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Handling student media and the law: a Handling student media and the law: a primer for community college primer for community college

administrators and faculty.administrators and faculty.

Mercer County Community College- PresentationMercer County Community College- PresentationProf. Holly JohnsonProf. Holly Johnson

©2012©2012

Should I talk to student reporters?

What prevents people from talking to reporters?

What about the law? Could I be breaking the law?

What is OPRA?

What about FERPA?The Federal Education Records Privacy Act*

protects individual student records.

*Information on this slide comes from text by Frank LoMonte, Executive Director of the Student Press Law Center as presented in Sept/Oct 2009 article “FERPA Foibles” by Michelle Rydell in Quill the magazine of the Society of Professional Journalists.

What can I do to support students but protect myself?

When do I complain to the college media adviser about an error in the student newspaper?

You may call the media adviser any time you wish to discuss the operating procedures of the college newspaper. You may also review The College VOICE policy manual for answers to specific questions. However:

The media adviser does not control the content of the newspaper. She is not an editor. Unlike the role a private college adviser or a high school adviser might have, a public college adviser has no authority to govern what students publish.

If an error has been made or you wish to comment on or submit a letter regarding an article that has run, the person to contact is the student Editor in Chief, who has final say over all content decisions.