EQUIPMENT/CHECKOUT ROOM (ECOR) POLICIES
PURPOSE:
The Purpose of the Equipment Checkout Room (ECOR) is to provide certain departmental audio-visual, film, and recording equipment to the students, faculty and staff of the Department of Communication on a timely basis.
AUTHORIZATION:
Each semester, faculty will provide the Media Technician an alphabetized, printed and signed list of students (undergraduate, graduate, teaching assistants) who are authorized to check out equipment from the ECOR. This list will also include a list of the specific equipment the students will be checking out, i.e. – cameras (specific camera models), lighting kits, audio equipment, and so on. Faculty should only authorize the students to check out equipment after they have been trained in the proper use and care of the equipment. No equipment will be checked out to anyone whose name is not on the current lists. A UNC OneCard will be required for the check out clerk to compare to the authorization lists.
ONLY Media Production classes have access to ECOR equipment.
INSTRUCTION: While the check out personnel will assist where they can, they are not instructors. Their sole responsibility is to provide the equipment requested per reservation.
COURTESY: It is expected that ECOR personnel will at all times be courteous. Likewise, they should be treated with courtesy.
ECOR PHONE NUMBER: (919) 962-4969
CHECKOUT HOURS are dependent upon the availability of ECOR personnel. Hours of operation will be posted on the door of the checkout room. Please note: often times ECOR personnel must leave immediately at the end of their posted hours. Please arrive early enough to complete your check-out before the closing time. Furthermore, reservations are time-sensitive. Failure to pickup equipment by a reservation time will result in a violation. Reservations are automatically cancelled at 30 minutes past a reservation time, also resulting in a violation.
CHECKOUT DURATION: Normal check-out length is for up to three (3) days, with equipment to be returned prior to the reservation end time. Days when the room is not open do not count against the three-day total. From time to time circumstances may necessitate changes from the three-day limit but these exceptions can only be authorized with advanced written authorization by faculty to the Media Tech or Lab Manager.
CHECKOUT CONDITIONS: Equipment will only be checked out to authorized persons. The person whose name is on the reservation will be responsible for its safe and timely return. In the case of packages such as lighting kits, under no circumstances will anyone borrow from one kit to fill or expand another. Only one (1) camera can be checked out per user.
HOWEVER, if more than one camera is expected for a shoot, please seek professor approval. Upon written professor approval, they will contact the Media Tech or Lab Director. Reserve cameras in advance. ECOR personnel are unable to lend equipment without a reservation.
KEY CODES FOR MAS LABS: ANY student, with OneCard access to MAS labs agree to the following conditions:
– Facilities accessed with this OneCard will be used solely and exclusively for University business and class assignments.
– OneCard users are personally responsible for all damages, destruction to, or loss of, equipment or facilities accessed by said OneCard, whether or not coverage is secured through an insurance carrier. Any damage, destruction, or loss will be reported to Communication personnel no later than the beginning of the next workday following knowledge of such damage, destruction or loss. All reimbursement for such equipment abuse shall be due and payable to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill immediately.
– Sharing a OneCard with another individual is an Honor Code violation and will result in restricting lab and equipment access.
CHECK-OUT PROCEDURE: Reserve your equipment in advance through the online reservation system comm.unc.edu/reservation. (Please see the RESERVATIONS section below for further detail.) Checkout Room personnel are unable check out equipment without a reservation. Reservations are time-sensitive. Arrive before the reservation time to avoid violations or cancellations. UNC One Cards are required to be presented to ECOR personnel at each pickup time. Please inspect the equipment prior to leaving the Checkout Room for any damages or missing components. The check-out process is completed once the ECOR personnel has completed scanning the equipment and the online form finalized.
CHECK-IN (RETURN) PROCEDURE: When equipment is returned, it should be in the same or better condition than when it was checked out. For example, light kits should be neatly packed and cables neatly coiled. If a student has experienced trouble with any of the equipment checked out to them, they should request and fill out an equipment repair request form with as much detail as possible. The check-in is completed only when all forms are filled and the check-in process is completed by the ECOR clerk. It is the sole responsibility of the person whose name the reservation is under to ensure all equipment is returned and properly checked in.
EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY: ECOR personnel are not responsible for equipment availability beyond reporting any late check-in. Equipment is available on a first come/first served basis and by reservation (see below). Whenever possible, production instructors should stagger their equipment needs so production classes are not competing for equipment simultaneously.
RESERVATIONS: Reservations are made online through our connect2 server found at comm.unc.edu/reservation. Only authorized persons will be allowed to make reservations. Reservations are time-sensitive. Plan to arrive before your scheduled check-in and check-out times to avoid a violation. Arriving late could create a violation and cancellation of a reservation. These reservations will be made on a first come/first served basis. Reservations may not be made for equipment that is already checked out.
*TIP: The most common mistake when making a reservation is to miss clicking the “Submit” button at the end of the process. Once completed, an email confirmation is sent with reservation details. Additionally, reminder emails are sent when a scheduled check-out or check-in time is upcoming. Make sure these emails are allowed into your Inbox instead of being sent to the Junk box.
RENEWALS: Equipment reservations may not be renewed. If an equipment extension is needed, a new reservation must be made. All equipment must be returned and re-scanned for the new reservation. Contacting the Media Technician with requests to renew a reservation will be denied.
VIOLATIONS:
Violations include, but are not limited to:
- Late return of equipment
- Failure to appear on-time for reserved equipment
- Failure to properly care for equipment while checked out.
- Return or checkout of equipment outside of posted Checkout Room hours.
- ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE RETURNED TO THE ECOR. Leaving the equipment in the hallway outside the Checkout Room will result in a Second-Level Violation.
First-Level Violation: Written warning to the instructor stating violation, potentially resulting in a one week lockout (at the director’s discretion), and possible negative effect on course grade. (Example: Reservation late/no-show)
Second-Level Violation: Written report to instructor and Director with further access to check out room and lab automatically locked out for two(2) weeks, and possible negative effect on course grade. A 2nd level violation is a significant and/or 2nd progressive violation. (Examples: Failure to properly care for or report lost/damaged equipment, two first-level violations)
Third-Level Violation: Details reported to Dept. Chair, Director and instructor. User banned from further use of the facility, with possible negative effect on course grade. A 3rd level violation is a significant violation. (Example: Theft or malicious destruction of MAS Lab equipment, threatening violence)
*** After 24 hours of an emailed or phoned notification of third-level violation to the contact information below, failure to return equipment will result in the judgment that the equipment is stolen. Theft will be reported to law enforcement authorities. ***
Block quote from the Usage Agreement form:
I have read, understand, and will abide by the following Department of Communication documents, which are available for review on the MAS Production Facilities website:
Additionally, I agree to use Departmental equipment according to the following conditions:
- The equipment will be used solely and exclusively for Communication – Media Production class assignments.
- I understand that I am personally responsible for all damages or destruction to, or loss of, said equipment whether or not coverage is secured through an insurance carrier. Damage, destruction or loss will be reported to the Department of Communication no later than the beginning of the next workday following knowledge of such damage, destruction or loss. All reimbursement for damage, destruction or loss of such equipment shall be due and payable to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill immediately.
- Any change in contact information will be reported immediately to the Media Technician. equipment@unc.edu