Student Media

Approved by:  Office of Student Affairs

History: N/A

Related Policies: Student Code of Conduct and Community Expectations

Related Forms, Procedures and References: 

For Questions Contact:  Office of Student Affairs | 651.690.6778 | studentaffairs@stkate.edu

Student media are valuable aids in establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of free and responsible discussion. They are a means of focusing and highlighting student concerns as well as a valuable tool in the formulation of student opinion. By the delegation of responsibility to students, St. Catherine provides sufficient editorial freedom and financial autonomy for its student media to maintain their integrity as vehicles for free inquiry and free expression. St. Catherine's administrators, in consultation with students and faculty, shall provide clarification of the role of the student media, the standards to be used in their evaluation, and the limitations on external and administrative control of the publication. At the same time, the editorial freedom of student editors and managers entails corollary responsibilities to be governed by the canons of responsible journalism: avoidance of libel, indecency, undocumented allegations, attacks on personal integrity and techniques of harassment and innuendo.

As safeguards for the editorial freedom of student publications, the following provisions are necessary:
 
  1. Student media shall be free of censorship and advance approval of copy, but consistent with St. Catherine University policy. Student editors and managers shall be free to develop their own editorial policies and news or feature coverage.
  2. Editors and managers of student media shall be protected from arbitrary suspension and removal because of student, staff, faculty,administrative or public disapproval of editorial policy or content. Student editors and managers shall be subject to removal only for proper and stated causes that are presented through established and orderly procedures covered in the Student Code of Conduct and Community Expectations.