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Writer Policy
| General Policy |
Classifieds
Mandate | Mission
Statement | Editorial Policy | Advertising
Policy | Classified Policy | Budget
| Position Descriptions | Ethical
Standards
General Policy
Revised April 2003, by Editor Tamra Ross Low
Mandate:
The Voice Magazine is a communication
vehicle for the students of Athabasca
University. We endeavour to provide current, factual, pertinent,
information in an
easily digestible format. We maintain
an open policy and invite student participation.
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Mission Statement:
The Voice will inform students of University
issues
The Voice will inform students of AUSU
services and programs
The Voice will represent
the students' point
of view
The Voice will focus on issues and topics
of importance to AU students
The Voice will strive to to create a
community environment among AU students
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Editorial Policy:
1. Political Position:
1.1 The Voice's editorial policy is one of fair and equitable
coverage. In keeping with standard journalistic ethics, The Voice does
not support or endorse
any individual politician or political party
or any individual faculty or department within the University, with the
exception of its editorial pages, which may contain
personal opinions of the authors.
1.2 The Voice is the communication tool of the
students of Athabasca University.
2. Presentation:
2.1 In designing and creating The Voice,
the editorial staff will
strive for a clean, wholesome, and professional presentation.
2.2 The Editor and writers will work in keeping
with Canadian Press Journalistic Style. The Voice
will not publish items the Editor judges
to be in poor taste,
or unsuitable for an educated, sophisticated
audience.
2.3 The Voice will strive to maximize accessibility
to all AU students, within
budgetary limitations.
3. Editorial Control
3.1 The Editor will make
the final determination of suitability of the articles for
The Voice. 3.2 Articles which are questionable in content
are to be brought before AUSU for input and recommendation
as to their worth.
4. Editorial Page
4.1 The editorial is written by the Editor,
and reflects a position
on current issues, which are important to AU students or the
academic
community as a whole.
4.2 Letters to the Editor are to be encouraged.
The Editor reserves the right to edit for length
and suitability to The Voice format. The Editor
will not change
the political position of the initial letter.
4.3 The address of The Voice and the Editor will
be made available on the web page. It will feature
a disclaimer indicating that the views presented
in the
articles are those of the specific writer alone.
5. Regular Features
5.1 It is at the Editor's discretion if there are to be regular features
in The Voice. If the editor so chooses, he or she may obtain the services of
a writer specifically to write a regularly featured column.
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Advertising
Policy 1. Rate Card
1.1 The Editor will determine advertising
prices for The Voice,
subject to approval by AUSU. The objective will be to obtain
revenue targets
set down by the annual
Voice Operating Budget. Businesses and organizations
that provide a service or other benefit to AU
students may recieve free advertizing space
at the discretion
of the Editor.
2. Discounts
2.1 Frequency discounts are available to those clients who commit to advertise over a pre-set period of time, as per
the following schedule:
- Two issues up to 10%
- Three Issues up to 15%
- Four plus issues up to 20%3.
3.Special Promotions
3.1 Special Promotions must have preset
boundaries, dealing with theme, advertising
sizes, and prices, as approved by the
Editor.
3.2 Clients with frequency discounts
can apply those rates to additional
advertising placed in special sections,
but not to the pre-booked advertising.
4.University Advertising Contract
4.1 Advertising materials from Athabasca
University that provide information
for students are to be
exempt from charges. All other items from
AU are negotiable.
5.Special Agreements
5.1 Special agreements must be approved
by AUSU.
5.2 No agreement signed
without this prior
permission will be deemed valid.
6.Content Control
6.1 The Voice reserves
the right to deny any
advertising, without
explanation, at the discretion of the Editor.
7.No Charge Advertising
7.1 Public Service Announcements are
accepted at the discretion
of the Editor of The Voice.
7.2 All advertisement/announcement
requests must be in
writing or via email.
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Classified
Policy
1.General Guideline
1.1 The Voice offers classified advertising
to students for free.
The advertisements must be a maximum of 60 words including
the telephone
number, and there is a
limit of three free classifieds per student,
per issue. Ads may include a photo, which may
be reduced in size or resolution by the editor
to optimize loading
time.
1.2 The Editor of The Voice will set the rate
for classified ads for outside entities.
2 Restrictions and Limitations
2.2 The Editor reserves the right to
refuse any advertising
without explanation.
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Budget
1. Budget Approval
1.1 The budget for The Voice is governed
by AUSU. All financial
needs, considerations, and changes will be discussed with
the AUSU President
or with the AUSU VP Finance
and Administration.
1.2 Invoicing for the writers will be the responsibility
of the Editor. This is to take place on a monthly
schedule, with the invoices for
payment to be forwarded
to the General Manager of AUSU to be forwarded
to accounting. The AUSU VP Finance and Administration
will also be carbon copied via email
at every invoicing.
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Position Descriptions
1. Editor in Chief
1.1 The Editor is responsible for maintaining ethical
standards and integrity in the newspaper.
1.2 The Editor will consult with AUSU on questionable
matters relating to ethics, legality, and appropriateness,
regarding both Editorial
and advertising content.
The Editor will take AUSU's recommendations into hand and make
the final decision.
1.3 The Editor is in charge of all staff of The
Voice, and relates to them either by telephone,
in person, or via email.
1.4 The Editor will arrange for editorial copy,
assign stories, format and optimize graphics,
and edit finished works.
2. Writers
2.1 Reporters will work on assignment
from the Editor when
writing articles for The Voice.
2.2 Writers will be paid
at the rate of 30.00
per article, unless working under the above
title of ëregular columnist.'
2.3 The editor may assign a rate for assigned
articles, or for special items.
2.4 The editor may pay for photographs included
with on-location photo-journalistic articles,
at the discretion of the editor. Photos included
with regular articles
and not pre-approved by the editor are not subject
to pay.
3. Webmaster
3.1 The Webmaster will be responsible
for ensuring the content
of The Voice is posted in a timely manner.
3.2 The Webmaster will be responsible for layout
and design of The Voice webpage at the direction
of the Editor.
3.3 If a Webmaster is not employed by The Voice,
the tasks of the Webmaster will be carried
out by the Editor in Chief.
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Ethical Standards
1. Employee and Writer Presentation
1.1 All employees of
The Voice, whether paid or volunteers, will strive to present
themselves
in a professional
manner.
1.2 The Voice
staff will be expected to be courteous and compassionate.
1.3
The Voice representatives may not use their positions to
influence access
to information.
1.4
No employee of The Voice will become involved in political
atmosphere of
AUSU of the larger Athabasca University.
1.5
No employee or writer of the Voice will use the
Voice
to promote their own
business or other personal interests,
with the exception of the employee
recieveing reasonable credit for work performed.
2.
Staff Ethics
2.1
The Voice Staff members will not take
advantage
of their
position by obtaining
gratuities or other favours.
3.
Writer and Photographer Ethics
3.1
Reporters and photographers
should
respect
their
sources
and their right
to confidentiality, where appropriate
and within the guidelines of Canadian
law.
3.2
Reporters and photographers
must
verify
the
accuracy
of all they report.
3.3
The Voice will support
its reporters
and photographers
in legal matters
where merited.
3.4
Photographers
will
always
make
sure
their
subjects
are
aware of their intentions,
and obtain names
of individuals
photographed.
Names
will
be published
when applicable and reasonable.
3.5
Photographers
and
reporters
will
provided
with
The Voice
identification
tags
and must
wear
them at all times
when representing
the paper.
3.6
Any writer
caught
engaging
in
plagiarism
will
be
dismissed
and may be
reported
to AUSU.
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