Student Media and its publications are governed by the Publications Board, under charter from OU's Board of Regents. The Publications Board, which consists of student and professional members of the OU community, as well as representatives from media, protects the responsible independence and enduring excellence of our publications.
We meet at 9:30 a.m. in Copeland Hall, Room 168 on the following dates. Meetings noted with an asterisk are held only if a prior meeting that semester fails to make quorum.
Fall 2025-Spring 2026
Fall 2024-Spring 2025:
CHARTER GOVERNING
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
At
THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
As approved by
THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
Amended by the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents
May 1992, January 1997, March 2007, May 2017 and May 2021.
Preamble
By authority of the Board of Regents and the President of the University of Oklahoma and on behalf of the University community, the Publications Board presents this charter governing specific Student Publications, said charter representing the general framework of operations of the Publications Board.
Section I — The Publications Board Authority
The Publications Board of the University of Oklahoma receives its authority from the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents through the president of the University and the vice president for Student Affairs.
Section II — The Publisher Function
The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma is the legal publisher of and has ultimate responsibility for The Oklahoma Daily and such other student media organizations as may be established, recognized, financed, controlled, and directed by the Publications Board. The Board is delegated the operating and policy-making responsibilities for such student media organizations. While the Publications Board is the supervisor of the editors of The Oklahoma Daily, it has no pre-publication oversight of editorial content.
Section III — The Oklahoma Daily and the News Division
The Oklahoma Daily is a multimedia student news organization with responsibility to the University community; secondarily, it provides opportunity for laboratory experience for students at the University of Oklahoma. The Publications Board has the responsibility for seeing that both of these functions are performed. In order to best serve the University community and fulfill the historic check and balance role a newspaper plays in government and society, The Oklahoma Daily must preserve its independence. Student editorial freedom of expression requires student responsibility for presenting news and opinion accurately, fairly and completely.
The editor of The Oklahoma Daily also is executive editor of the News Division of Student Media, which includes The Oklahoma Daily, and ultimately is responsible for other news and specialized media products the Publications Board may authorize.
Section IV — The Advertising and Marketing Division
The Advertising and Marketing Division of Student Media is responsible for selling and managing the advertising content in all Publications Board media, managing any advertiser-oriented media products, and marketing Publications Board products to the public to maximize their audience and ensure their attractiveness to advertisers. This provides an opportunity for students seeking experience in sales, advertising and marketing.
Section V — The Charge of the Publications Board
The charge of the Publications Board is to assure, on behalf of the Board of Regents, the highest quality of student media under its direction for the entire University community. This charge implies these general powers and responsibilities:
Recommending, reviewing and monitoring sound editorial, fiscal and production policies and
Ensuring the department follows university and state personnel policies.
Interviewing and hiring editors for The Oklahoma Daily.
Reviewing long-range planning in all areas of responsibility.
Assuring due process when, in the judgment of the Board, an editor or adviser acting on its behalf must be removed for cause.
Section VI — Regular Meetings
The Publications Board will meet no fewer than six times during the academic year. Dates shall be set by the chair. When feasible, board members must inform the Student Media Business Office of any absence at least three days in advance.
Meetings shall be called by the chair as necessary during the summer session. Because some members may be unalterably away from the University during the summer session, the chair shall regard those who are reasonably accessible to the University as the total membership of the Board and shall alter accordingly the quorum rule, hereinafter detailed, during such periods.
Section VII — Publications Board Membership
To represent fully the total community it is to serve, the Publications Board shall be composed of 12 voting members and five non-voting members as follows:
Voting members
One representative who is a member of the working media in the state of Oklahoma, selected by the chair of the board from among nominations from the Membership of the Oklahoma Press Association
Two members representing the publications produced by The Oklahoma Daily’s News Division (students who have held a staff position within the News Division, elected by the News Division’s fall staff to serve one (1) year, beginning that fall)
One member representing the Advertising and Marketing Division (a student who has held a staff position within the division and elected by the division’s fall staff to serve one (1) year, beginning that fall)
One University staff member, appointed by the University President
One student appointed by the University President
One student appointed by Student Government Association
One member to represent journalism and mass communication faculty, elected by the faculty of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication
One member representing the faculty-at-large, appointed by the Faculty Senate
One University staff member, appointed by the Staff Senate
One student appointed by the dean of students in consultation with the University’s chief diversity officer
One former OU Student Media staffer five or more years removed who works for a professional media organization, appointed by professional OU Student Media staff
Ex-officio, non-voting members
Dean of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication
Director of Student Media
Editor of The Oklahoma Daily, during tenure in that position
Editorial adviser of The Oklahoma Daily
Adviser, Advertising and Marketing Division
Section VIII — Other Eligibility Requirements for Board Membership
These additional eligibility requirements for Publications Board membership shall be applicable, though the board can waive any requirement at its discretion for good cause shown:
For all student members, each
shall be enrolled as at least a part-time student in a degree program at the University of Oklahoma and making satisfactory academic progress during the term of membership
shall not be required to enroll during summer term
shall be a student in good standing, i.e., not on academic or disciplinary probation
shall have posted no less than a 2.25 grade average in the semester immediately preceding selection to the Board, shall have no less than a 2.25 cumulative grade point average
shall maintain no less than 2.25 during the term of appointment
and shall not graduate from the University prior to completion of the term of appointment to the Board.
Additionally, the members representing the News Division’s staff shall have served at least one semester at the time of application in a staff position in the division.
The member representing the Advertising and Marketing Division shall have served at least one semester at the time of application in a staff position in that division.
For non-student members
Faculty and staff must be employed by the University at no less than .75 time (including split appointments)
The professional representative must be an active member of the working press of Oklahoma.
Methods of selection are left to the appointing authority as approved by the Board of Regents excepting the positions representing the News and Advertising and Marketing divisions. In the latter cases, the following procedures apply:
In addition to applicable student membership criteria above, the News Division will appoint its representatives by the board's first fall meeting. The editor shall accept nominations from qualified students and call a staff meeting during which staff members shall elect two representatives, whose names shall be given in writing to the chair of the Board.
In addition to applicable student membership criteria above, the Advertising and Marketing Division will appoint a representative by the board's first fall meeting. The student manager shall accept nominations from qualified students and call a staff meeting during which staff members shall elect a representative, whose name shall be given in writing to the chair of the Board.
Section XI — Terms of Office
Terms of student members of the Publications Board shall be one year. Appointment may not be successive, except by approval of board. Terms of non-student members normally will be three years and can be successive. All terms commence with the first fall meeting.
Section X — Board Vacancies
A vacancy shall occur when a member resigns or otherwise becomes ineligible to serve as a board member. When a vacancy occurs, the board shall report the vacancy to the appropriate authority, as set forth in Section VIII, and request a replacement. If a vacancy occurs with reference to News or Advertising and Marketing division positions, the previously detailed selection procedures shall be followed but in a different time frame as determined by the chair. A Publications Board voting member absent three consecutive meetings shall be notified by the chair that if the member is absent the next meeting the member shall be declared ineligible for membership, the seat vacated, and the appropriate authority requested to appoint a replacement.
Section XI — Board Chair and Secretary
The Board shall elect its own chair annually from the voting faculty and staff members, except the staff appointee by the university president. The chair shall have the right to vote on all issues. The chair shall serve a maximum of six terms in the chair position – terms which are counted starting in fall 2020. The secretary shall be elected from voting or non-voting Board members. Election of the chair is by routine nomination and election procedures. In the absence of the chair from a meeting of the Board, the chair may delegate powers and responsibilities of the chair – except a proxy vote – to any member of the board. If the member chosen to act as chair is a voting member, he or she retains personal membership powers and responsibilities, including the right to vote, but cannot vote a proxy for the chair. Election of the secretary is conducted annually by routine nomination and election procedures. In the absence of the secretary, the chair – permanent or temporary – may delegate the powers and responsibilities of the secretary to any member of the Board.
Section XII — Board Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is composed of the chair of the Board, the dean of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, and one student chosen by the Board from among the voting members of the Board. All members of the Executive Committee are voting members of the Executive Committee. The chair of the Board shall serve as chair of the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee is, in effect, the day-to-day publisher of the student media organizations and exists primarily to see that the policies and procedures of the Board are carried out, and to settle disputes as follows:
When an editorial adviser and an editor reach a point of disagreement on a matter that cannot be resolved between them, they shall take the following steps:
If the situation needs to be decided within a matter of a few hours, the student or adviser will call upon the Executive Committee to make a decision with the Committee decision being final.
If the Executive Committee determines that the situation does not require an immediate decision, the student or adviser may request a 72-hour waiting period and call a special meeting of the Board to be held within 72 hours.
In all such appeals the decision of the Board is final.
The Executive Committee is empowered to make emergency decisions of any kind in those areas in which the Publications Board has authority. Such decisions must be reported to the full Board at its next meeting.
Section XIII — Authority Over Student Media
As stated in Section II, the Publications Board shall oversee operating and policy-making responsibilities for the News and Advertising and Marketing divisions and the media they produce. The Board shall review their policies and procedures and make recommendations for amendments or revisions.
Section XIV — Authority to Establish, Consolidate, Discontinue
When, in the judgment of the Publications Board, conditions warrant such action, it may establish or discontinue any student media organization under its oversight, subject to the approval of the President.
Section XV — Properties and Funds
All properties, funds, securities, goodwill and titles of The Oklahoma Daily and other student media or the Publications Board held for the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents by the Publications Board shall be managed in accordance with the fiscal management policy of the University of Oklahoma.
Section XVI — Authority Over Business Affairs
The Publications Board shall have the power to govern directly or through its authorized representatives or employees the business affairs of the media organizations under the oversight of the Publications Board, provided that such governance is consistent with and participant in current University accounting, purchasing and contracting and all other University policies and practices. The Board’s designated employees retain the power to set advertising and mail subscription rates, yearbook prices, and employee pay rates within appropriate University, administrative, state, and federal guidelines.
The Board shall review an annual operating budget for the new fiscal year in accord with the University's budget schedule and practice.
The Board shall have in place long-range planning for the publications and facilities under its oversight and shall periodically review the planning and make recommendations for improvements.
Section XVII — Staff Organization
It shall be the responsibility of the Publications Board to review the staff organizations of The Oklahoma Daily and any other media organizations which may be established by the Board.
Section XVIII — Principal Employees of the Board
The principal employees of the Publications Board are the editor of The Oklahoma Daily, the director of Student Media and the adviser(s) of the student media organizations under the board’s purview.
Section XIX — Selection of Editors
The following eligibility requirements must be met by applicants for the position of summer or fall-spring editor of The Oklahoma Daily and executive editor of the News Division:
Applicant must be a student in a degree program at the University of Oklahoma making satisfactory academic progress at the time of application and during term of appointment.
Shall be an enrolled student (except during summer session) in good standing, i.e., not be on academic or disciplinary probation during term of appointment.
Shall have posted no less than a 2.5 grade point average in the semester immediately preceding application for the position of editor, and shall have no less than 2.5 cumulative grade point average.
Shall not graduate from the University prior to the completion of the term of appointment to the position of editor.
Shall have served in a staff position in the News Division.
Shall not hold an elective or appointive position in student government during tenure as editor.
Applicants meeting the eligibility requirements must execute the proper application forms at the specified filing times, appear before the Board for interviews at a time prescribed by the chair, and certify by their signatures on the application forms that they have read, understand, and will uphold the policies and procedures pertinent to the positions for which they apply. The Board shall have the authority to waive any or all of the requirements for either of these positions if there are no candidates who meet all of the requirements or if in the opinion of the Board there is an otherwise qualified candidate. Voting on applicants for these positions will be done only for those that arise from a motion and second from voting members of the Board. Voting will be by roll call, which the secretary shall record in the minutes of the meeting. In the event of a tie vote in the selection of an editor, a tie-breaking vote may be cast by the dean of Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Terms of appointment for editors are:
There are three variations on The Oklahoma Daily terms of appointment:
one year beginning with the first publication following the last issue of the Spring semester;
summer issues only;
and only the fall-spring academic year.
Board shall consider applications for a shorter term if such action would be in the best interest of The Oklahoma Daily and the University.
If the editor were to resign without warning, the adviser has the authority to appoint a temporary editor until the Board or Executive Committee can meet to hire a new editor.
Section XX — Director of Student Media
When the position of Director of Student Media is vacant, the Board may forward recommendations for suitable candidates to the Vice President for Student Affairs.
The Director of Student Media is delegated the following responsibilities by the Publications Board:
Serve as principal fiscal officer of the Board with prime responsibility to effect prudent fiscal oversight over the Board’s business.
Report to the Board non-routine financial purchasing, personnel or publication actions.
Periodically prepare long-range plans for systemic growth of The Oklahoma Daily; prepare an annual operating budget for the new fiscal year to be submitted to the Board for review either before or at the first meeting after submission to other university authorities. Being aware of the policies and procedures of the Board, upholding them, and recommending ways in which they can be strengthened.
Section XXI — Advisers
There shall be adviser(s) for the divisions under the oversight of the Publications Board. When the adviser(s’) positions are vacant, the Board will:
Establish the qualifications needed at the time
Interview qualified applicants, and
Select the adviser.
A two-thirds vote of the voting membership of the Board shall be necessary for hiring or dismissal of an adviser.
The adviser(s) shall be delegated these general responsibilities:
Understand and adhere to the policies and procedures of the Board contained in this document and in the documents affecting publications over which the advisers have supervisory responsibilities.
Serve as principal adviser(s) for the content of the media under their students’ supervision and the professional conduct of their respective staffs.
Demonstrate awareness of the sensitive role the media play in the total University community.
Adhere to the principle that editorial freedom of expression is a basic requirement for the college publications and forbids an adviser to participate directly in determining editorial content.
Help the student managers fully comprehend their responsibilities and duties and understand the objectives of these student media.
Concerning the adviser positions:
The adviser(s) can be members of the faculty of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication with a reduced teaching load.
They shall be appointed jointly by the dean of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication and the director of Student Media with approval of two-thirds majority of the voting members of the Publications Board.
The salary can be divided between the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication college and the Publications Board.
For academic work they shall report to the dean of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. In publications supervisory matters, they shall report to the director and Publications Board.
If the adviser will not hold a split appointment with the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, he or she is to be selected by the director of Student Media with approval of two-thirds majority of the voting members of the Publications Board.
The relationship between the adviser and the staffs shall be that of adviser and liaison between the Publications Board and the staffs. The relationships between the adviser and classroom students shall be teacher-student.
Section XXII — Other Personnel
The Board Executive Committee shall take an indirect role in the appointment of all other personnel related to student media operations by:
Requiring student managers to present their staff appointments for review by the Committee.
Requiring that the Director of Student Media provide monthly a complete report of all personnel appointments and terminations.
In the event that any appointment is opposed by a majority of the Executive Committee, the appointment shall be brought to the full Board for its action.
Section XXIII — Due Process
In all matters relating to the discipline or dismissal of an employee of the Publications Board, care shall be taken to ensure due process. Employees other than those directly hired by the Board shall have a hearing upon request under the appropriate University policy. Employees hired directly by the Board shall have an opportunity for a hearing before the Board prior to any University hearing.
Section XXIV — Parliamentary Procedure
The Publications Board shall establish its own parliamentary procedures, excepting quorum and proxy rules as follows:
For purposes of Publications Board meeting, a quorum is one more than one-half of the individuals who have been named or elected to the Board, i.e., if there are 10 voting members of the Board, six voting members present constitute a quorum. A majority of the voting members present is required to enact any motion except in the case of appointment or dismissal of editorial advisers, where a two-thirds majority of voting members is required as set forth in Section XXII. Members shall be permitted to attend and vote via videoconference, and members attending remotely shall be counted toward quorum, subject to the provisions of the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act.
Disclosure Policy: At the first meeting of each school year, board members shall disclose any work they do with or for any media organization outside The Oklahoma Daily or other media organizations created by the Publications Board. This process will be repeated any time a new member joins the board, and any member who begins or leaves a position with an outside media organization shall disclose the position change at the beginning of the first subsequent meeting.
Section XXV — Amendments to this Charter
Provisions of this charter may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the voting membership of the Publications Board. Such amendments will be effective only after approval by the Regents. (RM, 10-18-73, pp. 12552-63; amended 12-9-82, pp. 17337-45; 10-17-90, p. 22023; 6-13-91, pp. 22459-60)
