Student Advisory Board

Student Advisory Board

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All student publications at the Colorado School of Mines are under the guidance of the Board of Student Publications. This Board consists of appointed faculty members, representatives from the Associated Students of the Colorado School of Mines (ASCSM), and leaders from each publication. As each student publication is a recognized as independent of censorship, the Board holds no direct, pre-approval process over content. Rather, it is responsible for advising publications and, when appropriate, recommending punitive action to ASCSM over illegal content.

For independent media organizations, illegal content can be defined by one of three definitions: libel, slander, or obscenity. Libel is defined as, ”a published false statement that is damaging to a person’s reputation.” If the inpidual supposedly libeled is a public figure, however, the burden of proof becomes ”actual malice,” as defined in New York Times v. Sullivan. Slander is, essentially, a spoken form of libel.

Obscenity, ironically, does not fall under the standard, societal definition. According to the Supreme Court’s ”Miller” test, content deemed obscene must pass all three of the following tests. First, the content must must appeal to prurient interests. Second, the average person, would interpret the content, when taken at face value, to be patently offensive. Lastly, the content must have no redeeming literary, scientific, artistic, or political value. If content passes all three of these litmus tests, it is defined as ”obscene.”

If individuals feel that any student publication has violated one of these standards, they are encouraged to notify the Board of Student Publications. Communications to the Board may be directed through the Office of Student Activities at (303) 273-3234.