The editors and staffs of the Builder Lightstream, imploring the aid of the Almighty God, in order to form a body that shall uphold the highest standards and ethics of journalism, supports, maintains, and defends the rights and welfare of the students of San Alfonso High School and work toward a more active and truly independent campus press, do hereby ordain and promulgate this constitution and By laws.

 

The Builder Lighstream, being the official student organ of San Alfonso High School shall be a non-profit organization. As a campus paper, the editors and staff shall enjoy the freedom of the press. They shall express opinions and views regarding contemporary issues, free from repressive and restrictive regulations and directives from the school administration and other student organizations; however, with strict observance of press standards. Likewise, they shall adhere to truthful information with justification, combat development and write at all times with good motives.

 

Section 1: Name

                The name of the organization shall be Builder Lighstream. The letters BL shall stand for the name of the organization. The staff shall be referred to as BL’ians.

 

Section 2: SEAL

                The seal of the paper shall be a circle with a sun’s rays, a pen, and a torch. The sun’s rays symbolize enlightenment through press. The pen represents the primary function of the campus press to inform. The torch represents dynamic function of the paper in the school community as the school’s right arm in the information-communication services. The space forming the circle shall bear the inscriptions “The Builder Lighstream” at the upper and “San Alfonso High School” at the lower half. The inscriptions shall be separated by two stars.

  

 Section 3: DOMICILE

                The office of the Builder Lightstream shall be located at the school library.

 

Section 1: The primary purpose of the BL is to publish just, honest ad truthful information, expressions and educational attainment that promote the students’ welfare.

 

Section 2: The BL shall be the voice of the students. It shall serve as a bridge between the students and the administration.

 

Section 3: The BL shall serve as an educational avenue to campus writers in the field of print journalism.

Section 1: The BL shall be composed of the Editor in Chief (EIC), Associate Editor (AE), Circulation Manager (CM), Four Section Editors and Staff Writers. There shall be a regular cartoonist/photojournalist from the staff.

 

·         Section 1.1: The four section editors shall be the news editor, feature editor, sports editor, and the literary editor.

 

Section 2: There shall be an adviser duly designated or appointed by the school administration from among the faculty staffs of the school.

 

Section 3: The membership to the BL shall be open to all SAHS students provided they pass the qualifying exam and formal interview with the adviser.

·         Section 3.1: First to fourth year levels are allowed to take the qualifying examination.

·         Section 3.2: The adviser shall prepare the examination to be given to the incoming staff.

 

Section 4: The selection of the EIC shall be vested in all staffers and the adviser.

·         Section 4.1: The other positions shall be designated by the designated EIC. In case of objection, the EIC shall be given time to reconsider the suggestions of the staff.

·         Section 4.2: The BL shall strictly adhere to the writing competence and performance of the person as the basis for designation.

 

Section 5: All designated positions including that of the adviser shall be permanent during the whole school year without prejudice to the re-designation unless earlier revoked due to dereliction of duty.

·         Section 5.1: Such changes in position may be done provided it is approved by 2/3 majority of all the staffers and the adviser during a meeting called for the purpose.

 

 

Section 1: The Editor in Chief

·         Section 1.1: He/she shall be the chief executive who shall exercise power to administer and direct the staffers in their general functions.

·         Section 1.2: He/she shall edit articles submitted to his/her desk before they are forwarded to the adviser.

·         Section 1.3: He/she shall preside over meetings.

·         Section 1.4: He/she shall perform other duties his/her position may call for.

 

Section 2: Associate Editor

·         Section 2.1: He/she shall have direct supervision over the section editors and the staff writers.

·         Section 2.2: He/she shall edit articles submitted to him/her before it is given to the EIC.

·         Section 2.3: He/she shall perform other duties and functions as may be designated by the EIC.

 

Section 3: Circulation Manager

·         Section 3.1: He/She shall take charge of sending the papers to subscribers and related outlets of the issue.

·         Section 3.2: He/She shall encode article contributions received by the staff and forward it to the section editors concerned.

·         Section 3.3: He/She shall be responsible in making ties and links with other publications.

·         Section 3.4: He/She shall act as property custodian of the organization.

 

Section 4: News Editor

·         Section 4.1: He/She shall write news articles and submit them to the AE.

·         Section 4.2: He/She shall handle copy reading works on news articles submitted to him/her before it is forwarded to the AE.

·         Section 4.3: He/She shall directly supervise the staff writers.

·         Section 4.4: He/She shall perform other duties the EIC may direct.

 

Section 5: Feature Editor

·         Section 5.1: He/She shall write feature articles in English and submit it to the AE.

·         Section 5.2: He/She shall handle copy reading works on feature articles submitted to him/her before they are forwarded to the AE.

·         Section 5.3: He/She shall perform other duties as the EIC may direct.

 

Section 6: Sports Editor

·         Section 6.1: He/She shall write sports articles and submit them to the AE.

·         Section 6.2: He/She shall handle all copy reading works on sports articles submitted to him/her before it is forwarded to the AE.

·         Section 6.3: He/She shall perform other duties as the EIC may direct.

 

Section 7: Literary Editor

·         Section 7.1: He/She shall write literary articles like poems, short stories, essays, movie and book reviews, and puzzles and submit them to AE.

·         Section 7.2: He/She shall handle all copy reading works on all articles submitted to him/her before they are forwarded to the AE.

·         Section 7.3:  He/She shall perform other duties as the EIC may direct.

 

Section 8: Staff Writers

·         Section 8.1: The staff writers shall serve as the front liners in gathering facts for news articles. They shall write a minimum of three articles; 1 news article and the other 2 articles depending on what the section editors will assign them. They shall submit their articles to the section editors concerned.

·         Section 8.2: They shall perform other duties the BL and the other editors may direct.

 

Section 9: Cartoonist/Photojournalist

·         Section 9.1: He/She shall be responsible in drawing cartoons/ caricatures as may be needed for articles to be published.

·         Section 9.2: He/She shall be responsible in taking photographs of events, programs and news-worthy activities which may be needed for publication.

·         Section 9.3: He/She shall perform other duties as the EIC may direct.

 

Section 10: The Adviser

·         Section 10.1: He/She shall provide technical guidance and assistance in the various aspects of publishing and managing a campus publication.

·         Section 10.2: He/She shall extend editing services the EIC.

·         Section 10.3: He/She shall perform other duties pertinent to his/her positions.

 

 

Section 1: The staff and the adviser shall have regular and special meetings.

 

Section 2: Regular meetings shall be scheduled monthly by the by the EIC with due consideration to the scheduled of the whole staff.

 

Section 3: Special meeting shall be called by any staffer or the adviser if a meeting is necessary.

 

Section 4: The person who called for the special meeting shall present the agenda and preside over the meeting.

 

Section 5: In the absence of the EIC, the AE shall preside during regular meetings. In the absence of both, the adviser shall preside. Absence of the three means postponement of the meeting.

 

Section 6: No regular meeting shall push through without a quorum. One half of the number of the whole staff plus one shall constitute a quorum. Special meetings may push through even if there is no quorum.

 

 

Any staffer may be dismissed on the following ground:

 

Section 1: Two consecutive absences or five accumulated absences incurred in all meetings whether special or regular within the school year.

·         Section 1.2: Excused absences (as marked by the school prefect of discipline) shall not be counted in the accumulated absence.

 

Section 2: Grave violation of any of the provisions in the BL Constitution and By Laws shall be determined by the staff and dismissal shall take effect with 2/3 majority votes of the staff.

 

Section 3: Grave offenses shall include the following:

·         Section 3.1: Drinking liquor or under the influence of liquor while in the school campus. First offense shall warrant a warning and a promissory note. Second and last offence shall mean dismissal.

·         Section 3.2:  Any staffer who is a candidate for dismissal shall be given a written notice at least one week prior to the proposed date of action and be allowed to defend himself/herself if he/she desires during the meeting called for the purpose.

·         Section 3.3: Undue appearance shall mean confession of misconduct/misbehavior and any appropriate action may be done by the whole staff.

 

 

Section 1: All provisions embodied in the Constitution shall be a part of the By Laws.

 

Section 1: A staffer can write any article of his/her choice but should give priority to the functions of his/her position and submit these articles on or before the deadline set by the EIC.

 

Section 2: Editing process. All articles must be submitted first to the section editors then to the associate editor, to the editor in chief and finally to the adviser. However, articles written by the associate editor shall be submitted directly to the editor in chief. Likewise, articles written by the editor in chief shall go directly to the adviser for editing.

 

Section 3: All section editors shall be responsible in entering corrections in all encoded contributions submitted to them by the circulation manager. They shall follow-up the said articles to them by the circulation manager. They shall follow-up the said articles until they are marked “for press.”

 

Section 4: Any of the editors may write the editorial.

 

Section 5: The editor in chief, associate editor, circulation manager, news editor, feature editor, and sports editor shall be the regular columnists.

 

Section 6: Letters to the editor shall be published only upon the approval of the editor in chief.

·         Section 6.1: The editor in chief shall include a student’s point of view in entertaining the letter.

·         Section 6.2: Name of the author may be withheld from publication upon request.

·         Section 6.3: Anonymous letter shall not be entertained.

·         Section 6.4: Letters may be edited to conserve space.

 

Section 7: After printing, the circulation manager shall take charge of the circulation of the paper.

Section 8: English shall be the main language to use in writing. However, Filipino medium can be used in the literary pages of the paper.

 

Section 9: The Bl paper shall be published for at least once in a school year if in tabloid form, twice in a school year if it is in coupon bond size depending on the budget and upon the approval of the staff. Special issues may also be published on the approval of the staff.

 

Section 1: Every staffer shall have a duty at the BL office for at least an hour per week unless he/she is on official business concerning the BL.

 

Section 2: There shall be a general cleaning of the BL office when the need arises. All staffers shall strictly maintain cleanliness and the orderliness inside the office.

 

Section 3: The Computer

·         Section 3.1: Only the BL’ians are authorized to use the computer.

·         Section 3.2: All BL staffers are allowed to surf the internet related to their BL assignments or academic assignments. However, their BL assignments shall be the top priority.

·         Section 3.2: Encoding articles, communication letters of the BL regarding its transactions and minutes of the meetings shall be the top priority in the use of the BL computers. Internet related activity searching outside the BL business is allowed when time allows.

·         Section 3.2: The BL computers shall include the teacher’s unit #1, and all the units in the computer laboratory.

·         Section 3.3: After serving their purpose, all personal write-ups not related to BL activities and transactions must be deleted.

 

Section 4: Non staffers are limited to the office, it’s for visits only.

 

Section 5: Borrowing of any BL property shall strictly be in accordance with the policies set by the circulation manager.

 

 

Section 1: All BL’ians are required to wear their school ID properly within the campus premises.

 

Section 2: As a student journalist, every BL’ians should reveal his/her identity as a representative of the student press before obtaining any interview for publication.

 

Section 3: Every staffer must wear an identification card when performing duties.

·         Section 3.1: The ID must be properly validated by the signature of the editor in chief, adviser ad the school principal. The duration of the validation must be specified.

 

Section 4: BL’ians should strive continuously to be unbiased and accurate in his/her reports and should equip him/herself adequately with facts to support his/her published statements.

 

Section 5: BL’ians should respect all confidences regarding sources of information and private documents.

 

Section 6: No BL’ians should falsify information or documents or distort or misinterpret facts.

 

Section 7: Every staffer shall maintain an average grade of 80% or higher.

 

Section 8: Every staffer should not put the name of the Builder Lighstream in bad light.

·         Section 8.1: All BL’ians should keep top secrets of the BL and should observe the policy of no squealing if it is detrimental to the organization.

 

Section 9: All BL’ians shall attend meetings, must join the presswork and other related BL activities.

 

Section 1: All staffers shall undergo trainings in journalism to be conducted by the adviser or outside resource speakers.

 

Section 2: BL’ians shall undergo special trainings on the use of the computer and must be updated about the new trends.

 

Section 1: This constitution and By Laws shall serve as the guideline and policy of the BL and shall take effect and day after the ratification by 2/3 votes of the whole staff and the adviser during a meeting called for the purpose.

Section 1: Any staffer and the adviser can propose amendments in any provision of this Constitution and By-Laws provided it is in consonance with the objectives of the BL.

 

Section 2: Amendments shall take effect immediately upon approval with 2/3 majority votes of the whole staff and adviser during the meeting called for the purpose.