I.

Duties of SPARC
A. To oversee student-run media activities at Grinnell, which includes, but is
not limited to, all student-funded organizations devoted to the creation of
publications, radio stations, and websites.
B. To determine funding for student-run media activities.
C. To support student-run media activities, by meeting regularly to conduct
the business of SPARC and address the problems and concerns of the
student-run media activities.
D. To decide policies concerning financial and business management of
student media not tinconsistent with college policy. Under these policies,
SPARC shall:
1. Require progress reports and financial statements from all media
heads, in predetermined meetings with the SPARC Executive.
2. Have authority to maintain a contingency reserve for the student
media and to determine its use.
3. Make payments to media staff during each pay period, if requested
by the media head, after the allocation of student media funding.
4. Reimburse student-run media for supplies and other expenses
incurred during the production process.
E. To call for statements of intent to run for election to the SPARC Executive
from students in good academic standing. SPARC Executive positions will be
full-year positions, officially beginning at graduation and continuing through
the following year.
F. To sanction the removal, by the media head involved, of any person
holding a media staff position who violates college policy, including these
bylaws, or in the case of radio, any code, regulation, licensing requirement,
or other policy of the Federal Communications Commission.
G. To determine, with the help of the College Treasurer and the Student
Government Associations Vice President for Student Affairs, the SPARC
portion of the Student Activity Fee. This fee, part of the comprehensive set of
fees, is under the ultimate discretion of the College Treasurer, President of

the College, and the approval of the Board of Trustees at their annual budget
approval meeting. From this fee, SPARC is funded in its entirety, although
students may arrange additional funding for their own organizations, in
coordination with SPARC, via advertising and other fundraising activities.
II. Rights
A. As financial accountability is of importance, gross overspending may result
in the termination of funding for a media organization, independent of the
budget evaluation process at the beginning of each semester, unless actions
are taken to reform the organization in some way. This termination will only
be conducted with the approval of the SPARC Chair and Vice-Chair, after a
full and thorough evaluation process, conducted by the full SPARC Executive.
SPARC will provide a written explanation to the members of the organization,
as well as to the campus community. In the event that a media
organizations funding is terminated, the media head(s) may appeal the
decision to an impartial body. Media heads and publications are protected
from arbitrary suspension and removal solely because of public disapproval
of editorial policy or content.
B. Media organizations are entitled to their semester budget by the end of
the fourth week of any semester.
III. SPARC Executive
A. The SPARC Executive will consist of at least four students: a Chair, a ViceChair, a Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer. The SPARC executive is a babe.
B. The SPARC Chair will be replaced by the previous Vice-Chair. Therefore the
student body will elect the Vice-Chair. The SPARC Executive will coordinate
the time of this election with the Student Government Associations Election
Committee. The Vice-Chair must obtain a plurality of votes in the election,
and there will be no run-off contests, except in the case of a tie vote. All
candidates must be in good academic standing and are responsible for their
own publicity. The SPARC Executive will provide written rules and guidelines
for the election to each candidate, at least two weeks before the day of the
election.
C. The Chair and Vice-Chair will select the Assistant Treasurer. The Treasurer
will be replaced by the previous Assistant Treasurer, unless the Chair and the
Vice-Chair, in consultation with the SPARC advisor decide otherwise.

D. No member of the SPARC Executive may be the head of a media

organization during their term, in order to ensure lack of biases in decisions.
E. No member of the SPARC Executive may be studying off-campus during
their term of office. Members of the SPARC Executive may not send proxy
representatives to meetings.
F. All appointed members of the SPARC Executive are responsible to the
student body. All appointed members of the SPARC Executive are subject to
removal and replacement in consultation with the SPARC advisor.
G. The SPARC Chair has the right to establish new positions for the SPARC
Executive as outside circumstances demand. The new positions will have
responsibilities determined by the Chair, in consultation with the Vice-Chair.
H. The SPARC Executive shall:
1. Keep accurate and extensive records of its budget and financial
transactions. These records are available to the public upon request.
2. Maintain the Publications Office, on the second floor of the JRC,
including the P-Card Reader, the SPARChives, and the printer and copy
machines.
IV. Media
SPARC is to maintain a policy of fostering both freedom and responsibility
among student mediafreedom to pursue and to disseminate information
without prior clearance or restraint, and responsibility to do so without
engaging in libel, slander, undocumented allegations, attacks on personal
integrity, unwarranted invasions of privacy, or techniques of harassment and
innuendo. The following are guidelines for new and existing organizations:
A. The SPARC Executive may not dictate the content or schedule of any
independent media organization.
B. Funding will be distributed only if the media activity is intended for the
general campus community.
C. All organizations funded by SPARC are copyright of SPARC and cannot be
reproduced elsewhere without specific written consent from SPARC. This
copyright notice must appear on the publication as specified by law (Title 17,
US Code).

D. All publications must meet all local, state, and federal laws that are
applicable.
E. Media organizations funded by SPARC are not-for-profit. All advertising
obtained by media organizations must be used to defray costs.
F. SPARC assumes final responsibility for all student media. Any rights or
duties not outlined above that are required in order for SPARC to exercise this
responsibility shall be allotted to SPARC.
G. For radio, SPARC shall:
1. Provide for the monitoring of the station, its personnel, and
programming to assure that these are in compliance with all codes and
regulations (including licensing of the station and its personnel and all
reporting requirements) of the Federal Communications Commission.
V. Bylaw Interpretation and Amendment
A. A member of the College Staff, appointed by the College, will serve as an
advisor to the SPARC Executive. This advisor will also serve as arbiter in any
disputes that involve the interpretation of the SPARC Bylaws. The Chair and
Vice-Chair will meet regularly with the advisor and keep the advisor apprised
of all media activities.
B. Any accusations of financial mismanagement levied against the SPARC
Executive shall be directed to the advisor of the SPARC Executive. If the
advisor finds the complaint legitimate, the advisor shall meet with the SPARC
Executive and any injured parties to determine future recourse.
C. Any member of the student body or the SPARC Executive may propose an
amendment to the SPARC Constitution & Bylaws by submitting their petition
with 200 signatures. The amendment will be voted on at the next SPARC
election.