Moore Media Digital Design Policies

Policies and Procedures of Moore Media Digital Design (M2D2) of the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts at Central Michigan University

M2D2 Organizational Chart

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The Purposes of Moore Media Digital Design (M2D2) are to:

1. Provide experience in multi-media activities relevant to the electronic media, including (but not necessarily limited to) web pages and streaming, mediated presentation, and convergence issues.



2. Offer options for student activities which reflect various career interests (multi-media design, audio and video streaming, new multi-media program/web development, etc.).



3. Promote activities of the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts, of the College of Communication and Fine Arts and of CMU in ways unique and inherent to the electronic media.

1. Assume a central role in the design, development and maintenance of the web presence of the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts, including overall focus and distribution of streaming and other online content activities of the school.



2. Recommend and/or develop mediated presentations supportive of the needs of students and BCA.



3. Explore other new media activities as deemed appropriate by the organization.



4. Hold weekly meetings for discussion, presentations and guidance in the activities and responsibilities of the organization.



5. Monitor personnel, work flow, structure and function to ensure positive presentation of the organization's activities.

• Provide faculty advisor(s) to M2D2.
• Provide hardware and software necessary to fulfilling the organization's objectives.
• Oversee and approve records and expenses.

• Central Michigan University, is governed in descending order by the Board of Trustees, President, Provost, Dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts and the Chairperson of the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts who authorizes overall organization policy, operating function, and financial activity.



• The General Manager of M2D2 is the Chairperson of the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts and is responsible for all activities of the organization.



• The BCA Webmaster is appointed by the Chairperson of the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts and is the primary advisor to M2D2. That person is responsible to the School for the management and activities of M2D2.



• M2D2 is primarily a BCA-funded multi-media design, development and production laboratory, co-curricular to course offerings of the School. For this reason, the General Manager and/or BCA Webmaster may set both hardware and software use/access and multi-media content policies without consulting with or seeking approval from the student Executive Staff.



• The Executive Staff of M2D2 consists of students appointed to the following positions by the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts:
  • Senior Designer
  • Operations Manager
  • Business Manager
  • Public Relations/Promotion Director
  • Production Manager
  • Graphics Designer
  • Special Projects Director
  • Information Technology (IT) Manager
  The structure of the Executive Staff of M2D2 embraces the school concept of management. It is highly functional in nature. The members of the Executive Staff are equal in voting stature. The Chairperson of the Executive Staff is the Senior Designer. In the Senior Designer's absence, the Operations Manager assumes leadership. The Executive Staff sets both immediate and long-range goals for M2D2 and works to assure that goals are achieved. In doing this, among other activities, the Executive Staff makes major decisions on a long-range basis, coordinates organizational activities, and reviews and evaluates the progress of personnel. The Executive Staff also approves appointment to any supervisory staff positions in the organization.
  
  
  
• The Procedure for Appointment to Executive Staff involves the incumbent Executive Staff, the BCA Webmaster and the faculty/staff of the School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts.Executive Staff positions normally are selected near the end of the Spring Term for the following regular academic year. Vacancies may occur from time-to-time by resignation or other causes.When a position is to be filled on the Executive Staff, notice of that pending or current vacancy is posted on the School and other appropriate bulletin boards. Any student who wishes to be considered may apply for the position(s) so posted by completing the Executive Staff Application Form and submitting it to the BCA Webmaster along with any other supporting documents on or before the submission deadline posted on the vacancy notice. At the next meeting of the Staff, interview times will be established for each applicant for each vacancy posted. All candidates for a position will be interviewed, after which the Executive Staff will deliberate and recommend the name of the most acceptable candidate to the Webmaster by secret ballot. The Webmaster reviews the Executive Staff recommendation(s), attaches his/her own recommendation(s) and forwards both sets of recommendations to the Department of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts.The Department, after deliberation, makes the final decision on appointment of the person to fill each vacancy. The Executive Staff, the Webmaster, and the Department all have the option of voting to reopen any position for which a suitable applicant has not been determined. In such case, the notice of reopening of the position vacancy is posted and the above procedure is repeated. Persons who originally applied for a position that has been reopened may reapply for that position.

• All student Executive Staff personnel are responsible for fulfilling the following roles:
• Conduct ongoing performance evaluations of all persons working within their departments, including a written evaluation of each individual to be submitted to the Webmaster at the end of the semester for inclusion in that individual's personnel file.
• Monitor BCA web activities, especially those pertaining most directly to their departments, for the purpose of continually improving the Department's presentation(s) and operations as well as the public image of the organization in any situation.
• Attend all Executive Staff meetings and general staff meetings, prepared for the deliberations that will take place at those meetings.
• Monitor and control all budgetary activities within their own departments.
• Continually work with all personnel within their departments in a manner that furthers each one's electronic media education and assures well-trained applicants for Executive Staff positions in future semesters.
• Become skilled in the operation of software programs used in the operations of the organization.
• Strive to improve their own professional demeanor and performance to be able to present the best possible role model for those in their respective departments.


• In addition to the general responsibilities listed above, Executive Staff personnel have specific duties as outlined below:
• Senior Designer -- The Senior Designer supervises the activities of the organization by guiding the departments in setting and accomplishing goals. He or she is responsible for all additional duties delegated to him/her by the Webmaster or General Manager concerning any aspect of the operations of the organization. The Senior Designer chairs all Executive Staff and general staff meetings, coordinates all aspects of the functions of M2D2 and is responsible for the recording and appropriate dissemination of minutes of those meetings. He/she oversees and directs the conceptual design and framework of the BCA Web, coordinating the activities of the various departments and working closely with department directors. He/she is a liaison between the BCA Department and the organization's personnel and normally holds the M2D2 seat on the Student Broadcast Executive Council (SBEC). When possible, the Senior Designer, along with other department heads, should represent M2D2 at all organizational functions.
• Operations Manager - The Operations Manager is responsible for assuring the graphics and style consistency of all pages of the BCA Web and supervises the regular maintenance of the Web pages. He/she is the principal coordinator assuring that the conceptual design for the pages is acted upon appropriately and in a timely manner. The Operations Manager assumes leadership of Executive Staff and General Staff meetings, as well as other responsibilities where appropriate, in the absence of the Senior Designer.
• Business Manager - The Business Manager of M2D2 has two primary responsibilities:
  (a) To seek, on a continuing basis, new and repeat funding to support M2D2 activities
  through business, professional, and personal grants, sales or donations to the organization and the Department of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts; and
  (b) To authorize budgets for the departments within the station in accordance with the guidelines established by the Executive Staff, oversee all activities within each of the various budgets, and guide the department heads of M2D2 in adequate preparation and appropriate use of the budgets allotted to their departments.
  In accomplishing these, the Business Manager works directly with the Webmaster and any other person assigned by the BCA Department to oversee accounts in order to assure full compliance with university guidelines and requirements for such activities. It is his/her responsibility to assure that all personnel on the Business staff are fully trained in all procedures required by the university and the BCA Department, to train, coach and critique all staff members involved in grants activities in the best procedures for approaching constituencies in order to secure grants, and to coordinate all activities in this area.
  
• Public Relations/Promotion Director - The Public Relations/Promotion Director is responsible for all public relations and promotion activities of M2D2, both internal and external. He/she is the key liaison in all matters pertaining to the presentation of the image of the organization. He/she is responsible for promoting the BCA Web pages through usual and customary web practices, for preparation and dissemination of press releases (in coordination with the Public Relations Office where deemed appropriate), and preparation of materials for bulletin boards and/or distribution to the general public. The Public Relations/Promotion Director is also responsible for assisting the Webmaster and other M2D2 staff personnel in preparation of materials and presentation of the organization to external groups or individuals. He/she also is responsible for training and coordinating a staff to help fulfill these responsibilities.
• Production Manager - The Production Manager is responsible for assuring that appropriate applications software is available to accomplish desired activities of the organization and to oversee training on current and new or upgrade software. When new or upgrade software is desired by M2D2, it is his/her responsibility to research available options and present these to the Webmaster for consideration.
• Graphics Designer - recommends, prepares and presents both static and animated graphics to support the content of the pages of the BCA Department Web. This person should be familiar with Photoshop and other current graphics applications relevant to web graphics. It is important that he/she be able to present a cohesive graphics look to the entire web site.
• Special Projects Director - The Special Projects Director is responsible for all projects of M2D2 that are not specifically for the BCA Web pages. Examples of such projects might include original training programs for M2D2 personnel, powerpoint presentations commissioned by an outside unit, group or agency, or the digital component of a promotional video for television presentation.
• Information Technology (IT) Manager - The IT Manager is responsible for assuring that appropriate hardware is available for the intended work of M2D2 and to recommend new hardware acquisition. He/she also is responsible to oversee resolution of any hardware-software and software-software conflict issues and establish procedures to minimize such problems. He/she is responsible, furthermore, to report any such conflict issues to the Webmaster in a timely manner.


• Other Appointed M2D2 Personnel (Supervisory Staff)
Three Supervisory Staff positions (Content Manager of WMHW, Content Manager of MHTV and Content Manager of News Central) are filled through appointment by the Faculty/Staff Director of each of those co-curricular units. For remaining Supervisory Staff positions, the following procedures apply:
Positions important to the activities of M2D2, though not Executive Staff level, may be designated by the various department heads when approved by the Executive Staff.
When the Executive Staff approves formation of a Supervisory Staff position, the appropriate department head advertises the position, accepts applications, interviews applicants, and presents his/her recommendation(s) to the Executive Staff which makes final approval of appointment of the individual to the specified position.
Supervisory Staff positions include, but are not limited to:
• Executive Assistant - attends all meetings of the Executive Staff and general staff to record minutes of those meetings. These minutes are posted and otherwise appropriately distributed in a timely manner and are filed for future reference. The Executive Assistant is appointed by the Executive Staff upon the recommendation of the Senior Designer and is responsible to the Senior Designer.
• Content Manager, WMHW - works in close coordination with WMHW in maintaining and regularly updating the web pages of the BCA Department's radio station. Content in this area should reflect current broadcast operations of the station and should be presented in a manner that reinforces and promotes the station's music, news and sports programming and furthermore may contain special features about the station and its personnel.
• Content Manager, MHTV - works in close coordination with Moore Hall Television (MHTV) in maintaining and regularly updating the web pages of the BCA Department's television production facility. Content in this area should reflect current television production and broadcast activities and should be presented in a manner that reinforces and promotes MHTV's programming and furthermore may contain special features about the MHTV and its personnel.
• Content Manager, News Central - works in close coordination with News Central in maintaining and regularly updating the web pages of the BCA Department's news program. Content in this area should reflect current news features and stories covered and being worked on and should be presented in a manner that reinforces and promotes News Central programming and furthermore may contain special features about the News Central operation and its personnel.
• Content Manager, Other BCA Web Pages - works in close coordination with other student groups of the BCA department as well as faculty and staff in presenting pages on the BCA website other than those specified directly above. Content on these pages should reflect current materials about the BCA Department, its faculty/staff and other student group activities (not discussed above) and should be presented in a manner that reinforces and promotes the department, its groups and its personnel.
• Streaming Supervisor - works in close coordination with WMHW, MHTV and News Central to assure successful presentation of the streaming activities of the department. This person should be familiar with the software and technologies used for streaming the department's materials.

• All students in M2D2 must have and maintain a minimum overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.25. All students applying for and/or holding Executive Staff positions must have and maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.50.
• Student Executive Staff personnel will volunteer, or will register for Practicum credit (BCA 329), for services rendered in those positions. Executive Staff personnel may earn up to two (2) credits per semester. It is the responsibility of the Webmaster to determine the number of hours to be earned by Executive Staff personnel and to act on requests for Practicum registration.
• Regular staff members will volunteer, or will do Practicum work. It is the responsibility of the Webmaster, with the advice of the Executive Staff, to oversee workloads for all M2D2 personnel, including whether such workloads may be counted toward Practicum credit (BCA 329).
Volunteer Students
• Any university student who wishes to volunteer his/her services with M2D2 for the purpose of gaining experience in the field and/or as an avocational interest may do so. The nature of his/her service is governed by the student's own interest and aptitude, and will be utilized as determined by the appropriate Executive Staff member and the Senior Designer. Each such student will sign the standard M2D2 Personnel form and abide by organization and BCA Department policies.
Practicum Students (BCA 329)
• Students who wish to register for Practicum credit (BCA 329) must receive approval from the Webmaster prior to registration for the course. In addition, Practicum students must sign the standard M2D2 Personnel form and abide by organization and BCA Department policies.
• Practicum students are under the guidance of the Webmaster, who approves where the students work in the organization, with the advice of the appropriate Executive Staff member(s). Such students will abide by the BCA Practicum Policies, which apply to several practicum-granting activities. The grade for the Practicum student shall be determined by the Webmaster after consultation with the appropriate Executive Staff member(s).

• M2D2 will adhere to and be governed by all regulations set forth in this document and the University's "Policy and Procedures Relating to Students Rights and Responsibilities".
  
  Staff members may be suspended or dismissed from all duties and office for:



• Unexcused failure to fulfill assigned duties
• Removal (by physical, electronic or other means), without permission, of any University-owned property, including software. (CMU Police will be contacted in the case of all apparent thefts. Disciplinary action will be taken either through the Office of Student Life or criminal prosecution.)
• Making any digital representation on or off web pages which is blatantly obscene, profane, or indecent or which recommends use of illegal drugs.
• Installation and/or use of inappropriate software on computers assigned to M2D2, especially materials not licensed or owned by the university.
• Inappropriate conduct, while representing the organization, which would be detrimental to the image of the organization, the BCA Department or the University.
• Any action which violates university web policy.
• Any other specific action which results in censure by unanimous vote of the Executive Council.
• Possession or use of alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, dangerous chemicals, firearms or explosives, as well as found being impaired by alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs.
• Failure to attend mandatory meetings called by the Senior Designer or by any other Executive Staff member for his/her specific department. Absences should be cleared in advance. Unexcused absence from a mandatory meeting may result in suspension from activities in the specific department involved for a period of two (2) weeks. Repeated unexcused absences from mandatory meetings will result in dismissal from M2D2.


• In each case of violation of station policies and procedures, some of which are listed above, the Executive Staff will determine if the incident is severe enough for suspension or dismissal and will inform the involved staff member(s) of its decision. All suspended or dismissed staff members will be notified in writing, and a copy of that notice shall be placed in the student's personnel file.



• Appeals of the Executive Staff decision for suspension or dismissal may be presented in writing to the Webmaster within ten (10) days of the decision by the person suspended or dismissed. The Webmaster will review all facts and assertions presented both to the Executive Staff at the time of its deliberation as well as in support of the appeal and will pass his/her recommendations on to the General Manager within five working days. The General Manager will make a final decision on the appeal.

• In the event this organization should be dissolved, all funds, hardware, software and other materials will revert to the Broadcast and Cinematic Arts Department of Central Michigan University.

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