Study

Equipment Checkout & Damage Deposit Policy

Department of New Media

Preamble

The Department of New Media provides a variety of equipment that students may check out for use in their course work. This equipment includes cameras (video and still), tripods, lighting kits, audio kits, and other accessories (cables, boom poles, etc.). A nominal damage deposit ensures that the department can repair or replace these assets in the event that they should become damaged, lost, or otherwise unusable. The Damage Deposit Policy ensures that all students have reliable access to equipment needed for their course work throughout the year.

Note: Students enrolled in New Media 1000, 1010 and certain special topics classes are not permitted to check out departmental equipment as these students have not received the requisite training. Access to equipment depends upon enrollment in specific classes and the training received in those classes.

Policy

The Damage Deposit Policy is as follows:

1. Students who want to check out departmental equipment must complete a New Media Lending Agreement Form. This form is available at the New Media Equipment Checkout Desk (W721) by the end of the first week of classes.

2. In accordance with the New Media Lending Agreement form, students must also pay the required deposit fee at the Cash Office and obtain a receipt. 50% of the fee is refundable; 50% is retained for equipment repair and maintenance. The deposit fee is reviewed annually and is kept current on the New Media Lending Agreement form.

  • I. Once paid, the deposit is good for the whole academic year.
  • II. No student shall be permitted to use equipment without paying the deposit.
  • III. The refundable portion of the deposit can be collected by the student at any time within the normal academic year, but it must be collected no later than the last day of exams in April. (For further information see point 5).
  • IV. Payment of the deposit and collecting the refundable portion is the responsibility of the student.
  • V. The current New Media Equipment Checkout Procedures and Policies must be followed.

3. The receipt and copy of the New Media Lending Agreement form must be returned to the New Media Equipment Checkouts Desk (W721). If a form and/or receipt is lost, but payment is claimed, the New Media Technical Specialist will verify this claim. The turnaround time for students to be added to the equipment booking system is approximately 24 hours.

  • I. The New Media Technical Specialist will authorize the student to check out equipment by assigning the student to the appropriate equipment pools (based on the classes in which the student is currently enrolled) and training, if any, the student has received in previous courses.

4. While several pieces of equipment can be signed out at the same time, only one (1) item of any one category may be taken out at any one time (for instance, one camera, one tripod, etc.). If multiple items need to be signed out (for example, two video cameras), a student must justify in writing the need for such extra equipment and obtain written authorization from their instructor. This written authorization must then be submitted to checkouts@uleth.ca and a technician will verify if the equipment is available.

5. To obtain the refundable portion of the deposit, a Return Confirmation Form may be picked up and submitted to the cash office no later than the last day of exams in April. The Return Confirmation Forms can be picked up from the New Media Equipment Checkouts (W721) and if all is in good standing, the form can be submitted to the Cash Office for a return of 50% of the deposit. In the event that equipment has been damaged or lost, no part of the fee will be refunded and the student will be liable for up to and including the full replacement cost of the equipment.

6. Departmental equipment is a shared resource. Priority is given to New Media faculty and staff to facilitate the delivery of New Media courses and to New Media students for the completion of their coursework.

7. Certain New Media courses have priority for booking specific equipment required for the class; these include:

  • New Media 2005 ‐ Design Fundamentals for New Media
  • New Media 2010 ‐ Visual Communications for New Media
  • New Media 2030 ‐ Digital Video Production
  • New Media 3010 ‐ Cinematography and Lighting
  • New Media 3510 ‐ Narrative Production Techniques
  • New Media 3620 ‐ Digital Effects and Compositing
  • New Media 3680 ‐ Interaction Design
  • New Media 3700 ‐ Event and Exhibition Design
  • New Media 3040 ‐ Colour Theory and Digital Photo Manipulation
  • New Media 3640 ‐ Character Animation
  • New Media 3810 ‐ Expanded Cinema
  • New Media 3850 ‐ Creative Foundations for Game Development
  • New Media 4620 ‐ Character Animation II
  • New Media 4640 ‐ Portfolio and Professional Practice
  • New Media 4690 ‐ Advanced Studio
  • New Media 4850 ‐ Video Game Production
  • New Media 2850/3850/4850 ‐ Special Topics as approved by the Chair.

*Note: Not all 2850 or 3850 level classes will require equipment

8. The second priority for equipment loans will go to New Media students currently enrolled in the New Media program and working on class‐related projects.

9. Non‐New Media major students are entitled to borrow equipment only related to the specific course in which they are enrolled and are subject to all other policies and procedures.

10. The Department of New Media reserves the right to impose restrictions on equipment for various reasons, including: course requirements, lack of requisite training on equipment, lack of availability of equipment, and if a student has multiple lending policy infractions. New Media majors who may not have the requisite training for specific equipment may request access to the equipment through the Chair of the department and New Media Technical Specialist. The student must then approach an appropriate New Media instructor for training on the equipment. Please note that the availability of such training will vary depending upon the time of year.

11. Students enrolled in the courses specified in section 7 above may be provided access to specialized equipment depending on course requirements. Some equipment that requires enrolment in specific courses consists of:

  • Digital SLR Cameras (Photography)
  • Digital SLR Cameras (Video)
  • censes (Prime Cine, Fisheye, Telephoto, Wide)
  • Large fluid head tripods
  • Lighting kits
  • Audio recording kits

Students not currently enrolled in these courses, but who have completed the requisite training regarding the use of these items, must submit a written request for access to the Chair of the Department of New Media. The request must first be approved before access will be granted providing the student adheres to all other policies and procedures as has paid the equipment usage fee.