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Access and Use Rules

Eligibility

The Digital Media Studio facilities are available for use by School of Journalism & Mass Communication students, faculty and staff.

Access

Access priorities are based on our responsibility to support and enhance the mission of the School of Journalism & Mass Communication. Access priority and privileges are listed below in descending order of priority:

  • Class reservations for instructional purposes.
  • Students in the School of Journalism who are enrolled in classes that have a lab component.
  • Other journalism students for special projects under the supervision of a faculty member.
  • School of Journalism faculty and staff developing courseware or other special projects related to the School of Journalism.
  • All access is subject to proven proficiency in operating equipment.

    • Access priveleges for students in courses with a lab component include:
  • Access to computers as assigned to their course(s) (PCs or Macs or both). Student accounts are set up based on registration for eligible courses each semester.
  • Students in classes that require access to digital media equipment (such as cameras and video equipment) may check equipment out for use. (See Equipment Use Policies for rules governing equipment use.)
  • Printing privileges as listed below.
  • Space for file storage allotted to them on the School of Journalism server.

    • Limitations

    School of Journalism students not enrolled in courses with a lab component do not have access to computers in the lab but may use computers in the Sevareid Library which are similarly equipped and configured.

    Only students enrolled in courses requiring photographic and video equipment may use such equipment.

    The DMS is not a part of the University Computer ADCS lab system. The ADCS operates several other labs that are open to students and staff.

    Access Rules

    Those who use DMS facilities must:
    1. Use computer facility hardware and software appropriately. Violations include but are not limited to:

  • Disconnecting, reconnecting or reconfiguring hardware. For example, Do not add images to the background; do not change the screensaver, or the screen resolution.
  • Deleting or installing software.
  • Copying software that is copyrighted or otherwise restricted.
  • Using the computing facilities for non-University work.
  • Removing, changing or reconfiguring files on facility disks including hard drives.
  • Damaging or removing any property from the facility.
  • Using software that interferes with facility operations (e.g., games or viruses that debilitate or crash individual machines or networks).
  • Using software that interferes with other facility users (e.g., emits loud or obnoxious sounds) or which is used to capture information from them (e.g., keystroke capture software).

    • 2. Abide by these rules, procedures and protocols:

  • No food or beverages are allowed in the DMS.
  • Use the laser printers judiciously. Avoid wasting paper and toner by limiting your use of the laser printers for final copies.
  • Respond appropriately to requests made by the lab attendants (e.g., a request to move to another machine or to delay printing due to a class being held in the facility) in the normal course of carrying out job responsibilities.
  • The generation, display or printing of offensive material is prohibited by the University's policy on equal opportunity and non-discrimination, including sexually or racially offensive or harassing materials.
  • Refrain from disruptive, threatening or abusive language or behavior.
  • Do not give out DMS passwords. If anyone asks you for the password, refer him or her to a lab attendant.
  • When you are finished using a DMS computer, please exit all open applications and log off.

    • Penalties

    Violations of the above rules may constitute violations of state and/or federal laws as well as of the Student Conduct Code and may be prosecuted in any applicable venue(s). In addition, violations may result in immediate suspension or denial of facility use privileges.

    Hours

    REGULAR ACADEMIC TERMS (FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS)

    During regular academic terms (fall and spring semesters), the Digital Media Studio is open as follows:
    Monday thru Thursday: 8 am – 10 pm
    Friday: 8 am – 5 pm
    Saturday: CLOSED
    Sunday: 2 pm – 8 pm

    BREAKS AND SUMMER SESSION


    During breaks and summer session, hours will be posted outside the DMS and on the website. Typically, hours are reduced to:
    Monday thru Friday: 9 am – Noon and 1 pm – 4pm
    Saturday and Sunday: CLOSED

    These are also the periods during which updates, maintenance and special projects must be completed, so the DMS may be closed entirely except for authorized staff.

    Printing

    Printing privileges are restricted to School of Journalism students enrolled in a class for which there is a lab component in the DMS. The School of Journalism does not currently charge lab or printing fees, therefore:

  • There is a daily page limit for printing. Depending on the course, students will be assigned a maximum number of pages that can be printed.
  • Printing of non-lab class papers, web documents, personal e-mail and other personal documents is not permitted.
  • Appropriate paper is loaded in the laser printers. You may not use other types of paper as they may damage laser printers by jamming or melting and fusing to thermal components of the printer. Restricted types of paper include inkjet papers, coated papers and transparencies.
  • Photo quality inkjet paper may be used only in the inkjet printers. Use of the inkjet printers is restricted to students enrolled in photojournalism courses. Students must supply their own inkjet paper.

    • You will be liable for damage to the printers caused by misuse, including use of improper paper.

    Try the following area computer facilities for printing personal materials, material for other classes and material that requires special media:
  • 25 Lind (across Church Street)
  • 201 Union Street S.E.
  • 14 Folwell
  • 54 Eddy Hall Annex
  • 121 Elliott Hall
  • Kinko’s at 612 Washington Avenue S.E.
  • Check the U of M ADCS Computer Facilities website

    • Storage

    Course Allocation on SJMC Server

    Students enrolled in courses with a lab component are granted 500 megabytes of space on the School of Journalism server.

    Files on the server are kept through the final day of scheduled final exams for the semester, following which the server will be cleared.

    Beyond this allowance, the DMS accommodates only temporary storage on local computer hard drives or media owned by the School of Journalism such as digital camera media cards or Firewire drives.

    Video files are not to be captured to and stored on the SJMC server! Data does not transfer at rates fast enough for use through the network. Students in courses requiring video editing should purchase their own Firewire hard drive for storing media. Drives should be identified as Firewire™ compatible and run at a speed of 7200 rpm.

    Students performing video editing are expected to understand the use of “capture scratch” or “media drive” settings in non-linear editing systems and execute them appropriately.

    The School of Journalism is not liable for files damaged, lost or erased; therefore students are encouraged to establish backup and archiving procedures.

    Portable Devices

    Students are responsible for their own long-term storage, backup and archiving. Students should develop the practice of archiving and protecting their own files on CD, diskettes or removable drives such as Firewire drives or USB media (JumpDrive™, FlashDrive™ iPOD™, Zip disks, etc.)

    Students in courses requiring video editing should purchase their own Firewire hard drive for storing media. Drives should be identified as Firewire™ compatible and run at a speed of 7200 rpm.

    Optical Media

    Computers in all lab areas are able to burn CD or DVD disks using internal burners.

    Local Computer Hard Drive

    The hard drive of the computer on which you are working may be used for brief, temporary storage but should be cleared after the current work session. Unauthorized files will be cleared from local drives without warning.