Jan. 27, 2015
As you take on the important and arduous task of finding a new home for your organization, our board of directors and headquarters staff wanted to take this opportunity to clarify our stance and our intentions.
As our trusted national convention partner since 1954, we continue to hold out hope there will be opportunities to continue equitable partnerships between ACP and CMA.
When CMA decided in October 2013 to end its ACP partnership, effective after this fall’s Austin, Texas, convention, we were each deeply saddened. We were sincere in our efforts to work through points of contention, and we were disappointed that CMA chose to go it alone.
In our mission to serve student news and media organizations, ACP remains dedicated to continuing and strengthening our services. Our programming includes the fall National College Journalism Media Convention, Oct. 20-23, 2016, in Washington, D.C., as well as our annual National College Journalism Convention, in late February and early March. We have no desire to be exclusive and instead continue to invite CMA and other organizations committed to collegiate journalism to join us in these endeavors.
ACP is not submitting a bid to house CMA’s national headquarters. After our review of CMA’s financial position and contractual commitments, our board of directors could not support the financial obligation such a move would require. Instead, we hope not bidding signals our goal of continuing an equitable partnership and collaboration with CMA, an organization that ACP helped launch 61 years ago.
Our negotiation points remain consistent. Our association recognizes the importance of our fall-convention partnership. So do a number of collegiate advisers who contribute to that convention.
As equal partners, the two associations should share an even split of net convention revenue. As associations equally committed to serving collegiate media, neither association should adopt membership or awards structures to the detriment of the other.
Again, we are steadfast in our support for collegiate media. We want what is best for our students and for our advisers. Our headquarters staff and board of directors are dedicated to furthering our mission through collaboration, cooperation and good will.
As has been noted in a conversation with our executive director and the CMA president, if it makes sense for a delegation to keep the conversation going in person at either our upcoming National College Journalism Convention in Los Angeles (Feb. 26 to March 1) or at CMA’s spring convention in New York, we would be more than pleased to take part.
We wish CMA well as it seeks a new headquarters and executive director, and we continue a pledge to work with CMA toward an equitable partnership, one that will best serve all of our college media friends.
Best regards,The Board of Directors, Associated Collegiate Press (National Scholastic Press Association)