Spring Break
Committee advises non-profit status
Bijah Gibson
Issue date: 5/7/08 Section: News
Bringing an end to months of speculation and debate, Blanche Hughes, vice president of Student Affairs, recommended to CSU President Larry Penley that Student Media become an independent, not-for-profit media corporation Monday.
Hughes' recommendation came in the form of a memorandum to Penley who endorsed the recommendations and will present it to the Board of Governors of the CSU system this summer.
"I recommend to you that a not-for-profit 501(c)3 educational media corporation be established to include all of Student Media," Hughes stated in the memorandum. "In addition, I suggest that an Implementation Working Group be established as soon as possible to work on the transition details."
The recommendation came following a lengthy review process of the Collegian Advisory Committee, which examined the various models of student media at universities around the country, as well as the sole proposal submitted to the committee by Jeff Browne, Student Media director, which called for the formation of a non-profit corporation.
The group was formed after CSU President Larry Penley held a closed-door meeting with Gannett officials to discuss a possible acquisition of the student paper in January. The committee was chaired by Hughes and was composed of student and professional representatives from the four branches of Student Media, industry professionals, journalism professors, student government representatives, and others involved with Student Media.
The proposal to make Student Media a non-profit media corporation was supported by a majority of the Collegian Advisory Committee. Anne Hudgens, executive director of Campus Life and vice chairperson for the committee, said she believes the proposal will address many of the issues that have the potential to cause problems between the university and Student Media.
"It's a tricky thing to be a publisher and a governing body," Hudgens said of the university's current position. "This proposal disentangles the university from conflicts and protects Student Media."
Hughes' recommendation came in the form of a memorandum to Penley who endorsed the recommendations and will present it to the Board of Governors of the CSU system this summer.
"I recommend to you that a not-for-profit 501(c)3 educational media corporation be established to include all of Student Media," Hughes stated in the memorandum. "In addition, I suggest that an Implementation Working Group be established as soon as possible to work on the transition details."
The recommendation came following a lengthy review process of the Collegian Advisory Committee, which examined the various models of student media at universities around the country, as well as the sole proposal submitted to the committee by Jeff Browne, Student Media director, which called for the formation of a non-profit corporation.
The group was formed after CSU President Larry Penley held a closed-door meeting with Gannett officials to discuss a possible acquisition of the student paper in January. The committee was chaired by Hughes and was composed of student and professional representatives from the four branches of Student Media, industry professionals, journalism professors, student government representatives, and others involved with Student Media.
The proposal to make Student Media a non-profit media corporation was supported by a majority of the Collegian Advisory Committee. Anne Hudgens, executive director of Campus Life and vice chairperson for the committee, said she believes the proposal will address many of the issues that have the potential to cause problems between the university and Student Media.
"It's a tricky thing to be a publisher and a governing body," Hudgens said of the university's current position. "This proposal disentangles the university from conflicts and protects Student Media."
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