What's all this, then?

Mike, my Charisma co-adviser, and I were to travel to Columbia University this week and co-present a literary magazine session on how to advise publication students. Due to a number of factors, Mike is unable to join me in NYC. It's our hope that advisers will blog about the following ideas so that we may all rethink how our publication group runs for the betterment of the students. Advisers attending the Wednesday sessions: blog away! Others of the faithful who have been to Literary Magazine Creations before: you may blog away too! We'll all benefit from the input.
There's about 25 posts below. Have at it! Bob

Setting up: organization of the club

Mike and I tell the editor each year that he or she (she for the past ten years, if not more) has the power to set up the staff as he or she sees fit. We tell the editor about the different configurations that we've had in the past: committees, one huge group, everone has a job, etc.
Usually the editor picks a literature editor, an art editor, a layout editor, and a fundraiser/PR person. The rest of the group chooses (or interviews for, or is assigned to) at least one editor. Mike and I state clearly that we are there to advise. And - off we go!

Setting up: how often should they meet?

Charisma meets once a week, 3-5. Each year when we begin we ask the editor to choose meeting times. Monday evening is what's usually chosen. Two hours goes fast and allows us to do a lot of things. I think that meeting twice a week might be better. However, my schedule and the students' schedules don't usually allow a second weekly meeting. Mike and I don't do this group as a club that meets during Club Period (once a week) - in the past, students have been dumped into the club, and very little gets done when that happens. Also, we've talked about turning Charisma into a class, but then people wouldn't be able to grow up in it - some come in as Freshmen and do it all four years. In the past two years we added an online blog, but that has not been used to its potential.

Setting up: where should they meet?

Literary magazine students are a little more fussy about where they meet than other student groups may be. They like to be around their computers, they like art rooms, especially if the rooms are big, and they like having objects on the walls that state their identity. We have printer's plates from the cover of a magazine created years ago, and we're thinking about putting up those plates. The room should also be a place with large tables so that work may be laid out for all to see. Natural lighting would be best. Quiet seems to be what the staff prefers - our bunch never asks for music to be played while we work.

Setting up: how are students selected for the publication?

For the past few years, we've taken all the students we could get. It has been years since we've had a male on staff. It used to be that there was a literature team, an art team, a layout team; now, however, a number of the students do any and all jobs.
Back when we could be more selective, we used to have people fill out applications. The completed applications helped us place the student. Also, some students never completed applications - they were not made part of the magazine.