Student Media

Overview

Wright State University student media serve the public trust and are free from censorship and prior restraint by the university.

Staff members are obligated to exercise responsibility in their offices, including professional behavior, diverse coverage, diligent investigation, and unbiased reporting. Poor taste or judgment in print or broadcast on-air has a negative impact on the student media organization and reflects upon the entire campus community. In addition, all student print and broadcast productions must conform to legal restrictions, and to federal regulations governing the specific medium.

The Student Media Board

The student media that are subsidized by the university are provided oversight by the Student Media Board. The Board is composed of the editor or general manager of each medium, faculty mentors to the media, the student media coordinator, the SG Director of Public relations, three additional students-at-large appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs, one faculty person, and one additional faculty or staff appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs, and the director of Student Involvement and Leadership who shall chair the Board. The terms of office are July 1 through June 30 of the following year. No student shall serve as an at-large representative and as a staff member or volunteer of a subsidized student media simultaneously.

The Student Media Board meets on a semester basis and appoints or removes the editor/general manager, reviews the financial affairs, and reviews and approves general operating policies of the media. Attendance at meetings of the Board shall be open to the university community. Although in attendance, guests may not address the SMB unless asked to do so. Guests not on the Board must submit their desire to address the Board in writing to the chair (4) days prior to the meeting and may do so after all agenda items have been addressed.

Staff Positions

The editor/general manager appoints his/her staff for the upcoming academic year in the spring after conducting interviews. Staff vacancies are filled in the same manner as they occur.

Media Staff may receive remuneration for services rendered. Stipend positions are approved annually by the Student Organization Budget Committee. Stipend levels are determined by the Office of Student Employment, depending upon the position responsibilities. Actual stipend amounts are tied to tuition and are determined by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. The term of an editor or general manager is from the day after spring commencement to the last day of the following spring semester. To accept and maintain the position of editor/general manager, a student must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Eligibility is reviewed at the start of each semester by the Student Media Coordinator.

Advisory Policy

All subsidized student media must be operated in accordance with standards approved by the Student Media Board as well as the ethical and legal regulations governing the specific medium. Each medium has two advisors: The Student Media Coordinator and a faculty mentor appointed yearly by the VPSA with the approval of department deans.

The Student Media are free of censorship and prior restraint. Freedom of the press as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States and the State of Ohio is not impeded or interfered with by the university. Student Media Editors/General Managers are solely responsible for the print and on-air content of their publications/programming. This right is not without responsibility, however. Media may print or broadcast what they deem proper but must accept full responsibility for their product.

The Student Media Board annually reviews the budget of each subsidized medium for the following year. The budget is subject to approval by the Student Organization Budget Committee.

The Student Involvement and Leadership Accounting Clerk is responsible for collecting income and for depositing it at the Office of the Bursar. All expenditures are paid by the accounts payable office only after receipt of proper vouchers.

New Media

A student group seeking to establish a new media outlet may submit a petition for approval to the Student Media Board, setting forth the following: (1) objectives of the medium; (2) frequency of appearance; (3) financial arrangements; (4) proposed organization, including initial staff; (5) one issue consisting of dummy sheets, copy, and art material reflecting the basic format the publication intends to present and maintain, or in the case of nonprint media, the broadcast format for a typical week; and (6) the name of the faculty advisor.

Proposals for new media must also be consistent with requirements for student organizations.

Updated 8/2007