Application Guidelines for the
VARSITY Collective 2014-2015
Joining the VARSITY Team
Varsity newspaper is the official UCT student-run newspaper. We publish every
two weeks, printing 5000 copies which are distributed around all the UCT
campuses. We have a website which is updated daily with new web exclusive
content. Our team includes about 25 hardworking people who work in
different areas to make the VARSITY newspaper a success. People can become
involved in the permanent VARSITY staff by applying and going through our
interview process. The positions that are open for application are listed below.
To apply download the application form from our website or pick up a copy
from our office. Hand in the application in a hardcopy to our office or email a
copy to hr@varsitynewspaper.co.za. Make sure to accompany your application
form with a picture of yourself and a short CV. Any questions can be sent to
hr@varsitynewspaper.co.za.
THE VARSITY TEAM
Senior Editorial
1. Editor-in-Chief – Coordinates and oversees all sections of the VARSITY
organisation. Leads the entire VARSITY collective.
2. Deputy Editor – Leads the VARSITY collective alongside the Editor-inChief. Handles the VARSITY team in the absence of the Editor-in-Chief.
3. Managing Editor – Leads the management team. Oversees all financial
and management tasks executed by the management team. VARSITY
Project manager.
4. Copy Editor – Edits all content to be published in VARSITY. Ensures
quality of all content, fact checking, appropriate topics, grammar and
spelling, and maintains the house style. Leads a team of sub-editors.
5. Online Editor – Ensures smooth-running of the VARSITY website.
Oversees the web team. Produces daily web-exclusive content.
Section Editors
1. News Editor – Creates topics for the news sections. Liaises with writers.
Gives layout instructions to the Design Editor for the news section.
Makes final decisions for the news section.
2. Deputy News Editor – Assists News Editor with all tasks. Assumes
position of News Editor in their absence.
3. Opinions Editor – Creates topics for the opinions sections. Liaises with
writers. Gives layout instructions to the Design Editor for the opinions
section. Makes final decisions for the opinions section.
4. Deputy Opinions Editor – Assists Opinions Editor with all tasks. Assumes
position of Opinions Editor in their absence.
5. Features Editor – Creates topics for the features sections. Liaises with
writers. Gives layout instructions to the Design Editor for the features
section. Makes final decisions for the features section.
6. Deputy Features Editor – Assists Features Editor with all tasks. Assumes
position of Features Editor in their absence.
7. Sports Editor – Creates topics for the sports sections. Liaises with
writers. Gives layout instructions to the Design Editor for the sports
section. Makes final decisions for the sports section.
8. Deputy Sports Editor – Assists Sports Editor with all tasks. Assumes
position of Sports Editor in their absence.
9. Images Editor – Takes original photographs and sources image for all
sections of the newspaper and website. Edits the images for print and
for the website. Liaises with photographers. Makes final image decisions.
10.Deputy Images Editor – Assists Images Editor with all tasks. Assumes
position of Images Editor in their absence.
11.Centrespread Editor – Creates content and design on Abode InDesign for
the centrespread of the Varsity newspaper print editions.
12.Design Editor – Follows the design instruction from section editors. In
charge of layout for the print editions. Designs and lays out paper in
Adobe InDesign. Makes final design decisions.
13.Deputy Design Editor – Assists Design Editor with all tasks. Assumes
position of Design Editor in their absence.
Management Team
1. Finance Manager – Oversees all finance decisions of the organisation.
Ensures that the newspaper doesn’t overspend. Ensures the paper has
enough adverts per edition to cover costs of production. Treasurer of
Varsity. Liaises with UCT Treasury.
2. Advertising Manager – Assists Finance Manager where necessary.
Ensures the paper had enough advertising to cover cost of production.
Liaises with advertising clients and advertising agents. Actively searches
for new advertising clients. Handles invoicing of advertising clients.
3. Human Resources Manager – Ensures training of staff. Handles staff
contracts. Handles staff conflicts. Ensures the VARSITY team functions
well. Organises team-building activities. Handles all resignations and
staffing redistributions. Ensures Code of Conduct and Staff Handbook
are upheld.
4. Deputy Human Resources Manager – Assists Human Resources Manager
in all tasks. Assumes position of Human Resources Manager in their
absence.
5. Marketing Manager – Oversees marketing of the VARSITY newspaper.
Liaises with Design Editor to create any posters for VARSITY. Coordinates
with Online Editor to handle online social media. Works closely with
Operations Manager
6. Operations Manager – Ensures smooth-running of the newspaper by
maintaining office supplies, running errands for the management team,
getting quotes for new items, collecting relevant money, handles
distribution, takes minutes at meetings, assists Marketing Manager in
their marketing plans, and all other administrative tasks for the team.
Web Team
1. Web Editor – Designs and codes the website. Oversees all IT and
network problems for the VARSITY computers. Executes the vision of the
Online Editor. Maintains computers in the office, backs up the V-drive
and liaises with ICTS.
2. Deputy Web Editor – Assists Web Editor with all tasks. Assumes position
of Web Editor in their absence.
3. Online Content Editor – Executes content vision of the Online Editor.
Sub-edits all web content. Assists Online Editor in producing exclusive
online content. Assists Online Editor where needed.
Important Dates and Information for the
2014 VARSITY Selection Process
August 20th: Applications Due. Late application need a motivation letter and
are accepted with the discretion of the Senior Editorial and Human Resources.
August 22nd: All section editor applicants (news, opinions, features, sports,
images, centrespread, and design) are reviewed by the 2014 section editors.
Interns are selected by the section editors for their sections. Interns informed
about their internship.
August 25-29th: Internships for section editor positions. Interns monitored and
evaluated by the 2014 section editors.
August 29th: The 2014 collective meet to discuss all applicants. Interns will be
discussed.
September 8th: Interviews take place for the 2015 Editor-in-Chief. All members
of the VARSITY 2014 collective must be present and have equal voting rights,
unless they are applying for the Editor-in-Chief position. The successful
applicant is selected by a simple majority vote and will be informed that night.
Interviews start at 5.30pm.
September 9th: Interviews take place for the 2015 Deputy Editor, Copy Editor,
Online Editor and Managing Editor. The selection panel consists of the 2014
Senior Editorial, the 2015 Editor-in-Chief, and the 2014 Human Resources
Manager and Deputy Manager. These people will have voting rights, with each
vote having an equal weight and the selection based on a simple majority. The
successful applicants will be informed that night. Interviews start at 5.30pm.
September 10th: Interviews take place for the 2015 Management Team
(finance, advertising, human resources, marketing, and operations). The
selection panel is made up of the 2014 Senior Editorial, the 2015 Editor-inChief, and the 2014 Human Resources Manager and Deputy Manager. In
addition to this panel, when each position is being interviewed, the 2014
VARSITY member who holds that position will be present for those interviews
and will have voting rights, unless they are reapplying for that position. So for
example the Marketing Manager will sit in for all interviews for the 2015
Marketing Manager applicants and will vote during the Marketing Manager
voting session. The 2015 Deputy Editor, Copy Editor, Managing Editor and
Online Editor have observer rights (they can sit-in and watch the interviews,
and participate in the discussions about the applicants) but cannot vote.
Interviews will start at 5.30pm.
September 11th: Interviews take place for the following positions: news,
opinions, features, sports, online content editor. The selection panel will be
the same as the September 10th interviews. Interviews will start at 5.30pm.
September 12th: Interviews take place for the following positions: web, images,
centrespread. The selection panel will be the same as the September 10th and
11th interviews. Interviews will start at 3pm.
September 12th: Final discussions and voting will take place for the interviews
that occurred from September 10th-12th. Applicants will then be informed of
the result of their applications.
September 15th: All 2015 VARSITY collective members will come in to the
VARSITY office to sign their contracts and accept their positions.
September 16th: Handover starts. Production for Edition 11 begins. Both 2014
and 2015 collectives work to produce Edition 11.
September 30th: 2014 VARSITY collective officially handover. 2015 collective
take over. Production for Edition 12 begins. Edition 12 is produced by the 2015
collective alone.
*Please be aware that the voting decisions of the panel are final. Care has been taken to ensure this
process is fair.