4.187 University Advancement & Student Affairs
STUDENT PUBLICATION POLICY
Date Adopted/Most Recent Revision: 08/04/2006

  1. General
    Student publications at MSU aid in establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of free and responsible discussion and in disseminating information and encouraging intellectual and creative exploration on the campus.

  2. Organization

    1. Publications Board Policy

      1. General
        The general purpose of the Student Publications Board will be to promote professionalism in the practice of journalism in the publication of The Wichitan, Wai-Kun, and Voices. The Board serves in an advisory capacity, all action subject to the approval of the President of the university.

      2. Membership

        1. One (1) administrative officer appointed annually by the President of the university.
        2. Two (2) faculty members, from two (2) of the six (6) colleges, appointed by the President biennially, on a rotating basis.
        3. Two (2) students, elected or appointed by the Student Senate, and approved by the President of the university.
        4. Ex-officio members (the advisors and editors of the three (3) student publications).
        5. All members vote, with the exception of the chairperson, who abstains except after a tie vote.
      3. Officers
        A chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary will be elected from the voting membership at the beginning of each academic year, to serve terms for one (1) academic year. The chairperson calls and presides at meetings; the vice chairperson services in the chairperson's absence; and the secretary records and distributes minutes of each meeting.

      4. Meetings

        1. The first meeting of each academic year will be called by the administrative officer, in order to elect officers.
        2. Meetings will be held whenever necessary for handling the duties of the Board; however, the Board will meet at least once each semester.
        3. Special meetings will be called by the chairperson, or in the chairperson's absence, the vice chairperson.
        4. A quorum for meetings will be fifty percent (50%) of the voting members of the Board, provided that at least one (1) student and one (1) non-student are present.
      5. Duties:
        The Board will:

        1. Approve editors of the student publications for the following school year, preferably by April 30.
        2. Recommend any policy statements needed for the following year by student publications, preferably by April 30;
        3. Recommend proposed new student publications;
        4. Recommend sources of funding for new student publications; and
        5. Hear cases of dispute over policy or procedure, and/or hear complaints not satisfactorily handled by the editors and advisors. Any complaints must be submitted in writing to the Board, after which the Board will discuss the complaint and advise the complainant of its conclusions.
  3. Editorial Policies

    1. General

      1. MSU delegates editorial responsibility to students and provides sufficient editorial freedom and financial support for the student publications to maintain their integrity of purpose as vehicles for free inquiry and free expression in an academic community.
      2. Within the bounds of journalistic responsibility, student publications should be free of censorship.
      3. Each student publication should state in each of its issues that the opinions there expressed are not necessarily those of the faculty, administration, or student body.
    2. Role of the Editor

      1. The editor must be a student of the university as defined by and subject to the MSU Policies and Procedures Manual.
      2. The freedom of the student editors is subject to an agreement to be governed by the canons of responsible journalism; these include the avoidance of libel, indecency, obscenity, undocumented allegations, invasion of privacy, and the techniques of harassment and innuendo.
      3. The editor of each student publication must, upon accepting the position of editor, sign a statement agreeing to bide by both the university's Student Publication Policy and the policy of his particular publication. (See Section H, Editor's Contract-Standard Format.)
    3. Removal of Editor

      1. Editors of each student publication are protected from summary suspension and removal because of student, faculty, administrative, or public disapproval of editorial policy or content of publications. Only for clearly stated causes should the editor of a publication be subjected to removal and then only by orderly and prescribed procedures as described below.
      2. Causes for removal of an editor from office are limited to gross neglect of duty, incompetence, and failure to comply with stated editorial policies.
      3. The procedure for removal of an editor is as follows:

        1. The advisor will investigate any apparent cause for removal as defined above (b). A conference will be held involving the advisor and editor, giving the editor an opportunity to present his response to the charge. After the conference, the advisor will have the authority to accept a written resignation.
        2. If agreement is not reached in the conference between the advisor and editor, the matter will be referred to the Board by the advisor and/or the editor within seven (7) calendar days of the conference.
        3. The case for removal of the editor will be heard by the Board within fourteen (14) calendar days of receiving that notification, with both the advisor and editor having the right to present their cases. Adequate notification of the Board meeting must be given to advisor and editor; all parties will be given seven (7) days advanced written notice of this meeting. The Board will meet for discussion and consider the case on its merits (excluding the principals involved. The Board will reconvene in executive session, make its findings and determinations, and transmit them to the advisor and editor in writing within seven (7) days.
        4. The advisor or the editor may appeal any decision reached by the Board to the President of the University. Written notice of appeal must be filed with the President within seven (7) consecutive calendar days after the principals have been notified of the decision of the Board.
  4. Advising Policies

    1. General
      The advisor is directly responsible to the Board in matters of policy regarding the designated publication. The advisors for each of the campus publications will be appointed by the President of the university.

    2. Role of Advisors
      The advisors will:

      1. Establish and supervise the editorial policies of the campus publications;
      2. Advise and counsel student editors regarding their publications;
      3. Encourage fair, accurate, and objective reporting and presentation of the facts in teaching publication;
      4. Advise the staff on questions of libel and responsible journalism as practiced by the professional press and its organizations;
      5. Recruit and train student publications staff.
      6. Act as liaison between the student reports and editors and the faculty, staff, and administration of the university.
      7. Defend and teach without censoring, editing, directing, or producing the publication, and
      8. Supervise the overall program budget of the publication by maintaining proper university accounting, budgeting, and bookkeeping practices, negotiate, write, and supervise contracts tht are in the best interest of the university, its students, and the publication staff for printing, photography, and advertising; and provide continuity for the publication so that moneys can be reserved for future needs. Advisors do not assume financial deficits or losses incurred by student publications.
  5. The Wai-Kun

    1. General
      The Wai-Kun Yearbook of Midwestern State University was established in 1925 by the students of Wichita Falls Junior College. Its name means "written legend" in the language of the Kiowa. As a yearbook the Wai-Kun has two (2) primary functions:

      1. To serve as a yearly record for the people and events of, or affecting, Midwestern State University and the local community; and
      2. To provide interested students an educational opportunity for practical application of journalistic techniques and principles in preparation for their advancement after graduation.
    2. Editorial Polices

      1. The yearbook represents the university and its activities from a campus-wide point of view, including pages and sections for the academic areas, student activities and organizations, and class pictures. No special individual or group interest will be stressed.
      2. The editor and staff will make every effort possible to ensure that the Wai-Kun copy is correct and that copy, photographs, and art work fall within the bounds of accepted journalistic practice and are not libelous. The book should reflect the creative talents of the staff and present an interesting and accurate image of campus life, and of the philosophy and objectives of the university.
      3. The Wai-Kun will not serve as a vehicle for expression of personal opinions, preferences, or prejudices. The editor has the right to determine the content of the book, within the framework of this policy statement.
      4. All recognized campus organizations have the opportunity to be represented in the Wai-Kun, providing they meet deadline requirements established by the editor and staff. A recognized campus organization will be defined as one listed in the current issue of the University Catalog or one recognized and approved by the Office of the Vice President for University Advancement and Student Affairs.
    3. Administrative Policies

      1. The staff of the Wai-Kun will consist of MSU students. The Publications Board will approve the appointment of an editor for the Wai-Kun each year. A recommendation for the position will be submitted by the Wai-Kun advisor.
      2. The editor of the Wai-Kun must have been a yearbook staff member for at least one (1) year and must meet the minimum academic requirements for campus employment.
      3. Other yearbook staff members will be appointed by the editor. They also must meet the minimum academic requirements for campus employment.
      4. The editor will receive remuneration or his/her services. Remuneration of other staff members will be offered at the discretion of the advisor and will be limited to available funding.
      5. Funding will be secured from available sources.
    4. Advisors
      The advisor will be recommended by the Vice President for University Advancement and Student Affairs.

  6. Voices

    1. General
      The magazine Voices provides a forum for ideas, opinions, and creative efforts for distribution within the university and into the surrounding community.

    2. Editorial Policies

      1. Working within the jury system established, editors will bear responsibility for planning, managing, assembling, providing for the printing of, and distributing the magazine. At the core of their work will lie such tasks as editing, typing, and layout, as well as making suggestions for improving operations and recruiting new staff.
      2. Opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the university or its staff, faculty, and students. Materials will be chosen on the basis of artistic and scholarly merit within legally established guidelines for free speech.
      3. To be considered for publication, materials must be submitted according to instructions posted on campus.
    3. Administrative Policies

      1. The editor(s) will be recommended by the advisor, in consultation with the Chairperson of the English Department, for approval by the Publications Board. Editors will be students in good standing.
      2. Editors will be compensated for their efforts through their receiving an agreed upon number of semester hours of Directed Reading and Research course credit.
      3. No advertising is accepted. Funding will be secured from available resources.
    4. Advisor
      The advisor will be recommended by the Chairperson of the English Department, for appointment by the President of the university.

  7. The Wichitan

    1. General
      The Wichitan is a valuable aid in establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of free and responsible discussion on campus. A means of bringing student concerns to the attention of faculty and administration, The Wichitan serves as:

      1. A laboratory providing students practical experience in operating a newspaper;
      2. A medium for publishing information of importance and/or of interest to the university readership.
      3. A forum for editorial opinion and debate on public issues; and
      4. A medium for advertising.
    2. Editorial Policies

      1. Rights
        The Wichitan will be free of censorship. Student publications are protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.

      2. Responsibilities
        Courts have held that although the university is the publishing agency, the student staff serves as publisher. Midwestern State University is not responsible for content over which it has no power of censure. Therefore, the staff must uphold responsible journalistic practices. These include a respect for accuracy, independence, balance, impartiality, and avoidance of libel. The staff should be well-versed (by the advisor) in applicable media laws, such as those regarding obscenity, libel, and copyright restrictions.

      3. Letters to the Editor
        Responsible journalistic practices apply to publishing letters written to the editor. The student editor will check for libelous language and will not knowingly publish inaccurate facts. Any letter published must have been signed and will indicate the writer's address and telephone number. The name of the writer will be published with the letter unless the editorial staff determines that protection of the author is crucial. The Wichitan retains the right to refuse publication of any letter submitted.

    3. Advertising Policies
      The Wichitan is not required to accept any advertising. Care will be exercised to preclude advertising that is inaccurate, misleading, or fraudulent. The advertising manager will reject advertising that:

      1. Contains attacks of a personal, racial, or religious nature; or
      2. Advocates evasion or violation of law. This restriction will not exclude advertising that advocates change in law.

        Opinion advertising may be accepted provided the identification of the sponsoring organization is embodied in the ad. Any doubt about policy will be referred to the advisor for his/her viewpoint.
    4. Administrative Policies

      1. Advisor
        The duties and responsibilities of the advisor are:

        1. To serve as an on-site teacher/consultant whose chief responsibility is to give competent advice to staff members of The Wichitan;
        2. To work with staff members to establish management procedures as well as to supervise execution of policy;
        3. To instruct students in improving their writing and journalistic skills and to provide staff members with critiques of their work; and
        4. To recommend adequate financial support for The Wichitan and to supervise its budget.
      2. Editor
        The editor must meet the minimum academic requirements for campus employment. He/she is recommended by the advisor and appointed by the Student Publications Board. The editor will strive to maintain the highest standards of journalism. The duties and responsibilities of the editor are:

        1. To work with the advisor to establish editorial management and to carry out editorial policies;
        2. To supervise, on a day-to-day basis, the news and editorial operations of The Wichitan;
        3. To encourage and work closely with news and editorial staff in pursuit of full campus coverage;
        4. To follow policy and to take precautions to ensure that staff members also comply; and
        5. To consult with the advisor in screening The Wichitan for violations of publication policy as well as applicable rules of media law.

  8. Editor's Contract-Standard Format

    This agreement made and entered into by and between ______(name)______ ,  Editor of  ____(name of publication)______,  and the Student Publications Board and dated _______.  

    I have read the Student Publication Policy, and I agree to perform my duties as Editor in accordance with the policies now in force or to be adopted. I understand that if I am recommended for dismissal because of failure to perform my duties properly, I may appeal my case to the Student Publications Board.

    Remuneration: (varies by publication)

    _______________________________
    Editor
    (name of publication)