Texas Student Publications

Board of Operating Trustees

September 27, 2002

Minutes

Voting members present: Urton Anderson, Brian Ferguson, Michael Hoffman, Jonathan Lee, Coleman Lewis, Rusty Todd.

Voting members absent: Diane Beckham, Laura Cruzada, Jeffrey Richards, Shawn Rosenzweig, Doug Toney.

Non-voting members present: Teresa Brett, Ryan Hengst, Kathy Lawrence, Ryan Pittman, Trevor Rosen, Chris Tolle.

Non-voting members absent: Meredith Best, Jason Hunter, Alex Hammond, Rachel Zoch.

Professional staff present: Mary Felps, Richard Finnell, John Foxworth, Evelyn Gardner, Jean Hogue, Dan Knight, Steve Metze, Frank Serpas, Jack Simons, Jerry Thompson.

Visitors present: Brooke Healy, Rachel Stone.

The meeting was called to order at 3:03 p.m. by TSP Board President Michael Hoffman.

I. Report of the Executive Committee.

The TSP Board executive committee met earlier in the day and elected Brian Ferguson chairman. Ferguson offered several items for Board discussion and action.

MOTION NO. 1: On behalf of the executive committee, Ferguson moved to approve yearbook printing

agreements which include Walsworth Publishing Company for the Cactus Yearbook and Taylor Publishing

Company for the Peregrinus Law School Yearbook. The motion passed.

MOTION NO. 2: On behalf of the executive committee, Ferguson moved to approve the expenditure of

$6,700 to increase the salaries of the KVRX radio adviser and the KVR television adviser, such funds to

be secured from TSP reserve funds. The motion passed.

MOTION NO. 3: On behalf of the executive committee, Ferguson moved to approve the proposal to request

a total of $440,500 from the Student Services Fee Committee for the 2003-2004 academic year.

Discussion followed. Ferguson explained that the proposal will be submitted to the committee as a report which illustrates line items for each of the media of Texas Student Publications in contrast to a lump sum request. Also, Lawrence explained the request would seek $432,000 as a regular yearly allocation and an additional $8,000 would be requested from the Student Service Fees Committee reserve fund for the Texas Travesty advertising sales matching program and for the purchase of a microwave broadcast system for KVR television which will facilitate program broadcasting from locations throughout the University campus. Lee expressed doubt that sufficient funds were included in the proposal for the TSP yearbook program and offered to amend the motion to increase the yearbook allocation. The amendment failed.

The motion, as originally presented by Ferguson, passed.

MOTION NO. 4: On behalf of the executive committee, Ferguson moved to approve the payroll proposal

submitted for Texas Travesty which includes a $650 allocation to be secured from the TSP reserve fund. The

motion passed.

III. Monthly Reports.

a. Report of the president. Hoffman referred to his written report and expressed appreciation to all those who agreed to serve. Additionally, he thanked Brett for her help finding committee members to serve from outside the membership of the TSP Board.

b. Report of the director. Lawrence referred to her written report and offered additional news concerning the results of recent publication competitions. In Southwest Journalism Congress competition Texas Student Publications received the Sweepstakes Award for winning more awards than all other student media organization members. Additionally, The Daily Texan received the newspaper Sweepstakes Award and the Cactus Yearbook received the yearbook Sweepstakes Award. Additionally, a critique of The Daily Texan by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association revealed a score of 955 points out of a total possible score of 1,000.

c. Editors and station managers. Pittman referred to his written report and added the staff is currently working on improving accuracy. Further, he said 12-page newspapers in the fall do not allow the editorial staff to cover the news sufficiently. He is also working with Hunter on a draft of guidelines for advertising acceptability. Lawrence said on days of 12-page newspapers there is an option to omit all house ads if the managing editor needs additional space. Gardner express the need for guidelines concerning acceptance of ads on a co-sponsorship basis. Pittman was requested to attempt to resolve the 12-page newspaper situation and report back to the Board at the next regular meeting.

Hengst referred to his written report and added the staff expects to increase underwriting due to plans to broadcast soccer games this year.

Tolle referred to his written report and added he and the staff are working to improve the relationship between the station and athletics; the new equipment is working well for volleyball broadcasts; sales have increased compared to last year; and he plans to encourage more cross-promotion between TSP media units.

Rosen reported the first issue of Texas Travesty has been out since September 25 and all distribution sites were supplied on time. Many freshmen have expressed interest in staff positions which Rosen attributes to the summer promotion to prospective University students.

IV. New Business.

a. Appointment of Peer Review Committee liaisons.

MOTION NO. 6: Ferguson moved to appoint two voting student members of the TSP Board by the

president to discuss a possible peer review of TSP operations with the Office of the Vice President

for Student Affairs and report to the Board at the next regular meeting.

In discussion, Lee offered an amendment to change the motion to reflect “a minimum of two voting student members.” There was no opposition to the amendment. Todd urged the Board to consider any recommendations which might result from the peer review process to be non-binding. The motion was amended accordingly:

MOTION NO. 6: Ferguson moved to appoint a minimum of two voting student members of the TSP

Board by the president to discuss a possible peer review of TSP operations with the Office of the Vice

President for Student Affairs and to report to the Board at the next regular meeting. The motion passed.

Hoffman said he would accept volunteers for the Peer Review Committee by way of e-mail before Monday, September 30.

Hoffman reminded the members of the Board of the recent death of long-time Texan Editorial Adviser Ron Gibson. A moment of silence followed.

MOTION NO. 7: Ferguson moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed.