The basic editorial staff, while subject to change with changes in publication need, includes the following positions: Editor-in-chief, managing editor/news section editor, commentary editor, arts & entertainment editor, sports editor, senior staff writer, Around Campus editor and photo editor. Each editor will assume responsibility for their section in the newspaper, as well as summaries from their section to be used as yearbook copy.

   Editorial staff positions will remain as initially established unless the adviser or Dean of the School of Arts & Humanities envisions a need to re-structure the editorial staff. Open positions will be filled following an application process, with the most qualified applicants appointed to each position by the adviser each semester in coordination with the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor. Any questions pertaining to hiring and/or termination should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Adviser and/or Dean of the School of Arts & Humanities.

   The remainder of the staff includes staff writers/reporters and photographers. Staff writers/reporters and photographers will receive assignments from the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor and/or any other section editor. 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

   The editor-in-chief should be a student with prior knowledge in the field of journalism. The student should have a journalism major or minor declared, and be considered at least a junior in status. The editor-in-chief controls the overall tone and content of The Voice, and with the help of the Managing Editor, the general direction and management of the editorial staff. In addition, he/she should make sure a final issue is ready for publication the day prior to the publishing date.

Duties: 

• Responsible for smooth running of the entire operation.
• Enforces Administrative Policies.
• Makes decisions regarding content, including decisions about tone, style, design, ethics, etc.
• Oversees production of the newspaper and ensure all deadlines are met and pages are ready to be published by the specified deadline.
• Organizes and conducts weekly staff meetings to discuss problems, progress and upcoming events.
• Writes an editorial each week or every other week and usually a news story every week or every other week; i.e. provides at least one article a week for 90 percent of the semester's issues.
• Meets weekly with editors to coordinate upcoming publications.
• Assists the managing editor in working with staff members to improve news reporting. 
• Supervises and assists all members of the editorial board and staff writers.
• Explains student publications' policies and actions, and accepts criticism, suggestions and feedback.
• Provides newspaper's front page headlines and design.
• Copy edits all articles in every section. Acts as the final edit for all articles appearing in newspaper.
• Links all sections of the paper together.
• Insures correct layout for both text and photos.
• Chooses lead and secondary art as needed.
• Lays out section pages as needed.
• Assigns and helps with extra pages in multiple-page issues
• Provides the adviser with assistance when publishing paper.
• Meets weekly with the student publications' adviser to evaluate operations.
• Serves as the public relations officer for student publications. A strong positive relationship should be developed among various campus representatives, especially those associated with student organizations.
• Recruits new staff members.
• Obtains and compiles information for the Campus Police Log; also keeps healthy relations between Campus Police and Student Publications.
• Any other duties as assigned by the adviser and/or Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities.

MANAGING EDITOR/NEWS EDITOR:

   As the editor-in-chief's first assistant, the managing editor coordinates the news section by assigning stories and determining reporting responsibilities. The individual chosen for this position works closely with reporters and other members of the editorial board during the writing process. 

Duties: 

• Oversees student publications when the editor-in-chief is unavailable.
• Attends weekly staff and editorial board meetings.
• Writes an editorial each week or every other week and usually a news story every week or every other week; i.e. provides at least one article a week for 90 percent of the semester's issues.
• Provides story ideas to reporters. Responsible for ferreting out news stories that the staff can write about.
• Consults with the editor-in-chief and adviser to determine exactly how many stories are needed for each edition.
• Collects mail for Journalism Club from the Office of Student Activities.
• Assists reporters with names of contact people for stories.
• Works with news reporters to prepare stories for publication.
• Notifies editor-in-chief of foreseeable problems with the news section.
• Works with editor-in-chief and associate editors to develop stories.
• Provides constructive criticism on articles produced by reporters.
• Helps copy edit stories; primarily responsible for news articles.
• Reviews news reporting copy with editor-in-chief to select stories suitable for publication.
• Consults with Around Campus editor to coordinate story/photo coverage along with editor-in-chief.
• Along with editor-in-chief, establishes and enforces deadlines for stories or grants extensions.
• Issues verbal warnings to news reporters and informs editor-in-chief if a written warning needs to be issued.
• Coordinates editing among section editors.
• Works with editor-in-chief to maintain strong-front page headlines.
• Procures passes to news conferences when necessary.
• Puts section's articles into html

COMMENTARY EDITOR:

   Opinionated individual who backs assertions with fact from research to produce commentaries for The Voice.

Duties:

• Writes a commentary for at least 80 percent of the semester's issues.
• Encourages others to write guest commentaries or submit editorial cartoons.
• Chooses editorials and editorial cartoons from KRT.
• Supervises the Reader's Forum blog, which may be useful for commentary tangents.
• Puts section's articles into html

Other duties as assigned by the editor-in-chief, managing editor or adviser.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:

   The entertainment editor should produce stories relative to entertainment stories on campus.  In addition, entertainment stories could include music and film reviews, as long as the story is written by a staff writer or a UAM student.

Duties:

• Supervises entertainment staff members.
• Writes entertainment stories in at least 80 percent of the semester's issues.
• Writes weekly "Buzzworthy" column in at least 80 percent of the semester's issues.
• Downloads horoscope and at least four cartoons from from KRT.
• Designs and lays out A&E pages.
• Consults with Around Campus editor to coordinate entertainment coverage.
• Recruits UAM students to serve as entertainment reporters.
• Attends weekly staff and editorial board meetings.
• Edits entertainment stories.
• Works with reporters to develop stories and sources.
• Procures passes for entertainment events as needed.
• Puts section's articles into html

SPORTS EDITOR:

The sports editor will be responsible for preparation and publication of all information, opinion, illustration, etc. regarding athletics.

Duties:

• Supervise sports staff members.
  
• Assign and writes sports stories for at least 80 percent of the semester's issues.
• Design and layout sports page.
  
• Consult with photo editor to coordinate sports coverage.
  
• Recruit sports reporters.
  
• Attend weekly staff and editorial board meetings.
  
• Meet on a regular basis with the Sports Information director to obtain official university press releases concerning sports coverage.
  
• Edit sports stories.
  
• Work with reporters to develop stories and sources.
  
• Procure passes for athletic events as needed.
• Provides sports copy (year-in-rewiew) for yearbook.
• Puts section's articles into html

SENIOR STAFF WRITER:

The senior staff writer is a former editor who advises the incoming staff about preparation and publication of all information, opinion, illustration, etc. regarding the publication.

Duties:

• In addition to the role of a reporter, the senior staff writer covers an off-campus beat
• produces articles for at least 70 percent of the semester's issues
• helps tutor incoming editors with editing and Web work, including Plone
• helps the reporters with source information, story ideas and proofreading
• creates and manages online templates;
• provides insight during staff and editor's meetings
• creates house advertisements
• helps recruit and retain new members
• works on grant proposals
• works on team building exercises/workshops

AROUND CAMPUS EDITOR:

The Around Campus editor will be responsible for preparation and publication of all information regarding activities around campus.

Duties:

• Keeps the masthead accurate.
• Compiles "Around Campus" from beats and e-mail every week.
• Collects information for "Around Campus."
• Coordinates story and photo assignments for the newspaper.
• Produces articles for at least 80 percent of the semester's issues.
• Puts Around Campus into htm

PHOTO EDITOR:

The photo editor serves as the primary photographic adviser for student publications. This individual should have prior experience with the technology used by student publications. The photo editor is responsible for all photographs found in each issue of The Voice.  He/She should be a skilled photographer, or one that wishes to become a skilled photographer.

Duties: 

• Provide technical suggestions to the editorial board.
  
• Fixes html photo essays
  
• Handle all aspects of the technological enhancement of photos.
  
• Assist the editor-in-chief, managing editor and adviser with the actual publishing.
  
• Coordinate all photographs with editors then staff writers.
• Produce photographs based on story needs.
• Assist in the layout of photographs.
• Enforce photo deadlines.
• Recruit other photographers.
• Attend weekly staff and editorial board meetings.
• Work with reporters to develop photographs and sources.
• Procure passes for special events requiring photographs on campus.

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