Description:

This section of the UCLA Communications Board Policies & Procedures Manual provides information about the operations of the Communications Board.

Purpose: 

To foster understanding and trust with the UCLA community, the Communications Board wishes to clearly describe its principles and day to day workings.

I. Code for Members and Employees:

CONDUCT CODE FOR MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES

The first and foremost responsibility of the Board is to promote and advance its student communication media (UCLA Communications Board Constitution, Article II, Section C).

Communications Board members or appointed media persons may not engage in any activity that

• is contrary to the free flow of information of the campus media,
• violates the trust and spirit of the UCLA Communication Board’s Constitution or its By-Laws,
• represents personal or professional interests,
• encroaches upon Student Media’s advertising market;
• involves running for political office on campus;
• involves requesting confidential information from Student Media or ASUCLA management on an individual basis. The Board Chairperson can request such information on behalf of the entire Board, as can Committee Chairs, when the information is pursuant to business being conducted by the Board or Committee; or
• involves serving as a paid staff member in the offices of USAC/GSA officers or cabinet members.

Depending upon the severity of the circumstances, an individual may be subject to disciplinary proceedings, including censure or dismissal.

The Board member or media person shall be provided an opportunity to speak before the Board prior to any corrective action.

Each Communications Board member must read and sign this conduct code at the beginning of every Board term.

Approved: December 1983
Amended: June 3, 2002

DURING STUDENT ELECTIONS

Communications Board members are expected to remain impartial in Student Government and campus politics. No Board member may lend his/her title or position to any campus endorsements or political campaign.

The right of individuals to speak out on issues that concern them is not affected by this policy.

Approved: June 14, 1981

II. Communications Board Meetings

AGENDAS

An official agenda will be set and maintained by the Chairperson of the Communications Board, in conjunction with the Media Director. Agendas, with any necessary supporting information, will be sent to Board members and media appointees in advance of meetings.

All items to be placed on an agenda must be submitted to the Media Director or the Chairperson prior to 12:00 noon, seven days in advance of a meeting. Items which come to attention to either the Media Director or the Chairperson past this deadline will automatically be referred to the next meeting’s agenda.

Approved: February 6, 1975
Amended: October 22, 1987

EXECUTIVE SESSION

No one other than Communications Board members may regularly attend Executive Sessions. A member may request the presence of a non-member at a particular meeting through the Communications Board Chairperson.

This request may be overruled by a majority of the Board members.

SPECIAL MEETINGS

An orientation retreat shall be held the third week or weekend in August for all members. Outgoing members shall be invited to attend.

The first meeting of the term should be held at the conclusion of the orientation retreat.

Approved: June 3, 2002

III. Member Stipends

QUARTERLY STIPENDS

Each student member of the Communications Board is paid an amount recommended by the Operations Committee, and approved by the Board as a whole, prior to the first meeting of the quarter.

PURPOSE OF STIPEND

The stipend furnished to student members of the ASUCLA Communications Board is not compensation for participation or work; instead, it is intended to relieve financial pressure so that student Board members have the time to freely participate in Board activities and meetings.

COMPENSATION

The Chair is entitled to 115% of the Board-approved stipend.

Members of the Board who serve on committees of the Board are entitled to 100% of the Board approved stipend.

Board members are paid a percentage of their stipend commensurate to their attendance at meetings of the full Board and for committees on which they sit.

Only student board members are entitled stipends.

Approved: November 29, 1977
Amended: November 19, 1981
Amended: April 4, 1985
Amended: May 21, 1996
Amended: May 22, 2000
Amended: June 3, 2002

PARTIAL STIPENDS

Partial stipends are paid to student members who do not attend full Board and co mmittee meetings, consistently attend only part of Board or committee meetings or resign their positions on the Board prior to the end of the quarter. This amount is in proportion to the number of Communications Board meetings attended by the student.*

* One missed meeting equals three incidents when member arrives more than 10 minutes after meeting is called to order, or leaves more than 10 minutes before conclusion of the meeting.

The partial stipend is determined by the following formula:

Number of meetings attended

—————————————— x Full Quarterly Stipend = Partial Stipend

Number of meetings held

Approved: August 18, 1973
Amended: February 18, 1982
Amended: May 22, 2000
Amended: June 3, 2002

IV. Member Responsibilities

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties and responsibilities of student Communications Board members include, but are not limited to

• regular attendance at Communications Board meetings, including timely arrival and appropriate departure. Arrival should be no later than 10 minutes after meeting is called to order and early departure should only occur with approval of Chairperson, primarily to ensure presence of quorum during votes;
• active attendance. Unexcused, continuous absence from Board meetings for a period of four months in succession will constitute resignation from the Board;*
• participation on a standing committee.

*Absences may be excused at the discretion of the Chairperson.

Approved: October 22, 1981
Amended: June 3, 2002

REDUCED RESPONSIBILITIES

The Chairperson of the Communications Board is not exempt from participation on a standing committee. However, the Chairperson may waive the standing committee for a student Board member. A reduction in responsibilities may result in a corresponding stipend reduction.
The Chairperson must notify the full Communications Board of all decisions made under this provision.

Approved: October 22, 1981
Amended: March 9, 1989

V. Communications Board Nominations Policy

NOMINATIONS PROCEDURE

In nominating and appointing professional members, the Operations Committee and the Communications Board shall consider the following attributes: The ability of the member to

1. Assist in expanding board capabilities in order to accomplish strategic objectives,
2. Bring diversity, and
3. Improve the quality of Board deliberations.

Approved: June 3, 2002.

APPOINTING ORGANIZATIONS

Student organizations making Communications Board appointments should be encouraged to ensure that appointments are made so that terms conclude on a staggered basis.

Approved: June 3, 2002

VI. Corrective Action

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

A board-appointed Student Media employee may be subject to corrective action, up to and including dismissal, if employee fails to meet required standards of performance. Instances that may require attention include, but are not limited to the following:

• inadequate job performance
• inattention to duty
• chronic absenteeism or tardiness
•  violation of policy/procedure or other misconduct

INITIAL CONFERENCE

The procedure described below must be followed before any Communications Board or Student Media employee is disciplined or terminated by the Board.

1. The Career Staff Person informally confers with the employee, noting

• the nature of the employee’s conduct which prompted the discussion,
• that the conference is the first step of termination procedures,
• an expected standard of performance,
• and a date for re-evaluation of performance.

2. Career Staff Person drafts a confidential memo to the employee summarizing the conference.

3. A UCLA Human Resources Manager reviews the memo.

4. Media Director signs the memo, and forwards it to the employee.

Note: The date of employee performance re-evaluation should not be less than one week from the date of the initial conference, unless the career staff person determines quicker action is both necessary and proper.

EMPLOYEE RESPONSE

The date of employee performance re-evaluation should not be less than one week from the date of the initial conference, unless the career staff person determines quicker action is both necessary and proper.

FURTHER ACTION

If the Media Director feels that the employee’s performance

• has continued to be deficient,
• will likely be deficient in the future,
• and/or requires some attention or action from the Communications Board, he or she may follow the procedure described below:

1. The Media Director notifies the Communications Board Chairperson of the situation in writing. The notification should include

• a copy of the confidential memo summarizing the initial conference.
• a copy of the employee’s response, and
• the Operations Committee Chairperson’s evaluation of the situation made in consultation with the Media Director.

2. The Communications Board Chairperson summons the employee to the next regularly scheduled Communications Board meeting.

• This meeting should take place at least five days after receipt of the Publication Director’s written notification.

3. Employee gives prior written notice if he or she cannot attend the meeting.

4. Employee presents oral or written statements in his or her defense at the meeting prior to any action made by the Communications Board.

5. Communications Board votes to terminate or discipline the employee.

• a two-thirds vote is required for any action.

Note:  The Communications Board Chairperson may schedule a meeting if he or she feels prompter action is necessary.

• 48 hours notice for board members is required.

FAILURE TO ATTEND

If the employees fails to attend the meeting, the board my determine if the employee’s written reason is sufficient to delay the mater until the next meeting date.

CONSEQUENCE OF UNAUTHORIZED ABSENCE

If the board finds the employee’s written reasons for absence to be insufficient, censure or dismissal may take place immediately following the meeting by two-thirds vote of the board.Approved: February 17, 1983VII. Editorial Advisory Description: This document describes the process by which the Communications Board may advise the Student Media in response to a violation of the Editorial non-discrimination policy.

PURPOSE

The Communications Board requires its Student Media appointees to adhere to the Editorial non-discrimination policy. This process allows for appropriate response to a grievance brought to or initiated by the Board.

THE PROCEDURE

The Communications Board determines if the Editorial Non-Discrimination policy has been violated by the following process:

1. The Communications Board holds an open hearing on the grievance.

2. The Career Staff Person drafts a confidential memo to the employee summarizing the conference.

3. An ASUCLA Human Resources Manager reviews the memo.

4. The Media Director signs the memo, and forwards it to the employee.

VIII. Appointee Affirmation

Description: The Communications Board has established an affirmation process for ensuring the fulfillment of the goals of the student media. This is a description of appointees’ responsibilities and the purpose of that process.

PURPOSE OF THE MEDIA

The sole mission of the student media is to serve the campus in the specific ways enumerated in the Mission Statement: The UCLA student media shall provide, in a professional and responsible manner: 1. information and education, 2. a forum for free expression and exchange of ideas, 3. education for media participants, and 4. entertainment for the campus community.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Communications Board: The Communications Board is responsible for ensuring that the mission of the student media is fulfilled. They do this through appointing the best available students and career staff, providing physical and training resources, and reviewing the adherence of all staff and media organizations to the mission. Advising staff: The advising staff consists of the media adviser and the media director. These positions exist to advise and assist the student staff in the fulfillment of the media’s mission. They facilitate the day-to-day operation of the media. Student appointees: These are the most important appointments the Board makes. It is the students, not the Board members or career staff, who really carry out the media’s mission. While the Board may oversee, and the advisers advise, successes are credited to the student appointees, and failures rest likewise on their shoulders.

PARTNERSHIP

It should be clear from the above that the Board, the advisers, and the student appointees are part of a three-way partnership in the media.

DEVELOPMENT

Fulfilling the responsibilities of the student media requires each appointee to develop the organization of their medium, the skills of their staff, and their own skills. It is the responsibility of the Board to ensure that its appointees are able to lead their media to fulfil the mission. It is the desire of the Board to see its appointees succeed in this process of self-development, and by extension in the leadership of the media.

ONGOING REVIEW

The Communications Board requires that the appointee deliver a media status report to the Operations Committee on a regular basis to ensure that the Board is kept informed about the progress of the medium and its appointee. The Board will also solicit reports from the advising staff.

AFFIRMATION

At the end of the summer, the Board will meet to determine if the appointees have successfully completed the affirmation requirements for their positions. The advisers will forward their recommendations to the Board for its consideration. If the Board declines to affirm its original appointment, the position may be reopened for new applicants.Approved: July 13, 1993

IX. Media Awards

Description: The Communications Board presents Media Awards at the final meeting of the Board in Spring Quarter.

PURPOSE

These awards are designed to recognize individual excellence in Student Media.

CATEGORIES

For the Daily Bruin and the newsmagazines, there are three award categories:

• writing,
• graphics (including photography),
• and business.

For UCLA Radio, there are three award categories:

• news,
• entertainment,
• and business.

There is only one winner per category per medium.

VOTING

Communications Board members vote, without discussion, by prioritizing the nominations in each category on a secret ballot. The winner shall be determined by the Communications Board secretary upon tabulation of the ballots.

NOMINATIONS

Nominations are presented to the Communications Board by the Editor-in-Chief and Business Manager of each publication, the General Manager of KLA, the Media Advisor, and the Newsmagazine Advisor.

AWARDS

The form of award is decided by the Operations Committee.

Approved: March 9, 1989.