The WASU FM Student Media Adviser and Director will advise, educate, and oversee students in all aspects of running WASU FM, an FCC-licensed, non-commercial, student-run university radio station serving both the campus and the community as a full-time, in-person staff member in the Department of Communication within the College of Fine and Applied Arts.
The range of responsibilities includes, but is not limited to:
Mentoring and Leadership
- Promote and oversee effective student media leadership and media production through active and engaged mentoring and professionally informed advising in all aspects of a university radio station including (but not limited to) on-air performance, programming, news, production, marketing, underwriting, management, and FCC compliance.
- Define and maintain student performance expectations through ongoing feedback, coaching, and accountability measures, including oversight of student leaders’ training, scheduling, and management of student staff and volunteers.
- Oversee and maintain an inclusive, creative, and professional organizational culture that supports and extends classroom instruction and fosters student growth both as career preparation and in service to the campus and community.
Collaboration and Consultation
- Initiate and maintain collaborative and consultative relationships with Department of Communication faculty and other student media advisers in the identification and pursuit of student mentorship goals.
- Partner with the department chair, student media advisers, and Student Media Board to ensure professional, ethical, supportive, inclusive, and legal standards and practices.
- Collaborate with the department chair, student media advisers, and Student Media Board in maintaining the operations handbook, revising student staffing structures, and updating programming formats.
Training and Outreach
- Teach up to one section per semester of WASU FM’s orientation and training course for student staff and volunteers and administer student media “activity” credits earned.
- Develop and maintain training materials, programs, and events as well as regional and campus recruitment programs and events, including planning, hosting, administering, and promoting the summer Kellar Radio Talent Institute.
Budgeting and Revenue
- Oversee and manage multiple related budgets including student salary and equipment.
- Maintain financial sustainability through fundraising, development, grant writing, underwriting, and paid-services in collaboration with relevant institutional partners and through outreach to the broader community.
Administration
- Perform administrative functions including processing paperwork (payroll, travel, etc.), maintaining student and staff records, responding to partner inquiries, and contributing to an efficient office environment.
- Meet all FCC licensing obligations and requirements in consultation with the Office of General Counsel and the broadcast engineer, including maintaining the WASU-FM Public Inspection File.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws, and relevant University policies.
Professional Development
- Participate in regional and national collegiate student media educational organizations, including submitting student work to relevant competitions.
- Understand and apply recent developments in non-commercial radio, including on-air programming formats, station memberships and associations, streaming services and streaming regulations, current radio software, and other emerging practices.
About WASU:90.5 WASU FM “The App” is an award-winning terrestrial and streaming college radio station housed in the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The student-run station is operated out of state-of-the-art studios inside the Beasley Media Broadcasting Complex. WASU-FM recently celebrated its 50th year on the air and is regarded as one of the top college radio stations in the U.S.