Cursor is a public medium within Eindhoven University of Technology that covers all issues of specific importance or specific interest to Eindhoven University of Technology and/or the members of the university community (students and employees).

The body formally responsible as the publisher of Cursor is the Executive Board of Eindhoven University of Technology. Operational responsibility for publishing Cursor has been mandated by the Executive Board to the director of the Communication Expertise Center, who acts on behalf of the Executive Board as the operational publisher.

The general editor is an employee of the Communication Expertise Center who has been appointed to hold primary responsibility for Cursor's editorial production and realization.

Employees of the Communication Expertise Center who have been appointed to work as journalists on Cursor.

Agreements to be annually renewed between the publisher and editor-in-chief concerning:

• the annual budget for Cursor to be made available by the publisher;
• Cursor's editorial formula;
• the advertising policy and the advertising rates.

The binding framework for setting up and carrying out Cursor's editorial production throughout any given year or volume.

An advisory body set up by the Executive Board for the publisher and editor-in-chief.

2.1 The purpose of Cursor is to contribute to:

• properly informing students and employees about events and developments within and outside the university that are relevant to them and/or the university;
• the exchange of opinions and viewpoints within the university community about such events, developments and issues;
• awareness among students and employees of formal notices made by TU/e to the university community;
• building loyalty to TU/e among students and employees.

2.2 In an even-handed manner, Cursor builds a bridge between the information needs and interests of the members of the university community and the mission, objectives and interests of the university.

3.1 The formal publisher (in this case the Executive Board):

• makes decisions about Cursor's continuity;
• establishes the publishing contract (and with it the budget, the editorial formula, and the advertising policy and the advertising rates for the year/volume);
• appoints the members of the editorial board.

3.2 The formal publisher (in this case the Executive Board) can make decisions about interim changes to the publishing contract only on the initiative of or in good consultation with the operational publisher (in this case the director of CEC), the editor-in-chief and the editorial board.

3.3 The operational publisher (in this case the director of CEC):

• appoints the editor-in-chief or dismisses him or her, after having sought the advice of the editorial board and having consulted with the formal publisher;
• on the proposal of the editor-in-chief, appoints the members of the editorial team or dismisses them;
• evaluates the performance of the editor-in-chief and members of the editorial team and conducts their appraisals;
• advises the formal publisher about the annual draft publishing contract;
• makes decisions about objections raised by readers about the manner in which the editor-in-chief has handled complaints about the content of Cursor, after having sought the advice of the editorial board.    

3.4 Prior to the publication of an issue of Cursor, the publisher will never urge the editor-in-chief and/or editorial team to refrain from publishing or amending any report, article, opinion, announcement submitted for publication or the like. The publisher can however request that the editor-in-chief reconsider a decision to publish or otherwise amend the text. The editor-in-chief  makes his or her own decision - whether or not after having sought the advice of the editorial board - as to how best to handle such a request.

4.1 Within the editorial formula, the general editor enjoys journalistic independence.

4.2 The general editor:

• prepares in good time each year in consultation with the operational publisher and editorial board a draft publishing contract containing a well-founded proposal for the  budget, the editorial formula and the advertising policy and the advertising rates for a year/volume, and submits this, together with advice from the editorial board and the operational publisher, to the formal publisher for adoption;
• is responsible for the content, production and commercial operation (including the acquisition of advertisements) of Cursor;
• manages the editorial team and the editorial process;
• reports annually in writing to the publisher about how that year's publishing contract has been put into practice and discusses this reporting with the editorial board;
• has primary responsibility for handling readers' complaints about the content of Cursor.

4.3 In situations in which the general editor can foresee that reporting on a particular matter in Cursor may have adverse consequences for TU/e, s/he informs the publisher and the editorial board accordingly. The editorial board can give the editor-in-chief solicited and unsolicited advice on this matter. See also Article 3.2.

5.1 Within the editorial formula, the editorial team enjoys journalistic independence and works under the direction and guidance of the general editor.

5.2 Members of the editorial team are accountable to the editor-in-chief for their journalism duties concerning Cursor

6.1 It is the task of the editorial board to:

• ensure that Cursor's general editor and editorial team can enjoy journalistic independence within the editorial formula;
• facilitate the performance of the general editor and editorial team in accordance with the journalistic approach and method as stipulated in the publishing contract;
• advise the publisher and editor-in-chief about objections as referred to in Article 3.1. and about situations as referred to in Articles 3.2 and 4.3;
• advise on the appointment and dismissal of the general editor;
• advise on the editorial formula and the manner in which this is put into practice.

6.2 The editorial board consists of five members: three employees, one student and one external expert with an interest in journalism. The editorial board appoints its chairperson from among its own members.

6.3 The members of the editorial board are appointed for two years by the formal publisher (in this case the Executive Board) following consultation with the operational publisher (in this case the director of CEC) and the general editor. Members may be reappointed once only. The appointment of the internal members ceases when they leave TU/e.

6.4 The operational publisher (in this case the director of CEC) provides the board's secretarial assistance.

6.5 The editorial board convenes at least twice a year. The board discusses the general editor's accountability as referred to in Article 4.2 and the draft publishing contract prepared by the general editor together with the general editor and operational publisher. The board reports on its activities annually to the formal publisher (in this case the Executive Board).

7.1 In the editorial formula attention is paid to at least the following topics:

•    the publication format(s);
•    the graphic design;
•    the frequency;
•    the extent;
•    the volume ratio between editorial content, notices beyond the scope of editorial responsibility, opinions submitted by third parties and advertisements; 
•    the volume ratios between various journalistic genres (such as news, infotainment,       
•    human interest, background, opinion);
•    the volume ratio between student-oriented and employee-oriented editorial content;
•    the volume ratios between (specific) areas to which interest is paid;
•    the regular content and layout;
•    the regular columns and features;
•    restrictions regarding advertisers or advertisements;
•    specific areas to which interest is paid;
•    journalistic approach and method.

8.1 Only the formal publisher (in this case the Executive Board) can decide to change these articles of association. Any such decision may be taken only after advice has been sought from the operational publisher (in this case the director of CEC), the editorial board and the general editor.

When reporting is being produced, the tasks involved are done in a manner than is timely, balanced and objective and in accordance with customary journalistic standards. In particular this means:

a. the verification of factual statements;

b. the principle of hearing both sides of the argument (in the same piece);

c. a recognizable distinction between facts and commentary;

d. the positioning of contributions in ongoing discussions;

e. paying attention to the multiple facets of complex situations and the diversity of opinions on the matter;

f. the origins of letters submitted to Cursor must be clear to the readers. Responsibility for the content lies with those who submitted the letters, responsibility for publishing with the editorial team. The editorial team is entitled to declare a discussion closed;

g. the editorial team includes no articles or contributions in the medium that violate any statutory provisions or that may give cause for instituting a claim for damages against Eindhoven University of Technology.

h. the editorial team can adopt its own standpoints. These should be recognizable as such;

i. the editorial team is subject to the normal rules governing the freedom of news gathering. In principle the source of reported data is clearly stated;

j. where its publications concern persons, documents, letters, memoranda and meetings, the editorial team operates within prevailing social limits and within rules on what may be made public adhered to at the university;

k. where the editorial team notices that any contribution contains factual inaccuracies, these will be corrected.