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NUMBER: 17-2-1 APPROVED DATE: 01-30-1996

The Student Publication Board provides guidance and advice to the student produced newspaper, The Trident Times. Its authority is structured according to constitutional definition and strives to provide students with the opportunity for learning experiences that nurture educational growth, ideas and expression to meet student and institutional goals.

  1. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS The student staff of The Trident Times shall be responsible for all editorial decisions made in connection with the student newspaper. The College shall not in any way be responsible for the content of the student newspaper. The Student Publication Board shall not engage in prior restraint of any editorial expression. However, the student editors and the newspaper are subject to the same legal standards as other publications and the editors will be held responsible for any obscenity, libel, or advocacy which is likely to incite or produce imminent lawlessness.
  2. COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD The Student Publication Board consists of at least seven members as follows: two students appointed from the Student Cabinet; three faculty members; one staff member appointed by the Vice President for Student Services; and one staff member appointed by the President's Cabinet. The Student Life Director will serve as an ex-officio member. Board members serve a one-year term that begins during the fall semester.  The Board may request the attendance of any faculty, staff or student deemed necessary as it relates to business relevant to student publications. The Board shall function as an independent committee and will communicate its decisions concerning student publications to the Assistant Vice President for Student Development.
  3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD
    1. Select student editor(s);
    2. Remove student editor(s) due to failure to publish student newspapers according to an established schedule;
    3. Review newspaper staff policy and procedure;
    4. Review the publication's editorial operation;
    5. Review the publication's routine operations;
    6. Make recommendations regarding topics or courses of actions by student editor(s);
    7. Review complaints by news sources, recipients of editorial criticism or readers;
    8. Advise student editor(s) regarding publication problems;
  4. DIRECTOR OF STUDENT LIFE The role of the Director of Student Life is to advise and supervise production of the newspaper.

    When the Trident Times newspaper is not in publication for any academic year, the Student Publication Board will not be required to fulfill its duties and responsibilities.
  5. NEWSPAPER STAFF Prospective editors must file an application with the Student Activities office for approval by the Board. The Student Publication Board is responsible for interviewing each applicant for editor position(s) and making final selection(s) for the academic year. The selection meeting will occur at the beginning of the Fall semester.

Updated: 01-31-2007

Updated: 03-15-2013

Updated: 06-26-2018

Updated: 07-28-2020