Saturday, January 31, 2004
Student Representative's New Media Faculty Meeting Report
Lab AvailabilityMike voiced concerns at the last meeting that lab availability was not conducive to assignment due dates. How do you as students feel about lab times and what would you like done to increase the lab times available for us? This is especially problematic on weekends. Labs close at 5 Friday-Sunday.
New Media Showcase
The department is planning a tentative Media Showcase in the fall of 2004. They want us to ask around for ideas of how we, the students, would like to see it run. Some ideas were to have students submit there work to an adjudicating committee who would decide which works go in the show--kind of like the Music 2500 stuff last semester, other ideas were to allow students to show whatever work they wanted, and it would get voted on by category by the students (like a people's choice award), so that they can say--in a portfolio for example--that that certain piece won such and such
an award."
New Fonts
Neil Thomas has received approval for Lab Typeface programs. There will be a selection of new fonts available soon.
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Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 11:33 PM
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Friday, January 30, 2004
XML and You
As I mentioned in an earlier post, this site has an XML feed formated in Atom. With an RSS feed, readers can receive article-summary information, with headlines, short abstracts, and links to online content and full stories. People can subscribe to RSS feeds and receive them at the time and place of their choosing. In order to take advantage of this feature you need to be running a news aggregator. You can find a growing list of newsreaders at AtomEnabled.org. Then add our sites XML feed: http://uoflnewmedia.blogspot.com/atom.xml to your newsreader and you'll begin to understand the convience of XML. You can then add other sites' feed like:The New York Times - http://partners.userland.com/nytRss/national.xml
CNet News.Com - http://rss.com.com/2547-1_3-0-20.xml
Wired News - http://www.wired.com/news_drop/
netcenter/netcenter.rdf
Dilbert - http://dwlt.net/tapestry/dilbert.rdf
and tons of others. This way you'll always be updated on the latest content from your favorite sites.
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Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 11:17 AM
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Meeting Minutes From Friday, January 23, 2004
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGENEW MEDIA DEPARTMENT MEETING
#15 Minutes of a meeting held on Friday, January 23, 2004
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Room W850A
Present: Carl Granzow, Acting Chair, Mike Atwood, Student Representative, David Clearwater, Bob Cousins, Nick Fai, Mathew Kabatoff, Anna Pickering, Gerald Prost, Daniela Sirbu, Will Smith, Neal Thomas and Jill Payant (Recording Secretary)
Regrets: Terry Gallie, Jeff Milner
Carl warmly welcomed back faculty members for the spring semester and introduced newest members. His positive comments focused on future departmental visions and goals.
I Adoption of the Agenda – Approval of the agenda with the following additions:
3.2.1 New Course (Smith)
3.2.2 New Course (Sirbu)
3.6.4 Storage Space (Fai)
3.12.1 Studio Showcase Policy (Atwood)
5.1 Cost Recovery (Prost)
5.2 GFC Report (Smith)
Pickering/Clearwater. Carried.
II Adoption of the Previous Minutes – With the following discussion:
2.2 Research and Development fund of $1,000. (Smith)
How is it used? Procedure to access?
Carl to investigate. Gerald Prost indicated he had used the fund before and his procedure was as follows:
Permission from the Chair
Personal purchase
Re-imbursement
Carl has requested to be made privy to any potential purchases that may arise.
Atwood/Pickering. Carried
III Items for Information
3.1 New Hires (Granzow) Carl proposed the creation of an advertisement that would create a pool of potential candidates.
~ Ad would reflect multiple general areas
~ Smith has volunteered to draw up a rough draft of the ad, which will be brought back to the department for mutual consent and approval
3.2 Curriculum Revision (Thomas/Clearwater) Please refer to “Curriculum Development Report” handout for details regarding:
~ Subject Interest Within the Department of New Media
~ Suggested Changes to Current Curriculum
~ New Media Components
~ Courses Associated with New Media Majors
~ Courses Directed to Majors and Non-majors
David has requested that faculty email him with names and details of their courses taught within the last two years. Please CC Carl Granzow with same.
3.2.1 New Course Proposal (Smith) Please refer to “New Course Proposal Form” handout regarding New Media 3830 – Motion to 3-D Spaces.
Motion: To Accept New Media Course 3830 as an elective for student experience. Smith/Prost Carried.
3.2.2 Daniela Sirbu in conjunction with David Clearwater will establish a New Course proposal and submit it for consideration at a later date.
3.3 Teaching Assignments (Granzow) Current teaching assignments (constructed by Linda Nicol and James Graham) are solid. Carl indicated he would be meeting individually with each instructor to further discuss their strengths and abilities for future assignments.
3.4 Resource Management - $100,00.00 of New Media equipment has recently been purchased and is being stored in W700.
3.4.1 Life Cycle Cost Study (Granzow) All previous New Media equipment is currently being evaluated for its life cycle potential. This will provide a more accurate insight into New Media’s ongoing capital replacement costs.
Neil Thomas suggested checking into the possibility of selling software and licensing as a revenue recovery strategy
Carl encouraged all Faculty to apply for grants.
3.5 Faculty Research (Granzow) Carl reported that Dean Ches Skinner strongly encourages research within the department and supports all in doing so. He encourages all to apply for research grants and promotes a renewed emphasis on publication.
3.6 Space Requirements (Granzow)
3.6.1 Sound Capture Studio is continually being worked upon with construction commencing as soon as possible.
~ The Canwest computers will be moving to W700B and will be up and running for the summer semesters.
3.6.2 W700 Renovation and Move – may begin within one month
3.6.3 Film Video Studio – W426 will revert back to a film video studio again.
3.6.4 Storage Space (Fai) W700G & W700J will combine to create the sound studio – W700K will become the equipment room with W700F possibly becoming storage.
TV’s currently being stored in the Canwest Global Room will be moved to occupy Will Smith’s office.
Carl has asked that all faculty members consult with him regarding arising space issues as he entertains a constant affiliation with Helen Henderson, Physical Plant, Director’s Office.
3.7 Equipment Insurance (Pickering/Granzow) Anna suggested procuring camera insurance. Nick Fai will contact Nick Bensch, Materials Management, to discuss the particulars of obtaining insurance for cameras and dat records. Fai will report findings at a later meeting.
3.8 Lab Times (Atwood) Student Representative voiced concerns that the lab availability was not conducive to assignment due dates and indicated that students are requesting additional (24 hour) access to Canwest and B519 – B520 labs.
It was noted that a swipe card access mode is being installed in the Canwest Global rooms and should be in operation within a couple of weeks, making access easier.
When renovation begins, W700 will be redesigned as a rendering farm with more computers available for use – policy yet to be determined.
3.9 Internship Fees for International Students (Atwood) Decisions for foreign student internship fees are made at the Provincial level and students are encouraged to investigate grants from within in their native countries.
David Clearwater suggested that the New Media Student Society my be interested in creating information banks to house such information.
3.10 New Media 4850A Description – Seminar in Interactive Technology (Thomas/Clearwater) General confusion as to the origin of the title and the sequencing. Resolved by David Clearwater
3.11 New Media Conference Discussion (Kabatoff) Please refer to New Media
Handout “Two Topics of Discussion: Fall 2004 New Media Conference: Spring 2004 Student New Media Conference” Topics include,
~ Introductions
~ Recommendations
~ Workshop Schedule
Discussion ensued regarding conference type, geographic reaches, recruiting potential, and student work showcasing. To be followed up at the next departmental meeting.
3.12 Student Media Showcase Discussion (Kabatoff) Please refer to previously
mentioned handout. Brief discussion on Fall 2004 target date. Gerry Prost to sit on a committee with Mathew Kabatoff to work out details.
3.13 Chair Search Committee (Granzow) Carl informed the department that the Search Committee will be forming soon and that he currently occupies this position until June of 2004.
IV Items for Action
4.1 Lab Typefaces (Thomas) Please refer to “Typeface” handout. This purchase is designed to facilitate computers in either B519 or B520 or a combination of both rooms totaling 5 computers. It was proposed to add Open Typefaces to the potential purchase.
Motion: To accept the monetary purchase proposal of $4500.00 CDN for
Lab Typeface programs with the acceptance of a variation of fonts.
Thomas/Fai. Carried
4.2 MFA New Media Course Work Outline (Thomas) Please refer to “MFA Program – Department of New Media” handout.
Motion: To move this document into the MFA Draft Proposal. Prost/Atwood. Carried.
4.3 Lab Access [Amrita] (Granzow) – Please refer to #1 email handout and Computer Lab and Study Centre Acceptable Use Policy and General Information: found online here:
http://www.uleth.ca/it/labs/SCL-Policy.htm
4.3 MOCAP Access (Granzow) Please refer to #2 email handout. It was determined that requested access is denied.
V Other Business
5.1 Cost Recovery (Prost) Suggested 2 potential cost recovery strategies;
~ Lap Top Initiatives – involved process of “renting” laptops equipped with necessary software.
~ Faculty Extensions for weekends and evenings.
5.2 GFC Report (Smith) Computer use policy is available and indicated on the minutes of the recent GFC report – please see Will Smith for details.
VI Adjournment Thomas/Clearwater 12:55 p.m.
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Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 10:36 AM
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Department Meeting
I was unable to attend the last departmental meeting, but Mike was there and here are some of the things we need to find out:"What are some students' ideas for increasing the lab times for us?--especially on weekends. Closed at 5 Friday-Sunday."
"The department is planning a tentative Media Showcase in the fall of 2004. They want us to ask around for ideas of how we, the students, would like to see it run. Some ideas were to have students submit there work to an ejudicating committee who would decide which works go in the show--kind of like the Music 2500 stuff last semester, other ideas were to allow students to show whatever work they wanted, and it would get voted on by category by the students (like a people's choice award), so that they can say--in a portfolio for example--that that certain piece won such and such an award."
Now it is your responsibility (as a student reading this page) to let Mike or myself know what you think. Get emailing!
jeff.milner@uleth.ca
mike.atwood@uleth.ca
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Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 10:29 AM
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3rd Annual Poster Design Competition
Attention:University of Lethbridge Art & New Media Students
The Annual Poster Design Competition is accepting submissions. Competition details are available on a Gallery webpage:
here and in a hardcopy format, in the brochure stand next to the Art Gallery entrance on level 6.
This competition is open to any U of L student registered in an Art or New Media course during the spring semester of 2004 (Jan - April).
There is a $100 cash award, which will be presented to the winning designer at the awards presentations during the opening reception for the Annual Juried Student Exhibition, 8pm, Friday, March 19.
Design entry deadline: Noon, Fri. March 5/04
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Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 10:22 AM
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Wednesday, January 28, 2004
XML Feed
For you news junkies out there, Blogger is now offering XML feeds and so here is the XML Feed for this site. I'll write up a little explaination about what you can do with XML later.Comments (0)
Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 12:41 AM
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Monday, January 26, 2004
Student for a Day Volunteers
Anna Pickering writes:We received a request for New Media students willing to help with the
'Connections - Student for a Day' program. It involves the following -
"Our "Connections" 'Student For A Day' program is a very crucial
recruiting tool that we use with grade twelve students. We team up high
school students with U of L students for a day, take them to classes,
introduce them to campus life, give them a tour, and even buy them
lunch! It's a very successful program that has really grown."
Many of the students who are interested in participating in
"Connections" want to look at the New Media program, however they do not
have any New Media students who have yet volunteered to help. As New
Media is a very sought after program, it would be great for these
interested students to get an idea of the program through the eyes of
our own students.
Please let me know if you are interested and/or available to help. Thanks.
Anna
anna.pickering@uleth.ca
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Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 1:05 PM
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Tuesday, January 20, 2004
NMED Translation Project
Anna Pickering wrote me the following email:Hello,
A U of L student (also a member of a Japanese club -- JAM, I think she called it) stopped by my office to ask about whether a NMED student would be interested in dubbing 25 episodes of "Spiral". They have most of the scripts translated into English. This is a non-licensed show and they have all of the episodes on computer.
I have contact information for the student that came to my office. Let me know if you are interested. Thanks.
Anna
anna.pickering@uleth.ca
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Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 1:04 PM
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Thursday, January 15, 2004
Disney Continues 2D Cuts
From Slashdot:"As mentioned in this Slashdot article, Disney has been planning to shut down their 2D animation studios. Just recently, Disney shut down their Florida studio, with some animators transferred to Disney's Burbank studio, and others being left out of a job. This has brought criticism from Roy Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney. And to top it off, Disney may be facing new competition from Legacy Animation, a new animation studio that was formed by ex-Disney animators."
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Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 12:27 PM
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Tuesday, January 13, 2004
WeeklyDV
WeeklyDV is a site that has been around for some time now, but one which I don't think has received enough attention. There is a new theme every week and if you have a digital video camera, some editing software, and a couple hours of free time, you too can participate.Comments (0)
Entry posted by Jeff Milner at 11:28 PM
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Department Meeting
At the New Media Dept. Meeting this Friday we will discuss New Media Curriculum Revision, Teaching Assignments, Resource Management, Faculty Research, Space Requirements and would like to begin to organize 'change' based on our current situation and ideas which were floated during our recent Department Retreat, November 03. If you as a student have any items you would like Mike or myself to discuss, please drop me a line ASAP.Update: The meeting has been rescheduled for Friday, 23 January 2004.
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