Articles of Agreement for The Gadfly
Preamble
The Gadfly is an independent, democratic, student-driven satirical newspaper that needs no introduction. In order to protect the foundations of this newspaper, all members are bound by the following rules, subject to change at regular intervals (See section V for more details).
I. Rights as a Member
As a member of The Gadfly, you are entitled to certain rights. You additionally are expected to honour all other members' rights. You have the right to anonymity; The Steering Committee does not (See section III. for expansion on the steering committee). You have the right to leave The Gadfly at any point with no consequences. You have the right to speak your mind, while understanding that certain things may be moderated by The Steering Committee or by consensus to protect the newspaper and its members.
II. Staying Indie
Staying independent is an important part of The Gadfly, but it needs to be done in a way that protects the members of The Gadfly from punishment. The Gadfly will have a teacher adviser; this differs from a sponsor. A teacher adviser will review the final copy of an issue before we release it. They will point out risks and issues. Their advice is non-binding, though it will be heavily considered.
III. Steering Committee
Although The Gadfly is consensus-driven, there will be a two-layered participation system. The upper layer (known as the 'Steering Committee') will draft the rules for everyone to vote on at the time of review, and make quick time-sensitive decisions. The other tier will still have autonomy over most matters. Unanimity can override any decisions that the Steering Committee makes, and the Steering Committee will discuss every decision they make with everyone. When the Steering Committee dies, leaves, or otherwise moves on, they are expected to provide a written 'last will' that describes their plans for The Gadfly until a new Steering Committee is created.
IV. Distribution
IIn the spirit of our anti-establishment ideologies, our distribution style is highly decentralised. Every member who is able to print is encouraged to print several copies of The Gadfly. We will also distribute copies of The Gadfly digitally through email, QR codes, the website, etc.
V. Voting
Every two publications, or whenever a problem arises, the rules (The OAoAfTG) will be re-evaluated by The Steering Committee and voted on by the group as a whole. New rules, changes, and members will not go forwards without at least 70% (or the next closest number, relative to group size) in favour, though we will strive for unanimity. The current member cap is six people.