Students, alumni, faculty, staff, external experts volunteer for Task Force on Editorial Independence and Sustainability
A team of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and external experts will comprise The Media School’s Task Force on Editorial Independence and Sustainability, charged with developing recommendations on the intersection of editorial and business operations as IU’s student media organizations progress toward financial sustainability.
The task force will examine the structures, principles, and practices that will best ensure IU student media — including the Indiana Daily Student, IU Student Television, WIUX, and future outlets — remain editorially independent and achieve financial sustainability. The group, working independently, will make forward-looking recommendations to safeguard the long-term sustainability, educational mission, journalistic integrity, and credibility of student media at Indiana University.
“I want to thank our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other friends of the school for the many hours of conversation and ideas you’ve brought forward in support of guaranteeing the editorial independence of IU student media while progressing toward a sustainable financial model for these organizations,” said Media School Dean David Tolchinsky. “The message is clear: Our community greatly values student media and wants to see it flourish. As do I.”
The task force members are:
- Elaine Monaghan, IU professor of practice of journalism; co-chair
- Raju Narisetti, MA’91, partner and global leader, McKinsey Publishing; Dean’s Council for Student Media member; co-chair
- Mike Arnold, IU executive director of integrated public media and interim director of student media
- Beth Cate, IU clinical associate professor of law and public affairs
- Joseph Coleman, IU professor of practice of journalism
- Anthony Fargo, IU associate professor of journalism
- Thomas French, IU Riley Endowed Chair in Journalism, professor of practice
- Johnathan Gustin, student, WIUX station manager
- Michael J. Hayes, BA’88, president of Hearst Television; Dean’s Council for Student Media member
- Brendan Healey, partner, media law firm Baron Harris Healey
- Katie Higgins, IU Media School assistant dean of finance
- Mia Hilkowitz, student, Indiana Daily Student co-editor-in-chief
- Gerould Kern, BA’71, former senior vice president and editor, Chicago Tribune; Dean’s Council for Student Media member
- Kristen Desmond Lefevre, BAJ’97, editor-in-chief of Jupiter Magazine and Stuart Magazine; Media School Alumni Board member
- Katie Mettler, BAJ’14, reporter, The Washington Post
- Andrew Miller, student, Indiana Daily Student co-editor-in-chief
- Laynie Pitts, student, IU Student Television executive director/producer
- Curt Simic, IU Foundation president emeritus
- Ruth Witmer, editorial advisor, Indiana Daily Student
The task force will consult additional experts and stakeholders to build its recommendations, which it will deliver to Tolchinsky in spring semester.