I. PURPOSE

The Media Commission is established, with responsibility to the Lane Community College Board of Education, to provide a governing body representative of the student body, staff, and administration, as the primary policy-making body in regard to student publications.
 

II.  MEMBERSHIP

A. The Media Commission shall consist of:
 

1. Four students:
 

a. Two appointed by the ASLCC President, one of whom shall be the ASLCC Communication Director.
b. One student appointed by the editor of the Torch.
c. One student appointed by the editor of Denali (Amended May 29, 1981).
d. All student members should be willing and interested in serving a one-year term. (Amended April 21, 1998)

2. Three LCC staff members:
 

a. Two faculty members appointed by the president of the Faculty Union  (Amended May 29, 1981).
b. One classified staff member appointed by the Executive Council of  the Employees Federation.
c. Staff members should be willing to serve and will be chosen for one- or two-year terms specified at the time of appointment. If either group is not able to fill that vacancy, the other group will be asked to fill the vacancy.

3. Permanent members:
 

a. The instructor of Media Law courses taught in the Media Arts and Technology Department (Amended Spring, 1987).
b. Department Chair of the English and Foreign Language and Speech Department.
c. Editor of Denali
d. Editor of the Torch
e. Adviser(s) of the literary arts publication.
f. Adviser(s) of Denali
g. Adviser(s) of the Torch.

C. Meetings shall be open for attendance by any interested person.  However, at the request of a majority of commission members, the chair may close meetings during editor selection proceedings, and sessions dealing with personnel matters. (Amended May 21, 1998)

D. Dismissal from the Lane Media Commission: Two consecutive absences, without prior notice, from regular meetings shall be considered an automatic resignation from the commission unless voted otherwise by the Media Commission at the next regularly scheduled meeting. (Amended May 29, 1981).
 

III. MEETINGS AND VOTING

A. The chair of the Media Commission shall call a meeting when any specific, written complaint or appeal is received.  A special meeting shall be called during the first three weeks of spring term for the purpose of arranging to select the following year's editors for the Torch and Denali.  Meetings may also be called at any time when a majority of the members call for a meeting or when the chair is notified of pending business for the commission to consider. (Amended May 21, 1998)

B. The quorum required for an official meeting of the Media Commission will be a majority of the membership listed above, that is, one more than half the membership.  A decisive vote will be a majority of those members present at the official meeting. (Amended May 21, 1998)
 

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LCC MEDIA COMMISSION

A. The Lane Community College Board of Education
 

1.  Since student publications are recognized aspects of the college and its curriculum, final authority and final responsibility for their operation rests with the Lane Community College Board of Education.  The responsibility for developing, administering, and reviewing policies for the operation of student publications is delegated by the LCC Board of Education to the LCC Media Commission.  "Student publications" include the student newspaper-- the Torch -- and the student literary arts publication -- Denali.

2. The Media Commission shall determine if any other college-aided, regularly published student literature is to fall under the auspices of the commission.

B. The Lane Community College Media Commission
 

1. The Media Commission, as the primary agency of the LCC Board of Education in regard to student publications, is responsible for developing policies which direct the operations of LCC media, subject to board approval.  The Media Commission is directly responsible to the LCC Board of Education.  The Media Commission (as well as the LCC President and the LCC Board of Education) will not be involved in the day-to-day decisions and operations of the student media. (Amended May 21, 1998)

2.  The Media Commission shall also serve as an appeal and review board if questions of adherence to Media Commission Policies or the Oregon Code of  Journalistic Ethics arise.

C.  Advisers and Division Chairs
 

1.  The chair of the Arts Division supervises the instructional aspects of journalism, graphic design, desktop publishing, and photography courses, and coordinates with Torch and Denali advisers on matters of instruction. (Amended April 27, 1999)

2.  The vice president Academic and Student Affairs is the immediate supervisor of the Torch advisers in matters pertaining to budget planning, personnel administration, and college operating policy. (Added Spring, 1987)

3.  The director of Student Life and Leadership Development is the immediate supervisor of the Denali advisers in matters pertaining to budget planning.  The vice president Academic and Student Affairs is the immediate supervisor of Denali for matters pertaining to personnel administration, and college operating policy.

4. The division chairs and the advisers will be available to serve as liaisons between the Media Commission and the student staff.  However, the division chairs, advisers, and the vice president Academic and Student Affairs shall not be held responsible for the content of student publications. (Amended April 27, 1999)
 

1.  Responsibility for selection of the content of the student media and the insurance of adherence to Media Commission policies will be in the hands of student editors, managers, and their staffs.  Student staff members will be expected to adhere to appropriate standards for ethical and professional work.  Torch staff members shall be expected to adhere to standards of journalistic ethics as expressed in the Oregon Code of Ethics for Journalism.

2.  In all cases, the Torch and Denali editors will make final decisions about the content of their respective publications, but will attempt to provide ample time during the editing processes for their advisers to read and comment on the material-- about the structure, grammar, word choice, as well as any legal and/or ethical ramifications involved in publishing the material. (Amended April 27, 1999)

3.  In the instance of Torch material, staff or personal opinion will be clearly marked by some designation such as "Editorial" or "Letter to the Editor" and separated from objective news material.  The staff shall make every effort to verify the accuracy of  their information, to attribute information and opinion to the proper sources, and to present in news articles both sides of controversial matters.  If errors occur, corrections or retractions shall be published as soon as possible with space of equal or greater importance in accordance with state law. (Amended May 29, 1981)
 

V.  REVIEW AND APPEAL PROCEDURES

A.  The Media Commission may, at the written request of any party including Media Commission members, initiate a review of the actions of the student staff, advisers, division chairs, or the vice president Academic and Student Affairs to ensure Media Commission policies are followed and duties necessary in publication are performed capably (Amended Fall, 1987). Findings of such a review will be transmitted in written form to the members of the Media Commission, the complainant, and the person or persons whose actions are reviewed.  If requested by any concerned person, these findings will be transmitted to the LCC President and the LCC Board of Education.

B.  If violations of Media Commission policy occur, or if necessary functions are not performed capably, and these situations remain uncorrected after transmission of the Media Commission findings to the party involved, the Media Commission shall take the following steps to remedy the situation:  the Media Commission may remove from his or her position, if necessary, commission members.  If the situation involves a member of the student staff not appointed directly by the Commission, the Commission shall discuss the problem with the editor of the medium involved. Criticism and evaluation of staff members shall be under the direction of the editor.  The Media Commission shall not, on its own initiative, call before it any individual staff member without prior consultation with the editor.  Requests for appearances of staff members shall be routed through the editor.  Similarly, should questions arise concerning the actions of the advisers, the chairs of the appropriate division or the vice president Academic and Student Affairs will be contacted. (Amended Spring, 1987)

C.  The review and appeal policies are not intended primarily to settle matters of personality conflict, but should such conflict interfere with the operations of the student media, the matter should be referred to the Media Commission.
 

VI.  FINANCING OF THE MEDIA

A.  Financing for the operation of the Torch will be provided by the college general fund, advertising revenue, and the Office of Academic and Student Affairs.  Amounts budgeted for each school year will be determined during the previous spring in discussions among the Torch editor and advisers and reviewed by the vice president Academic and Student Affairs. (Amended April 22, 1999)

B.  Denali will receive funding through the annual budgeting process from the college general fund, and from a portion of student body fees disbursed by the director of Student Life and Leadership Development, as determined by vote of the study body.  Denali may also receive revenue from the sale of advertising and from other activities in keeping with the college's policies. (Amended April 22, 1999)
 

VII.  NEWSPAPER STAFF

A.  Staff Personnel
 

1.  Torch Editor
 

a. The editor of the Torch will be appointed by the Media Commission during spring term and will serve fall, winter, and spring terms of the following academic year.  The editor should have journalistic ability, training, and experience.  She/he should have previous service on a high school, college, or professional newspaper staff in such capacities as will give him/her an adequate understanding of the operations of a newspaper.  The editor must be capable of organizing and directing a staff and of relating well to other people.  The applicant for editor must have completed at least six LCC credit hours on the main campus within 12 months prior to his/her application for the editor's position. (Amended April 28, 1982, and Spring, 1987)  The editor must enroll in a Media Law class during the first term it is offered unless he/she can demonstrate he/she has already satisfactorily studied the topic. (Amended May, 1985)

b.  At the time of application, the editor must hold a 2.00 Grade Point Average or higher.   He/she must maintain or exceed that 2.00 GPA during his/her editorship.  The editor must enroll in and complete a class of at least three credits each term during which he/she serves as editor. (Amended Spring, 1991)  If her/his accumulated GPA drops below 2.00, her/his standing as editor will be reviewed by the Media Commission. The editor will be responsible for selecting other staff members and assigning their duties and shall have the authority for reorganizing the staff and removing members from staff positions if they are not performing their duties.

c.  Financial duties in regard to the newspaper will not be assigned by the editor but will be the duty of the adviser assigned that responsibility through the vice president Academic and Student Affairs.  The editor will be responsible for operating within limitations of the newspaper budget. (Amended Spring, 1987)

d.  The editor will also be responsible for the formation of an Editorial Board.

e.  The editor will review all letters to the editor and columns and make the decision of printing or not printing them.   PROPOSED REVISION: e. The editor will prepare written standards and policies for publishing material readers submit for publication.  The editor will determine if the materials are suitable for inclusion in the Torch.

2.  Staff members will be drawn from journalism classes and laboratories, and from students interested in the newspaper who are not enrolled in journalism classes.  The editor shall, at the beginning of each term, circulate to staff members a listing of each member's duties, based upon evaluation of the needs of the paper and the abilities of  personnel available.

3.  An Editorial Board shall consist of major staff members.  The function of the Editorial Board shall be the development of editorial positions and review of editorials as assigned by the editor or as staff members volunteer for that task.   PROPOSED REVISION: 3.  An Editorial Board shall consist of major staff members.  The Editorial Board may assist the Editor with the development of editorial positions, and with newspaper content, advertising, operating policy, and personnel issues. The Editor will consider the board's advice and recommendations when preparing editorials and making decisions.

4.  The editor shall select and work with an associate editor who shall assist the editor in his/her duties, as specified in a job description. (Amended May 29, 1981)

B. The publication editor and advisers shall inform the Media Commission within two weeks in the event that a vacancy occurs in the editorship.  The associate editor shall assume the duties of the editor in the interim.  The Media Commission shall then act promptly to appoint the associate editor to the editorship, or to recruit and appoint a suitable replacement. (Amended May 29, 1981)  PROPOSED REVISION: B. The Torch editor and advisers shall inform the Media Commission within two weeks in the event that a vacancy occurs in the editorship.  The associate editor shall assume the duties of the editor in the interim.  The Media Commission shall then act promptly to appoint the associate editor to the editorship. If the associate editor is unable or unwilling to accept the position, the Media Commission will recruit and appoint a suitable replacement from the Torch staff. If no staff member is interested, or the commission determines none would be suitable to serve as Editor, the commission will recruit and select an appointment from the LCC student population.

C.  Advisers
 

1.  Advisers for the Torch will be selected jointly by the chair of the instructional department in which the journalism program is housed, and the vice president Academic and Student Affairs to serve in an advisory capacity to the staff of the Torch. (Amended Spring, 1987)

2.  The advisers will serve as liaisons between the newspaper staff and the journalism program and will utilize efforts on the newspaper by journalism students for instructional purposes in news writing, newspaper production, and other aspects of producing a school newspaper.  PROPOSED CHANGE: Place this section (with changes) with separate guidelines for Denali.  3. The adviser(s) for Denali will be selected by the English, Foreign Language and Speech department.   The adviser(s) will serve as a liaison between the publication and the art, literary, and photography instruction in various departments.

4. Advisers may not require participation with publications as part of their classroom work unless that work falls under the Cooperative Education program.

Amendments, revisions, or additions to this policy shall be submitted in writing to the chair of the commission, acted upon in two consecutive meetings of the Media Commission (first, discussion; second, acted upon) with a majority vote required for passage, and submitted for final approval in the same manner as the original document.