AMENDED September 2006
REVISED January 2009
REVISED March 2010

PURPOSE

Student Media employees and volunteers are students first and employees of the Student Media second. However, by virtue of their employment within the Student Media, some individuals are entitled to compensation for the work performed. A salary should never be the primary motivator for obtaining valuable experience within a vibrant group of student organizations. However, when entitled to compensation for work performed in accordance with their job description, students must take responsibility for following University guidelines and state and federal labor laws. While every effort will be made to ensure that payroll is processed in a timely fashion, students are individually responsible for turning in necessary paperwork to get paid completely and on time.

POLICY

• The compensation an individual receives is based on the individual’s compensation level as determined by the approval of the annual budget by the Student Media Board of Directors. All students must keep a record of the amount of time spent working for the publication to turn in with payroll.
• SENIOR LEADERS:
  • Technician‘s editor may be paid up to $650 per month as long as he or she meets the following requirements in addition to requirements documented in University Regulation 11.55.6 and the Student Media policy on Academic Progress.
    • 35 or more hours per week involved in the Technician with at least 10 of those documented during regular business hours
    • no other outside employment, paid, part-time or volunteer
    • all requirements posted as part of the job description
  • Other executive editors/managers or others with significant administrative responsibilities may be paid up to $525 per month as long as they meet the following requirements. This level includes senior editors/managers of media other than the Technician and the managing editor and section editors of the Technician.
    • 20 or more hours per week involved in the media with approximately half of that being during regular business hours
    • no other paid, part-time job that exceeds 20 hours per week
    • all requirements posted as part of the job description
• MID-MANAGEMENT: Students with significant administrative responsibilities as posted as part of their job description who do not meet all Senior Leader requirements may be compensated up to $300 per month. This includes any assistant section editors for the Technician and non-senior editors/manager of other media.
• ENTRY LEVEL: All other Student Media employees shall be compensated at a rate determined by the Board as part of the regular budget process. This includes reporters, copy editors, designers, disc jockeys, ad sales representatives and photographers.
• GUIDELINES:
  • All students are volunteers and not entitled to compensation until they complete the necessary payroll paperwork in accordance with University policy.
  • All salaries are decided upon by the student medium’s editor or manager in conjunction with University policies, applicable laws and the budget approved by the Board.
  • No overtime will be awarded except in the form of incentive bonuses approved by the Board as part of the regular budget process.
  • Senior Leaders may hold no other paid position within the Student Media. Mid-Management student employees may hold only one position at a time within one medium.
  • Students shall be considered uncompensated volunteers until such time as they complete all necessary paperwork for employment.
• PAYROLL:
  • It is the responsibility of the editor or general manager to determine the criteria for payment of each employee and to ensure that the specific criteria is explained to each employee in writing when they are hired. The criteria should spell out how much a person is paid and how (per hour, per week, per month, per shift, per item published, per assignment, etc.).
  • Regardless of whether or not they are paid by the project, by the hour or monthly, all students must complete a time sheet.
  • For all student employees, time sheets (CLICK HERE) must reflect hours and days worked. For students paid by the project, the time sheet must reflect the specific project by title, headline or in some other manner that the nature of the project is obvious.
  • Anyone except the individuals appointed directly by the Board will have their time sheets signed and approved by the appropriate editor/manager to ensure that each medium stays within budget for payroll. The media adviser will sign the time sheet of individuals who are appointed directly by the Board and therefore have their salaries set by the Board to ensure they are completed accurately. Pay sheets will not be processed without the proper authorization.
  • Time sheets should be completed within the same pay period as the work. It is to the employee’s benefit to turn time sheets in a timely fashion. Individuals who do not complete time sheets within the pay period shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination with the following guidelines.
    • Late time sheets, first offense: An individual submitting a time sheet late but within the a month following the due date will receive a written warning after a meeting with that medium’s senior student leader to review the policy and procedure. This individual must document, in writing, that they are aware of their job requirements including the appropriate and timely completion of payroll.
    • Time sheets more than one month late, subsequent offenses: An individual submitting a time sheet more than one month late or committing a second offense of being late at all shall receive a written warning after a meeting with the most senior editor and the media adviser. All such instances will be documented in writing to the NCSU Student Media Board of Directors as part of the regular Board report.
    • Time sheets more than two months late, more than two offenses: Any individuals submitting time sheets more than two months late or committing a third offense of being late at all shall be put on suspension for at least two weeks during which time they may not receive any compensation from the Student Media for work performed. During that time, they will review the payroll process and procedure with the appropriate personnel. All such instances will be documented in writing to the NCSU Student Media Board of Directors as part of the regular Board report.
    • Time sheets more than five months late: Any individuals submitting time sheets more than a five months late shall be suspended until the NCSU Student Media Board of Directors can review the time sheets and determine the appropriate action to take.