Student Access and Success has found a creative way to communicate to its students by broadcasting information via televisions located in the lobby of the One-Stop-Shop. In the lobby of the One-Stop-Shop, there are three large LCD televisions that have recently come online and are now being used as a way to share pertinent information with the students who frequent the facility. The information usually ranges from the weather for the day to news about upcoming campus events. Jeric Griffin, a sophomore radio and television major, who is also a student worker at the Student Access and Success Center is in charge of the television programming. In order to do this, Griffin has spent weeks learning Tightrope Media Systems Carousel software, which allows him to create and modify the information that appears on the televisions. According to Griffin, putting information on the televisions is like creating “slides” of information similar to those of a PowerPoint presentation.
The Tightrope software is essentially brand new and, just like any new piece of technology, this software has come with its share of difficulties.
“There are usually three or four hiccups per week with the system, but nothing major,” Griffin said.
However, despite these occasional problems, Griffin said he enjoys working with the program, because he learns something new about it every day. It is a web-based program, which means he can create new “slides” or update existing ones from a computer, and the television screens at the One-Stop-Shop update instantly. It’s because of this feature of the Carousel software that Griffin describes the software as “unrealistically proficient.”
Griffin performs his task under the direct supervision of Ricia Montgomery, the assistant to the vice president of Student Access and Success.
The idea of communication through the televisions came as a result of Student Access and Success’ belief that displaying information on television was the best way to keep students informed of events, which are relevant to them as students and community residents.
“Communication is an important component of Student Access and Success,” Montgomery said.
Corey Ainsworth, junior management major, is a student worker at the Student Access and Success Center with almost constant exposure to the informative television screens every time he works.
“I think the TV’s are a great addition to the Student Access and Success Center,” Ainsworth said.
He also went on to say that he believed that the televisions even created a more welcoming environment for students. Ainsworth had only positive things to say about the idea of having the televisions in the lobby.
“I think they are a great means of communication and should be utilized more by organizations and other departments on campus,” Ainsworth said.