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Have you howled at the moon lately? You missed a great opportunity on Tuesday to
see the Eerie moon through the many tree branches at Behrend. But it’s not too late -
you can still see the man in the moon before the weather gets too cold to be outside for
more than three minutes at a time!
Communications department
purchases new digital equipment
by Liz Hayes
news editor
There were great celebrations A fifth editing lab features more approximately five years ago, the 1/
happening in the ground floor of the advanced equipment than the other 2" editing machines (which were
Library on Tuesday. October 31, and four. The 525.000 FAST system replaced by the latest upgrades) were
not just to celebrate Halloween. On features even greater resolution and added to complement the 3/4”
this day thqjjew video equipment efficiency. Kerwin estimates that editing machine, which was about 20
was installed and in operation for the this is four times faster than the other years old. Also, additions were
Communications department. The editing units. The FAST unit made to the curriculum to better
equipment, which has been greatly provides users with up to four hours enhance and broaden COMBA
anticipated all
semester by
students and
faculty alike, is
located in the
former study rooms
to the left of room
12 in the Library
“It seems like the
communications
majors are always
left out because we
are the minority
majors on campus.
It is nice to see us
getting
recognized,”
commented
Douglas Smith, a
third semester DUS
student. Smith and
the other students
in COMMU 383,
the Introduction to
Audio/Video
Production L eo Hanley, a student in Mr. John Kerwin’s COMMU 383 class, demonstrates the
were among e new <jjgjt a | equipment in one of the media laboratories
first to use the new 3
equipment.
In four of these rooms, $3,500
dollar editing/compositing machines
have been added. These machines
allow students to take film from a
standard 1/2” VHS tape and transfer
it to the hard drive of an editing
machine. Students then work
directly from the hard drive,
eliminating the switching back and
forth between two editing machines
from the previous system (which
essentially consisted of two VCRs).
These hard drives will store at least
one hour of video imaging each.
When a student is finished editing
his or her footage, the final version
is then shifted back to a VHS tape
for viewing.
These new machines are digital
machines, allowing for higher
resolution and faster production.
Students have all the needed editing
components in one machine. Text,
transitions, graphics, music,
voiceovers - all can now be done
within one unit
As Mr. John Kerwin, an assistant
professor of communications new to
Behrend this semester, stated, “The
key thing about this technology is
that it is what is being used in the
working world.” Kerwin teaches the
COMMU 383 class, which is
currently the primary user of this
FOCAL POINT
equipment. Kerwin has also actually being used and what
instituted similar improvements at information was needed in the
two other schools before Behrend. working world. At that point,
of storage time (versus the one hour
from the other four). It provides over
300 transition and graphics options,
whereas the other four provide about
150. Kerwin said that this system is
more advanced than those used by
many media outlets.
Along with the FAST equipment,
a digital video camera was
purchased. Kerwin hopes that in the
future three more digital cameras can
be added, along with two more
editing units. All in all, the new
improvements totaled $60,000.
Kerwin said that the department has
not yet determined a user policy for
the new equipment. While the
equipment is designed for the
students in certain classes, he would
at least like to make it open to all
communications students. Right
now the labs will be open during
Library hours, and students can
check out the keys at the circulation
desk.
There are other improvements and
additions in the works for the
Communications department. Dr.
Rod Troester, associate professor of
speech communication, stated that
the College’s ability to make the
current additions was greatly
enhanced by feedback from former
graduates. These graduates informed
the faculty of what equipment was
NE VVS & WEATHER
MOON
students’ knowledge in the field,
When Dr. Mike Simmons retired
last semester, the College was
presented with the opportunity to
gain a professor with knowledge of
both journalism and film/broadcast,
which it found in Mr. Kerwin. Also
added to the faculty this semester
was Dr. Carla Lloyd, associate
professor of advertising and
communications, and Dr. Miriam
McMullen-Pastrick.
Within the next five years, Dr.
Troester hopes that the College will
be expanding the Academic Building
to make room for additional
classroom and laboratory space for
the School of Humanities and Social
Sciences. However, as this money
will most likely come from private
donations and not from state
funding, he is not sure how soon
these renovations will occur. He also
believes, and Mr. Kerwin agreed,
that current curriculum may be
expanded to better utilize the new
equipment. But all agree that the new
equipment will make strides for the
College: "I think the new labs are
going to be very helpful, and that
they will make great strides for the
Communications department,
updating it to the 21 s 1 century,”
commented Sarah Orr, a fifth
semester COMBA student.
Weekend We/v? dee. QinrooK
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lolice And Safety
afe_ *#*
10/24/2000 20:30 A student reported that he had received harassing phone calls .
10/24/2000 21:30 A student reported simple assualt.
10/25/2000 01:00 A janitor reported a leaking container in Obb 122. They removed both
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age of 21
10/30/2000 11:30 Assisted State Police with finding a student on campus.
10/30/2000 17:10 A student reported a possible stalking incident.
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