#BrocksNextGadfly. I'll be actively gadflying at Brock until mid-May. I'll be visiting other Ontario universities in the coming months to do some comparative research, and continuing a career as a writer and journalist.
I'll continue as the "Publisher" -- holding the domain, the server, and the social media of The BUG -- but I'd really like to someone to becoming the new Managing Editor to develop a staff of student, alum, and community gadflies. I can remotely provide support and help with the transition. Regardless of if there is a new editorial crew, the BUG will remain online for at least 18-24 months, for posterity and reference.
As for me, I was an asset -- no one has my knack for sniffing out stories, inter-media production, and being willing to piss people off -- but I was also a liability to its growth -- I've yelled at or embarrassed a few too many people over the years. My personality is mixed and I've failed to foster much support from key elements of the culture. Further, I'm not going to be in a position to become a legitimate student, ever. Even though I wanted to. I need to step out of my own way, move on to greener pastures, and make room for a coming generation.
I believe that The Brock University Gadfly can continue without me as its primary content producer. I can picture a new group of content producers taking up the mantle -- or at very least, pursuing the same mission under their own brand, that's good too. But The BUG, under new management, would be quite an interesting influence. Eventually the new team could run a referendum and then become funded and therefore sustainable as producers of critical intermedia journalism. It'll be up to you. Let's talk about it, though.
brockbug@gmail.com

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I thought the topic was whether or not the student media is delivering on its mandate, less so than whether or not I'm maximizing the value of the time I spend. If you don't find value in that work, I can accept that, especially considering how well supported the work has been from many people I've met and worked with in the past two years. If you're bored, that's ok, because others are interested in this discourse taking place through various theoretical lenses and the praxis of applied media. People have thanked me for my work, so I feel good about the time I spent. As for how I spend my personal time: My better things are that I'm a musician/rapper, artist/cartoonist, and employed as a graphic designer. My life is time very well wasted.
Soon, I'll be leaving Niagara region, to go and do more of those better things....And you're gonna miss me when I'm gone ;)

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You mistake being skeptical as being opinionated, instead as being intellectually honest. Skepticism is inherent to critical thinking, investigation, and rationality itself. Without journalistic skepticism, what is the premise of reporters to "keep them honest"? Should writers simply assume everything they hear from Brock administrators, BUSU execs, CUPE organizers, or student protesters is precisely as it is purported? Skepticism is not dissent yet it may be seen as if it were; it doesn't necessarily suggest the speaker is lying, but that their self-interest, socio-economic limitations or privileges, require sincere examination. Skepticism also applies to one's own biases. It is the rigor that bears out confirmation of facts, that tests the viability of policy proposals, or that undermines narratives are not rooted in reality.

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Any agent of public political discourse is subject to interrogation and skepticism is how we test their logic. Testing the logic of political agents -- anyone making statements which are intended to be considered by the public, moreso those in positions of power -- is the core purpose of any public-funded journalism. Whether or not there is properly-conceived journalism should not be dependent on the passions of those who have been hired on a year-by-year basis. It needs to be supported and guided by the editorial management. An absence of an editorial mechanism that supports authors to be critical, skeptical, and investigative, may be part of why what is published by student media at Brock is not as good as it could be. Certainly, the priorities of management are seen in the student media's output. I argue what we have seen has not been sufficient to adequately represent the public.

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Further, I believe media requires an editorial policy that consistently examines political ideas, not merely waiting for political agents to make the first move. There's no reason the student media should not be constantly examining issues. Follow the lead of political speakers, and challenge their ideas. Spend all year -- not just election season -- developing a knowledge base.

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While certain staff do bring students storylines that are hard hitting, challenging, and consistent within their year, the fact this could wane depending on who is hired next is a problem.

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This editorial effort of examining the political context of Brock must be positioned from a place of skepticism towards power, and a constant self-examination of biases. Writers may find themselves speaking as if they were direct extensions of the Brock University cultural experience, when they should be speaking as representatives of a "fourth estate" -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Estate

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Even if they do--and it may be happening in increment improvements--the BUG might continue as a "fifth estate". Then, instead of my effort to criticize, galvanize, or mobilize student media, both the gadfly tradition, and student media institution can challenge power that be.

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Presently, through ASK.FM I am receiving information -- or, at least, accusations -- through the ASK page that tends to target VPFA (and president-elect) Kyle Rose.

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One says, "Your article on Kyle seems to miss the point. Sure he isn't Yendt, he's worse. Yendt worked hard to imrpve BUSU, Kyle works hard to move forward is own agenda as a businessman." That wasn't a question but I can quote it here as the sentiment of -- uh -- someone? I also carried forward to BUSAC a question I received from here which prodded Rose to explain how Entrepreneurship Week fits within his portfolio.

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A few weeks later, I received this anonymous comment: "BUSU's Policy & Procedure Creation Policy states: It shall be the job of both the VPFA and the Executive Assistant to ensure that all policies are up to date on both the internal drive as well as on the website, and update the tracking chart to reflect the most recent change. Like does this: "Pepsi Betterment of Student Life Fund" even exist still? and what about the Food Bank, I don't think BUSU is the one running that anymore, shouldn't the policy for that be updated?
Why hasn't Kyle Rose as VPFA updated the BUSU Policies? Maybe he should spend more time in his office, than having lunches with Uni Admin"

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Uh, Maybe. Maybe you could write an an article, essay, or report, and send it in to brockbug@gmail.com. Maybe you should tell me your name so that I understand where this info is coming from. I am confidential. I appreciate tips but it'd be nice if I could actually follow up and interview with the complainant.

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As for the accusation itself, if BUSU policies are out of date, I'll have to figure out what specifically you're talking about. I believe the bylaws have recently been updated to address some shortcomings -- including the sections in the job descriptions that specify who is responsible for updating the policy documents. The Executive Assistant is a relatively new position job. Prior there was a Government Operations Manager. The VPFA job description was updated by updating the bylaw when the VPUA position was removed by constitutional amendment referendum. RILRC was created last year partially because there was no
Tracking chart for ancillary fee referendums, so in the last 18 months many strides have been made and they have been a group effort. Here's something new: http://www.busu.net/representation/elections-and-referendums/referendum-archives/

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All the funds are student dollars, not Brock's. Three out of three of them are primarily -- like, exclusively* -- funded by ancillary fees, which means a per-credit fee that adds up to not very-much but not-very-little money, especially when the three of them are added together. http://www.busu.net/about-us/financials/student-fees/#tab_breakdown

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BrockTV (BUSU Division 13)- $3.02 ($226,500)
Brock Radio (separate collective) $1.50 ($112,500 discontinued since May 2014)
Brock Press (separately incorporated) - $2.70 ($202,500)
-estimated based on 75,000 credits in a given year, based on recent numbers.

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*I'm not clear what proportion of the operating budget its fee provides to the Brock Press, but I'm guessing it's a fraction of what the student levee provides, but certainly enough that advertiser viability is also one of their considerations.

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Brock Radio's fee stayed stagnant at $1.50 since 1995 and certainly has been too cash-strapped for more staffers, certainly no one focused on news. Presently, Brock Radio is not receiving new funding and is eating into its reserved cash which should last this year and next year. After that, it's unclear how Brock Radio will be funded.

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For rhetorical purposes I do find it valuable add the tally of the three media orgs -- $541,500 -- to ask why a better engine of student news has not been fostered here. But my quest for accountability of student media has not been as a fiscal hawk; the money is not the problem. I think I outlined in the other post some thoughts on what might be limiting the student media including lacking skepticism, security, experience. However, the lack of support in human resources for real journalism is definitely a significant factor. Clearly the priorities of each of the students media are borne out in the products they produce. There's enough money to do something really well, and political news just isn't it.

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Although it seems to be getting better, its probably always going to be plagued by inconsistency given the nature of the workforce and talent pool. Nevertheless, a smart editorial policy would be putting a lot more attention and remediation, representation, and skeptical examination of policies. That way reporters wouldn't be sitting in council rooms trying to repeat what they heard and thinking that's what reporting is....

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With my experience as a journalism graduate, in the spare time I carve out of my life, and a lot of personal motivation, I've produced a lot of significant news media and editorial content -- for $0 of student money. So maybe the problem with the student media is that few people are willing to take pride -- and responsibility -- in their own power of initiative, insight, information and narrative. Perhaps the fact that I'm a non-student only underscores how what I'm doing is something more people--students--should be doing, and that is pretty much the point of doing this.

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Throwback image: http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzggt9msD81rpsbato1_500.jpg

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I've been too hard on The Brock Press, but it's only because I place a lot of responsibility on their agency as cultural creators, developers of democratic discourse, and educators of Brock civics. I hope that the future will bring new opportunities to develop a rapport instead of further antagonism with The Brock Press.
That said, in my view, it is not until student media -- and student governance, for that matter -- accomplishes its primary missions can be it acceptable to pursue any secondary objectives. With more than a half million dollars each year spent on student media at Brock University, it's not that I think the money is wasted (I don't want any of the student media de-funded, and I certainly do believe in the value of experiential learning through media) but, that it could go so much further at being influential and significant players.
What they lack is
- skepticism. Repeating is not reporting, stop being a stooge.
- teamwork. Need a news bureau to collaborate on stories.
- security. The culture has fostered a perception that political action may come against those who enable populist discourse .
- immediacy: this year's Brock Press election coverage was too little, too late.
- convergence media. interactive news media. It's 2015. Write blogs that embed video, soundcloud clips. And (gasp!) basic hyperlinks. Also, its been such a weak social media game.
- synergy .BTV, BP and CFBU should be friends with mutual retweets, etc. Why aren't they?
- resourec sharing. BTV, BP, and CFBU share a constituency, yet not resources, staff, equipment.
The problem with student media at Brock has a lot more to do with human resource prioritization than it does with a lack of good intentions. A lack of life experience and a desire to simple please people might provide for the feckless, un-skeptical nature of student media at Brock University. Well-written regurgitation or straight-up cowtowing to the powers that be with feckless parroting. Repeating is not really reporting, and if it is, that's simply not enough to satisfy the Gadfly, nor its mandate and responsibility.
In this world of public-funded corporate-student government, we need public funded student media with a mandate to hold accountable the powers that be. This requires greater investment in human resources in student media to be devoted to actual journalism: test the logic of the policies, test the veracity of the claims, remind the public of the larger context,compare the give policies to other ideas that have not been examined, etc, etc..
I've been talking about this for four years at Brock, so I'll leave it there, for now.

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(10 days ago) My life is well under way. https://www.facebook.com/sligbook

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The BUG is an aspect of it. Too bad many people in BUSU actually encourage me to keep going, and thank me. And they wish students were doing what I'm doing. So, you're welcome.

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Also, I should note I've met some of the best people in my life BECAUSE I'm doing this. You probably resent that I'm getting all this networking level-ups for none of the tuition.

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I would ask that you take your concerns to the people who inspired me. Namely, that Brock Press, BrockTV, and Brock Radio be encouraged and made by engaged invovlment to hold their students union to account. THEY AREN'T DOING IT. So, you're welcome. I argued why a non student is the best student advocate here http://www.brockbug.com/council-and-the-gadfly-analysis-of-questions-part-1-of-3/
"Not a student? I say, once a student, always a student. How so? I have experience both in the life and dealing with the burden of taking responsibility for it. I’ve been a student “proper” for five years of my life, and involved in campus activities and campus politics for maybe a decade. I was a very involved student at Niagara College. Wait wait, is this about elitism? I don’t pay the fee so I don’t get to have fun on all the rides? Get real. I’m just as Ontarian as you are — where does most of the operating money for this institution come from, after all? — and this is my future too. My OSAP debt is real. My student experience is real, too. I have a valuable voice and those who hear it send me accolades. And they poo-poo anyone who tries to shut me down.

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And, more significantly, even if not, you don’t have to be gay to fight for gay rights. You don’t have to be black to fight for equality. And you don’t have to be a student to fight for empowering students. Knowledge is power. And I’m redistributing the wealth."

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