ARTICLE I - Purpose

  1. The Communications Board (hereinafter referred to as “the Board”), shall serve as a liaison between the campus media and the administration, the faculty, staff, and students of Valdosta State University, hereinafter referred to as “VSU”.
  2. The Board shall serve as the highest-level policy and review board for the general operation of campus communications at VSU.
  3. The Board shall promote the use of these media as educational tools and outlets for creative expression by VSU students.

ARTICLE II- Board Composition

  1. There shall be one officer of the Board:  The Chair.
  • The Chair of the Communications Board shall be the Dean of Students, who shall preside over all regular and special meetings of the Board, and shall vote only in the event of a tie.  The Chair shall call all regular and special meetings and represent the Board at any functions where Board representation is required.
  1. The following shall be voting members of the Board (1 vote per representative):
  • The Chair of the Campus Activities Board or designee;
  • Two Student Government Association senators appointed by the SGA President;
  • Spectator Editor(s);
  • WVVS Station Manager;
  • Odradek Editor(s);
  • Faculty representative appointed by Chair;
  • Director of University Relations;
  • Director of Student Life;
  • Local radio station professional;
  • Local news print media professional;
  1. The following shall be ex officio members of the Board:
  • The Faculty Advisor of each SGA-authorized campus medium;
  • Vice President for Student Affairs.

ARTICLE III- Board Meeting Procedure

  1. Meetings of the Board shall be held at least once monthly, at a time and place to be determined by the Chair.  Any member may request a special meeting of the Board, in the form of an official letter stating reasons for the request.
  2. Each voting member or proxy must be present at all meetings of the Board.  In the event that a voting member is unable to attend, the Chair shall be notified in writing, and a proxy shall be designated before the meeting.  The recording secretary shall be responsible for announcing all proxies after the roll call, in order to determine if there is a quorum.  No member shall hold more than one proxy.
  3. Questions shall be decided by a simple majority vote of the voting membership of the Board.  Fifty per cent (50%) of the membership constitutes a quorum.  No decision may be rendered without quorum.
  4. The rules contained in Roberts’ Rules of Order shall govern the Board in all cases to which they are applicable, except when they are not consistent with the rules of this Board.
  5. The Agenda shall be as follows:
    • Meeting called to order by the Chair;
    • Roll Call by the recording secretary;
    • Approval of previous meeting minutes;
    • Reports from Officers and Communication media executives;
    • Old Business;
    • New Business;
    • Miscellaneous business and announcements;
    • Adjournment

ARTICLE IV- Duties

  1. The Board shall approve the constitutions and amendments of all recognized campus media and see that each governs its policies in accordance with a statement of standards and purpose, which shall appear as part of the constitution.  A statement of professional standards must be included in each constitution.  A copy of each constitution shall be filed with the Office of the Secretary of the SGA, the Dean of Students Office, and the Student Life Office.
  2. The Board shall select the chief editors of each publication, the station manager of the radio station, and the chief executive officer of any additional communication medium funded in whole or part by the Student Activity Fee Budget Committee.
  • All VSU students who have a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average from the previous three terms are eligible for consideration.
  • The chief executive officers shall be selected by the Board no later than spring break or March 15 (whichever date is earlier) of each spring semester.  A job description will be provided by the Faculty advisor.
  • The method for the selection for chief executive officers shall be as follows:
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        • The availability of application forms and position descriptions for the chief executive officers of campus media shall be publicized at least three weeks prior to spring break, and interview selection will take place within two weeks after spring break;
        • The applicant shall receive an application form and a position description from the Chair of the Board.  The application form, which includes a statement of intent, shall be returned to the Chair of the Board who will at that time schedule the applicant for an interview with the Board;
        • The Chair shall distribute applications to Board members at least one week in advance of any scheduled interview
        • After all interviews have been completed, the Board will vote on each applicant separately;
        • The officers shall take office at the beginning of summer term.

The Board shall recommend the reorganization of any medium which, in the view of the Board, has failed to meet the needs and purposes for which it was established.

The Board shall ensure that each editor fulfills his/her responsibility for filing a copy of each issue of his/her publication with the University Librarian.

ARTICLE V- Disciplinary Procedures

  1. The Board will not be involved with the censorship of expression.  Content shall be the responsibility of the individual medium.
  2. The Board is empowered to censure or remove from office any executive officer who fails to perform the duties of his or her office, who fails to comply with his or her statement of intent, or who fails to comply with his or her medium’s statement of standards and purposes.
  3. The Board is empowered to meet as a disciplinary body where necessary, and will follow procedures set forth for disciplinary hearings as outlined in the Student Handbook, except in cases where it falls under the jurisdiction of the Student Conduct Officer.

ARTICLE VI- Financial and Administrative Jurisdiction

  1. The Board shall have the power to request financial and/or progress reports from any medium at any time.  A periodic review shall be made by the Board.
  2. The Board shall determine salaries for campus media funded in their entirety by student activity fees.
  3. The Board has the power to approve the establishment of any new communication medium funded in part or whole by the Student Activity Fee Budget Committee.
  4. These bylaws shall be considered binding on all members of the Communications Board and the recognized campus media at Valdosta State University.

ARTICLE VII- Amendments

  1. Amendments to these bylaws shall take effect when approved by a simple majority vote of the entire voting membership of the Board.

First approved:          May 26, 1972
Revised:                     October 31, 1995
Revised:                     February, 2004
Revised:                     October, 2005
Revised:                     November, 2005
Revised:                     January, 2006
Revised:                     February, 2006