4080 - WCC Student Newspaper Policy

Statement of Purpose

The Washtenaw Community College Student Newspaper (WCCSN) is to be created as a communication vehicle for all WCC students. It will, therefore, have as its primary purpose the facilitation of communication between students, faculty, staff, and administrators. To this end, the newspaper must be designed and operated to be a comprehensive, accurate, and responsible publication.

The newspaper is to be established to invite participation from all WCC students in order to maintain open communication and to create a learning environment in which students will be regularly informed on college matters and other issues of interest. As a secondary function, the paper will also give interested students work experience at various levels in the publication process.

Responsibility for the newspaper will be shared jointly by the College and the WCCSN staff. The Board of Trustees recognizes the WCCSN Mission Statement to be as follows:

To maintain a newspaper written and produced by Washtenaw Community College students to communicate with the campus community from the student perspective. The goals of the newspaper are:

1. Keep Washtenaw Community College students aware of their surroundings and the news that affects them; on campus, in the community, nationally, and internationally.
2. Foster a sense of unity in Washtenaw Community College's dynamic, diverse student body and campus community.
3. Provide an easily accessible vehicle of communication and expression between Washtenaw Community College students and the campus community.
4. Serve as a survey device to gauge student views on major campus issues.

In meeting these goals, the Washtenaw Community College Student Newspaper will strive to develop a publication of which the entire College can be proud.

Guiding Principles

The WCCSN will respect and abide by the Canons of Journalism/Code of Ethics as established by the American Society of Newspaper Editors:

1. Responsibility
2. Freedom of the press
3. Independence
4. Sincerity, Truthfulness, Accuracy
5. Impartiality

Views expressed in the WCCSN will not imply endorsement or approval by the Faculty, Administration, or Board of Trustees of WCC.

Organization

The WCCSN will be published under the auspices of Student Services and will have its operations guided by the actions of the Editorial Board.

The Editorial Board will be established on an annual basis consisting of three active (currently registered) students who are members of the WCCSN staff, two active (currently registered) students who are not WCCSN staff, two teaching faculty members, an assigned Student Services administrator, and the Associate Vice President of Student Services. The primary accountability for a responsible publication will rest with the Editorial Board. To this end, the Editorial Board will:

1. Determine editorial policy consistent with the principles, mission, and values embodied in WCC policies.
2. Establish a procedure to address complaints regarding the content of, or the publication procedures of the WCCSN;
3. Assure that the responsibility for the operation and standards of the newspaper is shared jointly by the College, the Editorial Board, and the newspaper contributor(s).

Resource Support

The WCCSN will be funded consistent with the following guidelines:

1. A minimum of two-thirds of the newspaper's funding will come from College sources (general funds).
2. A maximum of one-third of funding may be generated through other sources (such as advertising and grants).

Continued funding of WCCSN is at the discretion of the College and will be determined by current finances and the level of student dedication to, and participation in, a regular and responsible publication.

Adopted: April 26, 1994
Administrative Review: May 2002
Revised: June 28, 2005
(4080)