An audiovisual policy to expand access to audiovisual equipment and classroom support services goes into effect immediately. It was approved Oct. 17 by the MUSC Board of Trustees.

Office of Enrollment Services director Jim Menzel said the need for a well defined policy that would effectively permit greater use of audiovisual equipment and of technical classroom support services by faculty and staff grew out of university efforts to upgrade general-use classrooms.

The new policy makes things better in several ways. Menzel said it increases the hours of staff support and allows more free usage. Both improvements have been underwritten by the university in those three dozen classrooms that have been designated as general-use classrooms.

Audiovisual support technician service is now available Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. There are also now three technicians available instead of just one. These staff technicians offer on-site trouble-shooting, provide routine maintenance of equipment, conduct user satisfaction surveys, train faculty in the use of new equipment, maintain an equipment pool, and recommend the purchase of new or replacement equipment.

Menzel also said that for the first time no-cost services and equipment are available. Anyone engaged in university-related activities that take place in any of the university’s general-use classrooms is eligible for free audiovisual service and equipment. Conversely, beginning with any non-university activity taking place Jan. 1 and after, charges for audiovisual equipment and services will be levied to help offset the cost of free service and equipment.

During the current year, Web pages are being created that will picture each classroom, describe attributes of each of the university’s three dozen classrooms, will make it easier to request classroom and audiovisual equipment reservations, and will provide easy links to the policies that describe both free and restricted access and cost.

Copies of the new policy are being prepared for distribution to administrative offices in each of the university colleges and a large supply will be available in the office of audiovisual classroom support services, room 102 of the Basic Science Building.

The policy is scheduled to appear on the Enrollment Services’ Web page later this fall.