a student organization.

5.3        The Board shall familiarize itself with the constitution and bylaws of each member organization.

5.4        The Board shall require all media to develop and maintain operation manuals that provide the organization with a set of standards and a level of continuity year to year.  The Board will provide student media with constructive feedback regarding whether mediums are maintaining their own standards and whether the SOPs are clearly stated.

5.5        The Board will assist in promoting student media as a valuable experiential learning opportunity.

5.6        The Board may sponsor optional only in-service training for students involved with Media Organizations.

5.7        The Board may sponsor campus-wide programs to promote media issues.

5.8        The Board may develop a Media Organization recognition program.

ARTICLE VI:    FINANCIAL STRUCTURE

6.1        The Board shall be responsible for the disbursement from the Media Activities Fee collected by the University (approved by CSU BOT November 2001 for student media)

6.2        The Board shall establish and monitor uniform financial procedures for media groups.

6.3        Income-generating mediums will keep Board apprised of ad rates/underwriting fees/sales of magazines and entertain their counsel and criticism on said rates.

6.4        All capital expenditures and recommendations shall require Board approval.  An inventory system for equipment purchased by activity fee money will be developed to track and maintain equipment in each Media area.

ARTICLE VII:    MEETING PROCEDURES

Robert's Rules of Order in its latest edition shall regulate the meetings of this organization except where it conflicts with this Constitution or its Bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII: MISCELLANEOUS

When the rules and policies of this organization, the content of its Constitution, or the actions of its members conflict with University regulations, the latter shall prevail.

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MEDIA BOARD – DRAFT B

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, Connecticut

APPENDIX A

A.     The Media Board is responsible for ensuring that each medium defines its own written, internal guidelines, which are consistent with the standards and responsibilities appropriate to that medium.

B.      In the event of an alleged violation of written standards or community standards, the following complaint process must be observed:

1.      The complainant(s) shall first take the complaint to the head of the accused medium with whom the complainant(s) will discuss and attempt to resolve the matter.

2.      If the outcome of this meeting is unsatisfactory, the complainant(s) may file a written complaint with the Board Chairperson.

3.      The Board shall, at a special meeting to take place no later than fourteen (14) days from the day the complaint is filed, hold a hearing in which the accusation is presented, the accused medium has a chance to respond, and the issue is thoroughly discussed by the Board.  The complainant(s) shall be invited to attend and may not be barred from the hearing.  Following the hearing, the Board shall by majority vote (with the accused medium ineligible to vote), decide whether any sanctions are in order and what such sanctions might be.  The complainant(s), if not present at the hearing and vote, shall be notified of this decision immediately.

10/9/2002

Last updated:  Wednesday February 18, 2009