Constitution
Passed in a Student Body Election, March 26-27, 2007 with 86.2 percent approval.

 

INTRODUCTION

All student-produced media which are supported in whole or in part by funds from University Student Media Fees shall be defined as Student Body Media and shall be under the jurisdiction of the Student Media Board of Directors. The Student Media Board of Directors exists to maintain popular control over student fee funds. This article shall cease to be in force should use of student fee monies to support student media be entirely discontinued.

PREAMBLE

The student media are valuable in establishing and preserving an atmosphere of free and responsible discussion and intellectual exploration within the University community. As public forums for student expression, the students determine the content of all student media without prior review. To that end, the North Carolina Student Media Student Media and its board of directors exist to ensure that a free and responsible student media are maintained at North Carolina State University.

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

1.1-The Student Media Statutes are the by-laws of the North Carolina State University Student Media.

2.0 THE STUDENT MEDIA Board of Directors

The board will serve to assist the official student media at North Carolina State University in their efforts to provide on-time, quality publications. In addition, board members will serve to maximize the educational experiences for members of the student media. Students who work on official student publications determine the content of those publications and are responsible for that content.

2.1 Composition

Representation of the Student Media Board of Directors shall be:

  1. Three student body representatives elected at-large in a student body election;
  2. Three student college representatives, appointed by the dean of the college, as apportioned to the colleges in the Media policies;
  3. Two faculty representatives, serving on staggered two-year terms, as apportioned to the colleges in the Media policies;
  4. Three individuals not under the employ of the University providing expertise on media management qualified and selected as provided by the Media policies;
  5. One representative from each media outlet chosen as provided by the Media policies, non-voting;
  6. The president of the Student Body, ex-officio, non-voting;
  7. The senior-most professional employee of the Student Media, ex-officio, non-voting.

Elected student members shall not be members of the Student Senate, of a Student Body Medium or any other campus-wide advisory or governance body as defined in the Documents of Policy.

2.2 Term of office

The term for all members of the Student Media Board of Directors begin May 1 and end April 30.

2.3 Elections

Elections for the Student Media Board of Directors will be held in conjunction with the spring Student Body elections and governed by the Student Government Board of Elections and the Student Media Election Code contained in the Student Media Documents of Policy.

2.4 Vacancies

  • All vacancies shall be filled in a manner similar to the manner in which the individual was originally appointed.
  • Student body representative vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the student body president.
  • Appointees who fill vacancies shall serve until the original position was set to expire.

2.5 Officers

  • The board will elect, by majority vote, a chair and vice chair at the board's first meeting.
  • The chair of the board will be an elected or appointed student, not an ex-officio, non-voting member.
  • In the absence of the chair, the vice chair will serve as the chair.

2.6 Powers and Duties

Members of the board, in general, are responsible for the vision and direction of the Student Media. Board members are not charged with day-to-day operational issues that are left up to student staff or professional staff members. The board is charged with

  • Update and determine the mission for each student body medium.
  • Select each media outlet's senior leader, provided that all such appointments be made in sessions open to the Student Body.
  • Determine an annual media budget for the Student Media.
  • Determine and update when necessary, the Student Media Documents of Policy.

2.7 Meetings

  1. The board shall meet at least once a month during the months of September, October, November, January, February, March and April.
  2. During the months when no regular meeting is scheduled, the chair of the board or a majority of the board members may call a special meeting.
  3. The chair of the board or a majority of the board members may call a special meeting at any time to deal with emergency matters.
  4. The board will follow all applicable laws generally applied to governmental entities for open meetings including posting notice for any meeting at least 72 hours in advance.
  5. A majority of the voting members present shall constitute a quorum. No official business, including the appointment of editors/manager or approval of the budget, will take place if a quorum is not present. Of those voting members present, a majority must be student members who are eligible to vote.
  6. The chair of the board will set the agenda for each meeting and appoint a voting member to maintain the minutes which will be distributed to all board members and posted in public within 72 hours of the conclusion of the meeting.
  7. All members of the board may vote on all issues. No proxy votes are allowed.
  8. Meetings will be governed by Robert's Rules of Order.
  9. E-mail votes, votes by fax or any other method other than at a meeting are not allowed.

3.0 MEDIA

The Board of Directors shall be charged with approving the mission of each media outlet that uses student fees. All media which are supported in whole or in part by funds from University Student Media Fees shall be defined as Student Media.

3.1-Agromeck

The Agromeck yearbook shall present a picture and word record of the year's events utilizing the artistic and journalistic talents of the University community.

3.2-Americana

Americana's mission is to produce a student Web publication which informs the campus community of issues and concepts that affect our lives in both overt and subtle ways, and promise to shape our futures. It will contribute to the creation of a more dynamic, vibrant, and rigorous intellectual atmosphere on the N.C. State Campus. It will use its unique medium to encourage artistic and journalistic expression in all forms, and heighten the awareness and appreciation of the arts and letters at N.C. State.

3.3- Nubian Message

The Nubian Message shall be a media representative of the African-American voice for North Carolina State University. The Nubian Message will be a newspaper publication in which people can learn about different aspects of African-American culture, as well as other cultures. The periodical will be a source of useful information for all students by reporting on events that will appeal to the NCSU community.

3.4-Technician

The newspaper shall report events of interest to the University community with emphasis on those of interest to students, shall function as a meeting place for campus opinions through letters and guest-written material, and shall maintain an unfettered editorial opinion voice.

3.5-Windhover

Windhover shall present a magazine of written and visual art representing student, faculty, employee, and alumni creativity of North Carolina State University. The content of the magazine will emphasize literary arts, i.e., poetry, fiction, drama, and essays; and the visual arts, i.e., photography, painting, sculpture and line works.

3.6-WKNC 88.1 FM

The campus student-operated radio station shall present musical and other forms of entertainment, and supplement the newspaper with instantaneous coverage. Whenever appropriate, the station shall engage campus and other figures of student interest for discussion and debate programs. In short, WKNC-FM shall compliment, through its unique format, the functions of the other student media.

3.0 DOCUMENTS OF POLICY

The Student Media Documents of Policy shall contain listings and descriptions of policies which deal with operational responsibilities common to the Student Media. They may be modified by a majority vote of the Student Media Board of Directors.

4.0 Amendments

All amendments to Student Media Constitution shall require a majority vote of those students voting in the next scheduled campus-wide election following:

  1. a majority vote of the Student Media Board of Directors, or
  2. a petition signed by 15 percent of all University enfranchised students.

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N.C. State Student Media • 321 Witherspoon, CB 7318 • Raleigh, NC 27695
919/515-1685 • fax: 919/513-2030