Media Center Equipment and Facility Policies
Reason for Policies
To explain the policies governing the checkout and use of equipment owned by the school and stored in the Media Center to students, faculty and staff.
Overview
The Webster University School of Communications values the integration of theory and practice, and endeavors to prepare students for immediate work in their profession upon graduation. A component of that practice is exposure to and regular use of industry standard equipment and technology. The policies and procedures contained herein will help us get the equipment into the hands of the students who need it, and keep that equipment in good working order and available to students when they need it.
Terms
Equipment and facilities managed by the Media Center are specifically intended for the completion of educational and professional projects for the School of Communications . A remarkable level of equipment and facility access is a part of the curriculum and the culture of the School of Communications. That said, it is not a right, and can be revoked in the face of egregious violations of policy that endanger equipment or people or infringes on the orderly access of others to equipment and facilities.
Equipment access is free to the students, staff and faculty of Webster University. There is no cost associated with equipment and facility rental but fines may be assessed to manage costs associated with equipment maintenance.
Equipment access is tied to enrollment in specific courses including regular courses and independent studies. Students will not be allowed to check out equipment for which they don’t have access without special permission. All special permissions come from departmental faculty and/or school administration and the request and permission must be in writing. Special requests are not automatic and can be denied at the discretion of the faculty. FTVP students should see below to understand how equipment access is tied to enrollment in one of three program meeting courses.
An individual student may not check out more than $25,000 worth of equipment at one time. If more than $25,000 worth of equipment is needed for a project, students will have to create production teams and multiple responsible parties will be required to check the equipment.
Only current Webster University students, faculty or staff are allowed to use Media Center equipment or Sverdrup facilities. Occasionally there will be exceptions, which are approved by faculty and administration.
Equipment rented from the Darkroom is also considered Media Center equipment.
Checkout
The system used to track reservations and checkouts is called Web Checkout. Equipment can be reserved by visiting Web Checkout online (from the Tools and Technology page of the HUB, click the Rent Equipment button under the Media Center heading, or visit the Student page of Connections 2.0 and find the link under Technology) or by phone:
Media Center (314-246-6967)
Darkroom (314-246-7532)
During the pandemic, we are requiring people to have a reservation to enter the Media Center, so please make them in advance. Only one reservation will be managed at a time, and only one student may enter the Media Center at a time. Ring the bell on the door for service and use the TALK button to speak to Media Center personnel.
The system will email you reservation and checkout confirmations. Check your spam folder if you don’t see an email from the system after you make your first reservation.
Equipment
Definition
Equipment is defined as anything that can be checked out and transported to another location. This includes cameras, lights, audio recording devices, microphones, cables, rigging equipment, stands, etc.
Student Responsibility
In order to ensure that properly working equipment can be distributed to the many students who will need it, we expect each student to follow some basic guidelines which include responsibility for the item, being in possession of the item, and reporting any damage, loss, or malfunction to equipment immediately. Any injuries resulting from the use of equipment in the School of Communications is the responsibility of the injured party.
Expectations:
1. The student checking out the equipment is exclusively responsible for that equipment.
2. All equipment must remain in the possession of that student for the duration of the checkout period. Do not check out equipment for others. Do not leave equipment unattended.
3. The student, upon checkout, acknowledges that the equipment is clean and in good condition and accepts full liability for damage or loss including concealed or unreported damage discovered after return.
4. It is explicitly the student’s responsibility to report any damaged, non-functional and/or missing equipment by the end of the checkout term.
5. Anyone in possession of Webster University equipment must abide by all Webster University policies during their checkout.
6. All equipment should be kept in temperature controlled environments. Equipment should never be left in a vehicle for an extended period.
7. A return will only be completed when the entire contents of an equipment package are returned.
Term of Checkout
Most equipment is available for 24 hours; some types of checkout can be longer. Check-outs can be extended for up to 24 hours prior to the return deadline, providing the equipment is not needed for another reservation.
Return
Equipment must be returned before the end time of the checkout, by the person who checked it out.
Facilities
Definition
Facilities are defined as fixed spaces within the Sverdrup building and any equipment inside of them (the TV Studio, Audio A, etc.) It is also defined as individual workstations within a larger lab space (computers in 202, 104, 256, etc.)
Student Responsibility
The student using the facility acknowledges that the facility was in good working order during the term of use and accepts full liability for damage and/or loss incurred by their use, including by those who are working with the student who reserved the facility. If there are people behaving in a way that is dangerous, destructive, or that could potentially harm the facility or the people working in it, ask them to leave and if they won’t, call Public Safety. Students will return the facility to its “ready” state upon completion of use, and report any problems, mess, or equipment failure to a representative of the Media Center. The Media Center and the School of Communications assume no responsibility for personal effects left in classrooms or labs. Any injuries resulting from the use of facilities in the School of Communications the responsibility of the injured party.
Expectations
The student checking out the facility is exclusively responsible for that facility.
2. The student, upon checkout, acknowledges that the facility is clean and in good condition and accepts full liability for damage or loss including concealed or unreported
damage discovered after the end of the checkout period.
3. While using the facility, the student will abide by all Webster University and School of Communications policies and rules.
4. It is explicitly the student’s responsibility to report and damaged, non-functional and/or missing equipment in the facility by the end of the checkout term.
Term of Checkout
Most facilities are available for 4 hours; some are available for longer terms. Reservations can be extended for up to 4 hours, providing the facility is not needed for another reservation.
Policy Violations
Dangerous or Irresponsible Behavior
Safety is your first priority on sets, during recordings, building props, or anytime you are tasked with an activity that requires some element of risk. It is the responsibility of all students to report dangerous activities they witness to their instructor or some member of the School of Communications faculty, staff or administration. Any report of unsafe behavior will be investigated, and parties found to have been engaging in unsafe practices will be subject to processes including (but not limited to) a formal warning, suspension or revocation of equipment access and a disciplinary process instigated by the Dean of Students office depending on the severity of the activity.
The following are not allowed on School of Communications projects:
Pyrotechnics including any kinds of explosives or fireworks
Wild animals without a trainer
Unsupervised minors
Working with electrical circuits without proper training
Real weapons of any kind (bladed, blunt, projectile or other)
Vandalism or any kind of destruction of private property.
Using equipment that you haven’t been trained by a member of the faculty to use.
Breaking any local, state, or national laws or ordnances.
Illegal drugs
Consumption of alcohol by minors.
Medically unsafe behavior of any kind (not following pandemic guidelines, for example)
Any violations of the Student Code of Conduct
Equipment Return
There are hundreds of people using the equipment in the Media Center at any given time. Sometimes pieces of equipment are scheduled to go back out immediately upon their return, so getting the equipment back when your reservation ends is crucial to the success of other students and faculty who may need it to complete their projects and classes.
If you are going to be more than ten minutes late returning the equipment checked out to you, call the Media Center immediately and let them check to see if the equipment needs to go out again. They may be able to extend your reservation.
Late returns (more than 10 minutes) will incur the following penalties:
1st Infraction: Warning
2nd Infraction: Loss of equipment checkout until student has a meeting with the director of the Media Center.
3rd Infraction: Meeting with the School of Communications administration. Mandatory loss of equipment checkout for two weeks. This will go on the student record as a conduct violation.
4th Infraction: Loss of equipment checkout for a semester. This will go on the student record as a conduct violation.
Egregious violations, such as not returning a piece of equipment for a week, could result in the acceleration of penalties to a full loss of equipment privileges, even for a first offense.
Equipment Condition
Webster University has made an enormous investment in the equipment in the Media Center and in our facilities, and we have a dedicated staff who maintain and repair it. Occasionally, equipment is damaged for reasons out of our control, but this is very, very rare if we are being careful with the equipment, sandbagging stands and tripods, taping cords, wrapping cables, and the like. Broken or lost equipment means less equipment access for everyone, and in some cases could radically impact the success of another student’s project. Returning all of the equipment that was checked out to you clean and in proper working order so that it might be immediately checked out again is expected of everyone and reporting any damage or equipment that isn’t working is mandatory.
Equipment (either checked out from the Media Center or in labs and other facilities) damaged or lost for any reason will fall under the following disciplinary policy. A student can appeal these disciplinary actions.
Damage or Loss
1st Infraction: Loss of equipment access for two weeks, meeting with the director of the media Center.
2nd Infraction: Loss of equipment access for a semester, meeting with the School of Communications administration. This will go on the student record as a conduct violation.
3rd Infraction: permanent loss of equipment checkout from the Media Center. This will go on the student’s record as a conduct violation.
Damaged or lost equipment may also incur fines to offset repair or replacement costs.
Failure to Report
It is the student’s responsibility to report damage or any sort of non-functional equipment to the Media Center immediately upon discovery or when they return the equipment at the end of the checkout period. Students failing to do so may incur penalties up to and including losing equipment checkout for a semester immediately upon discovery of the damaged equipment, at the discretion of the administration of the School of Communications.
Equipment Cleaning
Any equipment or equipment containers returned dirty (muddy, hairy, covered in tape, dusty, etc.) will receive a $25-$100 cleaning fee (depending on the severity of the condition) plus the following. If the dirtiness impacts the functioning of the equipment, the policy for damage will supersede this one. Remember when cleaning electronic equipment that you may not submerge it in water or get water into the sensitive electronics.
1st Infraction: Warning
2nd Infraction: Loss of equipment checkout until student has a meeting with the director of the Media Center.
3rd Infraction: Meeting with the School of Communications administration. Mandatory loss of equipment checkout for two weeks. This will go on the student record as a conduct violation.
4th Infraction: Loss of equipment checkout for a semester. This will go on the student record as a conduct violation.
Film, Television and Video Production Equipment Packages
There are three categories, or tiers, of production equipment that can be checked out of the Media Center by FTVP students. These categories are based on student’s skill levels, which are based on enrollment in or completion of one of the three equipment-based classes. The levels are: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced.
In order to checkout any FTVP production equipment a student must be currently enrolled in one of the following Program Meeting courses.
1. FTVP 0501: Basic Package (pre-req: FTVP 1200 Camera and Light)
2. FTVP 0502: Intermediate Package (pre-req: FTVP 2200 Adv. Camera and Light)
3. FTVP 0503: Advanced Package (pre-req: FTVP 3210 Cinematography)
The full list of the equipment in each package can be found on the front page of FTVP 050X Program Meeting, on Canvas World Classroom. Students are limited to one camera per reservation.