SUU Seal (for official use only)
 

POLICY #13.24 
SUBJECT: Bylaws of the Steering Council of the University Journal

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Policy is to establish guidelines for the operation of the University Journal Newspaper and its steering council. The University Journal is a tabloid newspaper published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the academic year, except on official University holidays and during dead and finals weeks (weekly during the summer session), and serves the following five purposes:

  1. To inform, educate, enlighten, entertain and enrich the campus community and to serve as an important facet of the University experience for all readers.
  2. To provide all interested readers both on and off campus with information regarding the thought, programs and events of the University.
  3. To provide members of the campus community and others an opportunity to express their opinions about matters pertaining to the University or other topics.
  4. To provide an advertising vehicle for merchants to reach the campus community and for members of the campus community to be aided in their economic pursuits through such advertisements.
  5. To provide students with training and practical experience in such areas as writing, editing, photography, advertising, circulation, accounting and marketing.
    1. Classes which are suitable in the department of communication and the department of business shall use the Journal as a vehicle for practical training and application as an extension of classroom instruction. Such classes may include but are not limited to: Writing for Communication, Newswriting, Introduction to Photography, Advertising Principles, Depth Reporting, Public Relations I and II, Editing, Advertising Layout, Media Sales, Intermediate Photography, Newspaper Laboratory, Feature Writing, Communication Graphics, Public Relations Writing, Advertising Strategies, Marketing, Accounting. Instructors in these courses shall work closely with their department heads and deans to ensure that they have adequate control over their students in relation to the editor and business manager of the Journal.

      The University Journal incorporates The Thunderbird, the student newspaper of the University, and functions not only as a communication medium for the University but for the student body as a whole.

II. REFERENCES

N/A

III. DEFINITIONS

N/A

IV. POLICY

  1. Organization and General Procedures
    1. The steering council shall consist of the Chair of the Department of Communication, who shall serve as chair of the council; the Deans of each College/School of the University; the Vice President for University Affairs; the Director of Student Activities; a representative of the Faculty Senate; the SUUSA President and two (2) additional students selected by that person; one (1) student senator from each College/School of the University; and one (1) student at large selected by the President of the University.
      1. A recording secretary (non-voting) is to be appointed by the President of the University. The duties of the secretary shall be the taking and dissemination of minutes and to assist the chair in the performance of administrative duties relating to this council.
      2. The council will also seek the non-voting participation of the editor and business manager of the Journal, the Associate Vice President for Business Affairs of the University, the head of the department of business, and heads of any other departments whose academic programs may be involved in the newspaper.
        1. The editor of the Journal shall be the director of publications for the University, a position appointed by the president through the Board of Trustees. The business manager shall be a member of the SUU Publications Office as appointed by the director and approved by the council, in addition to other duties not pertaining to the newspaper. The duties of these individuals are outlined in Sections IV.G. and IV.H.
    2. The council will meet once a month at the call of the chair, or by any 10 members of the council.
    3. A quorum shall consist of 10 voting members.
    4. All decisions shall be made by majority vote of those present at a duly-called meeting at which a quorum has been convened.
    5. A bylaw or routine method of procedure having been established, the council shall function under it; such rules or procedures may be changed by a majority vote of a quorum at a duly-called meeting after a change has been proposed at a previous meeting.
  2. Responsibilities of the Council
    1. The council has the responsibility to:
      1. Establish a general policy for the Journal, including employment opportunities and procedures.
      2. Approve the selection, by the editor, of two (2) student associate editors and one (1) advertising manager for the Journal from candidates among those responding to position announcements appearing in three consecutive issues of the Journal. Appointment requires a simple majority and terms of office will be quarterly (or by semester). These associate editors would receive in-state tuition scholarships, the sum of $150 per month and 12 units of internship, cooperative education, or other such suitable course of study in communication so as to allow a full-time commitment to the Journal. The advertising manager shall receive an in-state tuition and an equitable commission rate to be approved by the council. That individual, in consultation with the business manager, shall have the authority to hire student advertising representatives at the same commission rate. The editor, business manager, and associate editors shall be delegated the responsibility for selecting and hiring other staff members in accordance with the budget and University policy.
      3. Establish the annual budget in the Spring and approve other expenditures during the course of the year which are not contained in the annual budget. Expenditures of $1,000 and greater shall require the signatures of the editor and the chair of the council.
      4. Hear and address complaints and criticism directed at the Journal which the editor is unable to ameliorate.
  3. Funding
    1. It is anticipated that the Journal shall be funded in the following manner:
      1. Through student fees at the level of $4 per full-time student per quarter; $1 per summer session.
      2. Through advertising revenues.
      3. Through stipends supplied by various departments of the University as agreed upon by all parties.
      4. Through subscriptions.
      5. Through regulated sales to individuals of photographs which have been taken by newspaper staff members.
    2. The newspaper shall continue to utilize the University Business Office in regard to accounts payable and receivable and for bidding.
  4. Editorial Policy
    1. The council is unalterably opposed to censorship as prohibited by decree of the Supreme Court of the United States but agrees that editors have the right to exercise their judgment and to edit. The First Amendment rights are shared by the editor, the council, and the University as publisher.
    2. The council will administer the general functions of the Journal but not become involved in day-to-day operations and will not assume active management of the editorial staff of the newspaper.
    3. Specifically, the Journal shall adhere to the following editorial guidelines:
      1. The Journal shall be conducted primarily as an organ of news, education, entertainment, and opinion and shall be conducted in the interest of the campus community.
      2. The Journal shall seek accuracy and fairness at all times. Responsibility to the public interest is vital.
      3. The newspaper shall not be used to advance the selfish interest of any group or clique of students, faculty, administrators or group of people off-campus.
      4. Any criticism of groups or individuals shall be on a responsible basis.
      5. The newspaper shall not publish any material which is malicious, libelous, involved character assassination, is obviously untrue, or discriminates.
      6. All opinions expressed in the Journal shall be that of the individual writer or cartoonist and it shall be indicated below the masthead of the Journal that these items reflect the writer's viewpoint and not necessarily that of the Journal, the student body, the University, or its governing bodies, including the steering council. The Journal will not publish an unsigned or any other editorial purporting to be the viewpoint of the University or any of its entities. Letters to the editor must be signed with a true and valid and verifiable name of the writer or writers.
      7. Content shall be collected from the following sources: students enrolled in SUU courses as a function of such courses; other students who wish to contribute to the paper; professional staff members of the University engaged in writing; press releases from various outlets which are of interest to readers; faculty and staff members who have been solicited to write based on their particular emphasis, knowledge, or interest or who choose on their own to do so and which writings are accepted at the editor's discretion; the Associated Press news service; other feature services; regular and occasional columnists; letters to the editor.
  5. Advertising Policy
    1. The SUUSA government will be charged no more than the lowest ad rates afforded any advertiser. Any use of news pages for free advertising will be negotiated annually in the Spring for the following year between the Editor and the SUUSA Executive Council and a written agreement will be signed by both parties. All ads will be subject to the same deadlines imposed on all advertisers.
    2. Political advertising (campus, local, state, or national) may be accepted but shall be paid for in full before publication and shall include the words "Paid Political Advertisement" on the printed ad.
    3. The Journal will not accept advertising for alcoholic beverages or tobacco products.
    4. The council specifies that the Journal reserves the right to refuse any advertising by consent of the business manager and chair of the council. If a consensus cannot be reached regarding the refusal of an ad, then the council shall be convened and consulted. If necessary, the advertisement in question may be withheld from publication by either the business manager or chair until the council can be convened to consider the matter.
    5. Rates shall be approved annually by the council. However, the business manager is granted, in consultation with appropriate individuals, the right to adjust rates at various times as necessary to ensure the economic viability of each edition. This includes special offers for marketing purposes.
    6. The SUUSA government will be charged no more than the lowest ad rates afforded any advertiser. These ads will be subject to the same deadlines imposed on all advertisers.
  6. Circulation Policy
    1. The Journal shall print adequate copies to meet the demand of the campus community and all consumers. The number of copies shall be continually monitored to ensure that undue waste does not occur. Copies in numbers beyond what is required shall be recycled.
    2. Subscriptions shall be marketed to all off-campus sources and shall be regulated so that prices do not exceed an amount 20% greater than inherent costs.
    3. Distribution in boxes shall be on the basis of demand and not restricted to the campus.
  7. The Role, Duties, and Responsibilities of the Editor
    1. The editor is to ensure all news and announcements of the University are contained in a timely fashion in the Journal, insofar that this is possible.
    2. The editor is to ensure that student participation in all aspects of the newspaper's editorial operation is valuable, productive and worthwhile and that proper cooperation is maintained with the academic areas involved with the education of these students.
    3. The editor is to ensure that the Journal is ready to be printed as scheduled on all occasions when not prevented by circumstances beyond their control.
    4. The editor is to ensure (in conjunction with the business manager) that the physical security and maintenance of the facilities, supplies and equipment, and thus the economic life of the newspaper, are provided for insofar that this is possible and prudent.
    5. The editor is to coordinate all aspects of editorial content to the greatest benefit of the campus community.
    6. The editor serves as supervisor for all personnel engaged in the editorial product.
    7. The editor serves as the instructor of the Newspaper Laboratory class.
    8. The editor is to ensure that the editorial policies of this council are adhered to.
  8. The Role, Duties, and Responsibilities of the Business Manager
    1. The business manager is to ensure that the newspaper's finances are maintained in accordance with University policy.
    2. The business manager is to ensure that student participation in all aspects of the newspaper's non-editorial operations is valuable, productive and worthwhile and that proper cooperation is maintained with the academic areas involved with the education of these students.
    3. The business manager is to ensure that the Journal is printed as scheduled on all occasions when not prevented by circumstances beyond their control.
    4. The business manager is to ensure (in conjunction with the editor) that the physical security and maintenance of the facilities, supplies and equipment, and thus the economic life of the newspaper, are provided for insofar that this is possible and prudent.
    5. The business manager serves as supervisor for all personnel engaged in advertising, circulation, and billing.
    6. The business manager is to ensure that the advertising and circulation policies of this council are adhered to.

V. RELEVANT FORMS/LINKS

VI. QUESTIONS/RESPONSIBLE OFFICE

The responsible office for this Policy is the Vice President for University Relations. For questions about this Policy, contact the Department of Communication.

VII. POLICY ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT DATES

Date Approved: August 17, 1994

Amended: N/A