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3rd Term | A.Y. 2012 2013
We journalists make it a point to know very little about an extremely wide variety of topics; this is how we stay objective.
(Dave Barry, 1947)

A 2013 Roadmap to a UPOU Student Publication

table of contents
PART 1: Rationale & Objectives Vision & Mission Declaration of Principles Core Values Editorial Staff | Selection, Functions & Qualifications Constitution | Policy & Guidelines Design & Content Name Logo Masthead Themes Media Formats Publication Forecasts &Schedule PART 2: Business Plan & Feasibility Study Executive Summary Scope / Profile of Target Audience Financial Management Proposal Marketing & Distribution Appendices: Open Letter to Students Letter of Intent References
*Items in red are not finalized, those in blue shall be finalized when a consensus is obtained.

Concept Paper: The Rationale & Objectives of a UPOU Student Publication

A.J. Liebling has been once quoted to grouse, The freedom of the press is only guaranteed to those who own one. (as cited in Knowlton & Freeman, 2001). Fortunately for the proponents of this concept paper, never has this been more untrue. The practice of citizen journalism or participatory journalism is redefining norms in the act of providing information to the general public. With the advent of desktop publishing technologies, any civic-minded individual with a modicum of writing skills and an internetconnected computer can become a blogger or a reporter or a content producer. There is a pressing need to explore the possibility of exploiting present trends to further the welfare, academic competitiveness and - dare we say it - holistic development of students in the UP Open University. With a different breed of students engaged in Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL), corresponding changes must be made in the tools and avenues by which student expression and information-sharing may take place. The melding of a participatory, principled and digitized student publication is at the heart of this paper. Data from the Office of the University Registrar for A.Y. 2012-2013, online research, random interviews with UPOU alumni and student collaboration have been utilized to create springboards for discussion (talking points) which lead to the ultimate crafting of a vision for a UPOU Student Publication.

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A 2013 Roadmap to a UPOU Student Publication

The UP Open University and student publications The UP Solidaridad, the University of the Philippines System-wide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers' Organizations, has 20 1 member publications , none of which represents nor serves the UP Open University. The UPOU studentry, a constituent body of an autonomous unit of the UP System, deserves a similar institutional tool that will provide a free and open venue for reporting and dissection of its varied issues, causes and aspirations. R.A. 7079, also known as The Campus Journalism Act of 1991, mandates state support for the presence of student publications in 2 Philippine schools . It recognizes the importance of socio-literary and journalistic activities in the development of ethical values, character, creativity and critical thinking among the Filipino youth. A critical proponent of any democratic institution, the presence of a free press indicates robust and deep intellectual inquiry, engagement and activism in any center or mode of learning. An quick inventory of visible student-initiated online publications related to UPOU yields a UPOU Alumni Newsletter which is sent quarterly to successful graduates of the UP Open University. One also discovers an emerging online presence, Cyber-Isko at http://cyber-isko.org, which is maintained by volunteer contributors and page administrators dominated by AA and BAMS students. A student publication, with a clear declaration of principles, terms of office and operational procedures, which has received the institutional support and official mandate both of the students and the UPOU administration, whose authority and coverage will not go unchecked by the populace it serves, has yet to be. A diverse and dispersed student population According to UPOU Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs Maria Fe V. Mendoza, her hopes for 2013 include more productive student participation in UPOUs contribution to academic excellence and public service. With UPOUs nature of having a complex body of students diverse and dispersed the challenge has always centered on how to build a consensus among individuals with varying priorities and resources. A study of Office of the University Registrar (OUR) data for AY 2012-2013 has generated insights regarding the general characteristics of the student population.

Figure 1.1. Percent Distribution of the UPOU Student Population by Program Figure 1.1 shows that in terms of size per program, the most number of students may be found in MAN, MDC and AA. Figure 1.2 further illustrates how approximately 54% of the student population are engaged in formal masteral and doctoral studies. Students in undergraduate studies comprise 21.52% of the student population.

1 2

UP Solidaridad Website.Accessed 20th of December 2012 - http://upsolidaridad.com/?page_id=11. R.A. 7079.Chan Robles Virtual Law Library.Accessed 20th of December 2012 - http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno7079.htm#.UNK186y43sE.

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A 2013 Roadmap to a UPOU Student Publication

Figure 1.2. Pie Chart by Degree Type The element of dispersal enters when physical structure and logistics are taken into consideration. Sonny Atencia Catacutan quotes how UPOU students are both nowhere and everywhere at the same time. This state, distinct to ODeL students, makes physical considerations almost secondary in the UPOU context. The complex arrangements come into play when the educational process transitions from the zone of the individual to the collective: time zones, geographic locations, asynchronous communications and degrees of technology-assisted instruction all come together to create individual spheres of learning that can somehow remain interconnected. It still helps to scrutinize where the UPOU students are, if only to infer the wide range of socio-cultural traits among the members of the student population. A study of LC assignments shows how Luzon remains a saturated area where UPOU students may be found:

Figure 1.3. In terms of size per LC assignment, the biggest groups may be found in the UPOULC-Diliman, UPOUVLC (Offshore) and UPOULCManila. Though data for geographic locations of offshore students are unavailable during the writing of this paper, numbers show that proper representation of those based in foreign countries is a critical consideration in the establishment of a student publication.

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A 2013 Roadmap to a UPOU Student Publication

Clearly, UPOU is a national and global network of ODeL students who represent niches with their own social conditions and needs. A student publication may serve to anchor this diaphanous network into place, providing reference points where similarities and differences among students shall surface, therefore allowing them to evaluate and qualify their educational experiences. New frontiers in campus journalism Bercovici (2011) has said it: The basic structure of how news gets made is changing. He makes a point about how institutions, experience and credentials are now secondary to networks, individual enterprise and personal brands in new media; he reminds how we shift from journalism schools and newsroom hierarchies to citizen bloggers and crowd-sourced reporting in new media ecosystems. The proliferation of videos and photos of several major typhoons damage across the nation, the outpouring of commentary on the death of Jesse Robredo, the virtual debates on the RH bill, are such examples of the wealth of information coursed through local residents or the masses. Pavlik (2000) proposes that: changing technology influences journalism in at least four broad areas: (1) how journalists do their work; (2) the content of news; (3) the structure or organization of the newsroom; and (4) the relationships 4 between or among news organizations, journalists and their many publics. Journalists must now have specialized skills in photography, high-speed word processing and virtual submissions all-around entities that can move and produce content independently. Often, their news content includes those they collect on the fly, having been captured on their mobile phone or scribbled and broadcasted / published as it happens. Instead of pails of Letters to the Editor, Twitter trends or popular searches now give a pulse of whats hot or not. In the Nieman Reports, Mencher (2006) warns: The question no longer is whether the newspaper will endure but whether the kind of news that is 5 essential to a functioning democracy will survive. This is a crucial point to be made in a world where laughing babies and Gangnam-style dancing become the most-watched videos for the year 2012. What purpose does a student publication intend to pursue? Delineating the roles of a student publication Along with the basic role of informer, a student publication gives credence to the student body of a college or university, defining the heart and priorities of the whole it represents and safeguards. It asserts the legitimate position of students as stakeholders in any learning institution. Danny Arao (2010) describes how student publications, in their promotion and upholding of student rights and welfare, become intellectual arenas where public opinion is shaped by in-depth analyses of issues or concerns; where levels of student discourse are 6 raised to new heights; and, where student groups or ideologies may be exposed or scrutinized for any shortcomings. The UPOU agenda to establish a functional student council in the absence of a vigilant campus press or student publication may be jeopardized when there are no battlegrounds for the articulation of plans or philosophies among self-proclaimed student representatives. Neither may there be an entity prepared to provide objectivity in such articulation of all achievements, attempts and assertions of any representative body if a student council exists without an independent and autonomous student publication.
3

3 4 5 6

Bercovici, Jeff. 7 April 2011. When Journalism 2.0 Kills. Accessed 27th of December 2012 - http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2011/04/07/when-journalism-2-0-kills

Pavlik, J. 1 May 2000. Journalism Studies, Volume 1, Number 2, , pp. 229-237(9). Article cited in The Media Research Hub, accessed 27th of December 2012 http://mediaresearchhub.ssrc.org/the-impact-of-technology-on-journalism/resource_view.

Arao, Danny. 16 August 2010. Campus journalism and the shaping of public opinion.Accessed 20th of December 2012 - http://asiancorrespondent.com/39022/campus-journalism-and-theshaping-of-public-opinion.

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Mencher, Melvin. 2006. Will the Meaning of Journalism Survive? Nieman Reports. Accessed 30th of December 2012 - http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/100501/Will-theMeaning-of-Journalism-Survive.aspx.

A 2013 Roadmap to a UPOU Student Publication

Apart from being a campus watchdog, a UPOU student publication also becomes a training platform for future citizens with sharpened skills in leadership, communications and analysis. It equips online learners with the competitive advantage brought by a peer review process and the strains of public accountability. A student publication also contextualizes national issues or events to the level of their respective communities, providing relatable information that may guide, influence or affect student thinking and behavior. Students, with their sense of awareness and empowerment, get to deliver and/or receive facts and opinion that affect their social environments. Fair warnings A student publication, particularly one online, is not without dangers. A print version of a student newspaper is largely confined to its geographic circulation, whereas a web version can reach up to the Internet-ready ends of the earth (Knowlton & Freeman, 2001). Once published, it is no longer just the campus and student households that read it. The whole world can. Further, student response to an initiative of putting up a student publication is arbitrary. Monica Victoria Mendoza, a UPOU alumna who has taken up masteral studies in the field of research and development, when asked if she has been aware or interested in a student publication during her time, has answered: there is an alumni newsletter pala. they send this via email once every quarter, i think. but honestly i have not read even a [single] student publication, i think it would really vary accdg to each student's circumstance eh. if there was one during my time, i would have wanted to read it but i would not have found the time. Recommendations Creative exploration of strategies to address diversity/dispersal issues and the challenges in the neo-journalistic practices of an emergent student publication has yielded the following suggestions: Publication through online media and print-ready formats shall be most effective for the UPOU student population. There is a need to network with existing groups of graduate students to ensure proper representation within the student publication in terms of contents and staff. Publication shall offer videos, polls, discussion forum -- it will become a community site with plenty of nooks and crannies to cater to a diverse set of needs and interests. Objectives and timetable of this paper This proposal thus aims to: 1. Begin the collaborative groundwork and documentation for the establishment of a university-wide student publication genuinely representative of learners comprising the UPOU Community; 2. Invite individuals with the skills, commitment and passion to participate in the realization of their journalistic calling; 3. Solicit the endorsement and support of UPOU system officials, in particular the Office of the Chancellor; and 4. Promote the uplifting of standards and social relevance of UPOUs information gateways through a student culture capitalizing on the exchange and transfer of knowledge, opinion and research. This proposal shall advocate the objectives of the UPOU Student Publication: 1. To produce journalistic and literary content truly representative of UPOU; 2. To publish informative and relevant content; and 3. To balance objectivity norms and critical viewpoints in the exercise of responsible journalism. A rough timetable for this concept paper may be plotted thus:

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PHASE 1:

Creation Presentation Consensus Building

January - March

A 2013 Roadmap to a UPOU Student Publication

Student Referendum PHASE 2: Adoption Recruitment & Training Organization Team-Building Design & Content Roll-out April - June

Vision & Mission

VISION : The UP Open University Student Publication is an independent and interactive social media presence that fulfills the ideals of student advocacy faithful to the heritage of being Iskolar ng Bayan and responsive to the changing landscape of contemporary higher education. The mission of the UP Open University Student Publication is to promote responsible campus journalism by producing high-quality print and online content that contributes to scholastic excellence, impassioned citizenship and commitment to nation-building.

MISSION

Declaration of Principles
The UP Open University Student Publication gives honor and service to the UP Open University. It preserves the legacy and welfare of students in alignment to the overarching vision of the nation in general and the UP System in particular. The UP Open University Student Publication practices and promotes a culture of sincerity and transparency. It considers itself accountable to its public in every aspect of its intents, outputs and operations. The UP Open University Student Publication subscribes to the tenets of responsible and responsive journalism. It anchors upon truth and credibility in the exercise of press freedom. The UP Open University Student Publication achieves self-sufficiency in a manner consistent to being emancipated from any influence or interest. It is beholden to no one in order to retain its accessibility to its audience and stakeholders. The UP Open University Student Publication acknowledges its diverse and dispersed student population. It caters to a plethora of learners needs and backgrounds. The UP Open University Student Publication is a paragon of excellence. It embodies the highest standards for intellectual discourse in terms of accuracy, depth and social relevance, innovating responsibly and strategically to push student potential to higher echelons of effective performance. The UP Open University Student Publication supplies the countrys need for intellectual capital that gives back and fortifies the resiliency of the Filipino spirit. It assumes the role of vanguard and catalyst as the nation participates in the global community.

Core Values
Honorem et servitium
HONOR & SERVICE

Perspecuitas
TRANSPARENCY

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We publish articles as a service, as volunteers committed to the welfare of students, the Philippines, the UP System and UPOU. We avoid publication of anything that will tarnish or bring dishonor to the name Filipino or Iskolar ng Bayan. We do not misrepresent or use our affiliation to the UPOU Student Publication for personal gain.

A 2013 Roadmap to a UPOU Student Publication

Integritas
INTEGRITY

We create a culture of knowledge management and information-sharing. We exercise full disclosure of internal workings and practices. (Note: CNN airs its news agenda-setting sessions.) We post transcripts of editorial meetings.

Libertas

We practice fact-checking in every article submission. We scrutinize every angle or news standpoint, its origins and repercussions, before publication. We understand and implement responsible journalistic practices according to professional standards.

INDEPENDENCE | OPENNESS

We protect our civil liberties and freedom of speech.

Respectu quia diversitas

RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY

Relevance

We avoid any element of discrimination and disenfranchisement. We practice a sensible degree of ethno-cultural relativism.

RELEVANCE

We publish news we can use. We cater to an intelligent readership. We assist emerging student-run media ecosystems or outlets.

Excellentia
EXCELLENCE

We publish error-free, grammatically correct, artfully worded articles. We uphold the highest standards by maintaining an institutional memory of best practices and milestones; we document operational procedures and standards, special projects and the like.

Amare pro patria

LOVE FOR COUNTRY

We love the Philippines with every word that ever sees print or publication. We represent the Filipinos to a global community.

Editorial Staff | Functions and Qualifications

[c/o Chi Catacutan]

Constitution | Policy & Guidelines

[c/o Mich Lado]

Design & Content

NAME LOGO MASTHEAD THEMES MEDIA FORMATS

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[Cyber-Isko] visual elements: name, quill, window, social network, founding year note: a write-up on the logo will be written after it has been designed and approved visual elements: logo, oblation, slogan clean, bright, professional (tan + white palette, light green & burnt crimson accents, digitized background) css, html, pdf

A 2013 Roadmap to a UPOU Student Publication

Publication Forecasts & Schedule
MODES OF PUBLICATION:

1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

Primary website PDF version Electronic notices UPOU Website Learning Centers Myportal Online Communities Online newsletter Subscriptions / Mailing List via UPOU Google Mailer UPOU Review (a scholarly journal for and by students? This is something similar to what the UPOU Faculty does, or those in post-graduate studies Example: https://sites.google.com/a/pssnonline.org/journal-of-nature-studies/home)

SCHEDULE OF PUBLICATION:

Daily Poll Weekly for Website Content Monthly Digest

Business Plan & Feasibility Study

Executive Summary Scope / Profile of Target Audience Financial Management Proposal Marketing & Distribution

Open Letter to Students

[For collaboration]

References
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/specials/weblines/211.html http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/opinion/high-impact-journalism.html?_r=0 http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/journalismincurr http://www.swarthmore.edu/feature-archive-2008-09/conflict-education-through-student-journalism.xml http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/22/student-journalism-a-guide-to-rights-and-responsibilities http://www.fordham.edu/Campus_Resources/eNewsroom/topstories_1966.asp http://journalism.nyu.edu/assets/PageSpecificFiles/Ethics/NYU-Journalism-Handbook-for-Students.pdf http://catarina.udlap.mx/u_dl_a/tales/documentos/lco/cruz_r_m/capitulo8.doc.pdf http://www.isesweb.org/Journal/Docs/JESEE_Ed_Office_FunctionsResponsibilities_final_7-26-10.pdf
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