Rhododendron Advisory Board : Student Publications Advisory Board

The Student Media Board
Pursuant to the charge of the Chancellor of October 23, 1973 (Revised Fall, 1994) the Student Media Board shall: Make provisions for the selection of the editors of The Appalachian and any future student publications, and the station manager for WASU-FM Radio Station; Make recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Student Development regarding the appointment (and dismissal) of the editor of The Appalachian and any future student publications, and the station manager for WASU-FM Radio Station; Recommend a business manager candidate for The Appalachian to the Director of Student Publications; Make recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Student Development regarding matters of policy concerning The Appalachian and WASU-FM Radio Station. The Vice Chancellor for Student Development shall consider such recommendations and forward them, with his suggestions, to the Chancellor.

Composition of the Board
The Student Media Board shall be composed of thirteen (13) members. Members shall be selected from the student body, faculty and administration in the following manner: Seven (7) members shall be students, including the Vice President of the Student Government Association and six (6) other students nominated by the Vice President, confirmed by the Student Senate and recommended to the Vice Chancellor for Student Development for appointment to the Council. (Of these six (6) students, two (2) shall be nominated among those majoring in communications media, two (2) recommended to the Vice President by the staff members of The Appalachian and WASU-FM radio station, one (1) from each, and two (2) at the discretion of the Vice President. Six (6) members shall be non-students, with representation from the Department of English, the Department of Communication, the College of Business and the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership. The two (2) remaining non-student members may be appointed at the discretion of the Chancellor. The Vice Chancellor for Student Development shall recommend members for appointment to the Chancellor, taking note of the students suggested for positions on the Board by the Student Senate; The Chancellor shall ultimately appoint all members of the Student Media Board.

Terms of Appointment and Structure of the Board
All members of the Student Media Board shall be appointed for a term of one academic year. (All members shall be appointed by the Chancellor at least by the first of October of the academic year.) Members appointed to fill vacancies occurring during an academic year shall be appointed for the duration of the term vacated. All appointments are renewable at the discretion of the Chancellor. The Chairperson of the Student Media Board shall be named by the Vice Chancellor for Student Development from the six (6) non-students on the Board. A secretary shall be appointed to keep a current list of members of the Board and to inform members of Board meetings. The Student Media Board shall attempt to meet at least three times a semester, including at least twice for the purpose of selecting editors of the various publications, and WASU-FM station manager, at least once to hear reports from the editors of the various publications and the WASU-FM station manager, and at such other times as the chairperson specifies for the completion of the Board’s responsibilities. (In addition, the chairperson shall summon the Board at the request of two or more members of the Board.) The Board shall meet on the call of the chairperson. At least nine (9) members must be present for the Board to conduct business. Seven (7) affirmative votes shall be required to recommend student editors and business managers.

The Selection Process
All candidates for the position of editor must meet the minimum qualifications specified below:

Editor of The Appalachian
Have at the time of application a 2.25 grade point average and maintain a 2.0 grade point average. Be a rising senior at the time of application. Have at least two years of collegiate journalism experience. Submit application materials and appear for a person interview at the time specified by the Student Media Board.

Station Manger of WASU-FM
Have and maintain a 2.25 grade point average. Be a full-time student. Submit application and appear for a personal interview at the time specified by the Media Board.

Business Manager of The Appalachian
Have at the time of application a 2.25 grade point average and maintain a 2.0 grade point average. Be a rising senior at the time of application. Have at least two years experience in business management or ad sales. Submit application materials and appear for a personal interview at the time specified by the Media Board.

The Student Media Board may, by a majority vote, recommend to the Vice Chancellor for Student Development a waiver for any of these requirements if requested by a candidate. The Student Media Board may, by a majority vote, recommend to the Vice Chancellor for Student Development that additional requirements be attached to a position if it deems them necessary for an editor, business manager, or station manager to adequately fulfill his/her responsibilities (e.g., require an editor to attend summer session in order to supervise special projects essential to the continued welfare of a publication). All such additional requirements must be specified at the time of application.

The Student Media Board may establish requirements for the management personnel of new student publications and station manager as they arise. The Board shall advertise in The Appalachian and on the campus radio station the availability of all positions. Such advertisements shall include ads placed in The Appalachian for four consecutive issues beginning with the first issue of the newspaper for the spring semester. The deadline for applications shall be February 15. Applications may be picked up by prospective applicants at the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership and returned to that office prior to the application deadline. The completed applications will be forwarded to the chairperson of the Student Media Board who shall have copies of the applications made and distributed to all Board members. The chairperson of the Board shall call at least one meeting for the review of applications and applicant interviews and at least one other meeting at which the Board shall determine its recommendations for the various positions. The recommendations for each position will be considered separately and shall be made by a majority vote. The chairperson shall be responsible for forwarding the recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Student Development.
The editor of The Appalachian shall be elected for a term to run June 1 through the end of the academic year. The WASU-FM station manager shall be elected for a term to run August through May.

Reports to the Board
At least once a year, the Board shall meet to hear brief progress reports and suggestions from the editors of the various publications and radio station. It shall be the responsibility of the chairperson to call such meetings at least one month prior to the meeting date.

Policy Recommendations by the Board
From time to time it may be necessary for the Board to recommend to the Vice Chancellor for Student Development policy changes affecting the various student publications and radio station. Before such recommendations are made the Board shall have at least one public meeting at which the viewpoint of the staff of the publication and/or radio station involved may be presented. All such recommendations shall be by majority vote of the Board.

Review of Policies for Publications and Radio Station
And Procedure for Dismissal of Editors and Managers
At the request of two or more members, the Board shall review the editorial and business policies of a publication or radio station including professional and ethical practices of the publication. A recommendation for dismissal of an editor of a publication or station manager may be discussed as part of a review process. In such a case, the person (editor or station manager) involved shall be given at least an opportunity to present her/his viewpoints before the Board. Based on the review and majority decision, the Board may make recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Student Development regarding the publication and radio station policies and dismissal of the editor or station manager.

Special Circumstances
The Student Media Board may establish whatever procedure it deems appropriate for filling temporary vacancies in any position under its jurisdiction. This provision shall be construed as a method for timely replacement of vacated positions but not as a method of setting precedent or making major policy changes.

Procedural Changes
Upon majority vote of the Student Media Board and with the approval of the Vice Chancellor for Student Development, any provision in this document may be amended or rescinded.

Introduction
The Rhododendron had a rich tradition at Appalachian State University prior to its demise in 1992. Throughout its decades of recording the institutional history of the University, the students who served as members of the staff produced books of the highest quality reflective of the mission of Student Publications to produce student publications of the highest quality that were informative and entertaining. With the Fall 2003 semester, Student Publications is charged with reviving The Rhododendron under the guidance of the Student Media Board. The Board has determined that it is necessary to appoint an Advisory Board for The Rhododendron to offer guidance and advice to the student staff.

The Rhododendron Advisory Board
Pursuant to the charge of the Chancellor of October 23, 1973 (Revised Fall 1994, Spring 1997 and Fall 2003) the Student Media Board shall make recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Student Development regarding matters of policy concerning The Appalachian, The Rhododendron, and any future student publications, and WASU-FM Radio Station. The Vice Chancellor for Student Development shall consider such recommendations and forward them, with his suggestions, to the Chancellor.

The Rhododendron Advisory Board exists to review the decision process and to provide advice to the student staff of the yearbook staff. The Advisory Board shall meet at least two (2) times each semester. During these meetings, it shall be the responsibility of the student editorial board to present its theme for the book, its production schedule for the year, its staff development plan to insure staff is trained sufficiently to achieve its goals, and to report on progress toward achieving editorial goals. The Advisory Board also will provide assistance to the editor in preparation for required reports to the full Media Board.

Day-to-day advisory responsibilities fall to the yearbook advisor, who shall be the Director of Student Publications. The Director shall be assisted by a graduate assistant, named by the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, and a representative from the publishing company, who shall be charged with assisting in the technical training of the staff.

Composition of the Advisory Board
The Rhododendron Advisory Board shall consist of five (5) members selected from the Student Media Board. Membership of the Advisory Board shall consist of two (2) from the professional membership of the Media Board, and three (3) from the student membership, including the representative from The Rhododendron.

Terms of Appointment and Structure of the Advisory Board
All members of The Rhododendron Advisory Board shall be appointed for a term of one semester. All members will be selected from the membership of the Student Media Board, with each appointment requiring seven (7) positive votes by the Media Board. The membership of The Rhododendron Advisory Board shall be determined by no later than September 30 and January 30 each year.

I.The Student Publications Advisory Board brings together the management teams of The Appalachian, The Rhododendron, and any future student publication for the purpose of:

1. providing an open vehicle for communication between the major divisions of the newspaper, the yearbook, and any future student publications, and the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership;
2. allowing organized planning so that the production staff can be responsive to the demands of the student newspaper, the yearbook, and any future student publications and so that planning between the editorial and business staffs of each publication can be coordinated;
3. refining methods for evaluating the total process for producing the newspaper twice a week, the yearbook and any future student publications;
4. serving as an advisory board to each of the publications and the components of each, and to the Director of Student Publications, who is responsible for designing and executing proper administrative practices for the support of student publications.

Within this framework, the board has set these broad objectives from which it operates:

1. to hear reports from the editor in chief, business manager, production coordinator and associate editor for production from each publication about problems, concerns, and plans that will effect the total process of publications;
2. to review proposals and policy changes from any member of the board which would change the format, production process, or fiscal well-being of the newspaper, yearbook, and any future student publications;
3. to act as a personnel grievance review board for matters that cannot be resolved within the organizational structure of the various student publications.

II. The Student Publications Advisory Board is chaired by the Director of Student Publications, who does not vote except in the case of a tie, but may overturn the decision of the members. Voting members of the board are: The Appalachian’s editor in chief, business manager, and associate editor for production; The Rhododendron’s editor in chief, one (1) section editor, and the associate editor for production; and any corresponding list of managers for any future student publication. At the discretion of the board, other members of the student newspaper, yearbook, or any future student publications may attend and participate in meetings. Unless a specific vote is requested by any member, all matters will be decided by consensus of the group.

III. The Student Publications Advisory Board shall meet on a regular basis, at a time and place to be determined by the board or the chairman. All members are required to attend these meetings. Absences will be dealt with by the chairman with the advice of the board.

IV. The agenda for each meeting shall be set by the chairman in advance of the meeting. Any member of the board may request an item to be placed on the agenda, preferably before the meeting, but up the opening of the meeting with the consent of the board.

V. The chairman’s decision of conduct may be appealed by any member of the board. A positive vote of two-thirds of the voting members of the board is required to overturn the chair’s decision of conduct. If the chairman does not concede to the wishes of the board, an appeal may be made by the board to the Director of the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership. If the appeal is not satisfied at that point, the board may request a hearing by the Student Media Board and/or the Vice Chancellor for Student Development.

VI. These operating guidelines may be amended or added to by three affirmative votes. The Director of Student Publications may elect to override the decision of the board. An appeal to this decision should be followed as set forth in section V.