The Observer

“The organization's charter was updated to include mention of Holy Cross College, to clarify composition of the Operating Board, and to allow remote operation for the Editor-in-Chief.”

“The general board is required to meet twice a year: once at the beginning of the term to review the charter and once at the end of its term to elect the new Editor-in-Chief. The Editorial and Operations Boards meet throughout the year. There is no formal contemporaneous documentation of the meetings held or written actions undertaken during the year by the governing body.”

“See answer to Part VI Line 8A”

“The Tax Department of the Controller's Office of the University of Notre Dame Du Lac prepares the Form 990 for The Observer. The review process for the completed Form 990 begins with several levels of internal review within the Controller's Office and is then reviewed with the Editor-in-Chief and Office Manager. Following this process, the return is presented to the full General Board.”

“All Observer board members must complete and submit on no less than an annual basis a conflict of interest disclosure survey. Such surveys are then evaluated by the proper "reviewer." The reviewer determines whether an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest exists and makes a recommendation as to what conditions or restrictions, if any, should be imposed by The Observer to manage, reduce, or eliminate such conflicts. All Observer staff members are required to promptly disclose to his or her immediate superior any and all actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest which arise. Upon receipt of a disclosure, the immediate superior must determine whether an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest exists. If the immediate superior determines that an actual conflict of interest exists, the member of the Observer community disclosing it shall be excluded from participating in the activity or situation giving rise to the conflict of interest. If the immediate superior determines that a potential or perceived conflict of interest exists, the immediate superior will make a recommendation to the Editor-in-Chief as to what conditions or restrictions, if any, should be imposed to manage, reduce, or eliminate such conflicts.”

“The Observer is an independent student organization and does not operate under any by-laws. However, the Organization does operate under the Observer Articles of Organization and the charter of the Observer. This information, as well as copies of Form 990, are available upon request.”