Constitution

ECU Student Media Board Constitution

Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the East Carolina University Student Media Board (here and after referred to as the Board).

Article II. Purpose
The Board shall oversee all student-sponsored media platforms at East Carolina University, including but not limited to The East Carolinian, Pirate Media 1 produced magazines, theeastcarolinian.com, WZMB 91.3 FM, Creative Quarters and the Advertising and Marketing Agency.

Article III. Services

Section 1. All students who pay an activity fee at East Carolina University shall have primary access to the services of the media platforms under the authority of the Board.

Section 2. All faculty, staff, officers, trustees, and alumni of East Carolina University shall be recognized by the Board as members of the university family to be served by student-sponsored media platforms.

Article IV. Organization

Section 1. All student media platforms funded in any way from the student activity fees shall be administered by the Board.

Section 2. The governing authority for Student Media at ECU shall be the Board.

A. The following individuals shall serve as members of the board:

11 Voting Members

1. The Editor-in-Chief of The East Carolinian (Student Executive)

2. The Station Manager of WZMB (Student Executive)

3. The General Manager of Magazines (Student Executive)

4. The Creative Director of the Creative Quarters (Student Executive)

5. A student representative from the School of Communication appointed by a faculty member

6. An at-large non-Communication student representative, preferably in the graduate program

7. An at-large non-Communication student representative, preferably in the undergraduate program

8. An administrator appointed by the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs

9. A faculty member, preferably within the journalism program, appointed by the respective unit head

10. Two journalism professionals

11. An advertising/marketing professional

Ex-Officio Members

1. Student Media Director

2. Student Media Board Administrative Associate

B. The terms of office of Board members shall be as follows:

1. Board member terms begin on the 30th of April and extend to the 1st of May within the same or subsequent fiscal year in accordance with their respective term limit.

2. Selection of the two non-Communication student representatives shall take place between the last week of March and the second week of April of each year, prior to the April regular meeting. Selection of the members shall be done through application and interviews. In the event of an unexpected vacancy of a student representative, the Board shall call for a special selection, which shall be held within 30 days of the vacancy.

3. The term of all student representatives shall be limited to one full year.

4. The term of university faculty and staff representatives shall be limited to two full years.

5. The term of all professional members shall be limited to one full year.

6. Upon the completion of a term limit, any Board member may request an extension, which must be approved with a two-thirds majority vote of the total membership.

7. The faculty representative is appointed by the unit head. The name of the faculty appointee must be presented to the board for a vote during the April regular meeting.

8. The representative from the administration shall serve at the pleasure of the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and shall be appointed by the Vice Chancellor or a designated representative. The name of the administrator must be presented to the board for a vote during the April regular meeting.

9. The student representative of the School of Communication must be 11 appointed by a Communication faculty member. The name of the student must be presented to the board for a vote during the April regular meeting.

10. All professional positions are nominated by current members of the Board. The names of nominees must be presented to the board for a vote during the April regular meeting.

11. All new Board members must attend a board orientation prior to the first regular board meeting of their term.

C. A student chairperson shall be selected from the Board’s membership by a majority vote of the regular meeting of the Board during fall semester.

D. The Student Media Board Administrative Associate shall perform the secretarial duties of the Board and the Executive when necessary.

Section 3. The Board shall hold at least one meeting within the first three weeks of each semester. Special meetings shall be called from time to time upon the direction of the chairperson of the Board, or at the request of four or more members of the Board.

A. At the last meeting in the spring, the Board shall establish such policies and conduct such business as is necessary for the maintenance of operations during summer sessions.

B. A quorum shall consist of three students and three non-students.

C. All decisions shall be reached by a majority vote, with the chairperson voting only in case of a tie or to create a tie.

Section 4. The Chairperson of the Board shall be the Executive Officer of the Board.

A. It shall be the duty of the Chairperson to carry out the policy of the Board.

B. The Chairperson, in cooperation with the Director, shall schedule and call all Board meetings.

C. The Chairperson and Director shall plan the agenda for each Board meeting. D. All official acts of the Board, including official correspondence, shall be signed by the Chairperson.

Article V. Functions, Duties and Responsibilities

Section 1. The Board shall authorize the establishment of media that may be funded from student activity fees at the University and shall be responsible for the overall operation of these media.

A. Responsibilities for overall operations of divisions shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Selection and/or dismissal of Student Executives to head up the Student Media divisions (News, Magazines, Broadcasting, Business). Executive titles for the divisional heads include a) Editor-in-Chief of The East Carolinian and theeastcarolinian.com; b) General Manager of The Hook, Expressions, Rebel, Anchors Away; c) Station Manager of WZMB, and d) Business Manager of the Advertising & Marketing Agency.

2. Approval of budgets and appropriation of funds to the divisions.

3. Approval of faculty advisers designated by each division.

B. The Board shall be informed of all activities such as conferences and workshops conducted by the divisions that are presented at East Carolina University.

Section 2. The Board shall establish and enforce policies for the divisions within Student Media at East Carolina University. Editorial policy of an individual medium shall be excluded from Board control. The Board shall uphold and support the First Amendment guarantees granted to the media under their oversight.

Section 3. The Board shall require all divisions to maintain operations manuals that set forth the objectives and minimal operating procedures so that the Board may assess whether each medium is maintaining its own standards.

Section 4. The Board shall require that all divisions adhere to state and national laws.

Section 5. The Student Media Board recognizes and affirms that the platforms of Pirate Media 1 are granted certain freedoms defined by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and further defined in case law, including the Supreme Court decision of Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969). Pirate Media 1 is guided by the regulations promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission. Pirate Media 1 maintains editorial independence in its institutional relationship with the university. Pirate Media 1 recognizes that with the freedom of the press and of expression also comes responsibility, and its media outlets must adhere to the rules, regulations and body of law set forth specific to each.

Section 6. The Selection of Student Executives shall be carried out as follows: candidates for Student Executive positions shall apply in the Student Media Administrative Office at least one week prior to the date set by the Board for selection. Each candidate shall be a full-time student at East Carolina University and have a cumulative grade-point average of a minimum 2.50 at the time of selection. He/she must maintain a 2.50 average during the time he/she holds office. Sitting Student Executive members of the Board must recuse themselves from participation in the selection process, including interviewing and voting. Student Executives may provide the Board with feedback concerning each candidate, prior to Board deliberations.

Section 7. The Board may remove a student from a position named in Section 6 for one or more of the following reasons:

● Failure to maintain the minimum grade-point average.

● Failure to maintain good standing in the University.

● Failure to maintain standards established in the Student Media Policy Handbook.

● Violation of the Constitution of the Student Media Board, policies of the Board, and policies of the University may lead to dismissal. Dismissal shall require a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the Board.

● Sitting Student Executive members of the Board must recuse themselves from participation in the removal process. However, they may provide the Board with verbal or written statements concerning the removal of a student.

Article V. Financial Structure

Section 1. Sources of funds for the Board shall be the student activity fee, generated advertising income, and all interest earned on these funds.

A. The Board shall receive a proportionate amount each semester and summer session from each student paying an activity fee at the University as authorized by the East Carolina University Board of Trustees. The Student Media Board may recommend to the Chancellor (through the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs) any fee increase request.

B. Interest earned on Board funds shall be the property of the Board.

Section 2. All Board funds shall be deposited in the divisional accounts set up with ECU.

A. Student Media Board funds shall be restricted for use by the Board in the conduct of its programs and the operation of its divisional media platforms.

B. A purchase order system shall be required for the expenditure of Board funds.

C. The Board shall receive financial reports from individual divisions as desirable but at least annually.

Section 3. The divisions shall own, maintain, and operate equipment as necessary for their operations. Equipment shall be inventoried annually by the Student Media Adviser, as required by the University, and the inventory shall be made available to the Board upon request.

Article V. Director

Section 1. The Student Media Director shall serve as director to the Board.

Section 2. The Student Media Director shall be responsible for the financial affairs of the Board, subject to the provisions of the Constitution.

A. He/She shall approve all requisitions for the expenditure of Board funds.

B. He/She shall assist in negotiating contracts for printing and purchase of equipment and supplies exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) upon receipt of choices by each medium.

Article VIII. Parliamentary Procedure

Robert’s Rules of Order (latest edition) shall constitute the authority for all proceedings of the Board, except in such cases as are covered by the Constitution and the special Board rules.

Article IX. Interpretation

Section 1. All questions raised concerning interpretation of this Constitution shall be determined by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board.

Section 2. During summer session, matters of interpretation shall be settled by a subcommittee of the Board. This committee shall be composed of at least two student members and either the faculty or administrative member. Action taken by the subcommittee shall be subject to approval by the Board at its next meeting.

Article X. Operations Manuals

Operations manuals necessary for the operation of the divisions that do not conflict with this Constitution may be authorized by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board.

Article XI. Amendment Procedures

The Board may enact Constitutional amendments, provided that each has been submitted in writing to members of the Board at least a week prior to the regular meeting in which it is to be considered. Amendments must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote. Final approval must be obtained from the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.

Article XII. Ratification

Ratification of this Constitution shall be by three-fourths majority vote of the total Board membership and approved by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.

Effective: October 24, 2006

Revised March 30, 2020