Web Policy

The Advocate Web Policy

I. Introduction

The Advocate Online is an extension of Albuquerque Academy’s The Advocate, publishing print and web-exclusive content on a public website. Originally created in the early 2000s, but relaunched in 2014, The Advocate Online looks to uphold the National Society of Professional Journalists’s Code of Ethics in its reporting and to maintain the same quality of content as in its print edition. Questions and comments can be directed here.

Web Editor: Caroline Bay ’15
Editor-in-Chief: Eliza Ennis ’15
Faculty Adviser: Melanie Peterson

II. Editorial policy
Both The Advocate’s print and web editions operate as a public forum for student expression and enjoy press rights that conform to the standard of the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District. This means that student editors and the faculty adviser alone determine The Advocate’s editorial policy; editorial control of the paper is completely in the hands of the student editors and faculty adviser.

Because neither the print nor web edition of The Advocate is submitted for prior review and each remains a public forum for student expressions, The Advocate holds steadfastly to editorial policies that uphold the principles of sound, professional journalism. All content undergoes a rigorous editing process and is carefully read by at least two faculty advisers, the editor(s)-in-chief, and at least one other editor. Opinions expressed are those of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the school, administration, parents, student body, or advertisers.

a. Ethical Standards Review
Each year, the editor-in-chief, web editor, and/or faculty adviser(s) will review the Society of Professional Journalists’s Code of Ethics with The Advocate staff and editorial board. Journalistic and editorial conduct will be taught and discussed to maintain proper journalistic behavior. Topics annually addressed include, but are not limited to: student and faculty privacy protection, the importance of accurate information, and the four statutes of the Code of Ethics.

III. Privacy Policy
Every year, the Communications Office compiles an opt-out list to determine which students may appear in online Academy publications. Students placed on the opt-out list will not have their names or pictures posted on either the Academy website or The Advocate Online website. By not placing their students on the list, parents are consenting to having their child on The Advocate Online website at any time throughout the academic year and will not be asked for permission thereafter.

Both The Advocate Online website and The Advocate are excellent opportunities to acknowledge students’ accomplishments when they might not otherwise be recognized and keep the community up to date about happenings at the Academy. Articles posted on the website are edited extensively and subject to sound editorial policies to ensure that students, faculty, staff, and community members are accurately represented.

IV. Website Content
All content uploaded on The Advocate Online website will be held to the same standards of journalism and reporting ethics as the print edition, as stated in the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists. All content uploaded to the web, including material already appearing in the print edition, will be edited and approved by the editor(s)-in-chief, the advisers, and the web editor. Other editors may contribute to the editing process. Web-exclusive content such as videos, photo galleries, blogs, features, news articles, and newsbriefs may be uploaded any time within the production cycle when stories arise.

a. Print versions
Exact replications* of The Advocate’s print issues may be found at issuu.com/aadvocate. Print issues are available from Volume 41 (2013-2014), Issue 1. Additionally, articles from the print edition may be reproduced on the website with or without added content. All articles originally published in the print edition and reproduced on the website will have a disclaimer saying so.
*Students on the opt-out list will not be featured (see III. Privacy Policy).

b. Corrections
An easily identifiable link to contact info for the web editor, editor-in-chief, and faculty adviser will be placed on each page of the website so that if any student, parent, teacher, faculty member, or community member finds fault with the website, it can be brought to the attention of the web editor, editor-in-chief, and faculty adviser. If any factual errors are found on the web or in the print edition, they will be immediately corrected or removed from the website with an accompanying note of correction. Similarly, if any stories are deemed to be not in compliance with the Code of Ethics, especially as it applies to the privacy of individuals, they may be removed from the website. If content is harmful to community members, the Head of School or the Communications Office may request to discuss it with the web editor, editor-in-chief, and faculty adviser. Such stories may not be restored to the web until they have been suitably modified and reviewed by the web editor, editor-in-chief, and faculty adviser.

V. Comments
The Advocate Online does not allow anonymous comments. To comment, readers must leave their full name and email (never published publicly). The web editor, editor-in-chief, and/or faculty adviser will review all comments before making them publicly visible. The Advocate Online reserves the right to remove any inappropriate or profane comments. Letters to the writer or to the editor may be submitted through the appropriate email addresses.

a. Identification
Commenters are expected to use their real identity when commenting. Any suspicious commenters are subject to an email from The Advocate checking identity before having their comment made publicly visible.

VI. Social Media
The Advocate maintains the following accounts:
Facebook
Twitter
Issuu

Similar to The Advocate print edition and The Advocate Online website, as extensions of The Advocate, social media accounts are maintained solely by the appropriate and qualified Advocate editors. Social media content is managed solely by student editors and the faculty adviser. Opinions expressed in posts are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the position of the school, administration, parents, student body, or advertisers. Visible links to The Advocate’s social media accounts will be displayed on every web page.

VII. Advertisements
The Advocate Online reserves the right to select advertisements based on their content and/or size to maintain site appropriateness. All advertisement inquiries may be directed to our Business Manager, Carrie Hicks ’15 at [email protected].

VIII. Annual Review
Every year, the editor-in-chief, web editor, and at least one faculty adviser will meet with the Head of School to review the web policy. At this time, any updates, revisions, or other modifications can be made to the policy. All policy changes must be approved by the editor-in-chief, web editor, faculty adviser, and Head of School. If any modifications to the policy occur outside of this annual meeting, the editor-in-chief, web editor, faculty adviser, and Head of School must approve the changes. A special meeting may be called to discuss these changes if necessary.

original date of approval: Sept. 10, 2014

last updated: Sept. 10, 2014