MEDIA BOARD

Constitution

ARTICLE I - NAME

The Board, chartered by Case Western Reserve University through the Office of Student Affairs, is known as the Student Media Board.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

1. The purpose of the Board will be to foster and encourage responsible forums of student expression consistent with accepted ethical standards of CWRU. In conjunction with this purpose, the Board will act as an umbrella organization in monitoring and reviewing the activities of its member organizations. The Media Board will maintain no editorial control of the productions of the member organizations.
2. The Board approves budgets and allocates all funding from the student activity fee to student media groups for which it is responsible.
3. The Board is responsible for the continuance of a variety of media opportunities for students. This includes financial supervision on a regular basis of all money appropriated to or collected by the media organizations. Each member organization is responsible for submitting an annual budget for review by the Executive Committee (as defined in ARTICLE VII).
4. The Board will also serve as a resource and advisory panel for its member organizations in order to encourage inter-member cooperation and support.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

1. The Media Board shall consist of all organizations as recognized by the general board (as defined in ARTICLE X).
2. Each member organization is responsible for submitting an annual operating budget for review by the Executive Committee (as defined in ARTICLE VII).
3. Each member organization will have two voting representatives to the Media Board.
4. Typically, member organizations will be represented by their editors/general managers, and business managers. However, if an editor/general manager or business manager is unable to attend a Board meeting, any knowledgeable staff member, i.e. one who has been given an up-to-date account of the financial and general status of the member organization by the editor/general manager and/or the business manager, may act as a proxy member with full voting privileges.
5. Each member organization must provide to the University Archives, at no charge, three copies of each publication, schedule, etc., produced.
6. If an organization under probation (as defined in ARTICLE VIII) does not publish or broadcast by the end of the probation period previously determined then there should be another two-thirds vote cast by the general Media Board to remove said organization.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

1. The officers shall be Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary.
2. The officers shall be elected for an academic year term during a regular meeting (as defined in ARTICLE VI) in April of each year.
1. Candidates for Chairperson and Secretary must have one year of active participation in a member organization, which must have been served by the beginning of the term of service in the executive position to which the candidate has been elected. Candidates must be a voting representative to the Board the year they are serving as the Chairman or Secretary.
2. Candidates for treasurer must have served in a financial role that confers a knowledge of Media Board’s financial procedure
3. Duties and Expectations of the Officers:
1. The Chairperson shall:
1. Call meetings of the Board;
2. Preside at all Board meetings, except the budget meeting
3. Serve as a representative of the Board on the Student Executive Council (SEC)
4. Chair the Executive Committee (as defined in ARTICLE VII) and report its activities to the board
5. Coordinate communication with the Board’s advisor (as defined in ARTICLE V) and with member organizations
6. Coordinate recruiting of staff members of the member organizations; and
7. Delegate the organization of a trip to the College Media Convention each year for all member organizations that desire to attend.
2. The Treasurer shall:
1. Serve as a representative of the Board on the Student Executive Council (SEC)
2. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee (as defined in ARTICLE VII)
3. Prepare and administer the Board’s annual budget
4. Coordinate all budgetary communication with member organizations in order to facilitate timely allocation of funds, and provide assistance to any business manager seeking it.
5. Promulgate standardized budget request and budget forms for use by all funded member organizations.
6. Preside over budgetary meetings (as defined in ARTICLE VI)
7. Coordinate the purchasing of supplies for computer equipment for the Media Center.
8. Will assist Business Managers in reconciling their accounts when necessary.
9. Report to the Board and Executive Committee on a monthly basis, on the status of the accounts of all member organizations.
3. The Secretary shall:
1. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee (as defined in ARTICLE VII)
2. Notify member representatives and their organization’s advisors of Board meetings two weeks in advance of a meeting and the day before by e-mail
3. Prepare minutes of Board meetings and Executive Committee meetings (as defined in ARTICLE VII) and distribute them to all member representatives and advisors within one week after the meeting was held
4. Preside over regular meetings (as defined in ARTICLE VI) in the absence of the Chairperson
5. Delegate the task of webmaster.
6. Bring food to all meetings.

ARTICLE V - ADVISING

1. The Board shall elect an advisor and a financial advisor by a simple majority vote during a regular meeting (as defined in ARTICLE VI) in April of each year.
2. The Advisor shall:
1. Bring to the attention of the Board any business practices which s/he may find unethical, questionable, or inconsistent with proper procedures of business;
2. Serve as a liaison between the Board and other CWRU organizations/offices at such a time when the Board determines it to be necessary;
3. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee (as defined in ARTICLE VII);
4. Attend all budgetary meetings (as defined in ARTICLE VI);
5. Serve as a liaison between the Board and the Office of Student Affairs with respect to budgetary matters;
3. Maintain lists of individuals with authorized access to keys, and monitor compliance of member organizations staff with Media Center policies; and
4. The Advisor to Media Board shall perform the duties of financial advisor as outlined in Article IV section 3 unless the board hires a financial advisor.
5. The Financial Advisor shall:
6. Be responsible for the oversight of the bookkeeping of all member organizations;
7. Assist business managers in reconciling their accounts;
8. Assist in the formation of the annual budget of each member organization.
9. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee (as defined in ARTICLE VII);
10. Audit member organizations if called for by a two-thirds majority vote of the general Media Board;
11. Shall be ultimately responsible to the Media Board Advisor; and
12. Maintain financial records for each member organization which shall consist of, at a minimum, month statements of accounts.

ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS

1. The Board shall have two types of meetings: budgetary meetings and general meetings. All meetings shall be open, unless closed by a two-thirds majority vote.
2. Budgetary meetings shall be called by the Chairperson once an academic year and shall take place by the end of the third week after classes resume. Each group shall bring only two speaking members and an advisor. Additional speakers may be recognized by the Treasurer. For budget procedure see ARTICLE VIII.
3. General meetings shall be called by the Chairperson every month during the academic year, except during those months in which a budgetary meeting is held.
4. The Chairperson, at his/her discretion or upon request from a simple majority of the voting members of the Board, may call an emergency meeting.
5. Quorum for a regular meeting shall consist of representation by at least one staff member of a simple majority of the member organizations. If a member organization has no representatives (student, not advisor) present at a regular meeting, its representatives will lose their voting privileges for the next meeting. If a member organization has no representatives (student, not advisor) present at more than one meeting a year, its account will be placed on hold until it is taken off hold by a simple majority vote of the Media Board.
6. Quorum for a budgetary meeting shall consist of representation by at least one staff member of a simple majority of funded member organizations. If a funded member organization has no representatives present at a budgetary meeting, its account will be placed on hold until such a time as the Board votes to release the hold.
7. In order to request funding in any year, an up-to-date copy of a Member Organization’s constitution must be on file in the office of the Media Board Advisor before the budgetary meeting and shall be made accessible to all Media Board members.

ARTICLE VII - COMMITTEES

1. The Executive Committee shall be the only standing committee of the Board and shall consist of the Chairperson, the Treasurer, the Secretary, the Advisor, and the Financial Advisor.
2. Executive Committee meetings shall be called by the Chairperson before general meetings, such that the Executive Committee shall meet at most one week before the regular or budgetary meeting.
3. The Executive Committee shall
4. Review the Board’s constitution and the charters of the member organizations when deemed necessary by a two-thirds majority vote;
5. Review charters of proposed new member organizations;
6. Conduct audits of the operating budgets of funded member organizations twice each year, once before the budgetary meeting in the fall semester and once during the Committee’s last meeting of the spring semester; and
7. Report to the Board findings of the audits.
8. Ad hoc committees may be created by a simple majority vote of the Board at any regular meeting; members of ad hoc committees will be appointed by the Chairperson.

ARTICLE VIII - FINANCIAL PROCEDURES

1. Surpluses held by member organizations held at the end of an academic year will be rolled over to that group’s account for the next fiscal year unless the executive committee wants to audit the group.
2. The Board shall have the authority by a two-thirds majority vote to issue requirements for accounting procedures and standards as well as for audit requirements to any funded member organization.
3. Each member organization shall submit a budget report at the April general meeting each year. The report shall consist of a comparison of the budget allotments created at the budgetary meeting and the year’s expenditures. A narrative about spending will be optional for the report.
4. Budget requests must be submitted on the Board’s standard budget request form to the Treasurer in order for the organization to be funded. The budget requests of all organizations who have been satisfactorily audited and who have submitted budget requests on the appropriate form at least one week before the fall semester budgetary meeting will be reviewed and voted on at such a meeting; the budget requests of all organizations who have not fulfilled these requirements will be reviewed and funded pending availability of funds.
5. Funds from the Media Board are to be used for the expressed purpose articulated during the budget meeting(s). Should any organization wish to expend funds in excess of $250 (or any value set by the Media Board) for an alternative use, the proposed change must be approved by the Executive Committee or a simple majority of the Media Board. All media board organizations shall be required to have the Media Board Advisor sign off on those Purchase Requisitions and Disbursement Forms above the sum of $250, constituting capital expenditure. This will benefit all media board groups by preventing organizations from spending money on items that were not budgeted for. We believe every group should be treated equally in this regard. Noncompliance with this policy can result in sanctions including but not limited to withholding Media Board funds or the withdrawal of previously issued funds. Any sanctions will be implemented at the discretion of the Media Board subject to the approval of the Media Board Advisor. A simple majority of the Media Board members voting is required to pass a motion for implementing sanctions. The voting period will not exceed 72 hours.
6. The Business Manager of each member organization as requested shall meet with the Financial Advisor and the Treasurer, if required prior to scheduled Executive or Media Board meetings, to discuss the financial status of the member organization and present to the Financial Advisor a current accounting of the bookkeeping of the member organization. Failure to comply with these procedures may result in the same restrictions as outlined in ARTICLE VIII, Section 5.
7. Media Board can vote by a two-thirds majority to place on probation any group that fails to produce in a satisfactory manner with an eye to the schedules outlined by the group in their budget. Probation shall be defined as: a hold placed on the account of the organization and loss of voting privileges, both for a set period of time as determined by the Media Board. An account on hold can make no expenditure without executive committee approval of a petition put forth by the group requesting operating funds. The account may be assessed during this period by a petition to the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IX - CONTACTS

Any contract that may have material effect on the financial situation of the Board, its constituent organizations, or the University shall be reviewed and signed by the Advisor.

ARTICLE X - RECOGNITION

1. Following the recommendations of the Executive Committee, recognition of new member organizations shall be granted by a two-thirds majority vote of the representatives present at any general meeting. If a new member organization is recognized it may receive funding from the general account pending the availability of funds and the approval of a unanimous vote from the Executive committee or a two-thirds majority vote from the Board.
2. Organizations requesting Board recognition must provide:
1. A charter which shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee
2. The names of the organization’s staff members and advisors
3. A proposed operating budget.
3. In order to be recognized by the Board, an organization must provide a print, audio, or video product for consumption by the campus community.

ARTICLE XI – ELECTIONS

1. Selection of candidates for editor/general manager and business manager of member organizations shall be conducted as specified in the charters of the organizations. The charters shall require that applications for the positions of editor/general manager and business manager be opened to all undergraduate CWRU students. Each charter shall define any required qualifications for those positions.
2. Advisors shall be selected by the editor/general manager of each member organization.
3. The Board may remove, by a two-thirds vote, any editor/general manager, business manager or advisor of a member organization according to the member organization's charter.
4. The Board may remove, by a two-thirds vote, any executive committee officer if it is deemed so necessary according to the charter of Media Board. Elections will occur at the next general meeting with nominations being taken at the current meeting.
1. In the case of the impeachment of the Chair, the Treasurer will assume the role of interim Chair.
2. In the case of the impeachment of the Treasurer, the Secretary will assume the role of interim Treasurer.
3. In the case of the impeachment of the Secretary, the Chair will appoint an interim Secretary.

ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Board, providing that the amendment has been presented to the Board at least one week before a vote is taken.

Funding Bylaws

The following bylaws apply to all Media Board members. Both the bylaws and the
constitution should be followed when requesting funding from the Student Media
Board.

1. Introduction – The bylaws contained herein are intended to clarify key areas of the financial and administrative practices of the Media Board. They are designed in harmony with the existing constitution; the constitution shall override these bylaws in the event of any discrepancies. These bylaws may be suspended by a 2/3 majority vote from the Media Board.
2. Budget Revisions – Budget revisions will be accepted throughout a fiscal year and are required to allow for the purchase of capital items and equipment not listed in the originally approved budget. Such expenditures will be allowed when a media group has saved money from other purchases or experienced an increase in revenue. Approval of such capital expenditures will require a unanimous vote from the Executive committee or a 2/3 majority vote from the Board only after a revised budget has been provided.
3. Additional Funding – Additional funding may be requested from the general account when funds over and above the emergency fund exist, or when a group falls into a fiscal emergency. A request for such funding will be made through submission of a revised budget and written proposal. The disbursement of such funding will be approved by a unanimous vote from the Executive committee or a 2/3 majority vote from the Board.
4. Summer Expenditures - By nature, the Media Board cannot expect budgets submitted at the beginning of a term to be fully accurate through the following summer. The board shall allow for purchases made over the summer when the member organization can show a positive rollover at the end of the production year, or show a business necessity for making such purchases prior to the beginning of the new year. It is highly recommended that such summer purchases and expenditures be introduced before the final meeting of the year. Approval of summer expenditures shall follow the same steps as other purchases not listed in the original budget. A revised budget will be required, followed by a unanimous vote from the Executive committee or a 2/3 majority vote from the Board.
5. Savings – Any group may move to retain part of a positive rollover as "savings" after a successful year or during a time of fiscal stability within the board. Savings should be limited to purposes including preparing for a large capital expenditure or orking to achieve stability during times of fiscal stress. Such "savings" may not exceed 10% of the organization's budget for the coming year (ie: the total expected expenditures or total expected revenue for the group), and total "savings" in any organization's account may never exceed 1/2 of the yearly budget for the group. The funds must already exist in the organization's account (a group may not request money to save as an "expenditure" at a budget meeting), and the group must also provide evidence that a positive rollover is the result of higher than expected revenues, or "smart shopping" for purchases, not a lack of production or quality. Savings shall be listed as a negative figure below the group's full positive rollover on the standard budget form only on the group's original budget for each year, never as part of a revised budget. In subsequent years, money already in "savings" must also be listed on a group's budget in a similar fashion. Any such motion will follow the standard procedures for approval at the budget meeting: a 2/3 majority vote from all voting members of the Media Board.
6. Budget Reports – Constant with the constitution of the Media Board, budget reports must be completed and reviewed at the final general meeting of each school year. The reports will contain, as accurately as possible, final numbers for all items on the original or most recently revised budget for the year. Additionally, further details may be expected on the final report than were given on the originally approved budget (ie: further details under "supplies"). These reports will serve as the basis for all funding prior to the next budget meeting.