Editor’s Note: This story analyzes the absence of the Student Media adviser on the WSU Vancouver campus. Student Media consists of three organizations, including The VanCougar, Koug Radio and the Salmon Creek Journal. Although The VanCougar is impacted by the absence of a Student Media adviser, this story does not reflect the opinions of The VanCougar, only the sources cited in the story.
On Nov. 25, 2019, Raul Moreno, former Student Media adviser, submitted his resignation letter to WSU Vancouver. Four months later, there is still no one officially fulfilling the role of Student Media adviser.
In his resignation letter, Moreno outlined areas the university did well in supporting Student Media members, but also various ways it could improve. In his letter, Moreno’s main concern was the lack of time, and therefore dedication from the university, that was available for the Student Media adviser and related Student Media organizations, since it is a part-time job.
Moreno explained that along with focusing on teaching at Clark College, his intention with resigning was to send, “a friendly message to the Student Media Board and the university about the need for a full time adviser.” He explained the program at WSU Vancouver is growing and the tasks of the advising role were outpacing the time available.
He said in order to present a learning environment aligned with the mission of student affairs and the values of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, a professional adviser with experience in journalism, literary arts and broadcasting with the ability to be fully present is needed.
Moreno explained that a time like now, more than ever, is an example of why a full time adviser is needed. He cited a letter published by the Student Press Law Center which explained the importance of student media during COVID-19.
“In this COVID-19 environment, student media is providing an essential service to the campus community and the surrounding community,” Moreno said. He explained that during an ongoing crisis there is an even larger pressure on members of student media to get accurate information about the virus to the community.
After Moreno resigned, Nikki Hinshaw, assistant director of student involvement, who held the adviser role prior to Moreno’s hire, has been serving as interim Student Media adviser.
Alex Duffield, a senior humanities major, worked as a reporter for The VanCougar for a year, was twice Editor-in-chief of the Salmon Creek Journal and host of a radio show on Koug Radio, experiencing his fair share of Student Media involvement. He said that having Hinshaw, who already fulfills another full-time position on campus, as the Student Media adviser, raises several concerns, including conflicts of interest, time allotment and skillset.
“She serves some of the same roles Raul served, but for different parts of the student body. She’s an asset to us, but you have to have the conversation as well, ‘if she’s advising student government, should she even be advising student media?’ That’s a conflict of interest, you almost need that separation,” Duffield said.
He further explained that in many ways, like how Moreno was with Student Media, Hinshaw is the “glue” for a lot of different organizations, like recreation and student government.
Duffield said he felt it was a lot to ask of one person to try and perform the task of two roles. “It has nothing to do with Nikki, it has to do with the skillset and time required to mentor even one organization,” Duffield said.
Along with all of these roles, Hinshaw also resides on the Student Media Board along with Brenda Alling, director of marketing and communications, Duffield explained.
“The Student Media Board is a privilege to have, but the way I would describe it, we can stay afloat, any of the organizations or the board itself with their help, but Raul served such a bigger purpose in finding training about journalism, editing, art journal standards and we’re just not going to get that from anyone else,” Duffield said.
Duffield explained Moreno had experience in many forms of media as a journalist, studying literary arts and broadcast. Duffield said that he believes the Student Media adviser role should be a full-time role, like Moreno had advocated for.
The Salmon Creek Journal’s Editor-in-Chief Randal Houle, believes Hinshaw has done a great job being a resource for Student Media members in the absence of a designated Student Media adviser. “I think Nikki’s been great, she’s been really helpful and she’s been a rock in this while trying to move forward,” Houle said.
Houle explained that the search for a new Student Media adviser could take time and that was something he understood. “It gave me and some of the editors a chance to reexamine what we’re doing and what is important,” Houle said.
Whether there is an adviser with a hands-on or hands-off approach, it still remains that these are student run organizations and the responsibility to produce their content is their own, according to Houle. “When Raul submitted his resignation letter, you know, I was like, ‘well that’s too bad,’ but on the other hand, I still had an organization to run. The day we started the spring semester, the Salmon Creek Journal had 90 days to finish a product to hand to students,” Houle said.
While all three organizations are considered Student Media, all of them are organized through the Office of Student Involvement and receive funds through the Student and Activities Committee. Hinshaw, assistant director of student involvement, is the person that reviews these funding requests with each organization and forwards them onto the S&A Committee, where each organization receives their funding.
“I think the difference between what my role is and when we have an adviser, they are much more of a technical aspect,” Hinshaw said. “I do not have a journalism background, I don’t do poetry or photography, other than what’s on my cell phone of course.”
She explained what she can do is walk each organization through the “business operations, side of things,” Hinshaw said. “Things like budget, hiring, staffing, event planning and organizational purchase requests.”
The Student Media Chair and Vice Chair proposed the Student Media adviser role be broken up into two separate roles, according to Hinshaw. “One would be advising The VanCougar newsmagazine and then the other one would be advising Koug Radio and the Salmon Creek Journal,” Hinshaw said.
She explained that these new Student Media adviser positions would go into next year’s budget, which does not begin until July 1. Hinshaw also said that this plan and all WSU Vancouver hiring is currently on freeze due to COVID-19. WSU Vancouver still expects to fill both roles before the start of the fall semester, according to Hinshaw.
Correction: A previous version of this article noted that Hinshaw received and approved funding requests for Student Media organizations. It has been corrected to reflect the correct process: Hinshaw, as a member of the Student Media Board and interim Student Media adviser, reviews funding requests with each Student Media organization and forwards official funding requests to the Student Activities Committee, which reviews and approves official funding.
Brody Voge is a junior at WSU Vancouver studying strategic communications.