Student Media Handbooks

About the Handbooks

Welcome to the Student Media Handbook site. Here, you can find foundational information to guide you in your work, including basic operations, program policies and our ethical guide. Every Student Media staffer (excluding most work studies, delivery crew and DJs) should read and refer to this guide.

The Student Media Handbook was last updated in writing and online on Oct. 18, 2021. Specific handbooks for each Student Media area are forthcoming.

Download a PDF of the handbook.

Contents

The Basics

Student Media Areas

  • The Argonaut newspaper has been published by and for University of Idaho students since 1898. The Arg, as it’s often called, has changed formats many times. As of Fall 2021, we are a digital-first publication with special print issues timed to popular campus events. 
  • Blot magazine was created in 2005 as the former UI yearbook, the Gem of the Mountains, was phased out. Blot now publishes a feature-focused magazine twice a semester. 
  • KUOI 89.3 FM radio is a 24-hour, free-format radio station owned and operated by the students of UI. KUOI (often pronounced “kew-ee”) first broadcasted on Oct. 29, 1945 and has a music library of more than 70,000 hard copy items. 
  • University Avenue Agency advertising group, recently known as Student Media Advertising, focuses on paid media advertising placements in Student Media publications and websites and builds digital campaigns for local clients. 
  • Student Media Board: The board serves as the publisher for Student Media, promotes the mission and policies of Student Media, and hires student leaders. The board consists of students, faculty, staff and community members. 
  • Professional Staff: Tara Roberts is general manager and adviser for Student Media until Dec. 31, 2021. Her office is Pitman 303C and you’ll see her often in the newsroom and station. (See “Role of the Adviser” in Operations and Definitions for more information) 
    • Contact: [email protected], 208-885-2220 (desk phone), 208-310-0420 (cell) 
    • Summer: The adviser works 10 months of the year, from mid-July to mid-May. In the summer, Student Media is advised by the Student Involvement director, currently Shawn O’Neal, [email protected], 208-885-6951. 
    • Student Media also receives technology and business operations support from Student Affairs. To reach Student Affairs IT support, fill out the request form here.

Our Mission

University of Idaho Student Media (The Argonaut, Blot Magazine, KUOI-FM and University Avenue Agency) serves as a focal point for student life among UI students by providing important forums for the exchange of ideas and opinions, information about events, and news of general interest about the campus, region, nation and world. 

It is the mission of Student Media and Student Media Board to protect students’ First Amendment rights by upholding the following objectives: 

  1. To ensure Student Media is free from censorship, including no advanced approval of copy in order to exercise their choice to express unpopular opinions or to agree with majority views. 
  1. To enhance students’ education through training and practical experience in media methods, management, ethics, responsibilities and community service. 
  1. To provide media access to individual students, student organizations and the community by providing forums for expression of news, opinion and general information. 
  1. To furnish state-of-the-art facilities and training in an environment that encourages students to aspire to excellence, facilitate their creativity, and promote their development as productive and accountable members of our society. 
  1. To encourage airing and resolution of Student Media-related grievances 

Learn more about the Student Media Board.

The Pillars of Student Media

  • Integrity: We strive to be accurate, reliable, honest, equitable and ethical. As independent, Constitutionally protected student journalists and members of our local community, we must hold ourselves to the highest standards and take our reputation seriously.  
  • Service: The students of UI pay their student fees each year and expect a product that returns that value. We care about our readers, viewers and listeners and consider their wants and needs in all areas of our work. 
  • Professional Development: We give students the chance to gain and develop skills in their areas of media, as well as broader skills that apply to any career field. We endeavor to learn and improve every day. 

Being a Student and a Professional

  • Your work is real. From your first interview, byline or broadcast, your work at Student Media reaches beyond the confines of a classroom. Real people will interact with and respond to the things you create. Your work has risks and consequences, especially if you approach it unprofessionally. But if you strive to do it well, it has incredible rewards – you can change minds, lives, communities and the world. 
  • You’re here to learn. No one has ever walked into Student Media knowing everything they need to know – and no one’s ever walked out knowing it all, either! This is a learning environment: Your mission here is to gain skills and practice them. The more experienced staff members have been exactly where you are and are eager to help you navigate every new situation. 
  • You will make mistakes. Even the bigshots at the New York Times sometimes misspell a name or use the wrong form of “their.” You shouldn’t fear or hide from mistakes. Your goal should be to put in your best effort, swiftly correct mistakes when they happen and learn from them as you move on. Remember that your editors, managers and adviser are all here to help you avoid mistakes before they end up published or broadcast. It’s always better to ask and get it right than guess and get it wrong. 
  • You are responsible for yourself. You choose what kind of professional and person you want to be. Hold yourself accountable to fulfill your responsibilities, make choices you can be proud of and create things that showcase everything you’ve learned. You will get out of Student Media what you put into it. 
  • You are accountable to your team. Everything we do at Student Media is a team effort, and you should see yourself as a team player (even if you’re the 2 a.m. DJ who never sees another living soul). The choices you make ripple out to your coworkers and up to your managers and editors.  
  • You are never on your own. Everyone on the team is here for you, too. If you are struggling to fulfill your responsibilities or balance your Student Media work with your academic or personal life, ask for help and advice. Anytime you need guidance or support, ask your manager, editor or adviser. 

Professional Expectations

  • Attitude: Be professional, respectful and kind toward everyone you work with, inside and outside Student Media.  
  • Attendance: Attend all scheduled meetings and work shifts. If you must miss something, you must notify your editor or manager in advance. 
  • Commitment: If you commit to a role, assignment or responsibility, you should follow through and complete it. 
  • Communication: Communicate questions, concerns and other needs promptly. Respond to your editors/managers, sources and clients swiftly. Do not wait until the last minute to address a problem. See Communication and Technology section. 
  • Deadlines: Deadlines are not a suggestion. They are essential to efficient operations and serving our readers/viewers/listeners well. If you anticipate a problem that might cause you to miss your deadline – for example, a source isn’t calling you back – alert your editor/manager immediately and see if you can solve the problem in time. 
  • Ethics: Ethical standards and decision-making are essential to your individual integrity, our publications’ and organizations’ integrity, and everything we do as a team. See Guide to Ethics section. 
  • University Policies: The UI Student Code of Conduct, sexual harassment policies, tobacco-free campus policy, and Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy apply to you at Student Media, too. Read them online.

Current Print Schedule

The Argonaut
  • Back-to-School – Jan. 27
  • Career Fair Extra – Feb. 3
  • UIdaho Bound/Housing Guide – March 3
  • Parent & Family/Best of Moscow – April 7
  • Graduation – May 5 
Blot
  • March 7-8
  • May 2-3

Things to Know

Chain of Command

The Argonaut Editor-in-Chief, Blot Editor-in-Chief, KUOI Station Manager or UAA Manager are the ultimate arbiters on all matters in their areas. Only the Student Media Board may discipline a manager. The adviser refers any personnel matters regarding a manager’s behavior or job performance to the Student Media Board.  

When dealing with issues related to your Student Media work, address them to your immediate editor/manager. Continue up the line until you are satisfied with the results. Problems with an area manager should be addressed to the adviser. If you have a personal problem with someone on staff, your first attempt at communication should be with that person. 

Role of the Adviser

The Student Media adviser primarily does just what that title says: offers advice (as well as support, inspiration, challenge, warning, etc.). The manager shares that advice through trainings, conversations and constructive critiques of your publications and projects. They are always willing to meet with you to talk more in-depth about your published work, your career aspirations, your goals for your time at Student Media and whatever else you’d like to discuss. 

They also hold the title of “general manager” — which does not mean they’re your manager, supervisor or boss. It means they manage administrative operations for Student Media, coordinate with Student Involvement and Student Affairs (our overarching units) and ensure the program maintains a standard of quality from year to year.  

The adviser does not preview, review, edit or censor student work before publication, though editors can request advice in their decision-making. The adviser might suggest story ideas or be curious what you’re working on, but they do not make assignments or directly influence content. They advocate for your independence as student journalists and the role of Student Media as a public forum. 

Read the College Media Association‘s Code of Ethical Behavior for advisers.

Being Edited

Your work is unlikely to be published exactly how you turn it in – and that’s a good thing. Your editors are here to ensure your work is accurate, fair and complete, and that it meets the quality standards of the area you’re working for. Sometimes your editor makes small changes, but they also can make big ones. 

Your editor will strive to involve you in edits. They may ask you to double-check a name, reorganize a story or reduce the length of a video. They might even ask you to start over, if a work is subpar, incomplete or otherwise unready to be published. Your editor will also give you feedback to help you improve the quality of your work on your own. 

Editing can be subjective, and you can advocate for or against edits – but at the end of the day, your EIC or manager is the final word on what gets published. You may not always see the final version of a story before it’s published, especially if you’re working on a tight deadline. 

Editors should strive to maintain accuracy, meaning and voice in the work they edit. But sometimes, editors introduce errors. If you discover a problem in your published work, report it to your editor immediately for a correction or clarification. 

AP Style

The Argonaut, Blot and the KUOI blog use written AP Style and KUOI News uses broadcast AP Style for the sake of consistency (and because it’s good for you to learn to follow a style guide). Editors may make exceptions for clarity, accuracy or fairness.  

See individual area handbooks.  

Opinion vs. News

The Argonaut, Blot and KUOI publish and broadcast news for and about the University of Idaho community. The Argonaut’s Opinion section (in print and online) is a public forum, which means it’s a place for members of the UI community to express First Amendment-protected free speech. Blot and KUOI may also publish opinion pieces. 

It’s important for you as a staffer to know the differences between opinion and reported news content – both so you can complete high-quality, ethical work, and so you can transparently inform your readers about your work and journalistic standards and processes.  

Some Resources to Get You Started:

Both news and opinion have a responsibility to be based in fact and evidence. “News” in this sense encompasses traditional “hard news,” as well as features, sports writing and many types of arts and culture coverage. News reporters have a responsibility to examine their biases so they can fairly and accurately approach the issues and people they’re covering. (If you’re interested in the subject of bias, check out these Bias and Objectivity articles from the American Press Institute.)

But opinion writers should have an opinion – meaning they write from a particular perspective, make arguments and advocate for or against things in a way that news writing does not. 

Some opinion is “pure opinion” — taste is subjective, so you are free to say you love or hate pineapple on pizza, Justin Bieber or the Biden administration’s transportation policies. But it’s not a matter of opinion whether pineapple on pizza is illegal in seven states, Justin Bieber is from Russia or Bernie Sanders is the secretary of transportation. (It might be a matter of satire, but that’s a whole other can of worms.) Opinion writers, like news writers, should fact-check and use attribution and links to show their readers where they got their information. 

From the Student Media Board Bylaws: “Student Media shall be guided by the needs of readers and listeners. Student Media heads shall aspire to serve the truth by providing balanced, complete, accurate and fair reports and maintaining a clear distinction between news reporting and expressing opinion. Any report or expression of opinion that knowingly departs from the truth or serves to promote self-interest constitutes a violation of the public trust and can result in dismissal by the board.” 

Journalists’ Checklist

Adapted from the Associated Collegiate Press 

From planning to information gathering to production to publication – across story forms and platforms – journalists must answer these questions: 

  1. Why am I reporting the story? 
  1. Is the story built upon relevant primary and secondary sources, excluding conflicts of interest? 
  1. Is the story fair? 
  1. Have I attempted to report all relevant angles? 
  1. Whom will the story affect? 
  1. Can I defend my decision to report the story? 

Staff members should work as a team on these questions, particularly if the potential answers are unclear or troublesome. They’re the foundation of journalism that serves its audiences and community. 

Libel and Defamation

From the Student Press Law Center’s “Four Elements of Libel Law”: “Libel is the publication – in words, photos, pictures or symbols – of false statements of fact that harm another’s reputation. (Libel is a form of defamation. Slander is the spoken version of defamation.) Reprinting or re-broadcasting a libelous statement made by someone else (such as a quote or a letter to the editor) can also subject a publication to a libel lawsuit. However, if a statement is true, it cannot be the basis of a successful libel claim. 

“There are four elements a person must establish in order to prove he or she has been defamed: 

  • Publication, 
  • Identification, 
  • Harm and 
  • Fault. 

“Each of the four elements must be proven. For example, even if a story you have written meets the publication, harm and fault elements, a libel claim will still fail if you have not identified the claimant.” 

SO: Anyone who publishes anything (that means all of you, in the social media era) needs to be on guard for libel. Individuals, corporations and business entities can sue for defamation – and you don’t want to be the one being sued. 

The simplest way to avoid libel is to strive for truth and accuracy in everything you publish. As the Student Press Law Center puts it, “Remember, if you do everything a reasonable reporter would do for every story that you publish, you will never be successfully sued for libel.” 

Rumor and hearsay are obviously ripe for lawsuits. But even a small mistake – misstating which crime someone was charged with or publishing an incorrect name in connection to a scandal – can be the basis of a libel suit. 

Opinion writers can also get themselves into trouble with libel if they do not adhere to standards of accuracy. “In my opinion” does not automatically protect you from libel. 

The word “allegedly” also does not protect you from libel. Use it with care – it is best to be precise and cite the source of your information. For example. NOT OK: “The man was allegedly a thief.” BETTER: “The man was arrested on suspicion of theft, according to a Moscow Police report.” EVEN BETTER: “The man was charged with grand theft, according to a Latah County District Court affidavit.” 

If you will be creating or editing news or opinion pieces, you must read the full SPLC guide. But really, everyone should read it. 

Copyright: Despite common practice on the internet, you can’t just grab other people’s work, slap an attribution on it and use it however you want. Student Media staffers are expected to know and adhere to copyright law, especially if they work in print or web design. 

Visit the Student Press Law Center’s Copyright resources page for FAQs, a legal guide and links to copyright-safe materials.

Fair Use: Under certain circumstances known as “fair use,” you may be able to use copyrighted material without permission.  

The American University Center for Social Media’s offers detailed guidelines on seven common situations that can merit fair use, with limitations. These include using copyrighted material as evidence for reporting; quoting earlier journalism in evolving news situations; and using material in cultural reporting, commentary, criticism or discussion. Read the full guide here.

Ownership of Work

The Argonaut, Blot, KUOI and UAA own both the published and unpublished work that staff members create for Student Media. Student Media has unlimited use of the work. The act of voluntarily joining a staff indicates approval of this policy. 

Ownership of unpublished work may revert to the staffer upon request if the editor agrees with this arrangement. 

Reprints

Other media may request to reprint Student Media work, including photos, visuals, stories and commentary. Reprint requests must be approved by the current editor/manager of the Student Media area, and reprints must be attributed to both the creator and the original publication. 

FCC Law

KUOI is subject to Federal Communication Commission laws and policies. No one should ever go on the air or create work for broadcast on KUOI without knowledge of these policies. For more details, see the KUOI Handbook. 

Website Comments and Privacy

The comments and internet privacy policies of each Student Media area are on their respective websites:  

Processes and Policies

Getting Paid

This process applies to regular Student Media staffers. Work study and delivery staff will work with the adviser to set up paperwork with the university and learn how to use VandalWeb. Volunteer KUOI DJs, guest columnists and letter to the editor writers are not paid.

  • Forms: You must submit a W-9 form and direct deposit confirmation to the Student Media adviser before beginning work. (International students submit a W8-BEN.) 
  • Pay Rates: Argonaut and Blot staff are paid per story/photo shoot/video/design shift/etc. KUOI managers and Argonaut and Blot editors receive a weekly stipend.  
  • Pay Sheet Files: Pay rate lists and the blank pay sheet are in Teams. Go to the General channel and click the Files tab. A folder called PAY SHEETS is pinned to the top – both files are inside. 
  • Due Dates: You will turn in your pay sheet by email to the Student Media adviser by noon on the last Friday of every month (except for special dates in December and May). Send pay sheets as an Excel or other spreadsheet file. 
  • Lag time: You will receive your pay up to two weeks after a pay sheet due date. If it has been more than two weeks and you have not been paid, contact the Student Media adviser 
  • Important notice: Student Media assumes no liability for payroll complications. Student Media reserves the right to make changes to the pay format and structure of the organization at any time. Student Media does not guarantee any set rates of pay. Student Media only guarantees payment upon publication or broadcast of material. 
  • Taxes: Taxes are not taken out of your earnings up front, but you will be responsible for paying them when you file your tax return. If you earn more than $600 at Student Media in a calendar year, you will receive a 1099 form at the address listed on your W-9 and/or electronically through VandalWeb. If you have questions about your 1099 form, contact UI Accounts Payable. If you have questions about your tax responsibilities, contact a tax professional. 
  • Questions: Ask your editor/manager if you have a question about pay rates. For questions about pay sheets, pay timing, problems with pay, literally anything else about pay, talk to the Student Media adviser. 

Communication and Technology

  • Staff Email: Once you’ve turned in your paperwork, you’ll be issued an @uidaho.edu email to use for your Student Media work. (Except for DJs.) This is handy for scheduling interviews or photo shoots, signing up for journalism newsletters, sending links to published work to your sources, etc. 
  • Editor/Manager Email: Editors and managers have access to standard email addresses (for example, [email protected] or [email protected]). To arrange access, contact the Student Media adviser or fill out the tech request form.
  • Teams and OneDrive: The main thing you’ll use your email for is signing into Microsoft Teams, which we use for communication across Student Media. Teams integrates with OneDrive for file storage and sharing. Check Teams often! We recommend downloading the app and setting up alerts for the General channel and your area/section. 
  • Computers: Some editors and managers have computers assigned to them, but we have a number of computers open to any Student Media student. The six computers on the far left side of the newsroom are open to anyone and include Adobe Suite. Sign in with your @uidaho.edu email.  
  • Phones: The newsroom, KUOI and UAA have phones you can use for Student Media-related business. To call on-campus, you only need to use five digits (5-XXXX). To dial off-campus, dial 8, then 1 + the area code + the phone number. 
  • Call forwarding: If you are the only person who uses a phone (e.g. Blot editor, KUOI manager), you may forward it to your cell phone. Just be sure to unforward when you’re not working! You can also set up Single-Number Reach (the phone will ring to itself and your cell phone) by contacting the Student Media adviser.
  • Voicemail: The phones are all set up to send voicemails to the related email (e.g. the Arg editor’s phone sends voicemail to [email protected]). If you notice you are not receiving voicemail and think you should be, contact the Student Media adviser.
  • Tech checkout: We have cameras, tripods, lapel microphones and some other technology available for you to borrow and use. To check out equipment, ask your editor/manager, adviser or an office assistant.
  • Passwords and social media access: Keep your email password private. For access to social media accounts for your area, talk to your manager or editor. We use team-based social media tools (e.g. TweetDeck) when possible. DO NOT change social media passwords. If you would like to create a new social media account for your area, work with your editor/manager and Student Affairs IT support to ensure passwords are secure and saved for future students. 
  • Social media: See Social Media Policy section. 
  • Tech problems: We receive tech support from Student Affairs IT support and computer technician (aka “tech guy”) Max Stillwell. The easiest way to ask Max for help is to fill out the tech request form. For urgent needs, you may Teams message him, call 208-885-2229 or go to his office in the basement next to the computer lab. Do not directly contact Max after business hours without guidance from the Student Media adviser or your manager.

Social Media Best Practices

Student Media encourages staffers to use social media as a way to share your work, connect with sources and mentors, find story ideas and more. Using social media as a professional may be a big change from how you have used it previously. Here are some tips to help you do it well. 

Thanks to Rice University and Western Kentucky University student media for sample guidelines. 

General Guidelines 

  • Traditional standards for accuracy, ethics and professionalism fully apply online. Do not post something on an official or professional account that you would not be willing to print or broadcast. 
  • Share, share, share! You should be proud of what you create – so share it wherever you want to! You should also share your colleagues’ work and cool things that people in other Student Media areas create. 
  • Do not like or comment on posts from the official accounts of the area(s) you work for. We don’t want to look like we’re trying to pad our analytics or pat ourselves on the back. 

Using Official Accounts 

  • For live Tweets, TikToks, etc. talk to your editor/manager about getting direct access to your area’s official account (@uiargonaut, for example). 
  • If you use an official account, know the strategy. Learn the account’s approach and voice. Use official branding. 
  • Tread with caution. Don’t bounce back and forth between personal and work accounts. 
  • If you don’t have direct access to an official account but are creating content for it, be sure you know how to get it to the person who is posting promptly. 

Using Your Own Accounts 

  • If you mention your Student Media area in your profile or use your account for reporting, you are now representing Student Media in that space. Consider how your words and actions reflect your area, your boss and your colleagues. Even if you don’t use an account for Student Media, but your audience knows you work here, assume they will connect the two. 
  • If you use a social media account for reporting, clearly identify yourself in your profile. Do not use a name or avatar that misrepresents who you are. 
  • Be sure to @ mention or tag your area if you post something they might like to retweet/share. 
  • Be wary about offering personal opinions. If you are in a news role, you should not post any expressions of partisanship or political preference. If you’re unsure what’s OK to post, talk to your editor and/or adviser. 
  • Watch your mouth. Do not use language that could be construed to be libelous, discriminatory, indecent, profane, offensive or threatening. Not even if you think you’re being funny. Especially if you think you’re being funny. 
  • Remember that your posts and shares could have long-term implications. Consider not only the job you have right now, but also the jobs you might want in the future. Future internship supervisors, employers and sources will look at your social media accounts.  
  • Remember that nothing on the internet is private. Even a locked account becomes public with a hack or a simple screenshot.  

Interacting with Others on Social 

  • DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS. Do not respond to posts that are clearly designed to provoke. If a commenter ever makes you feel uncomfortable or threatened, take a screen shot and report it to your editor/manager and adviser immediately. 
  • DO interact with audience members. If people ask earnest questions, feel free to answer them. Invite upset or critical commenters to reach out over email. If you’re not sure whether you should respond, ask your editor/manager. 
  • You may “friend” and follow sources, but do so fairly. For example, if you follow one ASUI presidential candidate, you should follow the other, too. 
  • Putting out calls for sources or story ideas on social is OK, but it should not be your only method of finding sources or story ideas. 
  • Reaching out to potential sources on social is OK, but you must clearly identify yourself as a reporter, the same way you would in person. Consider the type of story you’re doing and whether you have other contact methods available before using social media to message a potential source. 
  • Tag your sources when you post stories or coverage. They want to see themselves and might share what you post. (Though use good judgement – you shouldn’t tag someone who was arrested, for example.) 

Covering Breaking News on Social 

  • It’s important to be fast, but it’s far more important to be accurate. Before you press post, make sure the facts are correct. Also, read out loud to check for spelling and grammar errors. 
  • Authenticate any “facts” you see on social media. Do not assume it’s true just because someone else posted it. 
  • Break news on the website, THEN on social (with a link!) Update the story quickly as a breaking news event develops. 
  • Follow up major developments with tweets/Facebook posts/other posts as needed linking to the updated story on the website. 

Making Corrections on Social 

  • If you make a mistake on your own account, acknowledge your error and correct it promptly.  
  • If you make/notice a mistake on an official account, work with your editor/manager to fix the error AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. Work with your editor/manager to determine the best way to note and correct an error on different social platforms. 
  • Remember that deleting a post does not truly erase it. Everything posted online lives on forever in a cache somewhere. Everything. 

Disciplinary Policy

Student Media guidelines are in place to ensure all employees receive fair treatment, with clear expectations and instructions on how to fulfill expectations. Each employee has managers/editors who are in place to ensure quality of both their area of Student Media and the student experience.   

Editors should make every effort to assist staffers and the learning process, but it is the responsibility of the staffer to follow Student Media guidelines and the guidelines of their specific area, as laid out in this handbook and staff trainings. 

Most workplace issues are solved with simple discussion. A supervisor’s first contact with a staffer struggling to meet guidelines should always be in the form of teaching, with a desire to offer guidance. Staffers who continuously fail to meet standards, however, will be officially warned through a three-step process:   

1. An official email from the staffer’s direct supervisor stating that the staffer is not meeting basic Student Media standards and continuing to do so will result in termination. The email will list the exact violation(s) and remind the staffer that they are a valued part of their area, but that everyone must adhere to structure and expectations in order for the process to work. The supervisor should offer to meet with the staff member and encourage them to seek any assistance needed in order to meet the standards in question.   

2. An official email from the staffer’s direct supervisor and/or area manager (cc’ed to the adviser) stating that this is their second and final official warning. Should the staffer continue to not meet Student Media standards, they will be terminated. The email will list their exact violations and will again encourage them to clarify any points of confusion.   

3. An official termination email from the staffer’s manager stating that the staff has continually failed to adhere to Student Media policies despite repeated warnings and that they will again be eligible to apply for employment in three months. The email is cc’ed to the staffers direct supervisor and the adviser.  

This policy does not apply to all disciplinary action, as Student Media management can choose to terminate an staffer immediately for any action deemed damaging to the organization or to the experience of others. Specific areas of concern are addressed in the Student Media Handbook. 

Appeals may be addressed to the Student Media Board at sm-board@uidaho.edu. 

Guide to Ethics

What are Ethics?

Ethics are the standards and principles guiding your actions as a professional. Because we are accountable to the communities we serve, to our organizations and to the truth, journalists must take ethics seriously. Student journalists have the opportunity to build an ethical foundation for their entire career. 

Individual news organizations and professional groups create ethical codes as points of reference for their employees and for journalists in general. Student Media’s code is adapted from the Associated Collegiate Press Model Code of Ethics released in 2019. 

From the ACP Model Code overview: “The code is a reference that answers practical questions, and it is a resource for broader questions of accuracy, honesty, fairness and transparency within the pursuit of news and information. 

“A code of ethics should not be a burden. Rather, a code is a useful framework in which to practice responsible newsgathering and to publish free of much uncertainty. It helps train incoming staff members on their role as responsible journalists. It can be used to help individuals assess their work, and the code can both evaluate and elevate the publication’s credibility and integrity. 

Ultimately, readers [and viewers and listeners] should expect nothing less than the truth in all print and digital news publications. When those who publish news adopt a code of ethics, it helps safeguard the public trust given to journalists.” 

Making Ethical Decisions

Sometimes ethics are clear-cut: Don’t plagiarize, for example. But often, ethical decision-making is nuanced and complex — requiring discussion and deliberation instead of snap judgments. Get to know this code and the SPJ Code of Ethics so you’re prepared to identify risks and quandaries and make good choices. 

Your editors, managers and adviser are here to support you in making ethical decisions. Talk to your editor before you begin an assignment if you have concerns about a potential conflict of interest or anticipate ethical questions might come up in the course of your work. Bring in other people and resources if you need additional perspective. If you encounter questions in the course of your work, contact your editor right away.  

The bottom line: When it comes to making good professional choices, do not guess. Ask. 

Professional Codes of Ethics

In addition to our code of ethics, you may find these professional codes helpful: 

The Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics is an excellent foundational resource and a place to start for issues not addressed in the Student Media code. 

The National Press Photographers Association’s code of ethics is a good resource for visual journalists.

The Radio, Television, Visual News Association’s code of ethics is a good resource for KUOI journalists and other Student Media staffers working in broadcast/digital formats.

Student Media Code of Ethics

Adapted from the Associated Collegiate Press Model Code of Ethics, revised 2019 

Core Tenants 

Be responsible. 

Be fair. 

Be honest. 

Be accurate. 

Be independent. 

Minimize harm. 

Be accountable. 

The Big Two: Plagiarism and Fabrication

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is prohibited, and it is illegal if the material is copyright protected.  

For the purposes of this code, plagiarism is defined as the word-for-word publication of another person’s writing or close summarization of the work of another source without giving the source proper credit. A comparable prohibition applies to the use of visuals, including photographs, illustrations and graphics. 

Information obtained from a published work must be independently verified before it can be reported as a new, original story. This policy also forbids lifting information from a news service without attribution.  

Material from digital, online or broadcast sources are treated in the same manner. 

Plagiarism is grounds for immediate termination at the discretion of the editor/manager. In such instances, editors should also revisit any material published digitally. If digital material is edited or removed, editors should strongly consider providing readers with transparency though an editor’s note on what was changed, when and why. Publish the editor’s note in print as well. 

Fabrication: The use of composite characters or imaginary situations or characters is not allowed in news or feature stories. Narrative storytelling is built on fact-based journalism and should not mix nor blur fact with fiction. Narratives should not embellish facts with fiction details. 

A columnist may occasionally use such an approach in developing a piece, but it must be clear to the reader that the person or situation is fictional and the column is commentary, not reporting. 

Fabrication is grounds for immediate termination at the discretion of the editor/manager. As with plagiarism, editors should revisit any fabricated material published digitally and provide transparency. 

Conflicts of Interest 

Relationships and coverage: Staff members must declare conflicts of interest in stories of which they are a part, and they should avoid involvement in stories dealing with friends and family members. Through words or visuals, staff members should not cover, accept assignments or make news judgements about family members or persons with whom they have financial, adversarial, romantic, sexual and/or close personal relationships, including fellow staff members. 

Staffers can suggest stories related to people their know to their editor. Advertising reps may not sell to their friends, family members or others with whom they have a close personal relationship, but may refer the sale to another rep. 

Membership in campus organizations: Staff members may not cover campus organizations they belong to or participate in any news, editorial or business decisions regarding that organization. However, staff members may provide story leads about the organizations to which they belong to fellow staffers. Staffers should be transparent and report their memberships and campus activities to their supervising editor/manager, preferably at the start of their work or the semester. 

Note that aspects of identity are not considered conflicts of interest in themselves. For example, an LGBTQ-identifying staffer who is part of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance may not cover the Alliance, but may cover other LGBTQ-related stories. 

Membership in student government: To maintain the role of the press as an independent watchdog of the government, staff members should not be elected or appointed members of student government. Because we are a small campus, some limited exceptions may be made for staffers who are not in news roles, if the student government role is approved in advance by the EIC or Station Manager and the staffer recuses themselves from all student government-related discussions and coverage. 

Outside activities, including political activity: Political involvement, including off-campus public office and service in community organizations, should be considered carefully to avoid compromising both the publication and the person. It is important to preserve the concept of journalists as independent observers and fact-finders. A staffer involved in specific political action, especially in a leadership role, should not be assigned to cover that involvement. 

Other employment: Other employment and volunteer work should not conflict with the staffer’s responsibilities to Student Media. Staffers must report other employment to their editor/manager to avoid any conflicts of interest with assignments or other editorial or business responsibilities or influences. 

Other off-campus or freelance media work: Staffers should contact their editor or manager for advance approval of freelance work or work for another publication or media outlet. It is permissible only in a non-competitive medium and should not conflict with staffers’ obligations to Student Media. Staffers should never conduct interviews or create work to be used for both Student Media and an outside organization. 

Personal social media and other media-related work: See Social Media Policy section. 

Working for multiple Student Media areas: Students are encouraged to work for multiple Student Media areas. They should be careful to uphold their first commitments before adding more work. If a staffer wants to create work for two Student Media areas – for example, transform a story they wrote for The Argonaut into a piece for KUOI News – they must receive permission from both editors/managers. 

University Avenue Agency staffers are the exception to this. Because they sell advertising in Blot and Argonaut, they should not create content for them without a special exception as determined by the UAA manager at Argonaut or Blot EIC. UAA staffers can be volunteer KUOI DJs but should not work in staff positions. 

Using classwork for Student Media: Staffers must receive prior permission from both their manager and their instructor to submit classwork for publication by Student Media. Staffers who do this are responsible for ensuring every person interviewed is aware the work will be published in a Student Media outlet, not just submitted as classwork.  

Travel: To remain free of influence or obligation to report a story, staffers should not accept free travel, accommodations, meals or gifts related to travel in pursuit of that story. For convenience, sports reporters may travel on team transportation, but the publication should pay the cost of transportation and related expenses, and editors should recognize the risk to that reporter should a couch or player be punitive for negative coverage. The same pay-as-you-go policy should apply to non-sports reporting as well, including businesses and governments. 

Gifts: Staffers should not accept gifts. Any gifts should be returned to the sender or sent to charity. If a gift is of no significant value, such as a desk trinket, small food item or pen, the staff member may retain the gift. As a guideline, if the value is under $10, the gift may be kept. More than one gift in a year, even if under $10, from the same giver, may not be accepted. 

University Avenue Agency staffers should never accept gifts, freebies or trades in exchange for advertising discounts or deals. 

Free tickets, media passes, discounts and products given for review: Editors/managers should manage staff access to events, with full authority to authorize a staffer’s access for reporting purposes.  

Free tickets or media passes may be accepted by staff members assigned to cover an event or by those attending for legitimate news purposes. If they are not offered, and funding is available, staffers assigned to cover a sporting event, lecture, play, concert, movie or other entertainment event should pay for admission. Press facilities at these events may be used only by staff members who are assigned to cover the event. Free tickets or passes may be accepted by staff members for personal use only if tickets are available on the same complimentary basis to non-journalists. 

Any material given to the publication for review becomes the property of the publication and not any individual staff member. The editor reserves the right to disperse the property in an equitable way. 

Sources, Subjects of Stories and Images 

See The Big Two: Plagiarism and Fabrication

Primary and secondary sourcing: Strong reporting and commentary are built with strong sourcing, including primary and secondary sources with credibility on the topic. Reach beyond usual sources. Establish a diversity of sourcing that enriches the content with relevant information. 

Digitally altered images: When they consume news, readers expect photos and text to be truthful. Thus, it is not permitted to use digital means to alter the content of images for news and general feature stories, or for stand-alone news and feature photos.  

Adjustments to contrast and similar technical enhancements are acceptable, as long as they do not affect the truthfulness of the subject and/or the context of the subject or scene. 

Photo illustrations and re-enactments: Visual content may be altered for creative purposes as a special effect for a feature story, but only if the caption or credit line labels it as such, so an average reader would not mistake the image for reality.  

Recording the original action is always preferred. Posed or set-up scenes may be used if the average reader would not be misled. The caption or credit line must notify readers that it is a photo illustration, a re-enactment or a re-staging of an event. 

Images of victims of accidents, fires, natural disasters and crimes: Photos have a tremendous impact on readers. Editors should consider the question of privacy vs. the public’s right to know. It is not always easy to draw the line between good and bad taste and reality and sensationalism. Take care to maintain the dignity of the subject as much as possible without undermining the truth of the event.  

In making a final decision on a photo of this type, an editor should consider these questions: 

  • Who is helped and who is hurt by the publication of this photo? 
  • Is your perspective skewed by seeing other images from the event, images even more dramatic than the one under consideration? 
  • Do readers need additional information or context to explain the image? 
  • How would you respond if you photograph were taken and published at such a moment of tragedy and anguish? 

Coverage of crime: Such coverage raises important legal and ethical considerations. In covering crime, staffers should know any state laws that govern the publication of the names of crime victims. 

Beyond state law, it is journalistic practice not to publish the names of rape victims. However, some media have asked victims of sexual assault to identify themselves for the publication. This may be negotiated between the victim and the publication. 

Victims of non-sexual crimes may be identified, but the publication has a responsibility to give some protection to the victims, such as identifying a neighborhood instead of a specific address. 

With the exception of major crimes, pre-determined by the editor, an arrested person is not named until charges are filed. However, to avoid a subjective list of exceptions, it is acceptable to withhold all names, regardless of the crime, until charges are filed. 

Evaluate the broader implications of naming suspects, especially in cases involving sexual assault. Naming suspects might inadvertently identify minors, victims and/or others whom you would not normally identify. Weight the public’s right and need to know with the commitment to minimize harm.  

Evaluate such situations case by case, as stories develop over time. Not naming a suspect in a police brief to minimize harm might turn into naming the accused in coverage of a court trial. 

Coverage of suicide: In preparing coverage of suicide, be especially respectful of the victim, the survivors and the community. In all forms of coverage, inform your audience without sensationalizing the suicide or manner of death.  

Use a reputable resource on suicide prevention to provide sidebar information on warning signs, what to do and whom to call. 

Student Media recommends The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma’s suicide resources and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s guide to reporting on suicide prevention.  

The Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800-273-8255 (call), 208-398-4357 (text) or www.idahosuicideprevention.org/ (online chat). 

Dealing with difficult topics as a journalist: Sometimes journalists witness traumatic events or report about difficult topics. If you are feeling emotionally or mentally affected by something you’ve reported on or edited, talk to your editor or the Student Media adviser. Explore the resources at The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma and UI’s Counseling and Testing Center. 

Scrutiny of a public person: Conflicts exist between a person’s desire for privacy and the public good – which is the public’s right to know about a public person’s life. A person who freely chooses to be a celebrity or public servant should expect a greater level of scrutiny than a private person, as should a private person who suddenly is involved in a public situation. 

Staffers should make judgments based on the real news value of the situation, with common sense and decency. 

Reporters and photographers should not badger a source who expressed the preference not to be interviewed or photographed. An exception? Those who are involved in criminal activity or in court.  

Publishing intimate details of a person’s life, such as their health or sexual activities, should be done with extreme care and only if the facts are important for the completeness of a story and reflect in a significant way upon the person’s public life. 

False identity, stolen documents, concealed recording and eavesdropping: In the ordinary course of reporting, no staffers shall misrepresent themselves as anything other than representatives of the publication.  

Only in extraordinary circumstances, when an editor judges that the information cannot be gotten in any other way and the value of that information to the readers is important, the editor may authorize a misrepresentation. (Note that Student Media has not in recent history deemed any circumstance this extraordinary.) 

Staffers may not steal or knowingly receive stolen materials regardless of their importance to a story.  

It is common journalistic practice to record interviews, but with source acknowledgment of the recording and the reporter acknowledging it as a tool in accurate reporting. For sensitive or particularly controversial stories, we recommend getting the source’s consent before starting to record, then having them repeat that consent on the recording. 

Unless an editor judges a situation as extraordinary and authorizes it, a staffer shall not record an interview or meeting without the interviewee’s permission or the obvious placement of a recording device (not hidden) at the start of the interview or meeting. The interviewee can then be aware of the presence of the recording device.  

Committing an illegal act to eavesdrop on a source is not allowed. Although Idaho is a “single-party consent state” — meaning only one person on a recording has to consent to the recording – reporters should still follow this code’s prohibition of secret recordings. For more information on Idaho recording code, see the RCFP recording guide for Idaho.

Confidential and anonymous sources: For credibility, anonymous sources are generally not used in stories.  

If sources are anonymous, the danger exists that readers might not trust the information. THe publication’s credibility might suffer. Additionally, verified information obtained later from a named source might disprove the information from the unnamed or unknown sources. 

Information that comes from an unnamed or unknown source should not be used unless it can be verified through another known source.  

Only editors have the authority to offer and grant confidentiality to sources. A reporter should not promise confidentiality to a source without the permission of the editor. A reporter should make every attempt to get the same information from another source who agrees to be named since the goal is to attribute all information to a specific source for all stories. 

Confidentiality should be given only if there is a real danger that physical, emotional or financial harm will come to the source if they are named.  

The editor should have all the facts and the source’s name before the decision is made. The editor should know of any laws pertaining to confidentiality and disclosure before a decision is made. 

If two independent sources verify the information and both are unnamed, an editor may decide to publish the information with careful consideration of the need for immediacy and the news value of the information. The source may be identified generally as one associated with an agency or organization to give some degree of credibility to the information. 

Non-responsive sources: If the source for a story does not respond to a reporter’s inquiry, the reporter may note the failure to respond in the story.  

However, objectively report that the source “would not respond” or “declined to respond” as opposed to the editorialized “refused to respond.” 

If the subject cannot be reached, it is acceptable to say that the subject was not available for comment. The difference between not responding and not available for comment should be clear to the reader. 

Prior review: Disallowing prior review is a standard tenant of professional journalism, meant to preserve journalists’ watchdog role and ability to approach stories with fairness and without undue influence from outside sources. Report any attempts to influence content to the editor and adviser. 

Do not offer a source the opportunity to review content prior to publication. That invites the source to coerce content. Be willing to read back quotes to check for accuracy. Sometimes a source may not be saying what they intended in meaning.  

If content is technical in nature, an editor may give a reporter permission to allow a source to review the technical components only to ensure accuracy. 

Some sources may not understand why they are not allowed prior review and may need a conversation to help educate them – and this code of ethics can be a resource for that conversation. If a source a source has already provided comments on the record, they cannot rescind their comments due to not being allowed prior review.  

Reporting from digital sources: Reporters who use digital means such as email, text, chat and voicemail to contact sources should identify themselves as a reporter immediately, and they should confirm the source’s identity through an in-person visit or a voice or video interview. 

The source should be notified that the information requested is for a story. The reliability and veracity of internet sources varies greatly, particularly with user-generated and user-edited information. Usage of such material demands careful editing, verification and fact-checking, as well as clear labeling of the source. 

Information from less-reliable digital sources, such as social media, chat rooms and digital bulletin boards, should not be used except as background, and then labeled with the specific digital source. 

Interviewing using digital sources: Student Media generally does not allow reporters to conduct interviews over email, text message or other non-video digital message except as a last resort, and only with prior approval from an editor.  

Email and digital tools may be used to schedule interviews and provide sources with basic information about the purpose of the interview and goal of the story. 

In-person or video interviews generally yield a higher quality interview than phone interviews, but phone is acceptable. 

Independence of the Student Press

Cooperation with law enforcement, government and college administration: To be an effective watchdog on other agencies, a news organization must remain independent.  

The organization should not take over any of the duties of any outside agency. Cooperation or involvement in the work of these agencies should be restricted to what is required by law.  

Staffers should know any statues on student press freedom, freedom of information, open meetings and shield laws that apply to their work. Refer to: 

If a staffer thinks any public authority is interfering with their functions as a journalist, the incident should be reported to the editor. The editor may then choose to seek advice from an adviser, as well as from groups such as the Idaho Press Club, the Student Press Law Center, American Civil Liberties Union or the Society of Professional Journalists, or from an editor of a nearby, non-student publication, or from an attorney with media-law expertise. 

Influence of advertisers: Editors should guard against any attempts made by advertisers or their advocates on the news organization’s business staff to influence the editorial content of the publication, in print or digital.  

The editorial staff has both the legal and ethical authority to make all decisions about any editorial coverage, including any coverage on an advertiser or potential advertiser.  

The separation between news and advertising space should be clear, and advertising in all forms should be recognizable or labeled. That includes special advertising sections, promotions and native advertising (sponsored content). 

Readers should not perceive that an advertiser is getting favorable editorial mention simply because the advertiser has bought space in the publication. 

The Argonaut and Blot EICs are the ultimate arbiters of all content, including advertisements, in their publications and their affiliated websites and social media channels. The UAA manager must respect the EICs’ roles and work on their end to keep advertising from influencing editorial content. 

The KUOI station manager is the last word on all content broadcasted or produced by KUOI, including podcasts, blog posts and other media not broadcast over the air. The UAA manager and station manager should work together to ensure underwriting content meets the legal requirements for underwriting on a non-commercial station. 

Interactions with advisers: See Role of the Adviser section. 

Respect for Audience Members and Sources 

Language that is profane, vulgar and/or sexually explicit: The primary audience of a college publication is adults, and profane and vulgar words may be part of their everyday conversations. But such words are used in journalistic content only with care and diligence. 

In journalism, the key question and the key process are: Is the language essential to the meaning of the story? Was the language recognized and carefully evaluated in editing? 

During the interview stage of news gathering, staffers will encounter interviewees who use words viewed as vulgar and profane. The staff may publish these words if the words are important to the reader’s understanding of the situation—the reality of life—or if the words help establish the character of the interviewee. As you consider such usage, reflect upon the effects or potential effects it might have upon the source, upon potential sources and upon readers. 

In other cases, the staff may decide to limit such usage to prevent any shock value from overshadowing the other facts and facets of the story, or from overshadowing the intended position within columns, editorials or other commentary. 

Though they may be vulgar or profane, individual words are not obscene. Explicit language—but not vulgar street language—describing sexual activities and human body parts and functions should be used for accurate reporting of health stories and, in a more limited way, for sex-based crime stories, if essential to the story and if based upon credible, verifiable documentation. 

Note that KUOI has different responsibilities related to indecent language due to the FCC’s legal requirements for the public airwaves. Refer to the KUOI Handbook. 

Bias in coverage, language and labels: Journalists carry their own cultural biases, but coverage should be produced and edited to be fair and accurate, particularly in regard to gender, ethnicity, race and sexual orientation. As content is produced, staffers should take care to avoid biased identification and/or language. 

Guard against subtle stereotyping in the selection of sources and subjects for text, photographs and illustrations. Be cognizant of your own inherited cultural framework as you report and edit across all content forms and platforms. 

Identification of a person as a member of a group should be limited to those cases when the identification is essential for the reader’s complete understanding of the story. 

Journalists should consider and ask for source preference in the use of personal pronouns and identification.  

Refer to specific style guides for additional guidance, such as: 

Responsibilities to Audience Members 

Corrections: An inaccuracy is not uncommon in news coverage. But an inaccuracy should never be published knowingly, and both corrections and clarifications should be acknowledged and published swiftly. 

If any error is found, the news organization is obligated to correct the error as soon as possible, regardless of the error’s source. Clarifications, though differing from corrections, should be acknowledged, explained and published in a similar fashion. 

In both print and digital, run corrections and clarifications in a standard location, such as an early inside page in print and a designated space on the site. Besides addressing them in a designated space, edit the digital material at its original location, with an introductory editor’s note and date of the change. 

See the Argonaut, Blot and KUOI handbook sections for individual corrections policies and procedures. 

Digital archives and requests for removal: Corrections and clarifications should be made swiftly to digital archives, with a date-labeled editor’s note explaining the change. 

However, broader changes to archives, such as removal of content from digital archives by a source’s request, should be extremely rare. 

Digital archives now comprise the news organization’s history, just as print editions do and did. Updates, corrections and clarifications, with reader notification, should be welcomed. Wholesale changes, however, should not.  

When a source seeks removal of a story, it’s likely an attempt to scrub unflattering or negative personal information. That is not the duty nor the obligation of the news organization, and doing so would be unfair to readers. 

Instead, respond by asking the source to share any updated information on the story. If there is updated information, at the editor’s discretion, consider reporting on that change by updating the story, with a date-labeled editor’s note for transparency. 

Significant updates may prompt additional coverage. But if there are no updates, do not remove archived coverage. 

Former staff members might also request removal of their work from the digital archives. The same decision-making process should be followed whether the request is made by a current or former staff member or an outside source. 

Separation of news from opinion: To help audience members distinguish between fact-based reporting and commentary – in the form of editorials, personal columns, analyses and similar opinion writing – all commentary should be clearly and consistently labeled as opinion. 

That’s important on all platforms: in print, online, over the air, on video and on social media. 

For example, The Argonaut labels its opinion page and all commentary in other sections in print, and marks pieces of commentary in their headlines on the website and in all social media captions.  

New staffers may need education regarding the difference between opinion and news and the nuances between different types of opinion. See “News vs. Opinion” in the Operations section. 

Audience feedback: Editors and reporters should invite feedback from readers, viewers and listeners and participation in the publication. 

Reader response to what has been published should be invited through all methods: online comments, social media, email, telephone, paper and in-person visits. 

Student Media should have periodic reader forums or open houses to solicit audience member opinions and suggestions on a range of issues, including future reporting or commentary. 

Be watchful of all online comments that may be generated, particularly those on controversial opinions. Check the current comments policies for what to approve. 

See Social Media Best Practices section for more detail regarding social media comments. 

Responsibilities on Staff

Professional workplace environments: Personal relationships among staff members are not uncommon, yet the newsroom and station environments must be a professional, accepting environment for all. Establish and maintain a separation between the work environment and the personal/social environment, being mindful that one affects the other. 

Fellow staff members may be friends, and managers may be friends with their subordinates, but it is problematic when a manager and a subordinate are in a personal relationship. In the event a personal relationship exists or develops, please disclose it to your manager or adviser and work out a plan to avoid a manager/subordinate relationship. 

Student managers must maintain and enforce decorum within a professional workplace, with respect for all staff members within the work environment that manage. 

Student managers should be diligent in maintaining these standards, showing no favoritism to personal friends and not allowing humor or banter to cross the boundary into discomfort, bullying or harassment.  

Student Media students are subject to the Student Code of Conduct and other university policies in the newsroom, the same as anywhere else. 

Harassment: Harassment, including sexual harassment and bullying, is prohibited. Sexual harassment encompasses a range of behaviors: suggestive comments, sexual innuendo, threats, insults, jokes about sex-specific traits, sexual propositions, vulgar gestures, whistling, leering, suggestive or insulting noises, touching, pinching, brushing the body, coercing sexual intercourse and/or assault. 

Bullying can take a range of forms, and it can be an unacceptable facet of a punitive management style within an office. Be watchful and respectful of everyone on staff, regardless of background, experience or skill level, regardless of religion or political affiliation.  

Learn more about UI’s policies here: https://www.uidaho.edu/ocri/policy-procedure  

Report incidents through the UI Discrimination, Harassment and/or Retaliation Complaint Form: https://uidaho-gme-advocate.symplicity.com/public_report/index.php/pid350420?.  

Report bias, sexual misconduct, student conduct and other concerns with the VandalCARE Report: https://www.uidaho.edu/student-affairs/dean-of-students/vandalcare  

If you would like help reporting an incident, talk to your editor/manager and the Student Media adviser. 

Use of alcohol or stimulants: Use of alcohol or stimulants on assignment or in the work environment is prohibited. Such use impairs a journalist’s news judgement, affects the credibility of the journalist and news organization, and affects the quality of the learning environment. 

When covering an event where alcohol is served or offered, staffers should refrain politely. Avoid any appearance that such gifts would influence coverage. 

Contests and honors: The Argonaut, Blot, KUOI and UAA have a proprietary interest in the material they publishes, and that includes the content in contests and competitions. Thus the editors/managers, in consultation or partnership with the adviser, are entitled to determine which entries will represent an area in contests. Editors and managers must avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived, when entering their area’s best work.  

Discrimination: The Student Media Board bylaws’ Nondiscrimination Policy reads, “Student Media and the SMB shall not discriminate in news coverage, membership or employment based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability and shall strive for diversity among its members, employees and volunteers.” 

Diversity and inclusion: As a student-funded, student-focused organization, Student Media will strive to give all University of Idaho students the opportunity to share their voices. Student Media leaders should recruit staffers and guest voices from all backgrounds and maintain accessible public forums. Editors and managers should train staff members to identify their personal biases and produce work that is fair, accurate and ethical, including a diverse variety of relevant sources. Student Media areas will frequently evaluate their inclusivity efforts, both through self-evaluation and by requesting feedback from underrepresented groups on campus.