In 1905, the I.S.C. Student created a new constitution on how it operated. It was full of changes, but the most notable was the shift to subscribers electing the editor-in-chief and business manager. The changes were an attempt to solve a subscribers problem, which the Student had but often not enough. And/or not enough to always pay their subscription and engage in the newspaper’s work. In its first 15 years, the newspaper had had many format changes in attempts to alleviate its financial problems. The student leaders believed having their subscribers involved in some of the Student‘s operations would generate a more dedicated subscribing base, but the results were mixed. The elections were never popular.

This constitution was published in the Student on 6 May 1905.

The staff of the I. S. C. Student has adopted the following constitution which shall prevail in the future: regulating the affairs of the paper. It will go into effect at once and elections will soon occur in accordance with its provisions.

Preamble: We, the members of the staff of the I. S. C. Student; believing that the subscribers of said I S. C. Student should have a voice in the affairs of the college paper do adopt and establish the following Constitution.

Art 1. Name and Object.
Sec. I: This organization shall be called the Student Publishing Association of the Iowa State College.
Sec. II. The object shall be the publication of the I. S. C. Student.

Art 2. Membership.
Sec. I. All students of the college in good and regular standing who are subscribers to the I. S. C. Student and whose subscription is not in arrears shall be considered members of the Association.
Sec. II. Members of the I. S. C. Student staff shall be considered members ex-officio.

Art 3. Officers; Election and Duties.
Sec. I. The officers of the Association shall be the editor-in-chief and business manager of the I. S. C. Student. They shall serve respectively as President and Secretary-Treasurer of the said Association.
Sec. II. The editor-in-chief and business manager shall be elected on the second Tuesday in April. Their term of office shall be the regular college year next succeeding the year of their election.
Sec. III. Any senior college student or who will have become such at the beginning of the next succeeding college year and who has had at least one years experience on the I. S. C. Student staff, or any other such student who is a member of the Association and who presents fifty vouchers in addition to those required in Art 3, Sec. IV, Clause (a) of this constitution; shall be eligible to the office of editor-in-chief or business manager of the I. S. C. Student.
Sec. IV. Nominations for editor-in-chief and business manager shall be made by petition under the following regulations.
(a) Each petition shall be signed by at least twenty members of the Student Publishing Association.
(b) Petitions must be presented to the business manager of the I. S. C. Student not later than twelve o’clock noon on the Tuesday preceding the day of election.
(c) The names of all candidates duly nominated shall be made public thru the columns of the I. S. C. Student in each of the two issues just preceding the day of election.
(d) In case of failure to nominate for either office the I. S. C. Student staff shall be empowered to nominate candidates for such office or offices.
Sec. V. All elections shall be by ballot. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected. In case of a tie a special election shall be called within one week, notice of which shall appear once in the I S C. Student. The Australian ballot system shall prevail at all elections.
Sec. VI. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed at any election.
Sec. VII. Clerks of election shall be named by the Association at a special meeting called by the president on the last Tuesday in March. The business manager shall be judge of the elections.
Sec. VIII. Election to the staff of the I. S. C. Student shall be by competition, open to all students of the college in good and regular standing. The retiring staff with editor-in-chief and business manager shall act as judges, and from the results of said competitions shall choose the staff for the ensuing year. In case of absence of competition for any position the editor-in-chief and business manager shall make such appointments, subject to the approval of the staff.
Sec. IX. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of editor-in-chief or business manager the remaining officers shall call a special election to fill such vacancy. Vacancies in the staff shall be filled by appointment of the editor-in-chief subject to the approval of the staff, to serve until the expiration of the college year; but the business manager shall appoint his own assistants in case of vacancies subject to like approval and for a like period as in the case of such appointments by the editor-in-chief
Sec. X. Special meetings shall be called by the president of the association at any time and must be called upon the request of ten members of said association. Notice of all meetings must be published at least twice prior to such meeting in the I. S. C. Student. At any meeting of the association thirty members shall constitute a quorum. At any meeting in case of the absence of the president of the association the secretary shall preside.

Art 4. Officer’s of Election. Their Duties.
Sec. I. The judges of election shall determine upon the eligibility of electors.
Sec. II. The clerks of election shall receive the ballots, place them in the ballot box, check the names of the voters and decide upon the parties elected. The ballots shall be furnished by the business manager.

Art 5. The Financial Affairs of the Publication.
Sec. I. The financial responsibility of the publication shall be assumed jointly by the editor-in-chief and business manager. The profits, if any, shall be divided between the editor-in-chief and business manager in such proportion as they may agree upon.

Art 6. Amendments.
Proposed amendments to this constitution shall be presented to the secretary of the association in writing by petition signed by fifty members of the association. The secretary shall cause them to be published at least twice in the I. S. C. Student before action is taken by the association. Amendments shall be voted on at a special election called by the president and shall require a ⅔ vote of those voting for their adoption. Said election shall be governed according to Art 3, Sec. IV. Clause I.

Art 7.
This constitution shall take effect immediately upon publication in the I. S. C. Student except Art 3, Sec. II, Clause I. Art 2, Sec. V, Clauses (a) and (b) and Art. 3, Sec. VII. The provisions therein to be regulated by the I. S. C. Student staff until after the first election which shall be held on Friday, May. 19, 1905.