Student Media
As a member of the University Student Media, our primary responsibility is to serve the PLU community. This community includes students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Our primary concern is to assist the larger PLU mission of educating all students for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership, and care. Our activities in student media are meant to build those skills and traits within our staff. Our primary role is to discover, report, and distribute information about important issues, events, and trends that impact the PLU community. Our efforts to document and chronicle our collective experience will provide a first draft of university history. Our primary values in the performance of our duties are reflected in the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics and the TAO of Journalism.
RESPONSIBILITIES
General Responsibilities
All Student Media Executives are committed to the following responsibilities:
- Enroll in and successfully complete the Communication 429: Leadership and Participation in Student Media (2 credits each) for Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 terms.
- Work closely with the outgoing student media executives during April and May 2020.
- Maintain an ethical and professional media newsroom or outlet.
- Administer all aspects of the media, including reporting, writing, layout design printing, advertising, photography, editorial decisions, circulation, production, videotaping, recording and editing.
- Assume full responsibility for any material published or aired, and address any complaints filed against the media outlet.
- In conjunction with the adviser and University appropriate officials, prepare and issue requests for contractual bids for equipment and service.
- Be responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and overall quality of the media; and in conjunction with the adviser, review the appropriateness of material for publication/airing, including techniques used in gathering information.
- Ensure that the publication/production is properly equipped and that adequate space is provided for production.
- In conjunction with the advisor, maintain professional contact with journalistic organizations outside the campus and with members of printing trades, publishing firms, television productions, radio productions, and similar operations on other campuses. Meet regularly with the other media outlet heads to discuss content and promote cross-platform collaboration.
- Complete semester reports about media outlet that includes but is not limited to: number of student participants, hours or operation of publication schedule, and any other reports called for by student media advisers.
Specific Responsibilities
In addition to the general responsibilities, Student Media Executive is also committed to the following responsibilities specially to the media outlet that you will lead.
- Collaborate with other student media outlets under a convergence model.
- Develop a theme for fall and spring issues. Advertise accordingly to gain submission materials. Collaborate with clubs, classes, and organizations to solicit submissions. Edit all submissions and meet with submitters as needed.
- Update social media sites consistently with relevant news and information, especially the WordPress blog.
- Develop layout of the publication using Adobe InDesign software (no previous knowledge of this program is required, but individual/s must be willing to learn).
- Facilitate printing and distribution of the publication.
- Complete semester report.
- Manage all newsroom, business and administrative operations for the newspaper.
- Update all documents, templates, libraries, etc. for the current year.
- Determine a specific publication schedule.
- Interview and hire staff positions and hold employees accountable for fulfilling job functions.
- Train and assist employees in journalism and writing skills, Adobe programs and AP Style.
- In conjunction with the General Manager of Mast TV, hold weekly staff meetings to review and assign content.
- At times, responsible for advertising revenue generation to support the media outlet.
- Serve as the communication hub with Student Life officials for administrative purposes.
- Maintain the online presence of the organization, including answering email and updating all social media sites consistently.
- Oversee, edit and submit the final product to the printer.
- Maintain an ethical newsroom.
- Oversee the Mobile App.
- Complete all semester reports.
- Work in partnership with The Mast Magazine Editor-in-Chief
- Assume full responsibility for any material published or aired for Mast TV and the various social media platforms.
- Be responsible for the overall accuracy, completeness, and overall quality of the media; review the appropriateness of material for publication and airing, including techniques used in gathering information.
- Ensure that production is properly equipped and that adequate space is provided for production.
- Ensure a safe, comfortable environment for producers and volunteers in the studio.
- Maintain professional contact with related professional organizations outside the campus with members of TV productions on other campuses.
- Manage all training for hired staff as well as review content that is being produced.
- Have thorough understanding of video production and editing to the point of confidence in training of these skills.
- Maintain an ethical TV station.
- Complete all semester reports.
- Hire and train DJs and other LASR Leadership Team Members to support the radio station.
- Supervise LASR Leaders and oversee DJ accountability and show content integrity.
- Act as a community and university event contact including advertising, PSAs, and paid ads.
- Organize promotional events and arrange for guest speakers. Help with promotion events including set up and take down.
- Make recommendation for equipment upgrade and purchase.
- Ensure a safe, comfortable environment for DJs and people in the studio. Treat all other staff members, DJs, office supplies and equipment with respect.
- Monitor lasrgm@plu.edu email account on regular basis.
- Oversee production of LASR Student CD, LASR promotional items, and any other material that LASR produces.
- Commit to four (4) office hours per week. Office hours include being available to help, train, mentor or talk with DJs, community members and any other students.
- Work closely with student media advisors to address issues concerning LASR, including, but not limited to, equipment, the website, staff and DJ communities in a congruent, consistent and fair manner.
- Time expectation: 5 hours per week including 1 staff meeting, office hours, and attendance cross-outlet content meetings.
- Complete a semester report.
- Plan events for the community.
- Advertise for submissions (posters, speak with professors, email lists, Facebook, etc.) in a timely manner.
- Design the magazine layout. Design or select cover image. Collect and judge submissions. Edit submissions. Work with printing company to reach affordable decisions for printing.
- Distribute the previous year’s issues, as well as past issues
- Create or collect content for the Saxifrage website.
- Complete semester report.
QUALIFICATIONS
The prospective student leader must:
- Be a student enrolled at PLU full time (twelve credit hours or more) at the time of selection with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Be enrolled for a minimum of twelve semester hours and maintain a 2.5 grade point average or higher during tenure in office.
- Have demonstrated past ability to provide leadership and use sound judgment.
- Be in good standing with Student Conduct and not on academic probation.
APPLICATION MATERIALS
Provide all of the following items to complete your application package by April 19, 2019:
- Resume
- Cover letter: in your cover letter, describe how your background and experience align with the responsibilities and qualifications for this position, plans for work and study during the term of office. Describe specific goals for the media outlet that you apply for.
- Portfolio: three (3) samples of media works such as published writing, art, graphic design, scripts, videotapes, or other relevant work.
- Clearly state which position you’re applying for in the subject line of your e-mail.
QUESTIONS
E-mail all application materials to: