© Punet oF THE ARTS. /| FEBRUARY - MARCH 1996 COMPUTER QUANDARIES What is the Status of Your Access? BY FERNANDO IGNACIO A third year film student's nightmare: It's 1:25 P.M., you have to hand in your typewritten film review in 5 minutes. You go from computer room to computer room looking for a free terminal but they are all in use. Your mind races to figure out where you can transform your gem of a film analysis from phantom electrons swirling in electronic ether into something your instructor can read. Computers are used throughout the Institute as essential tools for both artists and designers. Computers are becoming a wide- spread tool in the process of art pro- duction. (from the 1995/96 ECIAD Calendar.) At ECIAD, the Design and Media divisions both have courses which require use of the school's computer facilities. There is no sepa- rate computer division. Instead there are three computer sites: the com- puter rooms in the North building; the ECD studios; and the computer animation facility. These three areas accommodate, for the most part, all of the computer-related curriculum of ECIAD. Tom Becher, the Dean of Design, says he considers “cost recov- ery" when he evaluates actual and potential use of ECIAD's computer resources. For example, ECIAD and UBC co-sponsored a multi-media course last semester. The course was marketed to non-ECIAD students and was held one evening per week for four weeks . According to Becher, the money that outside students paid for this course increased the “cost recov- ery" for computer resources that are in place anyway. Becher feels that the effect on student access and technical support was minimized by fitting these courses into “interstitial CHILD CARE RESEARCH GROUP Students, sta ane spaces” within ECIAD's course offer- ings. Each year Emily Carr stu- dents see their tuition increasing while divisional budgets shrink and access to computer resources is reduced. As a strategy to survive these economic problems, it seems ECIAD's administration is increasing the number of students who have access to the present facilities. Technical staff are under as much strain as students as a result of this added accessibility. Ron Barron, the Computer Resources Studio Assistant (North Building computers in rooms 223,229,230) says a careful assessment of these programs should be undertaken. "Making our facility avail- able in exchange for either hardware or software or money ... is something that has to be looked at carefully. Yet, when people are actively pursu- ing these types of endeavors with industry or other institutions, you also don't want to turn down the possibility of collaboration. "| think they need be looked at carefully so they don't impact on the students who are pay- ing tuition to go here full-time but we should not fully dismiss it out of hand because there could be benefits to both." But who does the careful assessment of these courses? And how often are they conducted? Barron says that he has not been involved personally with any in- depth planning regarding courses such as the one co-sponsored with UBC. For the most part, these extra- mural courses happen on fairly short notice for the studio assistants, who must somehow find the resources to accommodate them. These courses also come as a surprise to students, who find out about them only after they have been implemented. Extramural computer courses are relatively new to ECIAD. Becher stresses the importance of collaborating with UBC for these courses .He says that most of his time is spent finding ways to bring ECIAD to the community and to do this in a way that is cost-effective and beneficial. According to Barron, the number of students on the system network in his area has risen from 100 to 350 in the last 5 years. Although additional computers have been put on the network, there has been a definite increase in usage. Students are finding it harder to access the computers during the day because of the extra courses that have been slotted in. The issue of computer access is part of an overall agenda of limiting access to education that stu- dents are increasingly faced with. Now, more than ever, students should be aware of this slow and insidious limiting of computer space - if not for ourselves, then for future ECIAD students who may not have the same availability to these resources. Our own shortsightedness and inactivity in regard to issues such as reduced computer access only contribute to the premature decline of our illustrious school. and a contact number in Tania Conley’s student mail box. © rer oe Aes | amar = a0 1996 COMPUTER QUANDARIES What is the Status of Your Access? sy Fernanoo loxAcio A third year flim student's spaces" within ECIAD's couse offer- nightmare: It's 1:25 PM, you have to ings. hand in your typewritten film review. in § minutes. You go from computer Each year Emily Car stu- ents see their tuition increasing oom to computer room looking for awhile divisional budgets shrink and free terminal but they are alin use. Yur mind races to figure out where access to computer resources is reduced, Asa strategy to survive you can transform your gem ofa film these economic problems it seems analysis from phantom electrons ‘wing in electronic ether into Something you instructor can read ECIAD’s administration is increasing the numberof students who have access tothe present faites ‘Computes are used Technical staff are under 25 throughout the institute os esentiol much stain as students as a result of tools fr both artists and designers. this added accessibility. Ron Barron, ‘Computers are becoming o wide- spreod tool nthe process of art pro duction. (rom the 1995/96 ECIAD Calendar) ‘AC ECIAD, the Design and ‘Media divisions both have courses hich require use of the school's computer facltes. There is no sepa- rate computer division. Instead there are three computer sites: the com- the North building the ECD studios; and the computer animation facility. These three areas accommodate, for the most part, all of the computer-related curriculum puter rooms of ECIAD. Tom Becher, the Dean of Design says he considers “ost recov- ‘ery when he evaluates actual and potential use of ECIAD's computer For example, ECIAD and aC co-sponsored a multi-media course last semester. The course was marketed to non-ECIAD students and was held one evening per week for ‘the Computer Resources Studio Assistant (North Building computer in rooms 223,229,230) says a careful assessment ofthese programs should be undertaken. “Making ou facility avall- able in exchange for either hardware software or money is something that has to be looked at carefully, Yet, when people are actively pursu- ing these types of endeavors with industry or other institutions, you ‘also don't want to turn down the Possibility of collaboration. “I thin they need be looked at carefully so they don't Impact on the students who are pay- Jing tuition to go here full-time but we should not fully dismiss it out of hhand because there could be benefits tooth But who does the careful assessment ofthese courses? And how often are they conducted? Barron says that he has not been involved personally with any in four weeks . According to Becher, the depth planning regarding courses ‘money that outside students paid for such as the one co-sponsored with this course increased the “cost recov- UBC. For the mast part these extra- mural courses happen on fairy short notice forthe studio assistants, who must somehow find the resources to accommodate them. These courses ‘also come asa surprise to students, ery for computer resources that are in place anyway. Becher feels that the effect on student access and technical support was minimized by fitting these courses into “interstitial CHILD CARE RESEARCH GROUP ested in helping to research the possibility of child care at ECIAD, who find out about them only after they have been implemented, Extramural computer ‘courses are relatively new to ECIAD, Becher stresses the importance of collaborating with UBC for these courses He says that mast of his time is spent finding ways to bring ECIAD to the community and to do thisin a way that is cost-effective and beneficial, ‘According to Baron, the numberof students on the system networkin his area has risen from 100 to 350 inthe last 5 years. Although additional computers have ‘been put on the network, there has ‘been a dente increase in usage ‘Students are finding it harder to ‘access the computers during the day because ofthe extra courses that hhave been slotted The issue of computer access is part ofan overall agenda of limiting access to education that stu- dents are inereasinaly faced with Now more than ever, students should be aware ofthis slow and insiious limiting of computer space - if not for ourselves, then for future ECIAD students who may nat have the same availability to these resources (Our own shorsightedness ‘and inactivity in regard to issues such a reduced computer access only contribute to the premature decline of our illustrious school, se Susan Musgrave Arts Club Theatre Jan 1996 "met a dead man walking in the woods today, myself a healthy, woman, barely twen= ty-seven. His breath smelled of white wine and the ripest fruit” ‘And with that note Susan Musgrave started an intimate afternoon of poetry, non- fiction column writing and humorous anec- dotes. What was So surprising fora lot of People was the fact that Musgrave didn't take her writing so seriously, that she was abe to have a 08 time. ‘She started off rather nervously but {quickly found her confidence and by the end hha everyone in stitches Her poetry is acute, ful of sharp ‘observations about love and life; including her twisted sense of humour. “Musgrave doesn't make grand, sweeping statements with her poetry. Instead, she works in quet litle messages thatthe Feaderlstener can relate to. She read exerpts from her book, The Emboimer’s Arta collection of her poetry), her two books of esays: Great Musgrove and ‘Musgrove’ Londing. She also included some ew poems: one written during her ferry ride from Vancouver Island which rivals her older established work [At the end she was gracious ‘enough to old a question and answer session and sign books. My only disappointment was ‘that more people didn't show up. Organizers, ret time reduce the price ofa ticket and | ‘guarantee more people would show up. = WSean iluk ® and the history of past attempts in this regard, please leave your name and a contact number in Tania Conley’s student mail box.