By Alex Kurtz, Sports Editor
This year, the Susquehanna’s communications department implemented a new system for students to sign out equipment and upgraded heavily in new equipment, including cameras and tripods, to up the production quality of student projects.
With the new system, the amount of student theft would be cut down drastically from years prior, where no system really existed.
While the new sign-out system has been fantastic in reducing theft, it has not been without criticism from students on other fronts, who say that they do not have enough time to use the equipment after signing them out.
In the current iteration of the system, students can sign out equipment for a 48 hour window.
If the equipment is out for more than that time period, then the student will go on probation and cannot sign out more equipment.
There are a few big problems with this system. First, 48 hours are not a lot of time for students, especially with other classes taking up valuable time to film.
If the only thing we had to worry about was that assignment, then 48 hours would be plenty of time.
In the real world, media professionals have to work under strict deadlines, and learning the value of that is crucial for students but it is simply not enough time with current student course loads.
On top of this is the hauling of equipment. I tried to renew my equipment because I had to film the next day, but I was told I could not renew the equipment unless the equipment was there with me.
Nobody wants to carry around heavy media equipment, especially if they are not using it that day.
Under the current system however, I would have to take time out of my day to bring the stuff to the studio, res-can it and then bring it back to where I had it in the first place. With the busy schedule of students, this could result in a lot of problems down the road.
The last big problem though is probation itself. While I do think there needs to be some form of punishment for not returning equipment on time, being on probation makes it so I cannot sign out any equipment until that period ends.
Because of this, some students will not be able to sign out anything to finish projects, which is hurting both the department and students.
Do not get me wrong, I think the sign-out system is a fantastic addition to the communications department and will decrease the amount of equipment theft dramatically. I also think however that the current system has some big flaws that need to be worked around so that students and staff can both be happy down the road.
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