Handbook of Operating Procedures 9-1520
Texas Student Media Trust
Effective August 26, 2024
Executive Sponsor: Dean of the Moody College of Communication
Policy Owner: Executive Director for Program/Center Innovation and Partnerships, Moody College of Communication
Under the auspices of the Texas Student Media Trust, editorial freedom granted to Student Media participants provides valuable experiential learning opportunities to students as they create content that informs, entertains, and represents the University community.
- Reason for Policy
The Texas Student Media Trust was originally established on August 27, 1971, when Texas Student Publications, Inc., acting by and through its officers and directors, conveyed, assigned, and transferred all assets of Texas Student Publications, Inc. to the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System, in trust, subject to the terms and conditions of a written Declaration of Trust. All Trust assets are held by the Board of Regents to be used solely for the maintenance and support of the Student Media, and shall be recorded in the accounting records of the University in accordance with the standard practices for the management of this type of funds and account.
- Scope & Audience
The Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees, the professional staff who manage Student Media, and the student participants who create Student Media content.
- Definitions (specific to this policy)
Applicable Laws:
All laws, statutes, constitutions, rules, regulations, principles of common law, resolutions, codes, ordinances, requirements, judgments, orders, decrees, injunctions and writs of any governmental entity which has, or is reasonably likely to have, jurisdiction over the Trust, the trust assets, or the Student Media, including, without limitation, applicable laws related to libel, slander, defamation, advertising injury, and broadcast decency.
Declaration of Trust:
The governing document describing the use of Trust assets for the operation of Student Media, as amended and restated on April 2, 2007.
Public Purpose:
The purpose of the Trust is (a) to further the academic and educational mission of the University by providing educational opportunities for students of the University and (b) to serve as an information resource for students and other persons interested in the affairs of the University.
Student Media:
The student publications and other print, broadcast, and electronic media published, broadcast, distributed, disseminated, or otherwise communicated on or from the campus of the University and set forth in the Declaration of Trust, together with such other student media as may be authorized by the Board of Operating Trustees from time to time.
- Website (for policy)
https://secure4.compliancebridge.com/utexas/public/getdoc.php?file=9-1520
Contacts
Responsibilities & Procedures
- Board of Operating Trustees
There shall be eleven voting members of the Board of Operating Trustees: six students elected via the campus-wide elections and five non-students appointed by the President of the University. Each member shall serve a term of two years beginning on June 1. In even-numbered years, new terms shall begin for two undergraduate students from the Moody College of Communication, one student not from the Moody College of Communication, one member of the voting faculty of the Moody College of Communication, one member of the voting faculty of the McCombs School of Business, and one media professional. In odd-numbered years, new terms shall begin for one undergraduate student from the Moody College of Communication, two students not from the Moody College of Communication, one member of the voting faculty of the Moody College of Communication, and one media professional.
- Meetings of the Board of Operating Trustees
The Board of Operating Trustees shall conduct its meetings in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act and shall post all Texas Open Meetings Act notices by and through the Office of the Board of Regents. The Board of Operating Trustees shall maintain its records and the records of the Trust to ensure compliance with the Texas Public Information Act and shall coordinate any responses to Texas Public Information Act requests with the Office of the General Counsel of The University of Texas System.
- Controls and Procedures
To ensure that the Student Media are operated in a manner consistent with the Public Purpose and Applicable Laws, the Board of Operating Trustees shall establish and maintain controls and procedures to:
- provide for the regular training of all employees, editors, managers, editorial workers and staff members of the Student Media by a Media Advisor, an employee or independent contractor possessing substantial training and experience in the area of operating print, broadcast and electronic media in compliance with Applicable Laws;
- coordinate the publication, broadcast, distribution, dissemination or other communication of the Student Media with the educational activities of the Moody College of Communication.
- Financial Support
The Board of Operating Trustees shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to generate advertising revenues, sponsorships and charitable and other financial contributions and support for the Student Media to defray the costs of operating the Student Media. In addition, the Board of Operating Trustees will have an opportunity to participate in the allocation of a portion of the student services fee of the University for use by the Board of Operating Trustees in the operation of the Student Media.
- Employment Matters
With the exception of the Editor of The Daily Texan, the Board of Operating Trustees shall have the power to select (or establish rules and procedures for the selection of) and employ for the Trust all employees, editors, managers, editorial workers, and staff members of the Student Media; provided, that the President of the University, or his or her designee, must consent to the selection of any such person who will be employed by the University or will otherwise be compensated for his or her services. All decisions regarding the employment status or discipline of any employee, editor, manager, editorial worker, or staff member of the Student Media (including, without limitation, performance evaluations) shall be made in accordance with the University’s Handbook of Operating Procedures, all other applicable policies and procedures of the University, and Applicable Law. Decisions regarding the employment status or discipline of any employee, editor, manager, editorial worker, or staff member of the Student Media who is also an employee of the University shall require the prior written approval of the President of the University or his or her designee.
- Editor of the Daily Texan
The Editor of The Daily Texan shall be elected via the campus-wide elections and serve a one-year term beginning June 1. The eligibility of a candidate for Editor of The Daily Texan shall be certified in writing by the Board of Operating Trustees to the Board of Regents based on standards adopted by the Board of Operating Trustees prior to such election, and shall be approved by the President of the University or his or her designee.
- Reporting to President of the University and Board of Regents
- Not later than 30 days prior to the beginning of each new fiscal year, the Board of Operating Trustees will provide an operating budget for the Trust for such fiscal year.
- Within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, the Board of Operating Trustees shall provide a balance sheet of the Trust as of the end of such quarter and unaudited statements of operations and of cash flows for such quarter and for the current fiscal year.
- Within 90 days following the close of each fiscal year, the Board of Operating Trustees shall provide:
- a balance sheet of the Trust as of the end of such year and statements of operations and cash flows for such year;
- certification that it has evaluated the controls and procedures and include in such certification its conclusions as to the effectiveness of such controls and procedures as of the close of such fiscal year;
- evidence that the Trust is maintaining liability and casualty insurance coverage with financially sound and reputable insurers.
- Forms & Tools
Students interested in being a part of one or more Student Media entities should visit participateTSM.com
Declaration of Trust: https://utexas.box.com/shared/static/jbah75jtx0dlne6qxefp0c4g8ej7fo98.pdf