CASSH Digital Media Lab

Digital Media Lab Access

Communication Studies, Art, English, and Digital Media Studies and Design (DMSDM) minor students are able to utilize lab facilities and check out equipment for various classes within those majors and minors. Any other student who would like access to lab space or equipment must have written permission from the Digital Media Lab director. 

Digital Media Studies and Design Minor faculty have precedence in reserving lab space and equipment. All UWL faculty may request reservations for lab space and equipment when they are not in use and will be granted on a first-come first-served basis. 

Lab Access and Equipment Restrictions or Bans 

Access to Digital Media Lab spaces and equipment can be revoked in part or in full for the following reasons: 

• • • Repeated late equipment returns or misuse of equipment and lab spaces. 
    • Improper use or access occurs in conjunction with violations of ITS, UWL, or Lab guidelines. For example, fraudulent use of another UWL student or faculty ID to gain access to resources; forgery of signatures during check in or checkout procedures. 
    • Excessive damage or theft of Lab property such as equipment within or supporting the Lab spaces. 

Violations of acceptable use of equipment for a semester or permanent ban are based on the specific scope and misuse of equipment or facilities and are assessed on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Digital Media Lab Director. 

Acceptable Use

There are many ways Digital Media Lab resources can be used by students and faculty to help enrich their production and research experiences. For example: 

• • • • Reservation and checkout of a camcorder, tripod, and lavalier kit to capture high-quality interviews and other scenes for a video project for a class, academic presentation, or training. 
      • Reservation and checkout of a digital audio recorder to capture audio from in-person interviews for student or faculty research. 
      • Reservation of a Podcast Bay to record, mix, and edit audio for a podcast for a class project or academic presentation. 

These are just a few examples of how reservations and checkouts can help students and faculty meet their production and academic research goals. If you have an idea of how these resources may best serve students and faculty, please consult with the Digital Media Lab Director to help brainstorm options. 

Limitations of Use

Digital Media Lab  resources should not be used in the following cases: 

• • • • Supplementing long-term, individual, or department purchases. Although equipment may be used in a specific circumstance, such as a department camera breaks, it is not intended to supplement long-term replacement. 
      • For outside group or event-based projects, such as for-profit or in-support-of offered services. Use of Lab resources is expressly prohibited for supplement of resources used for external business purposes or for business use wherein payment is received or discounted for services. 

Reservations

Spaces and equipment can be reserved in advance through email and in-person at the front desk in the Digital Media Lab, located on the first floor of Murphy Library. Advanced reservations are highly recommended because others may submit reservations days or weeks in advance. The following describes how to reserve equipment. 

• • • • Walk-In Requests: Approved students and faculty may visit the front desk to request to checkout equipment. Although reservations are not a requirement to checkout equipment, the ability to fulfill walk-in requests is limited to the availability of the current resources and any upcoming reservations. 
      • Walk-In Reservations: Approved students and faculty can also visit the front desk and fill out Reservation Request forms for future equipment checkout. Students and faculty who use this option have greater ability to select pickup and return times based on equipment availability and lab hours. 
      • Email Reservations: Approved students and faculty may also fill out our pdf Reservation Request form, found on the Digital Media Lab website, and email the request to (email). Reservations are not guaranteed until you receive a confirmation email from the Lab. 

Reservations cannot be transferred to another individual. Approved students and faculty have a 30-minute grace period within working Lab hours to pick up equipment before it will be released for others to checkout. The student or faculty member who reserves and checks out equipment will be held fully responsible and solely liable for the equipment. Reservations will not be accepted over the phone because identity cannot be verified.

Equipment Authorizations 

Some equipment and spaces require online and/or in-person training to gain access to reserve and checkout equipment. These resources are of high value with advanced features and considerations to best ensure awareness of value and care during lawn. Training authorization is valid for the duration of the time the equipment is actively available in the Lab, or if substantial changes are made to the training content that merit re-certification. As equipment is refreshed and updated with new models, new authorization training will be created and must be completed before use. Training authorization is non-transferable. 

Equipment Checkout 

Digital Media Lab equipment is available for checkout by approved students and faculty (see above). Students and faculty will need to provide their UWL ID to checkout equipment. A full list of equipment and software is available on the Digital Media Lab website. Use of this equipment should be primarily for academic and coursework purposes. All equipment is subject to these policies and well as the University of Wisconsin System’s Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources policy which can be found on the UWL Information Technology Services website. 

There are two tiers of equipment that can be checked out: Specialized and General Use. Specialized equipment is marked with a red tag and reserved for students enrolled in CST 377 and CST 378 as well as any other DMSDM course. Students will be required to complete equipment training modules on Canvas and be approved by their instructor before they can checkout equipment.

General-use equipment is marked with a blue tag and any CST, Art, English, or DMSDM students and faculty can check it out. Any other students who wish to use the equipment will need written permission from the Digital Media Lab director and must take all necessary trainings before using any equipment. 

All equipment can be checked out for a period of two (2) days. If equipment is checked out on a Thursday or Friday, it will be due back the following Monday. Checkout and checkin procedures can be found on the Digital Media Lab website and on the Digital Media Lab Training Canvas page. 

Equipment Check In 

All items must be returned to the front desk at the Digital Media Lab during posted business hours in “Satisfactory Condition.” Satisfactory condition is defined as equipment is safely powered off, cables coiled properly, and all equipment securely packed in their original, labeled cases. Equipment should be dry and odor-free. Dirt, sand, or dust must by safely cleaned off and removed from equipment, bags, or cases. Any adhesives must be safely removed from equipment, bags, or cases and must be residue-free prior to return. All barcoded or indicated accessories or parts, such as cables, power adapters, and batteries, must be present at the time of return. All storage media will be formatted immediately upon return, and we encourage students and faculty to format their media in advance of returning equipment. 

Students and faculty who checkout equipment are responsible for ensuring all necessary components, accessories, and equipment are securely stored in their original carrying cases and containers in the same satisfactory condition in which it was received and documented in the condition notes of the checkout contract form. Clients should, and are strongly encouraged, to remain at the front desk until all items have been reviewed and checked-in. 

Student works or staff receiving a checkout return will assess equipment functionality and mark in all equipment on a the Check In form. There is a 72-hour review period after a return affording staff any further reviews to best ensure proper functionality. This timeframe permits staff to investigate equipment issues and determine if follow-up communication to the original person who checked out the equipment is required, which may include a determination of a fine invoice for costs associated with repair or replacement. 

All returns should be within hours of operation posted on the door of the Lab and online. If the Lab is closed, equipment should not be left outside. If equipment is located unattended, the equipment will be checked in the following business day during operating hours, and any late notices will be applied to the clients account and subject to late return policies. The client may also have a temporary or permanent revocation of their Lab checkout privileges. 

Unsatisfactory Equipment Condition and Damages

Any equipment used by clients in the Digital Media Lab, or checked out from the Lab, that is returned in unsatisfactory condition may to subject to all costs associated to cleaning supplies and labor used to return equipment kits back to fully functioning, satisfactory condition. Equipment returned with damages may result in repair of resources to resolve in issues impacting the proper operation and use of the equipment. 

Repairs must be done by manufacturer-approved or authorized repair centers and include all charges for shipping, parts, and labor. Accessories or components that are damaged must be replaced by University-approved vendors or specific manufacturer parts stores only. Replacement parts purchased by clients cannot be substituted in any capacity, regardless if non-standard by compatible or manufacturer-related parts as it must by authorized and purchased via the University directly. 

Access to equipment checkout and/or lab reservations may be temporarily blocked during the period where repair or replacement costs are being quoted and identified prior to the finalization of an associated fine invoice. Repeat occurrences of returns made with Damages or Unsatisfactory conditions may be subject to further access restrictions including permanent bans. 

Overdue Equipment 

Equipment that is returned after the contracted due date and time can result in warnings, temporary bans, and permanent bans. A first late return will result in a warning, and if the client is a student, an email to their instructor about the infraction. A second late return will result in a two week ban on equipment and facility checkout and reservation privileges. A third late return will result in a semester ban on equipment and facility checkout and reservation privileges. A fourth late return will result in a permanent ban. 

Excessively Overdue Equipment

Equipment checkout allocations that exceed twice the length of the standard loan maximum will (4 days past due) will be considered “Excessively Overdue.” After this time elapses and is reviews by the Digital Media Lab Director, a final 24-hour notice will be sent to the client’s UWL email address requesting response and return of the equipment. If a return does not occur within 24 hours of the final notice, the equipment will be considered “Unreturned.” 

Unreturned Equipment

Any student or faculty member who does not return equipment will receive an invoice for the final value for the full cost to replace all applicable equipment and accessories from a University-provided vendor, in addition to a 15% penalty fine or $25, whichever is greater. Purchase price of replacement equipment, including comparable products in instances where specific models are no longer manufactured or sold new, will be determined as the discretion of the Digital Media Lab Director. Client recommendations or client purchases of replacement equipment will not be accepted. 

Stolen Equipment Procedures

While every step should be taken to safeguard equipment borrowed from the Lab, clients should never prioritize equipment value over their own personal safety. Do NOT fight a robber or attacker for lab property. Equipment can be replaced; a person cannot. 

Clients should follow the steps detailed in Reporting Stolen Equipment on the Digital Media Lab website and on the Digital Media Lab Canvas page. Equipment that is reported as stolen during a loan will be considered “Lost” and follow associated procedures. 

In the even equipment is stolen, clients are responsible for the following communication and actions: 

1. If the incident of loss or theft occurs on campus, a report to Campus Police should be made immediately. Clients must request the Report or Case Number. 
2. Additionally, a full report to the La Crosse Police Department should be made. Clients must request the Report or Case Number
3. An email notification should be made directly to (lab email) to provide full details of what components, accessories or full kit items have been lost or stolen in order to accurately assess necessary steps to review related future reservations that may be impacted for clients. Campus Police and La Crosse Police Department report/case numbers should also be provided. 

Equipment will then follow associated policies as identified in the Lost or Damaged Stolen Equipment policy.

Stolen, Lost or Damaged Equipment Fines

If equipment checked out to a client is lost, damaged, or stolen during the course of the contracted loan period, it is the client’s responsibility to report this to Digital Media Lab director and/or staff immediately. Clients are advised to search locations where equipment was last retained or used, or if used in a group project, that all other group members are contacted to verify the equipment was not erroneously misplaced in another individual’s bag or equipment case. If still unable to locate missing equipment, clients must email the Digital Media Lab at (email) a full summary that identifies the lost equipment before the scheduled due date and return time elapses. 

Payment for Damaged, Lost, or Stolen Equipment 

Any invoice for damaged, lost, or stolen equipment must be paid within 30 days of receipt. 

Appealing a Fine for Damaged, Lost, or Stolen Equipment

All appeals to a fine for damaged, lost, or stolen equipment must be submitted by email to the Digital Media Lab director and the Chair of the Communication Studies Department. The following conditions must be met for an appeal to be considered valid. 

1. All equipment has been returned. 
2. An official Fine Invoice notification email has been received by the client.
3. The appeal is submitted via email with all appropriate information about the issue.
4. The balance of the fine is unpaid and submitted within 15 days of the initial Find Invoice email notification. 

If any of these conditions have not been met, the fine appeal submission will be rejected immediately identifying the required conditions for appeal. 

One Time Exception: The Lab Director and CST chair may accept appeals citing a “One-Time Exception.” These circumstances may be granted in the event the client has never had a previous fine invoice and temporary or permanent bans on their account. Such exceptions are not guaranteed as the appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may result in a fine reduction or one-time removal of associated fines. 

Food and Beverages within Lab Facilities 

Food and beverages, other than water bottles with secure lids, are not allowed in the Lab. 

Classroom Space 

The classroom space is designed as a collaborative space with 25 iMacs and specialized production and research software. DMSDM courses are given precedence for this space. Any other department wishing to request classroom space should contact the Digital Media Lab director. 

Various classes will be scheduled in the classroom space, but when the room is not in use, students are welcome to work there. When a class is scheduled, any student not enrolled in that class should leave the lab at least 10 minutes before the class is scheduled to begin. A schedule will be available on the door of the classroom. Lab workers may verify that students in the lab during this time are allowed to be there. 

*When working in the classroom during open lab hours, you must wear headphones when accessing audio so as not to disturb other workers. 

*Do not under any circumstance install your own software onto the computers

*Lab staff will be available during operating hours to help you. Notify lab staff immediately if equipment/software is not working properly or is damaged. 

*Do not save your work directly onto lab computers. Please purchase an appropriate storage device (see recommendation list) or check one out from the front desk. When working with media, solid state hard drives are recommended due to the large format of audio/video files. 

Virtual Reality and Eye-tracking Research Space

Use of the virtual reality and eye-tracking space is limited to students who are enrolled in CST 377 or CST 378. Any other faculty who wish to reserve the space for class or research activities should contact the Digital Media Lab director. Students are prohibited from using the space without faculty supervision. All approved faculty and students will need to access the space with their UWL ID. 

Video Production Space

The video production space may be reserved for use during Digital Media Lab hours by students or faculty. The space will come equipped with a lighting kit and a green screen. Cameras and other video production equipment can be checked out at the front desk. This space can be checkout in 2 hour blocks, up to 8 hours per week. This time may be reduced to 4 hours per week during peak usage times. The space will be released for use if the client does not show up with 15 minutes of scheduled start time. 

Podcast Production & Editing Bays

The Digital Media Lab will have two podcast production and editing bays that come equipped with two computers, two microphones, two headsets, and an audio mixer. The bays can be reserved by students and faculty to record and edit audio. Students and faculty who wish to use the podcasting bays will have to complete a short training to use the space and equipment. Trainings will be offered in the first two weeks of the semester and the schedules will be posted on the first day of classes. 

Students and faculty can reserve this space in up to 2 hour blocks, and up to 8 hours per week. This time may be reduced to 4 hours per week during peak usage times. The editing bay will be released for use if the client does not show up within 15 minutes of scheduled start time. 

Meeting/Focus Group and Observation Space 

The meeting/focus group room can seat up to 12 people and comes equipped with audio and video recording. There is also a computer/projector set up for presentations and web conferencing. A separate observation space is available for interview or focus group research.

Support

Digital Media Lab staff are available for technical support and questions during lab hours. More extensive troubleshooting or issues regarding equipment, reservations, checkout and check in issues should be referred to the Digital Media Lab Director.