Initially, the camera was thought to steal the soul of its subject.

This cryptic misconception fascinated both theorists and advertisers, especially since photographs are reproductions of reality.

Recently, advertising photographs have caused a conflict on the St. Edward’s campus.

All you have to do is take a look around campus and you will realize that St. Edward’s is a rapidly growing community.

Buildings are being constructed, more specializations are being implemented into curricula and the student population is increasing quickly.

Because St. Edward’s is becoming a more diverse and globally conscious community, it only makes sense that the St. Edward’s Marketing Department would enhance its efforts.

That being said, Marketing should have considered the increasingly public nature of St. Edward’s advertisements, especially when dealing with the representation of the student body.

Attempting to build a more globally connected brand, Marketing creates advertisements featuring photographs of students who have studied abroad.

However, some of these photographs feature St. Edward’s students who did not consent to be photographed for an advertisement.

Even if these St. Edward’s students would have consented to be in a study abroad advertisement, the fact that Marketing did not inform these students about their role in these images is irresponsible.

In light of this conflict, Marketing is creating a new “Authorization and Release Form” that will acquire not only the consent of the student photographers, but also the students featured in the photograph.

According to the “Authorization and Release Form,” by signing this release form, you are allowing St. Edward’s “to copy, exhibit, publish or distribute any and all photographs” that you have personally provided to the university.

The mediums that these images can be disseminated include but are not limited to “print, billboard, radio and television advertising, websites, social media, and university and other third-party approved publications.”

These photographs can be “in whole or in part, in all forms and media throughout the world and in perpetuity for purposes of publicizing or advertising the university and its programs, or any other ethical and lawful purpose.”

Moreover, if a student decides that he or she wants to revoke this authorization, a student must notify the Marketing Office in writing.

This is a valiant effort on Marketing’s part.

While addressing the advertisement debacle by formulating concise guidelines does not exactly excuse the flawed situation, it does ensure that something similar is less likely to occur in the future.

Acquiring permission before using an individual’s photograph, whether that individual be photographer or subject, is both responsible and ethical.

With countless tales of copyright infringement and licensing issues on mediums such as Flickr and Facebook, understanding when an institution is authorized to use a photograph is important, not only on the Internet, but also in the real world.

Also, the Marketing Department’s new “Authorization and Release” form exposes the significance of establishing a steady and open form of communication between college departments’ and the student body.