Constitution

The Penmen Press Constitution

Updated March 2024

Article I. Name

The name of this organization shall be “The Penmen Press.”

Article II. Purpose

The Penmen Press is  a student media organization which informs the Southern New Hampshire University community of important University-related matters in a timely and unbiased manner. The Penmen Press also offers students real-world experience in all aspects of media.

Article III. Cost and Distribution

The Penmen Press shall be available on campus and online to reach the greater SNHU community. The Penmen Press print editions shall also be free of charge to the SNHU community and shall be available on campus. 

Article IV. Staff

The Penmen Press shall be headed by the Editors-in-Chief (2), also known as EIC(s). An All Committee shall be responsible for content and operations, respectively. Committee members will be responsible for overseeing staff members (active members who do not currently hold a leadership position). Specific positions outlined in Article VI.

The Penmen Press shall be managed by the Executive Board, which is made up of the Editors-in-Chief (2), the Senior Managing Editor, the Staff Representative, and the Business Manager.

The Penmen Press membership shall be in compliance with SNHU Student Activities Guidelines and Policies

Article V. Authority

The Executive Board shall operate as a board of directors, discussing and overseeing decision making for the well-being of the organization. The Executive Board is made of five members and shall meet once a week, or by EIC(s) discretion. Members will represent and lead their committees. Final say regarding topics of discussion shall be at the discretion of the EIC(s).

The All Committee is responsible for all written content and organization operations. Within each member’s individual section, editors will consult with the other editors and EIC(s) when forming decisions as to what is to be published and will provide weekly updates about their sections and staff members; however, the EIC(s) will make the final decision over content. Managers will consult with the EIC(s) to develop strategic plans and projects to further the Penmen Press’s reach and influence in the SNHU community. They will be responsible for obtaining advertisement opportunities, cultivating and maintaining relationships with other clubs and organizations through co-sponsorships and events and creating and executing marketing and business decisions. Each manager will be expected to give weekly updates on current projects to the EICs, Committee members and staff members; however, the EIC(s) will make final decision over the operations of the organization. 

Article VI. Duties

The duties of the Executive Board, All Committee, and the staff members are as follows. Inability to fulfill duties may result in individual meetings with EIC(s) and/or formal action. All Executive Board members are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 for undergraduate students and 3.0 for graduate, per Office of Student Involvement guidelines.

Section 1. Editor(s) in Chief Shall:

  1. Schedule and lead all weekly all-staff meetings and act as a facilitator for discussion (barring unavoidable and unforeseen conflict)
  2. Maintain attendance records for all meetings
  3. Facilitate weekly updates on organizational projects at meetings
  4. Delegate and finalize content to fulfill the needs of the SNHU community
  5. Assist committee members with their respective responsibilities when necessary, either by discretion of the committee member(s) or EIC(s)
  6. Supply instructive materials/workshops to assist in the production of content and knowledge of responsibilities
  7. Mediate and resolve staff problems when they arise
  8. Proofread the final copy of issue before printing
  9. Establish organizational goals, projects and events
  10. Communicate effectively with all members of the staff, Advisor and members of the SNHU Community as needed in person and through digital communication
  11. Conduct individual meetings as needed
  12. Be responsible for monitoring progress of for-credit staff as directed by the syllabi
  13. Lead and coordinate meetings with Executive Board
  14. Cultivate culture within the organization

Section 2. Senior Managing Editor

  1. Represent the Editorial Committee and Management Committee in the Executive Board
  2. Attend every Executive Board meeting unless otherwise discussed with the EIC(s)
  3. Lead bi-weekly All-Committee meetings. Within these meetings, the Senior Managing Editor will:
    1. Ensure weekly content schedule is produced
    2. Assist editors in development of stories
    3. Report back to Executive Board with weekly status update
    4. Communicate with the Editorial Committee and Management Committee about current Executive Board actions as seen necessary by Executive Board
    5. Listen and advise Editors and Managers regarding conflicts
    6. Keep track of Editorial Committee and Management Committee meeting attendance
    7. Facilitate discussion amongst editors and managers
    8. Determine opportunities for collaboration amongst editors and managers

Section 3. All Committee

General Editor(s) (News) shall:

  1. Be aware of news on campus to assign to staff writers
  2. Monitor campus events, news and climate to produce and assign breaking news stories for PenmenPress.com
  3. Direct writers through proper channels of communication in regards to gathering substantial and balanced information
  4. Promote, enforce and edit articles for accuracy and integrity
  5. Read and review all articles in section and edit for content and format
  6. Utilize revisions section of PenmenPress.com for editing and discuss criticisms and mistakes with staff writers during all-member meetings
  7. Maintain a working and up to date knowledge of Style Guide
  8. Adhere to editorial submission schedule
  9. Provide constructive feedback to Staff Writers
  10. Communicate with Copy Editor(s), Layout Editor(s) and EIC(s) for late articles
  11. Produce at least one article for their section per week for PenmenPress.com

General Editors(s) (Sports) shall:

  1. Maintain a schedule of sporting events and news on and off campus to delegate coverage to staff writers
  2. Maintain a working knowledge of sports terminology to accurately cover events
  3. Read and review all articles in section and edit for content and format
  4. Utilize revisions section of PenmenPress.com for editing and discuss criticisms and mistakes with staff writers during all-member meetings
  5. Maintain a working and up to date knowledge of Style Guide
  6. Adhere to editorial submission schedule
  7. Provide feedback to Staff Writers
  8. Communicate with Lead Copy Editor, Layout Editor and EIC(s) for late articles
  9. Produce at least one article for their section per week for PenmenPress.com

General Editors(s) (A&E/Opinions) shall:

  1. Be aware of trending pop culture to delegate coverage to staff writers
  2. Be aware of controversial topics on campus about on and off campus issues to delegate coverage to staff writers
  3. Adhere to editorial submission schedule
  4. Provide feedback to Staff Writers
  5. Communicate with Lead Copy Editor, Layout Editor and EIC(s) for late articles
  6. Produce at least one article for their section per week for PenmenPress.com
  7. Determine which articles contain a strong argument to effectively convey an opinion
  8. Read and review all articles in section and edit for content and format
  9. Utilize revisions section of PenmenPress.com for editing and discuss criticisms and mistakes with staff writers during all-member meetings
  10. Maintain a working and up to date knowledge of Style Guide

General Editor(s) (Lifestyle) shall:

  1. Be aware of current on-campus lifestyle trends and norms to delegate coverage to staff writers
  2. Read and review all articles in section and edit for content and format
  3. Utilize revisions section of PenmenPress.com and edit for content and format
  4. Maintain a working and up to date knowledge of style guide
  5. Adhere to editorial submission schedule
  6. Provide feedback to Staff Writers
  7. Communicate with Lead Copy Editor, Layout Editor, and EIC(s) for late articles
  8. Produce at least one article for their section per week at PenmenPress.com

Lead Copy Editor(s) shall:

  1. Edit all sections for content and format
  2. Maintain a working and up-to-date knowledge of Style Guide
  3. Adhere to copy submission schedule
  4. Communicate with Layout Editor and EIC(s) for late articles
  5. Update staff regularly with feedback (trends, common errors, etc.)

Layout Editor(s) shall:

  1. Plan the layout dummy for each print issue
  2. Consult with the EIC(s) in terms of article placement (front page content, advertisements, etc.)
  3. Organize Layout Team communications effectively
  4. Delegate responsibility by assigning pages to the Layout Team
  5. Train new Layout Team members and answer questions in a timely fashion
  6. Complete final layout for print publication and email it to Copies Plus and online manager 
  7. Review all pages and give advice for Layout Team regarding changes and errors
  8. Adhere to layout submission schedule

Business Manager(s) shall:

  1. Monitor budget and provide updates to EICs and Advisor on an as-needed basis
  2. Communicate effectively with advertisers, outside contacts and university staff, keeping EICs informed of all developments

Events Manager(s) shall:

  1. Create monthly events on campus to engage the SNHU community
  2. Plan events, a minimum of one month in advance, to be placed on activities calendar
  3. Communicate with Editor(s) in Chief, Events Committee, clubs and organizations and the SNHU community regarding potential events
  4. Collaborate with at least one other club or organization per semester to create and uphold positive relationships with campus organizations
  5. Keep track of spending and report back to Business Manager
  6. Maintain a working knowledge of 25Live Master Calendar
  7. Communicate with the Marketing Manager regarding event promotion on a variety of social media platforms
  8. Print and collaborate with Copies Plus

Online Manager(s) shall:

  1. Maintain and explore current design and technological standards on PenmenPress.com
  2. Train and offer real time guidance to staff regarding organization technologies
  3. Collaborate with Promotions Manager regarding online marketing
  4. Manage accounts and permissions/functions of site
  5. Record Penmen Press account information across various platforms

Media Manager(s) shall:

  1. Have working knowledge of camera functions, photography and video software(s) and techniques
  2. Provide guidance and review regarding photography and video submissions and equipment
  3. Consult with staff writers and layout editor(s) on photos for articles
  4. Maintain an up-to-date Media Library
  5. Adhere to photography and videography submission schedule and communicate with Layout Editor and EIC(s) about late submissions
  6. Organize photos for print issue
  7. Collaborate and communicate with section editors to involve written journalists in production of video content
  8. Lead team in production of monthly journalistic video content for PenmenPress.com and social media (videos must be at least one minute in length, unless otherwise discussed) and one video about Penmen Press and staff per month
  9. Create marketing strategies and engage with followers on social media and post live updates for breaking news stories
  10. Coordinate social media posts with All Committee
  11. Collaborate with other clubs and organizations on campus
  12. Coordinate assignments with photographers and videographers regarding on and off campus events
  13. Communicate with Layout Team and photographers and videographers regularly about upcoming projects

Section 4. General Staff

Staff Representative shall:

  1. Represent the staff in the Executive Board
  2. Attend every Executive Board meeting unless otherwise discussed with the EIC(s)
  3. Plan and coordinate staff-bonding events with EICs (movie night, game night, etc.) to promote community
  4. Effectively communicate with staff regarding feelings and concerns with Penmen Press happenings
  5. Report back to Executive Board with weekly status update
  6. Communicate with staff about current Executive Board actions as seen necessary by Executive Board
  7. Have a working knowledge of 25Live and Master Calendar

Staff Writer(s) shall:

  1. Write journalistic articles
  2. Report to their respective Section Editor for assignments
  3. Maintain a working and up to date knowledge of Style Guide
  4. Adhere to staff submission schedule
  5. Communicate with Section Editor(s) regarding late submissions
  6. Submit articles through the PenmenPress.com portal
  7. Check all facts prior to submission
  8. Communicate with Marketing Manager regarding article photography

Article VII. Advisor

The Advisor shall be a faculty member with experience in journalism. The Advisor shall work with the Editors-in-Chief in holding staff workshops and offering guidance, as well as being liaison with the university staff, faculty, and administration.

Article VIII. Appointments

The Executive Board shall have the opportunity to recommend potential EIC candidates to the current EIC(s) with input from Advisor. The current EIC(s) shall have final say regarding ascending Editor(s)-in-Chief, with input from the Advisor. Ascending section editors shall be discussed and appointed by the current section editor, EIC(s), with input of Advisor. Emergency appointments shall be discussed and determined by the Executive Board.

Article IX. Editor Removal

In the event of unsatisfactory performance/unethical conduct by an Editor, their position shall be discussed by the EIC(s) and the Faculty Advisor. In the event of unsatisfactory performance by an EIC(s), their position on staff shall be up for discussion by the Executive Board, a decision to be made by the EIC(s) with input from the Faculty Advisor and the Office of Student Involvement.

Article X. Advisor Removal

In the event of unsatisfactory performance by an Advisor, their position shall be discussed by the EIC(s) and that Advisor in an attempt to resolve the conflicts internally. Should this be insufficient, the conflicts shall be discussed in the presence of a neutral third party from the Office of Student Involvement. In the event that this discussion does not resolve the conflict, the Advisor position shall be discussed by the full Executive Board before being brought by the EIC(s) to the Assistant Director of the Office of Student Involvement for advice, conflict resolution, and possible removal if necessary. After this formal discussion, if Advisor removal is the best solution for the wellbeing of the club, EIC(s) should bring this to the Dean of Students and/or Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Article XI. Capital Expenditures

All capital expenditures of The Penmen Press liability account over $250 shall come to a vote before the Executive Board and shall need a majority vote of ½ plus one to pass.

Article XII. Disclaimer

The Penmen Press is a publication funded largely by the Student Government Association and independent advertising sales. The Penmen Press will accept all responsible articles and letters to the Editor, and print them as space permits. All submissions and letters must be typed, double spaced, signed, and include contact information. All submissions and letters are subject to editing and must meet the standards of quality and values as set by the editorial board. Editorial viewpoints are those of the editor(s) and/or the writer(s). The Penmen Press is published by Southern New Hampshire University, but the opinions and viewpoints do not reflect those of the SNHU faculty, staff, or administration.

Article XIII. Comments

The Penmen Press reserves the right to delete comments found offensive. Comments containing any of the following will be reviewed for deletion:

LIBEL: Untrue statements or comments about living persons will be deleted.

EXCESSIVE PROFANITY: Comments which contain a substantial amount of profane statements or words will be deleted. The Penmen Press Editorial Board shall have the final say over what “substantial” and/or “excessive” is.

INTOLERANCE: Any comments which attack racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, gender, or religious parts of SNHU’s community will be deleted.

HOSTILITY: Any comments deemed to be intentionally inciting conflict between users.

SELF PROMOTION: Irrelevant comments used to attract attention to a commenter’s enterprise will be deleted. Those interested in promotion with The Penmen Press should contact the organization through email.

Article XIV: Security: The Editors-in-Chief shall be responsible for all passwords related to The Penmen Press. The only people with access to passwords are the Editors-in-Chief, the Assistant Director of Student Involvement, Clubs, and some exceptions to the Promotions and Online managers.

Article XV. Drafting and Ratification

This constitution was drafted in August 2020 and ratified March 29, 2023 by The Penmen Press staff and nullifies all previous constitutions.

Amendments to this constitution may be made at any Penmen Press meeting by ⅔ vote of the quorum, provided that the amendment is accompanied by a full statement of the reasons thereof, and has been submitted in writing at a previous Penmen Press meeting.

 

Article XV. Drafting and Ratification

This constitution was drafted in August 2020 and ratified March 27, 2024 by The Penmen Press staff and nullifies all previous constitutions.

Amendments to this constitution may be made at any Penmen Press meeting by ½ plus one vote of the quorum, provided that the amendment is accompanied by a full statement of the reasons thereof, and has been submitted in writing at a previous Penmen Press meeting.