Texas Student Publications

Board of Operating Trustees

January 24, 2003

Minutes

Voting members present: Urton Anderson, Diane Beckham, Brian Ferguson, Michael Hoffman, Jonathan Lee, Coleman Lewis, Jef Richards, Rusty Todd, Doug Toney.

Voting members absent: Laura Cruzada, Shawn Rosenzweig.

Non-voting members present: Meredith Best, Teresa Brett, Ryan Hengst, Jason Hunter, Kathy Lawrence, Ryan Pittman, Trevor Rosen, Chris Tolle, Rachel Zoch.

Non-voting members absent: Alex Hammond.

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: Ryan Petkoff, Kristin Stilwell.

The meeting was called to order at 3:02 p.m. by President Michael Hoffman.

I. Approval of the TSP Board meeting Minutes for November 15, 2002.

MOTION NO. 1: Ferguson moved to approve the Minutes of the November 15, 2002, TSP Board

meeting. The motion passed.

II. Recognition of student staff awards.

MOTION NO. 2: Lewis moved to adopt the resolution below.

Resolved, that the following individuals be congratulated for awards and grants received in recent months:

TSP Board President Michael Hoffman for receiving a Marshall scholarship to study at Cambridge in

England. He will pursue a doctor’s degree in bioinformatics;

Daily Texan Editor Jason Hunter for his second place finish and scholarship award in the Hearst editorial

writing contest. The School of Journalism received a grant as well on his behalf;

Daily Texan staff member Melissa Drosjack who was selected for an internship covering the Texas Leg-

islature for the Houston Chronicle for the spring semester;

Daily Texan staff member Lucy Quintanilla who was selected for a newspaper design internship at the

Poynter Institute this summer;

Daily Texan staffers Stephanie Meyers, Christie Emmett, Rae Ann Spitzenberger, Mark Worth, and

Elizabeth Egeland who were selected for Dow Jones copy editing internships for the summer;

Texas Travesty Editor Trevor Rosen who was selected as a Texas Monthly intern for the spring;

and, KVR-TV staffers Trisha Hanley, Marcie Longoria, Rizza Danico for a national finalist ranking in

the NASA Means Business competition.

The motion passed.

III. Individual Reports.

3.1 Director. Lawrence referred to her written report. Gardner briefly described a promotion idea for the spring based on the popular “American Idol” television program.

3.2 Editors and Station Managers.

The Daily Texan-Editorial. Hunter referred to his written report and reviewed details for staff interviews for the spring semester. Pittman referred to his written report and added approximately 175 applicants were interviewed for the spring; three Texan stories were picked up by the Associated Press last week; and the Texas Attorney General has been involved in the surveillance camera location request by the Texan staff.

Cactus Yearbook. Best referred to her written report and distributed a list of spring goals discussed with her staff. Hoffman suggested the Cactus Yearbook be discussed later in the meeting to give Board members the opportunity to read Best’s report. Later, Hoffman said he found no reference to book sales, studio participation, and distribution in goals set by the yearbook staff for the spring. Best responded she added a marketing position to improve book sales and studio participation and thinks, by including more people in the yearbook, that book sales will improve. Best also said she thinks conducting studio in different locations will increase sittings. Further discussion followed.

Peregrinus Law School Yearbook. Zoch had nothing further to add to her written report.

KVRX Radio. Hengst had nothing further to add to his written report.

KVR Television. To his written report Tolle added three additional items: the situation with Austin Community Access has been settled; work on the station’s master control has been completed; and an advertising sales class in the College of Communication will undertake KVR sales efforts this spring.

Texas Travesty. Rosen explained Texas Travesty goals will be distributed by the next Board meeting. Among those goals will be plans to increase circulation. Further, he expressed concern for future advertising sales as the staff is inexperienced. Lawrence said a combined sales staff for all TSP media might help raise revenue for all TSP media.

The Daily Texan-Advertising. To her written report Stilwell reported Texan income is higher for January 2003 than January 2002.

IV. Report of the executive committee.

Ferguson said the executive committee met earlier in the day to review the monthly financial report and consider payroll requests for the spring semester.

MOTION NO. 3: On behalf of the executive committee, Ferguson moved to approve spring payroll plans

for The Daily Texan, KVR television, KVRX radio, and Texas Travesty. The motion passed.

V. New Business.

Student manager selection process. Hoffman reviewed his written Memorandum with the members of the Board. After discussion, he said he will continue developing a schedule with the members of the Board before the next meeting.

Promotion of TSP positions and opportunities. Ferguson discussed his written report with the members of the Board.

MOTION NO. 4: Ferguson moved to instruct the TSP Board president to appoint a committee to investigate

promotion of all TSP positions and opportunities, including positions elected by the student body, positions

appointed by the Board, and other appointed positions. If warranted, the committee shall prepare a propo-

sal for a campaign to increase awareness about these issues by the next regular Board meeting. All students,

faculty, and staff are encouraged and allowed to fully participate in discussions. The motion passed.

Media unit goals and objectives. Ferguson referred to his written report. Lewis indicated support of Ferguson’s discussion and requested editors and station managers to keep members of the Board informed of alterations to goals discussed at today’s meeting.

MOTION NO. 5: Toney moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed.