The Journal’s Policy
Amended as of May 1st, 2024 and updated online as of Jan. 17, 2025.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction |
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INTRODUCTION This document constitutes a description of the operations of the “The Queen’s Journal” (hereby after “The Journal”) and serves as a supplement to the sections referencing The Journal in the AMS Constitution and AMS Corporate By-laws. It is intended to enhance The Journal’s ability and transparency to the student and wider university community it serves. The policies contained here are designed to ensure that the students of Queen’s University have a strong, independent newspaper, and should only be added to or altered with great discretion. All changes to this policy must be approved by the Journal Advisory Board and cannot be contrary to the AMS Constitution, AMS By- Laws, and established AMS-wide corporate policies relating to employees, or provincial and federal regulations the corporation is held able to. |
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1. GENERAL EDITORIAL 1.01 As mandated in the AMS By-laws, section 13.01.01, The Journal shall strive to give an accurate of news and events relevant to the University, including elections, AMS Assembly, the Corporation, and referenda, and to discuss questions of current interest. 1.02 As mandated in the AMS by-laws, section 13.01.01, The Journal shall provide students with the opportunity to learn the various skills of journalism. 1.03 The editorial autonomy of The Journal is guaranteed by the AMS Constitution and AMS Corporate By-laws. Opinions expressed shall not necessarily be those of the AMS, the University, or anybody or officer thereof. The Journal shall regularly bear notice to this on the editorials page in print issues. 1.04 As mandated in the AMS By-laws, section 13.01.03, “It is recognized and affirmed that it is in the best interests of the Society , and of the University community, that The Queen’s Journal be free from the influence of student government and outside institutions with regards to its editorial integrity and accordingly, that it be independent of the AMS Board of Directors as to management and editorial control…” 1.05 Journal editors may edit for print all material submitted by contributors, including all letters and essays of opinion. Journal editors may also print all photographs submitted by contributors. 2. EDITOR(S) IN CHIEF 2.01 The Editor(s) in Chief is/are elected to a one-year term, during which they are the chief istrative officer(s) of The Journal. 2.02 The Editor(s) in Chief is/are responsible for all material published in The Journal and have final say on all editorial and operational decisions. 2.03 The Editor(s) in Chief is/are responsible for the leadership and management of The Journal, with the goal of achieving its mission as mandated in the AMS Constitution and By-Laws. 2.04 As mandated in the AMS By-laws, section 13.02.02, the Editor(s) in Chief are responsible for describing in the annual strategic plan and budget the means by which The Journal will achieve its mission and objectives, and, along with the Journal Business Manager, are “able to the Journal Advisory Board and AMS Board of Directors for adherence to the annual budget and strategic plan of The Queen’s Journal.” 2.05 Where possible, the goal plan and budget shall be first presented to the Journal Advisory Board for review and then submitted to the AMS Board of Directors for approval. 2.06 At their discretion, the Editor(s) in Chief may publish or refuse to publish any material, including ments, in The Journal. 2.07 The Editor(s) in Chief may act or speak on behalf of The Journal in any situation, respecting all decisions and mandates of Journal Board and Editorial Board. 2.08 The Editor(s) in Chief may only be removed from office by one of the following methods, as outlined in AMS by-law 13.05.01:
3. EDITORIAL BOARD 1. The Editorial Board of The Queen’s Journal shall include:
2. The Editorial Board (under the direction of the Editor(s) in Chief) shall review Editorial Policy and shall act as a governing body for future decisions concerning the newspaper as a whole, except with regards to the percentage of advertising content, which is regarded as a financial decision emanating from the Journal Advisory Board. The Editorial Board shall: 1.2 Be responsible for devising editorial policy; 2.2 Participate in the formulation of editorials which are to reflect the opinion of the Editorial Board; 3.2 Be responsible for soliciting submissions, editing, and fulfilling all the press day duties as required by each section of the paper; 4.2 Be responsible for monitoring the content of The Queen’s Journal for potentially libellous material; 5.2 Review both the overall and the section-by-section performance of The Queen’s Journal; 6.2 Monitor newspaper content, advertising content included, for degrading or objectifying material, subject to definition by each year’s editorial board; 3. Meetings of the Editorial Board shall be held at regular intervals as established at the opening meeting. Procedure at meetings shall be such that: 1.2 i) Editorials must be discussed by at least one-third (1/3) of the Editorial Board. 2.2 ii) Quorum shall be one-half (1/2) Editorial Board hip, plus one 1.1.01 For policy, decisions; 2.1.01 To appoint/remove a person to fill/vacate a seat on the Editorial Board or to create/remove a position on the Editorial Board, after the first editorial meeting; 3.2 The Editor(s) in Chief or their delegate(s) shall chair all meetings 4. Following the establishment of The Queen’s Journal BIPOC Advisory Board in 2020 and its amendment to the QTBIPOC Advisory Board in 2024, the of this Board will have the opportunity to attend, participate in, and have voting power at all future Journal Editorial Board meetings. The of the QTBIPOC Advisory Board will also have voting rights in all Editorial Board decisions, regardless of the Volume or Editor(s) in Chief in charge of The Journal on a given year. 5. The Editorial Board may place restrictions on the nature of advertising by a majority vote. 6. Meetings of the Editorial Board are private, except for scheduled and d open meetings, which should be held at least once a year 7. Editorial Board decides the political stance as expressed in editorials. 8. Attendance at Editorial Board meetings is mandatory for all , subject to accommodations at the discretion of the Editor(s) in Chief. 4. QUEEN’S JOURNAL ADVISORY BOARD 1. The annual budget and strategic plan of The Queen’s Journal is subject to the approval of the AMS Board of Directors. Once approved by the AMS Board of Directors, the Journal Advisory Board shall be responsible for ensuring that the annual budget and strategic plan of The Queen’s Journal are adhered to. If, however, material deviations from either document come about and the Journal Advisory Board does not take the necessary action to bring performance in line with the relevant document, the AMS Board may intervene and take whatever action it deems necessary to ensure that the annual budget and strategic plan of the Queen’s Journal are adhered to. Such an action shall be binding on the Journal Advisory Board. 2. The Journal Business Manager shall act as interim Chair of the Journal Advisory Board until the first meeting or until a Chair is appointed. They are empowered to make any decisions necessary while the Journal Advisory Board is not in session. 3. The Journal Advisory Board shall consist of eleven (11) voting as follows: a. The Editor in Chief; if there is more than one Editor in Chief, the two Editors shall each receive a single vote; b. The Vice-President (Operations); c. The Business Manager of The Queen’s Journal; d. One student Director of the AMS Board of Directors; e. One member of The Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, other than the Editor(s) in Chief, who is elected by the Editorial Board; f. One Professor or other qualified non-student with a knowledge of Queen’s and knowledge of the nature and functions of The Queen’s Journal; this position shall normally be a two (2) year term. g. Up to three (3) student -at-large from the Alma Mater Society (AMS); h. And up to one student member-at-large from the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS). i. The -at-large in (g) and (h) will be selected in a process dictated by the Editor(s) in Chief; j. The AMS General Manager sits as an ex-officio and non-voting member; k. The chair may only be selected from (d), (e), one of (g), or (h); l. The Journal Advisory Board may appoint as a voting member any member(s) of the Queen’s staff or community who is (are) deemed appropriate and beneficial to the running of the Board. m. The student Director from the AMS Board of Directors (iv) will be appointed by the Chair of the Board. The Editor(s) in Chief may request which director they would like to be appointed. The Chair of the Board will consider the request of the Editor(s) in Chief while also taking into consideration the responsibilities already assigned to the Student Directors. All best efforts to accommodate their wishes must be made. 4. A member of the Journal Advisory Board shall cease to be eligible to remain in such office: a. If they cease to hold the status by which they were elected/appointed to the Journal Advisory Board; b. If at any time they become of unsound mind or is found by any court of competent jurisdiction to be mentally incompetent; c. If they submit their written resignation from such office; or d. If two-thirds (2/3) of the Journal Advisory Board votes to remove that member for reasons of incompetence or neglect of their responsibilities, including that member’s absence from more than three (3) meetings of Journal Advisory Board without good cause; those selected in accordance with paragraphs (b) and (d) of section 3 shall not be removed by such a vote, although a non-confidence vote may be taken and sent to AMS Board of Directors for information. 5. A voting member of the Journal Advisory Board shall be elected chair of the Journal Advisory Board at the first meeting of the new Journal Advisory Board. a. The Chair’s istrative duties include but are not limited to the following: calling meetings, sending out agendas, posting meeting minutes online, receiving grievance complaints, and writing rulings. b. During meetings, the Chair is responsible for ensuring that the Editor(s)in Chief, the Business Manager, the Vice-President (Operations), and the AMS Board of Directors student representative present brief verbal reports at the beginning of each Journal Advisory Board meeting summarizing their activities since the last Journal Advisory Board meeting. c. In cases where the Chair is unable to fulfill their duties, the Business Manager shall serve as acting Chair of the Journal Advisory Board. 6. Quorum for meetings of the Journal Advisory Board shall be six (6) voting . The Quorum shall include Journal Advisory Board who participate in the meeting via conference call. 7. If a vote of the Journal Advisory Board results in a tie, the Chair shall cast a second vote. 8. Notice of meetings of the Journal Advisory Board shall be provided to all at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance unless all agree to waive such notice. 9. Meetings may be called by the Chair, the Editor in Chief, or the Vice-President (Operations). Further, a meeting shall be called by the Chair on receipt of a written request by three (3) Journal Advisory Board . 10. These meetings shall be open to the public and meeting times and locations should be d on the Journal’s website at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance. In cases of confidential matters, the Board may move to closed session by majority vote. Minutes of these meetings (except closed sessions) shall be available to the public-at-large on the Journal’s website once approved at a later Journal Advisory Board meeting. 5. EDITORIALS 5.01 In each issue, The Journal shall print editorial(s) on topics chosen by a straight vote of Editorial Board. 5.02 The Editor(s) in Chief reserve(s) the right to veto any topic before it is discussed. There are no other constraints on possible topics. 5.03 Normally editorials will not be written on a given topic until the details have been reported in the news section. 5.04 All effort should be made to reach a strong consensus, but the opinion expressed shall be determined by a straight vote of editorial board. 5.05 Opinions shall be compliant with any applicable legislation and shall be ed by fact-based arguments. 5.06 The editorial(s) shall be written, without attribution, by the Editorials Editor. If the Editorials Editor is unavailable, the editorials shall be written by an Editor(s) in Chief. 5.07 Any other editor may write editorials, at the discretion of the Editor(s) in Chief. 5.08 The Journal may comment on candidate(s) or platforms in any election, with the exception of that for Journal Editor(s) in Chief. 5.09 Opinions expressed by editors in the Editorial Board are private and are to be respected as such. 5.10 The Journal will make clear that all Editorials are opinions and separate from normal news coverage. 6. SIGNED EDITORIALS 6.01 In each issue, at least one member of Editorial Board shall write an editorial on a topic of their choice, to be clearly attributed and accompanied by a picture, at the discretion of the Editor(s) in Chief. 6.02 Signed editorials shall be edited by the Editorials Editor and the Editor(s) in Chief, and subject to the veto of the Editor(s) in Chief. 7. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / OP-ED 7.01 The Letters section is a service to the Queen’s community. The Editor(s) in Chief and the Opinions Editor have a responsibility to provide this service while protecting the readership against misuse of it, including but not limited to libel, untruths, and plagiarism. 7.02 Any letter or essay of opinion may be edited for brevity, clarity, relevance, legality, truthfulness, and good taste. 7.03 of Editorial Board may not write essays of opinion or Letters to the Editor. 7.04 All effort should be made to publish all letters deemed acceptable by the Editor(s) in Chief. 7.05 All effort should be made to ensure that letters are attributed to the true author, and the author’s full name given, along with their year and discipline, position at Queen’s, or home city. To this end, letters should be submitted with a phone number or ed Queen’s email address. 7.06 Anonymity may be given at the discretion of the Editor(s) in Chief, provided they know the author’s identity. 7.07 The letters section is not a message board. All letters should express a clear position on an issue. Letters are not to be solely promotional in nature. 7.08 Priority should be given to new topics, ideas, and opinions. Letters expressing unoriginal opinions should be limited, and the Opinions Editor, at their discretion, may choose to print only one of many similar letters. 7.09 Any letter may be rejected at the discretion of the Editor(s) in Chief. 8. NEWS 8.01 The Journal shall respect its role as Queen’s primary media outlet and try to report on all things of journalistic interest to students. 8.02 The Journal welcomes and appreciates news tips and media releases but has no obligation to print the information or to follow up on tips. 8.03 As expressed in the AMS Constitution, The Journal is entitled to send a reporter and a photographer to any campus event free of charge. 8.04 The Journal has the right to print any information it acquires legally, provided the reporter has not agreed to go off the record. 8.05 Journal reporters shall normally introduce themselves as such prior to commencing an interview and clearly state what it means to consent to an on the record interview. 8.06 In rare and exceptional instances, reporters might require the need to work while remaining unidentified. Reporters must be granted permission for this by the Editor(s) in Chief prior to the commencement of any newsgathering activity. The Editor(s) in Chief shall consider the following when permitting undercover newsgathering:
8.07 The Journal has the right to record interviews for the purpose of accurate reporting. 8.08 Anonymous sources may be used, with good reason, at the discretion of the Editor(s) in Chief. 8.09 All information acquired for The Journal use by of Editorial Board is private, except for the purposes of reporting. 8.10 In elections, The Journal should strive to educate and inform the electorate about candidates and major issues. 9. CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS 9.01 Corrections and clarifications outside of the legal process shall be printed only if deemed necessary by the Editor(s) in Chief and the section editor. They should be prominently placed in the news section, and clearly labelled. 10. GRIEVANCES AND COMPLAINTS 10.01 When a substantive or potentially serious grievance or complaint that could result in legal or financial risk has been made, the Editor(s) in Chief shall notify the Vice-President (Operations) and the General Manager within three days of any notice written or verbal. 10.03 All grievances should be directed to the Editor(s)in Chief and/or Managing Editor. 10.04 A response to the complainant by the Editors(s) in Chief shall be given within three days of the notice being reported to the General Manager and Vice-President (Operations). 10.05 If the complainant is not satisfied with the response they may request a meeting with the Journal Advisory Board. The Editor(s) shall make the complainant aware of this opportunity upon the rendering of the decision by the Editor(s) in Chief. 10.06 If the complaint is about issues of libel, copyright infringement, or other legal responsibilities of the publisher, the Journal Advisory Board shall consult with AMS legal counsel before recommending or directing action. 10.07 A majority vote of Journal Advisory Board is sufficient to recommend the printing of a correction, clarification, retraction, or apology in The Journal except in cases where there may be legal implications resulting in financial risk. The course of action will be recommended by the General Manager. 10.08 A majority vote of Journal Board is sufficient to direct the Editor(s) in Chief to write private letter(s) of apology. 10.09 The Editor(s) in Chief shall write all letters of apology, corrections, clarifications, retractions, etc. 10.10 In cases where the Editor(s) in Chief decides to print a public apology, it may be printed in the section deemed necessary by the Editor(s) with counsel from the General Manager and legal counsel. 11. WEBSITE 11.01 All material published on The Journal website remains the property of The Journal. Reproduction of this material without proper citation is not permitted, as outlined in the Journal content use policy in section 12 of Journal policy. 11.02 The Journal will not print retractions for online content or delete information from its online archives unless it has been determined that incorrect information has been published on the site. In order for this to be established the complainant must directly approach the Editor(s) in Chief regarding the error. Please see The Journal’s complaints policy in section 9 of Journal policy for more information. Otherwise, online retractions may be made only where the Editor(s) in Chief have determined unique and genuinely compelling circumstances to exist sufficient to warrant this action. 11.03 The comments on The Journal’s website do not represent the views or opinions of The Journal, but of the comment-writer alone. The Journal reserves the right to remove comments, including those of libelous nature and comments that discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or mental or physical ability. All comments are monitored and may take up to 24 hours to be posted on the site barring any unforeseen circumstances. The Journal reserves the right to refrain from publishing comments. Comments are moderated by the Editor(s) in Chief. Comments are not edited for grammar or spelling, or for inappropriate language outside of the above restrictions. By posting comments in the forum, comment-writers give The Journal permission to post and publish their names, cities, and comments on The Journal website. All submissions must contain the e-mail address of the comment- writer. 12. JOURNAL CONTENT USE POLICY This policy is intended to govern the use, sale and sharing of photographs and written work created by Journal editors, staff photographers, staff writers and contributing photographers and writers. 12.01 Multimedia 12.01.01 Photos, videos, illustrations, and audio recordings become the property of The Journal upon their production on assignment for The Journal. 12.01.02 When an editor, staff member or contributor is assigned to take photos or illustration for The Journal, they must promptly save all photos and illustrations they have taken to a Journal-owned computer or drive. 12.01.03 Any photos taken, or illustrations produced while on assignment for The Journal, or photos/illustrations that are to be published in The Journal, may not be edited in any way prior to being given to The Journal. 12.01.04 The Photo Editors will not edit photos beyond cropping sizing, adjusting brightness/contrast, correcting colour, and changing to black and white. Photos will not be edited to misrepresent the subject matter. 12.01.05 Unless editors, staff or contributors are explicitly sent to an event in order to cover it for The Journal, they shall not use The Journal as a means to enter an event. 12.01.06 Journal photographers, writers, and illustrators have the right to reproduce Journal-saved photos and/or illustrations for portfolio use as long as all work is explicitly credited to the photographer or illustrator and “The Queen’s Journal.” 12.01.07 Journal editors, staff and contributors may sell their own photos and/or illustrations to other publications provided they receive written permission to do so from the current Journal Editor(s) in Chief before selling them. Any photos or illustrations for sale must be explicitly credited to the photographer and “The Queen’s Journal.” 12.01.08 The Journal may sell or share any photos that are saved to Journal property or were previously published in The Journal at the discretion of the Editor(s) in Chief. When a photo or illustration is sold, 60 per cent of the fee will be paid to the photographer or illustrator and 40 per cent will be paid to The Journal. When ing a photographer or illustrator from a past volume, the current Editor(s) in Chief will not look further back than 2002, the year The Journal’s photos became digital. 12.01.09 All prices are subject to the discretion of the Editor(s) in Chief and should take into the current advertising rate card and other industry standards. 12.02 Written content 12.02.01 Journal editors, staff and contributors may sell or share articles they wrote that were previously published in The Journal to other publications if they have received written permission to do so from the current Journal Editor(s) in Chief. Any reprinted articles must appear full and state immediately before or after the article, “This article originally appeared in The Queen’s Journal on [insert date and year].” 12.02.02 Journal editors, staff and contributors always have the right to reproduce their own published articles for portfolio use, as long as all work is cited as appearing in The Queen’s Journal. 12.02.03 Unless editors, staff or contributors are explicitly sent to an event in order to cover it for The Journal, they shall not use The Journal as a means to enter an event. 12.02.04 Once a writer submits an article to the appropriate section editor, that section editor and the Editor(s) in Chief may edit the article at their discretion, in accordance with Journal policy. 12.03 Website content 12.03.01 All the above rules apply for all online content found 13. SUMMER INTERNSHIPS 13.01 The Kingston Whig-Standard offers five unpaid internships for persons assuming the following positions: Editor(s) in Chief, Managing Editor, News Editor, and/or other selected staff where necessary. 13.02 Should an Editor in Chief/Managing Editor take an internship other than at the Kingston Whig- Standard, they will present a proposal to the AMS Board of Directors stating their intentions. At this time, the Editor(s) in Chief will inform the Board about estimated travel expenses, their salary, what to do with the open internship spot at the Whig-Standard, and any other matter they deem relevant. A decision will be made by the AMS Board whether to pro-rate the Editor(s) –in Chief’s salary, reimburse the Editor(s) in Chief’s travel expenses, or some other solution, what to do with the open internship spot at the Whig-Standard or any other relevant factors. After it is made, that decision shall be communicated to the Journal Advisory Board for information purposes. 13.03 The Editor(s) in Chief, and/or Managing Editor, News Editor, or other selected staff should sign an agreement with the AMS outlining the remuneration for the internship before starting their position at the Whig. 13.04 The portion of remuneration paid by the AMS must be budgeted into The Queen’s Journal annual budget. 13.05 Should the News Editor not take the internship, the Editor(s) in Chief and/or Managing Editor will notify Journal Editorial Board. of the incoming editorial board will be eligible and the Editor(s) in Chief and/or Managing Editor will notify all incoming member of the vacant position. The selection committee will consist of the incoming Editor(s) in Chief, Managing Editor (when applicable) and an outgoing Editor-in-Chief. 14: HUMAN RESOURCES Section 14.1 Human Resources Officer (HRO) 14.1.2 The HRO will hold and destroy all Human Resource related documents for employees and volunteers of The Journal in accordance with the AMS Personnel Records Policy. 14.1.3 The HRO shall act as a resource to Journal staff who may have concerns or grievances. The HRO shall undertake to facilitate the resolution of these grievances, as appropriate. The HRO shall not seek to adjudicate grievances. 14.1.4 The HRO shall act as a resource for AMS Employee and Volunteer Policy and employment regulations to Journal staff who may have concerns or grievances. The HRO is responsible for ensuring the organization follows AMS Employee and Volunteer Policy and employment regulations. Section 14.2 Hiring 14.2.2 The incoming Editor(s) in Chief and/or Managing Editor, upon election, shall set and publicize hiring dates for Editorial Board positions. 14.2.3 The incoming Editor(s) in Chief shall work with the HRO to ensure all interview questions and practices are consistent with the principles of a professional, equitable, and accessible hiring process. This shall be to ensure the hiring and appointment process is accessible to all students, whether they be current Journal staff or candidates who have never worked at The Journal. The standard for equity should be in compliance with legislated employment requirements. 14.2.4 The incoming Editor(s) in Chief or current Editor(s) in Chief shall ensure that removal of any positions and implementation of all new positions and applicable remuneration have been approved by the Journal Advisory Board and the AMS Board of Directors prior to the commencement of the hiring period. Section 14.3 Contracts and Agreements 14.3.2 All Journal staff and volunteers shall sign an agreement with the AMS that is consistent in accordance with Journal Policy and AMS Hiring and Appointment Policy and Procedures Manual assuming their duties of employment. The contracts shall outline compensation, of employment, discipline procedure, content policy use, Journal policy, and ethics policy. 14.3.3 The content of the Journal Editor(s)’ contracts shall be subject to approval by both the Journal Advisory Board and the AMS Board of Directors. The content of such contracts shall remain consistent with the contents of the AMS hiring policy and/or Bylaw 13. Section 14.4 Discipline 14.4.2 The Human Resources Officer provides for both the organization and individual employee with respect to the interpretation and adherence to policy and process. They shall only be present at any discipline meetings including those related to suspension or termination at the request of the employee or Editor(s) in Chief and shall only attend these meetings in an observer capacity and not as an adjudicator. 14.4.3 The escalating measures of discipline taken by Journal Editors shall be in line with AMS hiring and discipline policies. The Editor(s) in Chief retain the authority to by certain disciplinary measures in favor of more serious outcomes should the need arise. 14.4.4 The Editor(s) in Chief retain final decision-making authority on all personnel matters related to suspension, termination, human resource management, or disciplinary measures. While ensuring decisions with respect to human resource management are consistent with employment regulations and AMS employment policy. Section 14.5 Training 14.5.2 The Editor(s) in Chief must have AMS legal counsel provide training pertaining to risk mitigation—including but not limited to an overview of the Ontario Libel and Slander Act—and the Editor(s) in Chief shall ensure training is provided regarding fact checking sources. Additionally, Journal Management shall endeavour to attend AMS-facilitated trainings necessary for the daily operations of The Queen’s Journal. 15: BUSINESS POLICY 15.01 The Business Manager shall be selected by a hiring consisting of the incoming Editor(s) in Chief, the vice-president (operations), as well as a Permanent Staff from the AMS, and is subject to all policies as stipulated in the AMS Hiring and Appointments Policy and Procedures Manual. 15.02 The Business Manager shall be responsible to the Editor(s) in Chief and shall be responsible for the daily financial operations of The Journal and the Journal house until the end of the fiscal year. 15.03 The Business Manager and the Editor(s) in Chief shall submit for approval to the Journal Advisory Board the annual budget and strategic plan of The Queen’s Journal, the advertising rates, capital expenditure proposals, national advertising contracts as well as present regular reports as to the progress of the finances of the newspaper. 15.04 Once presented to the Journal Advisory Board the capital expenditure proposals, annual budget, strategic plan, and advertising contracts in excess of $10,000 shall be submitted to the AMS Board of Directors for final approval. The Business Manager shall have the responsibility to advise on paper sizes and percentage of advertising and /editorial content for each issue, a decision that in best practice will be understood as a discussion made with the Editor(s) in Chief with regard to the financial year as a whole. The Editor(s) in Chief shall have final say on the percentage of editorial and advertising content published in the Journal. 15.05 In the case where differences cannot be resolved, or where the Business Manager feels the Editor(s) in Chief are consistently overruling their decision without good cause, and the outcome affects the Journal’s ability to carry out its strategic plan and/or adhere to its budget, either party may take the matter to Journal Advisory Board for resolution. 15.06 The Business Manager, in conjunction with the Editor(s) in Chief shall be responsible for monitoring all agreements between the University and The Queen’s Journal with respect to the Queen’s Journal house, as well as for upholding the duties of the Queen’s Journal as specified in any such agreements. 15.07 The Business staff, which may vary based on approval from the AMS Board of Directors and Journal Advisory Board, shall be selected by the Editor(s) in Chief and the Business Manager. 15.08 The Sales Representative(s) and Fundraising Representative(s) shall report to the Business Manager and be responsible for adhering to their job descriptions. Section 15.1: Advertising 15.1.02 All ments placed by the AMS will be paid for at the student rate. 15.1.03 All rs shall pay for advertising in a manner consistent with contracts signed between The Queen’s Journal and the party. 15.1.04 The use of in-kind advertising should only be used in exceptional circumstances where the Editor(s) in Chief and Business Manager both believe the in-kind deal will allow The Journal to fulfill its mandate and strategic plan. 15.1.05 In-kind deals, excluding with other divisions of the AMS, may not be entered into with a party without the following procedure being followed:
Queen’s Journal Code of Ethics The following is the final draft of the Queen’s Journal Ethics Code, which was approved by the Queen’s Journal 2004-2005 Editorial Board on September 28, 2004. This document will be used as a guideline in the day-to-day running of the newspaper. The purpose of this document] is to provide readers and staff with a clear picture of how information is collected, reported, and distributed by the Journal. It also serves as a preventative measure against real or perceived conflict of interest. The guide applies to editors as well as editorial staff, and any member of the business office if they become involved in an editorial situation to which the guide applies.
APPENDIX A
AMS Board Student director is expected to present a written report to AMS Board as a summary of Journal Advisory Board. APPENDIX B 1. ELECTION OF EDITOR(S) 1.1 The Editor(s) in Chief shall be chosen through an election in the winter term of each year by of The Queen’s Journal staff, as listed on the masthead, and students who have made five (5) or more forms of contribution to the current volume of the Queen’s Journal by the issue directly preceding the election. A submission classified as a contribution shall include photographs, written articles (excluding letters to the editors) and graphics, and presence at meetings of Journal Advisory Board as a student at large. 1.2 Journal Advisory Board Statement of Responsibility 1.2.1 Journal Advisory Board shall, before the end of classes of the Fall Term, set the dates of the Journal Editor(s) in Chief Elections and notify the AMS Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). 1.2.2 The number of signatures required for nomination to positions contested in a Journal Editor(s) in Chief election shall be set by Journal Advisory Board prior to the commencement of the nomination period. This number shall generally be a figure approximately one and a half times the number of editorial and business staff listed on the Masthead. 1.2.3 Any member of Journal Advisory Board running in the election, shall take a leave of absence from their seats on the Journal Advisory Board for the duration of the election. The Chair of the Journal Advisory Board may re-elect or replace , as necessary. 1.2.4 In conjunction with the AMS Secretariat, Journal Advisory Board shall conduct a triannual review of its election policy to ensure that it is current with, and reflects as much as possible, the underlying principles and practices of the AMS Elections and Referendum Policy. 1.2.5 The Chair of the Journal Advisory Board, under advisement from the rest of the Journal Advisory Board, may select another representative to oversee the election if a conflict of interest is deemed to exist with the CEO and sitting Editor(s) in Chief. Conflicts of interest may include but are not limited to housemate(s), sibling(s), spousal or partner relationship, or other perceived conflicts as determined by the Journal Advisory Board in the case of a complaint or petition from candidates. 1.3 Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Statement of Responsibility 1.3.2 The CEO shall, during the nomination and campaigning period, be available to receive such disputes/complaints as they may arise. The CEO shall ensure that all allegations of campaign violations are officially recorded and signed by the complainant. The CEO’s rulings on complaints shall generally not exceed 24 hours from the time the complaint was lodged. Prior to the CEO’s ruling, they shall ensure the alleged offender has an opportunity to respond and may interview them. 1.3.3 Where a situation arises that is not explicitly considered by this document, the CEO may interpret the policy in a manner consistent with the fairness of the elections, subject to appeal by the Journal Advisory Board. 1.3.4 Should it be necessary due to unforeseen circumstances to alter, extend or cancel previously set election dates, the CEO shall be empowered to do so. 1.4 Sitting Journal Editor(s) in Chief Statement of Responsibility 1.4.2 The sitting Editor(s) in Chief is responsible for the organization and publicity of at least 1.4.3 The sitting Editor(s) in Chief must ensure that there is notification of an election in the Journal House at least one week prior to the election. 1.4.4 The sitting Editor(s) in Chief shall compile a report after each election recording the results of the election. This report is to be recorded in the minutes of the Journal Advisory Board meeting immediately following the election. 1.5 Timetable for Elections 1.5.2 The campaigning period shall extend exactly 10 weekdays prior to the commencement of the election and campaigning shall cease by 11:59 p.m. of the day prior to election dates. 1.5.3 Candidates’ online campaign may remain up and available until the completion of voting and may not be altered during the voting period. 1.5.4 The CEO. may change the above timing, giving due notice, if extenuating circumstances impacting the fairness of the election are evident. If a situation arises where the CEO. delays the election/polling dates, the CEO. may or may not, at their discretion, extend the campaigning period. 1.5.5 In order to ensure that there is sufficient time for transition and hiring, Elections for the Journal Editor(s) in Chief shall be no later than the 28th of February. 1.6 Nominations 1.6.2 Nominations and nominees shall be deemed eligible by satisfying both of the following criteria:
1.6.3 Nominators may be from one of the following Societies:
1.6.4 Verification of the nominator’s student numbers by the CEO, with assistance by the sitting Editor(s) in Chief shall be the sole means of validating a nomination sheet. Phone numbers and false names are unacceptable. 1.6.5 It shall be the responsibility of the sitting Editor(s) in Chief to publicize the positions to be nominated, deadlines for such nominations and other pertinent information, in the Journal on the first and second Fridays after the start of undergraduate classes in the winter term. 1.6.6 The sitting Journal Editor(s) in Chief shall make information available about the Editor in Chief position to all potential candidates. 1.6.7 Each candidate(s) is to be given a copy of the Journal Policy and other materials. 1.6.8 Nomination forms are to be made by the Editor(s) in Chief candidates no earlier than the opening day of the nomination period onwards. These sheets must display the following information:
1.6.9 The nomination period is purely for organizational purposes and for collecting 1.6.10 Nomination signatures may not be collected in campus pubs; cafeterias; AMS offices; and AMS services, excluding The Journal House. 1.6.11 A nominee may withdraw their candidacy at any time during the nomination or campaign period. A notice of withdrawal shall be given in written form to the CEO. 1.6.12 No campaigning shall occur during the nomination period. 1.06.13 No individual is eligible to be a candidate in a Journal Editor(s) in Chief election if they are simultaneously running in any other campus election. 1.7 Campaigning 1.7.2 The spending limit for each candidate team in a Journal Editor(s) in Chief election shall be set at $0. All materials required for campaigning, (ex. poster stock, use of office equipment), shall be provided by the Journal as approved by the CEO. Special cases for expenditure shall be reviewed at the discretion of the CEO. 1.7.3 Campaigning includes, but is not limited to, public appearances, the issue of policy statements, distribution of promotional materials or candidate information, emails, posts on social media, etc. 1.7.4 The contents and methods of campaigning shall be above reproach. Candidates shall not misrepresent the character or policies of other candidates, nor shall they interfere in any manner with the campaign materials of other candidates. Candidates shall not make statements that they know are untrue. 1.7.5 All campaigning is subject to the approval of the CEO. 1.7.6 Campaign materials are defined as any items that, in and of themselves, publicize or a candidate or team of candidates, either on or off campus. 1.7.7 Campaigning shall not commence until the end of the nomination period. 1.7.8 At least one debate or open forum in the case of an uncontested election shall be held. These shall occur between the close of nominations and the election dates. The debate or open forum shall be held at a suitable venue outside the offices of The Journal. 1.7.9 Candidates shall not place campaign materials on trees or utility poles either off or on campus. This includes banners strung from utility poles. 1.7.10 No unsolicited campaigning shall be permitted in the student housing area. In particular, campaign/promotional materials may not be distributed to mailboxes, nor shall any form of door-to- door campaigning be permitted. 1.7.11 No room-to-room campaigning in residence shall be permitted. 1.7.12 No materials shall be distributed or displayed inside the pubs or dining halls. This includes buttons on staff on duty, or candidates at any event. 1.7.13 All new campaigning, including online activities, shall cease by 11:59 p.m. of the day preceding the election. Each candidate or team of candidates will be required to remove all physical election material produced on their behalf for the purposes of the election by 8:00 p.m. on the day preceding the election. 1.7.14 No candidates may use stickers in their campaign. 1.7.15 A poster shall be no larger than 29cm x 43cm.
1.7.16 The sitting Editor(s) in Chief and CEO shall remain neutral. AMS offices, email addresses and other office resources shall at no time be used for any purpose relating to an individual campaign. 1.7.17 Individuals holding AMS positions, who are serving as campaign managers, advisors or individuals otherwise closely associated with a team’s campaign, shall declare this potential conflict of interest to their manager. In consultation with the CEO, the manager may require an individual to assume either altered responsibilities or take a leave of absence. Any alleged violation of this policy provision shall be referred to the AMS Judicial Affairs Office. 1.7.18 Journal staff shall not use their office or position to endorse candidates or teams from their positional capacity. 1.8 Polling Procedures and Results 1.8.2 Any changes in polling days, as ordered by the CEO shall be made known at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time normally scheduled for the closing of polls. 1.8.3 Candidates shall appear on the ballot in an order determined by lottery. Each candidate pair, if any, shall determine the order in which its individual are listed. 1.8.4 The CEO shall make the ballot and send to the sitting Editor(s) and Chief for approval. 1.8.5 The CEO shall notify the sitting Editor(s) in Chief of the result upon the ballot closing. 1.8.6 The sitting Editor(s) in Chief shall publicly announce the results only after each candidate(s) has been informed. Should the candidate(s) not be available, the results will be made public no less than two (2) hours after they have been confirmed by the sitting Editor(s) in Chief. 1.12 Penalties and disqualifications 1.12.2 Journal Advisory Board shall normally only overturn a decision of the CEO if the appellant can establish to the Board’s satisfaction that the cited violation(s) occurred as a result of actions or factors outside the knowledge and beyond the control of the appellant, or if the initial judgement is found to be in error after a review of all available evidence. All of a team shall be held equally able for any of their actions (i.e., an individual’s actions cannot be said to be outside of a candidate’s campaign). Journal Advisory Board shall have the authority to impose a lesser penalty than disqualification in overturning a decision of the CEO. Such penalties shall generally take the form of publicized warnings posted in the Journal house and emailed by the CEO to all eligible voters. 1.12.3 Disputes/complaints must be made to the CEO no later than seventy-two (72) hours after the last poll closes. 1.12.4 All decisions made by the CEO shall be subject to appeal. Journal Advisory Board, followed by the AMS Judicial Committee, represents the final levels of appeal. |
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