BCR Constitution

ARTICLE I - Establishment and Overview

WHEREAS, the students of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences have voted in a referendum held on 29 June 1982, supervised by the Professional Ballot Association, to assess themselves one dollar each semester for a college radio station; and
WHEREAS, the CLAS students have permanently, through said referendum, earmarked this money for the college radio station; and
WHEREAS, from 2000 to 2002 numerous student members of Brooklyn College Radio have expressed a desire to expand and develop the station’s professionalism and service orientation and discussed these desires with Television& Radio Department faculty and college administrators; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Television & Radio has agreed to provide technical and organizational support for said professionalization, and agreed to provide a new radio facility located in Whitehead Hall to house Brooklyn College Radio,
THEREFORE, under the general authority of the President as chief executive officer of the college, and following due consultation with students, faculty and college administrators, there is hereby created an Advisory Committee on Brooklyn College Radio.
Composition of the Committee: The committee shall be comprised of two students from Brooklyn College Radio (the General Manager and the Business Manager), three faculty members from the Department of Television & Radio (the Brooklyn College Radio Faculty Supervisor and one other full-time faculty member), and one college administrator. The Committee may also contain Brooklyn College Alumni with a professional interest in radio; these members will act only in an advisory capacity and will not vote.
Committee shall be formed and the changes detailed in this document shall take effect as soon as the Department of Television & Radio opens its new radio facility.
The Committee shall meet every fall semester to review and develop policies and projects for Brooklyn College Radio.
Reading this document: When referring to other parts of this document the Article, Section and Sub-section numbers are separated by a decimal. This Section would be referred to as I.9. Consult the Faculty Supervisor for clarifications of this document if necessary.

ARTICLE II - Name and Purpose

The name of this organization is Brooklyn College Radio. Brooklyn College Radio will be supervised by the Department of Television & Radio, and governed by the student members of Brooklyn College Radio in accordance with this document, for the educational benefit of students interested in broadcasting and serve the information needs and cultural interests of the diverse Brooklyn College community.
Brooklyn College Radio’s primary goal is to provide professional training and artistic development for students in the Television and Radio Department at Brooklyn College, and other students interested in the process of running a radio station and developing and broadcasting radio shows. To this end it will work with primarily such students to broadcast news, music, public affairs and spoken-word programming to the Brooklyn College community.
A secondary goal is to ensure that all members utilize the equipment and space for their own professional development and therefore, there is an expectation that all equipment will be maintained in its original condition.

ARTICLE III - Membership and Participation

All perspective members will be advised of the constitution, rules, and regulations. Students who agree with the B-C-R constitution will be considered dully-registered members upon completing the application process.
Any CLAS students may ask to participate in Brooklyn College Radio. Pending the completion of the application process, the student will then register with Brooklyn College Radio, provide all the required information (name, contact phone number, email, etc.), read this policy manual, and sign a form certifying that s/he has read this Manual and understands station rules, policies and the consequences of violating those rules and policies.
After registering the new member enters a one-year training period (this period may be altered by the General Manager, a majority of the Eboard, or the Faculty Supervisor). This training period includes regularly scheduled shifts on the lobby desk (answering the phone, routing mail and messages, and insuring that people sign in), taking part in station meetings, training on equipment, and delivering newscasts. For the trainee to have completed the training period, the Traffic Manager, News Director, and Program Director must sign a form certifying that the training period has been completed satisfactorily. After this certification, members will be granted a format music show for one semester and then may be granted a non-format show (provided there are enough slots available). In the event of staffing shortages the Program Director, Music Director, General Manager, with advice from the Faculty Supervisor may appoint people that have not completed their training period to host shows. (See XI.1 for additional information.)
In addition, people may participate in Brooklyn College Radio by appointment of the Faculty Supervisor. The Faculty Supervisor will appoint students who have been through radio production courses offered by the Department of Television & Radio, but may also appoint any other person s/he sees fit to produce and present shows and programs, or to do other station support work. These members may be exempted from the training period and may have priority in scheduling.

ARTICLE IV - Structure, Governance and The Board of Directors (Eboard)

The Advisory Committee (see I.5-8) is responsible for consulting with the Executive Board on the overall shape and direction of Brooklyn College Radio. It also exists to manage the station’s relationship with college and the larger Brooklyn community. It shall hold a regular meeting at the beginning of every fall semester. If a majority of the Committee wishes to hold additional meetings to address pressing issues, they shall contact the Faculty Supervisor, and the Brooklyn College Radio Executive Board to establish such a meeting. The Department of Television & Radio may also request that an Advisory Committee meeting be held to address any matters of concern. Such a meeting may be requested at any of the Department’s regular Faculty meetings. The Faculty Supervisor runs the Advisory Committee meetings.
With the guidance of the Faculty Supervisor, an Executive Board (EBoard) will be in charge of setting and implementing general station policy and procedures. This EBoard will include: the General Manager, the Program Director, the Business Manager, the News Director, the Production/Promotions Manager, the Traffic Manager, the Music Director, Webmaster and Engineer. EBoard members will be elected every year through a vote of all members. Only members on the master list of members shall be eligible to vote or run for a position (See also V.1-3).
EBoard members are eligible for one credit per semester under TVR 70. They will be graded on how well they fulfill the duties listed below. At the end of every semester each EBoard member must submit a one-page report to the Faculty Supervisor, which details what s/he has done in his or her capacity as EBoard member during that semester. Every semester each EBoard member should also submit to the Faculty Supervisor a report which details how well s/he feels the other EBoard members have met their obligations.
EBoard Positions:
1. General Manager (President):
  The General Manager is the only paid position on the EBoard, receiving a stipend of $350 per semester. S/he oversees the day-to-day operations of the station and supervises all the other Managers and Directors. S/he has the authority to override decisions made by other Managers and Directors. If other Managers or Directors leave the station mid-term s/he is responsible for appointing a replacement or covering the vacated duties. S/he, in conjunction with the Business Manager and with the advice of the Faculty Supervisor, will approve any expenditure in conformity with the approved budget for Brooklyn College Radio. S/he will ultimately insure that all bills get paid, that the Brooklyn College Radio operates in conformity with all regulations of the Department of Television & Radio, the Faculty Supervisor and all other college authorities (such as the Central Depository and the Office of Student Life). S/he is responsible for the general sound of the station and the efficiency of its overall operation.
  Other responsibilities include:
  - Dealing directly with staffing problems and issues of absenteeism and discipline.
  - Dealing directly with EBoard members not fulfilling their obligations.
  - Keeping the Faculty Supervisor abreast of the station’s progress and status on a regular basis.
  - Soliciting new members, organizing elections, organizing EBoard meetings and general station meetings.
  - Running EBoard meetings.
2. Program Director (Vice President):
  The Program Director is responsible for the scheduling of on-air personnel. After consulting with the Production/Promotions Director, Music Director, News Director and Traffic Manager about the rotation of idents, jingles, promos, the Brooklyn College Date Book, and PSAs, s/he creates the broadcast schedule every week. S/he, along with the Engineer, is responsible for training new members in the use of station equipment. Most importantly, s/he will insure that hosts/DJs show up for their scheduled shifts; s/he is responsible for finding a replacement if a host/DJ is unable to make his or her scheduled program. The Program Director will work in consultation with the General Manager and the Faculty Supervisor to suggest, organize and schedule special programming. S/he is to be the first management person contacted if a member wants to propose a special broadcast. S/he will liaise with the News Director about special features, which might be inserted into the hourly newscasts. S/he will manage the station’s broadcast logs. In addition, the Program Director is responsible for the station’s transmission: in Brooklyn College buildings, on the web, on BCAT, on cable in other buildings, and by other means (transmitter, carrier current, leaky cable, time sharing arrangement with other stations, etc.). S/he is responsible for keeping the station on the air via these means, maintaining good relationships with the authorities who oversee these means and locations, and for increasing the number of outlets for the station.
3. News Director:
  The News Director is primarily responsible for insuring that the top-of-hour newscasts are delivered. The News Director trains and schedules the newscasters, and insures that the raw materials for the newscasts (papers, wire services, etc.) are available to them; this will require liaising with the Business Manager to insure that subscriptions are paid. S/he must find fill-in newscasters if the regularly scheduled person is not able to make his/her shift. S/he may also work with the Faculty Supervisor, Program Director and General Manager to develop special news and public affairs programs such as live coverage of significant College and community events, commentaries, and interviews with campus and community newsmakers. Newscasts happen at the top of every hour and will be a minimum of 3 minutes long. The newscasts must air every hour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during in-term, weekday broadcasting. The News Director may schedule additional newscasts outside of those hours if s/he desires. The News Director will also maintain steady contact with the Office of Public Safety and the President’s Office to ascertain and have announced on the air any special or emergency college information such as snow days or early closings.
4. Traffic Manager:
  The Traffic Manager is responsible for the production and rotation of program promos, Brooklyn College community promos, and PSAs. S/he works with the Program Director to insure that promos and PSAs are appropriately scheduled on the program logs, available in the broadcast studio, and that the hosts/DJs play them on the air. The Traffic Manager also registers members and keeps the list of active members (this includes phone numbers, addresses, emails, etc.), organizes the station mailboxes, schedules personnel to work the front desk, and insures that mail and phone messages are properly routed. S/he will inform the General Manager if desk personnel are neglecting their responsibilities and if there are any other pending organizational or disciplinary problems.
5. Business Manager (Treasurer):
  The Business Manager works in conjunction with the General Manager to watch the station budget and to liaise with the Central Depository and the Department of Television & Radio (via the Faculty Supervisor) about purchases and other financial matters. S/he must be able to produce at any time an up-to-date budget accounting for any EBoard Member, the Faculty Supervisor, the Central Depository or College Administrators. It is the Business Manager’s responsibility to see that all bills are paid on time. It is especially important that the Business Manger insures that there be no interruption in vital services such as the phone, web hosting and maintenance contracts. The Business Manager will endeavor to spend all funds received from the Central Depository every year.
6. Music Director:
  The Music Director must liaise with the Program Director in the scheduling of music shows. S/he will insure that new members are given format shows and that older members are given non-format shows according to seniority. S/he is responsible for scheduling the music shows. The Music Director must also maintain good relationships with music companies and distributors, collect new records and CDs, catalog new music, archive newly acquired music in the correct place, keep the Music Library organized, and do anything else s/he feels is appropriate with regards to music on Brooklyn College Radio. S/he will also devise, print, post and rotate the playlist for the format programs. The Music Director will insure (and will liaise with the Faculty Supervisor to this effect) that the format during the in-term, weekday hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. is not off-putting to the BC staff and administrators who constitute a very important part of the station’s audience. The Music Director must also report regularly to music magazines such as CMJ, conduct “tracking” for particular bands, and work with the Production/Promotions Manager to obtain items such as tickets and CDs to be given away on the air.
7. Production/Promotions Manager:
  The Production/Promotions Manager’s job is three-fold: First, s/he serves as the public relations person for the station in charge of promoting the station both to the Brooklyn College community and to the larger Flatbush/Midwood community. This promotion includes insuring that the station is represented at Brooklyn College events (Freshman orientation, BC-Day, etc.); representing the station at outside events such as the Club Fair and County Fairs; the organization and production of on-air announcements, idents and jingles; and the organization of flyers, posters and advertisements in other media which promote the station. Second, the Production/Promotions Manager will work with the Music Director and the Program Director to arrange on-air contests. Third, the Production/Promotions Manager must maintain and schedule the use of the station’s production facilities. This entails: organizing, posting and updating a schedule of studio use times; liaising with the General Manager and Engineer about the state of the equipment; making sure the studios are kept neat; liaising with the Business Manager about what materials are needed (DATs, minidisks, tapes, cassettes, razor blades, china pencils, etc.); and insuring that those materials are available in the studios. S/he will also assist in the training of new station personnel, allocate production assignments for idents, jingles, stingers and other on-air spots, maintain the archive for those spots, and liaise with the Program Director about their rotation in the logs. The most important day-to-day job of the Production Manager is the maintenance of the “Brooklyn College Date Book,” a list of all upcoming BC events to be read on the air at least twice per day (weekdays, in-term). This requires soliciting event information from the various college departments and organizations on a constant basis.
8. Engineer:
  The Engineer is responsible for daily maintenance of the station, especially cleaning of the equipment (dust removal and more serious cleaning like cleaning audio heads). S/he will set up equipment for special events and remote broadcasts. The Engineer shall prepare the studio for special live broadcasts and run the console for those broadcasts (or s/he may assign someone these duties). Any major work dealing with repairing, disconnecting, or moving permanent equipment must be done under the supervision of a professional engineer from the Brooklyn College Television Center or from a professional engineering company that may be paid a fee. The Brooklyn College Radio Engineer will work closely with the Television Center engineers and keep them abreast of any complications or problems.
9. Webmaster:
  The Webmaster is responsible for the updating and maintenance of the station’s websites. S/he will liaise with the College’s computer personnel to insure that the station’s audio stream is as clear and steady as possible. Most importantly, the Webmaster will work to increase the presence of the station on the web: seek out new sites and audio formats through which to broadcast, get the station listed in major web casting search indices, etc.
Additional Officer Positions:

Other positions may be created and appointed on an ad hoc basis as recommended by the Faculty Supervisor, or as determined by the General Manager. These might include: Sports Director, Specialty Music Director, etc. The auxiliary positions entail responsibility for the people holding them but not a vote at EBoard meetings.
Faculty Supervisor:

The Faculty Supervisor will be appointed by the Department of Television & Radio and will be in charge of the station. The Faculty Supervisor may call for meetings to address specific problems. S/he may adjust or pre-empt scheduling to make available special broadcasts, broadcasts of long or short program series, material produced in Departmental radio production courses and other material. The Faculty Supervisor will approve all station expenditures from the department portion of the budget. All Student Activity Fee expenditures must be approved by students first and then by Faculty Supervisor. S/he may hire or appoint people for support, production and on-air positions at the station (if these hires or appointments are paid, money for them will be approved by the students or found from other sources). S/he may change station policy and procedures, and remove people from positions of privilege at the station and appoint replacements. The Faculty Supervisor will oversee the incorporation of TVR 25.1, 25.2, 25.3 and 79 students into the radio station.
The Department of TV & Radio:

The Department of Television & Radio will provide the space to house Brooklyn College Radio in Whitehead Hall, the necessary equipment to run the station (broadcast means, webcast computers, digital audio editors, mixing consoles, etc.), and (through the Television Center) engineering help to repair and maintain said equipment should such a thing be beyond the abilities of the station’s student Engineer. All of the equipment housed in the station, whether purchased new or inherited from elsewhere, must be approved by the Department. It will also appoint a Faculty Supervisor to oversee the station. After consultation with the students and college administrators, should the Department feel that a student-run station is no longer a viable entity it may reclaim its space (all possible steps will be taken to avoid this occurrence).

ARTICLE V - Election Procedures

All officers will be elected every May. The date of the election will be announced two weeks in advance on the Brooklyn College Radio Website, and shall also be announced in the campus newspapers and on the College Website. Eligibility for candidacy is limited to those with at least one semester’s membership in the station prior to the election period with the advice of the Faculty Supervisor. In order to run for General Manager the candidate must have served on the EBoard in another position for at least one semester. If no person is qualified to run under these guidelines, the current EBoard will nominate at least two students to run for each position in which no students are qualified to run.
All candidates must submit a brief written proposal to the EBoard and the Faculty Supervisor detailing their qualifications and goals once in office. The Faculty Supervisor will recommend candidates to the EBoard for approval. The EBoard will serve as a nominating committee, and will approve candidates in conformity with this constitution. The official ballot will be released one week prior to the elections. If no one runs for a position, the person winning the position of General Manager will appoint an officer to that position (the General Manager is responsible for fulfilling the duties of vacant officer positions).
Only members on the master list may vote. In the case of a tie, the current EBoard will vote for a winner from the top two vote getters.

ARTICLE VI - Station Finances

Each Spring semester the General Manager, the Business Manager, with the recommendation of the Faculty Supervisor will put together a list of funding priorities for the up-coming year in the form of a budget.
At the Advisory Committee meeting each Fall (see I.8 and III.1) The Student Activity Fee portion of the budget shall be submitted to the BCA in the spring at the BCA meeting immediately subsequent to the EBoard’s approval of the budget. The Business Manager, the Faculty Supervisor, the Department of Television & Radio and Central Depository will all receive a copy of the approved budget.
The Business Manager is responsible for liaising with Central Depository to see that all bills are paid and all the appropriate paperwork is dealt with properly. After seeking input from the General Manager and Business Manager, the Department of TV & Radio (through the Faculty Supervisor) will be in charge of spending the money it has secured for the running and maintenance of the station.
Budget Modifications shall be completed in accordance with the Fiscal Accountability Guidelines.

ARTICLE VII - Programming and Station Sound

The backbone of the station will be format music programs—the “format” being determined by the Music Director. The Music Director will insure (and will liaise with the Faculty Supervisor to this effect) that the format during the in-term, weekday hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. is not off-putting to the BC staff and administrators who constitute a very important listener ship.
After one semester hosting a format program, and if slots are available, hosts/DJs will be able to host a non-format program conceived by them in consultation with the Music Director and/or Program Director. The Music Director allocates non-format slots and priority will be given to members with the most seniority.
The top of every hour of broadcasting must begin with station identification: “Brooklyn College Radio on 1090 AM in the Brooklyn College area.” From 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the top of each hour will begin with station identification and a newscast. Newscasts will be a minimum of 3 minutes long. The newscasts must air every hour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during in-term, weekday broadcasting. If there is no newscaster present or on duty the program host/DJ must read the news. The News Director may schedule additional newscasts outside of those hours if s/he desires.
The “Brooklyn College Date Book,” a list of upcoming College events prepared by the Production Director, will be read at least twice per day from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as arranged by the Program Director and Production/Promotions Director.
The Station will also serve as a venue for special College information such as snow days and early closings. The News Director is responsible for receiving this information and seeing that it is broadcast.
PSAs, program promos, and special series may be broadcast within other programs on Brooklyn College Radio at the discretion of the Program Director and will be clearly scheduled on the program logs. Documentaries, interviews, live broadcasts of special events, and other specially produced long-form programs may supercede regularly scheduled programming at the discretion of the General Manager, Program Director, Music Director, or Faculty Supervisor.

ARTICLE VIII – Suspension of Members

Members may be expelled from membership of Brooklyn College Radio, after they are brought before the Disciplinary Committee, in accordance with the CUNY Bylaws. However, the EBoard may vote to suspend particular privileges of membership, including, but not limited to, hosting a show, holding keys to the office, and access to equipment.
The Faculty Supervisor may expel members from the physical plant of the station at his/her discretion without any additional discussion.

ARTICLE IX - Impeaching an EBoard Member

A Director or Manager may be impeached for violating station rules or for being negligent in carrying out his or her stated duties. At any EBoard meeting, any officer may call for the formation of an impeachment committee to instigate the impeachment of any other officer. The impeachment committee will consist of at least four other officers and must exclude the member making the charge and the accused; all officers are eligible to sit on the committee. The committee will call for a special session of the EBoard for an impeachment hearing. The accused will be notified in writing five days in advance of the meeting; the notification will include a summation of the charges. The accused may use the services of the Lay Advocate or any other groups or persons in the preparation and presentation of his or her defense. The hearing will be run by the General Manager; if the General Manager is facing impeachment the meeting will be run by the Program Director. At the end of the hearing a majority vote of the EBoard will decide impeachment. EBoard members facing impeachment may be tried in absentia if they fail to show up for their announced hearing.
Any EBoard member may be removed by a unanimous vote of the EBoard (excluding member being impeached) during a called meeting of the EBoard with a quorum of two-thirds of the EBoard.
The Faculty Supervisor may ban an Eboard member from the physical plant of the station at his/her discretion without any additional discussion. The Faculty Supervisor may appoint a temporary replacement until the Eboard selects a replacement.

ARTICLE X - Changes to the Policy Manual

Changes may be proposed by any station member at a station meeting or in writing to any EBoard member. At the next meeting the proposed amendment will appear on the agenda. The proposed amendment will be discussed and the wording may be revised. All members in attendance vote on the change; majority rules.

ARTICLE XI - Station Policies and Rules

Getting a show:
In order to be eligible for an on-air show, members must prove serious commitment to the station. This commitment will be demonstrated through two semesters of deskwork and two semesters of news casting. News and deskwork requirements may be fulfilled during the same semesters. Desk work (one hour a week) includes insuring that all those who enter and leave the station sign in and sign out, insuring that all bags, coats and jackets are left in the Lobby, answering phone calls, taking messages for all EBoard members, and screening calls for the on-air DJ. News casting (an additional one hour a week) cannot be completed during the same hour of the week as the deskwork requirement. Under the direction of the News Director, members will collect news from a source, rewrite the chosen stories, and deliver the news on the air. In an effort to fill the schedule, new members may be given a show provided they are meeting their news casting and deskwork assignments. After completing news and desk requirements a member is eligible for an on-air show (see also III.3). All prospective DJs must also have the approval of at least two EBoard members or the Faculty Supervisor. Every DJ must also be a Brooklyn College student or recommended by the Faculty Supervisor and approved by the Executive Board. Everyone’s first show will be a format show unless appointed to a special show by a vote of the EBoard, the Music Director or Program Director or Faculty.
Vandalism, defacing and stealing of station property are prohibited. Doing so is grounds for expulsion and possible College disciplinary action.
No alcohol is allowed in the station. Possessing or consuming alcohol is grounds for suspension of privileges or College disciplinary action.
No smoking is allowed in the station. Doing so is grounds for suspension of privileges.
Eating and drinking are ONLY permitted in the station Lobby. Eating or drinking in or near the production facilities is grounds for expulsion.
Station music will not be lent out to any member for any reason. Music Directors may borrow CDs overnight for tracking purposes only, but they must first get the approval of another EBoard member.
All members must endeavor to keep studios clean and orderly.
Studio priority is given to those producing materials for production assignments and on-air use. Making recordings for personal use is not a priority.
Anyone using the production studios must sign in and out (name and time).
Obscenity, as defined by the FCC, is not permitted on air and may result in immediate suspension of show hosting rights. All DJs are responsible for screening all music before it goes on the air. “Bleeping” out offensive words live on air are not an acceptable way of editing out profanity. All editing must be done digitally or on tape before broadcast. Profanity or overtly racist or sexist remarks spoken by the host or his/her guests is inappropriate and unprofessional behavior. Failure to comply may result in suspension of show hosting right.
If an on-air presenter cannot make his or her designated shift it is his or her responsibility to inform the Program Director at least 48 hours in advance. The Program Director must then find a replacement. Repeated failure to inform the Program Director of missed shifts, excessive lateness or repeat absenteeism will result in the revocation of the shift and may result in expulsion.
All logs must be completed and signed by DJs and Newscasters and left with the Program Director.
All studio guests must be active participants in a show. Any person sitting in without participating will be asked to leave the studio.
On-air presenters are not allowed to answer the phone unless there is no one else at the station. The person assigned to desk duty must screen all on-air calls. After the call is screened the on-air presenter will be paged on the intercom to answer the phone.
Everyone who enters the station must sign in with the date, their name, the time they came in and the time they left. This is necessary for both members and guests.