Communications Board debates restructuring
Communications Board debates restructuring
Vote on initiative delayed, further discussion needed
By John Digrado
Daily Bruin Staff
Communications Board members met on Tuesday night to continue restructuring discussions, as well as to address issues regarding the circulation of the seven campus newsmagazines.
Though the board had originally proposed to vote on the restructuring initiative sometime this month, members decided to postpone that motion until further notice. Instead, members continued talks regarding the various possibilities facing the board's restructuring.
"We pushed it back to give everyone the opportunity to look at (the plan) again," said Communications Board Chair Deanna Cherry.
Originally intended to create a more self-sufficient board, the proposed restructuring plan calls into question the roles of student representatives, advisory committees and the role of the board itself.
"Tonight is the beginning of looking at where we want to go, what we want to change as a body," Cherry said. "Given what we know about ourselves, we need to look at where we are going as a body."
Administrators and board members expressed their concern for keeping student government involved throughout the restructuring process.
"(The plan) should have student support and involvement in it," said Administrative Representative Alan Hansen. "(The administration) is very complementary of the progressive thinking of the options and the possibilities of the board."
While the original plan intended to cut student representation on the board in half while increasing outside influence, no numbers are set in stone as of yet, Cherry said.
"We need to increase the productivity of the eight (current) student members," she added. "We have to look at the pros and cons of each number. We can keep eight (students on the board). No one is connected to decreasing student representation."
Also considered was a self-evaluation of the finer points of the Communications Board as it stands. Issues discussed ranged from minor communication breakdowns among members to reasons why the board exists in the first place.
"We don't have a sense of what we are supposed to be doing," said Board member Maya Yazigi. "It's chaotic in a sense because things come up sometimes," and board members may not fully understand all facets of an issue.
Appointments of board members were also challenged, with some members concerned that procedures may be politically motivated.
"Now the members are appointed by student government," said Board member Quan Doan. "The way I feel, (members) should be appointed by the Communications Board itself. Some members are placed here politically. I'm suggesting to disconnect USAC or GSA from the appointment of board members."
Members suggested their own visions for the future of the Communications Board, reiterating their mission to support students in all forms of Student Media as well as to become better informed with the issues that face the media daily.
"We don't have members that have a strong background or strong interest in Student Media," Doan said.
Though discussion centered around the Communications Board itself, no final decision regarding the future of the board was made. Should a proposal satisfying all parties interested be created, the board would not vote on the plan until all options were explored.
Other issues facing the board included considering a request from the seven campus newsmagazines to increase their advertising content from 25 percent of the total publication to 35 percent.
Currently, the newsmagazines rely heavily on revenue from Student Media to cover their operating costs. Increasing the number of advertisements the publication is allowed to run would be followed by a rise in ad revenue and a possible increase in circulation, a move that would make the publications more autonomous within Student Media.
"For the business end of the publications, if they make more, they do more," Ward said. "We're starting to turn the corner on newsmagazine (advertising) sales, and they're on the verge of substantially supporting themselves."
The change in advertising content is scheduled to occur shortly, but no final resolution was made. Instead, Board members voted to allow the publications to sell more advertisements for three months.Comments to webmaster@db.asucla.ucla.edu
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