CSMA Adviser Update

In June of 2018, Jack Kennedy informed the Colorado Student Media Association Board that he will be retiring from the CSMA executive director position in the summer of 2020.

Jack began his tenure on July 1, 2010, and has decided that it is time for a change. He is not in bad health nor is he lacking in support for CSMA and its programs. He feels that ten years in the position plus reaching (he hopes) age 70 combine to make this the "right time."

Since Jack announced his retirement, the CSMA Board has been exploring a variety of options for how our organization will be run after Jack Kennedy’s retirement. This will include opening up at Request For Proposal (RFP) process to all of Colorado’s universities, beginning a nation-wide search for a new executive director, and planning for how the organization will be run if either the RFP or executive director search are unsuccessful.

With all of this in mind, the board has passed the motion to move the 2019 Board Elections to the fall, after J-Day. Our rationale behind this change is that in the fall we will have a clearer picture of what the future of CSMA will look like. This will also allow for the board to change and update responsibilities of board members before the new members join the board so that people know what the position they are running for will entail.

We are at the beginning of some major changes for CSMA and the Board is excited and hopeful as we work to pursue the options for our organization.

Finally, we would like to extend an invitation to all of our members to attend our Summer Board Meeting on Monday, June 2, at Rock Canyon HS in Highlands Ranch. We will place discussion on possible changes, RFPs, and more at the beginning of the meeting, which is 9 a.m.

The Journalism Education Association has developed a free online training designed to serve as a guide to the experience of judging student media for contests or critiques. The course, “Critique training: You be the judge,” provides an opportunity for new and experienced judges to gain professional development and earn a badge as a certified judge.

Participants will be able to identify the benefits of student media critiques, understand the role of a guidebook or published evaluation criteria, identify strategies for providing specific, meaningful feedback and recognize circumstances under which a publication may require special considerations.

The online course takes approximately two hours to complete. Participants who earn the critique training badge are listed in a national directory of certified judges, a new JEA resource available to help scholastic press association leaders reach qualified judges for the evaluations and contests they coordinate at the state, regional or national level.

The training is based on strategies and techniques applicable to evaluators working with teachers, students and contest coordinators at any level regardless of organization or publication and contest type. The final segment of training includes media-specific videos to provide examples and concepts for broadcast, yearbook, newspaper/newsmagazine and web.

Background on the project’s history and instructions for how to enroll in the online training are available here.

Many schools prefer to wrap up their year in late May by taking care of necessary "business" in one fell swoop, so to speak.

Why not renew your CSMA membership (and your JEA membership, if you inclined) before the carefree days of summer? You can take care of this using our online membership form and pay by credit card or request an invoice.

While you are wrapping up a great year, why not also prep entries for your CSMA critique (June 4 postmark deadline), as well as consider completing your memberships in NSPA and CSPA (again, if you are so inclined)? We know many advisers who like to get a variety of critiques, since each one is basically one judge's opinion.

Of course, your CSMA critique is at no extra cost -- it's part of your annual membership, so that should be a no-brainer.

Ever asked by another adviser WHY the media you advise join CSMA? Here is a handout to share that lists dozens of reasons to become part of one of the nation's premier student media associations. Might be a nice handout for parents, administrators, other educators...