Students of the new media program will now have to complete a total of 10 technical points of participation each semester, in addition to their previous curriculum.
Fr. Jim Mayzik, director of the new media program, said that the program is following the theater department in its installment of technical points. The points can be achieved by participation in such programs as the Ham Channel and short films.
Lynne Porter, associate professor of theater, said the point system was put in place to “monitor engagement with the technical end of theatre [and] to introduce our students to all aspects of theatre, both in coursework and in Theatre Fairfield.”
She said the points system in use requires that “students do sufficient backstage work,” but that it is not considered excess work. Rather, it will give majors hands-on experience and divide equally the workload among new media majors.
“It is to encourage kids that come to us senior year and tell us ‘I wish that I had just joined the Ham channel,'” said Mayzik.
The process also touches on the classic model of Jesuit education in which it encourages holistic efforts in everything that students do.
“Part of the Jesuit education is that the professor needs to know the student,” Mayzik said.
He went on to say that the program is designed “to give them an experience and to have some time to reflect.”
Of the 90 students who are film majors, about two-thirds are already actively involved, according to Mayzik.
“If someone is not into film it may discourage them, but you have to be involved to learn film,” he said.
“The biggest problem we have is one kid will be actively involved and then they have all these other kids that help them and they get bored after an hour of helping them,” said Mayzik.
“And with the theater kids they have to go to work every single night, night after night,” he said.
Film major Patrick Hendrickson’10 praised the new system for the experience it provides.
“If you major in [new media] then you should enjoy it enough to experience it outside of class,” he said.
“I think that there are so many great opportunities in the Media Center that this program will not drive those [students] away,” said Hendrickson. “I think it might benefit them even if they don’t realize it.”
Hendrickson also said that the program’s abundance of new equipment makes it easy for students to complete the 10 required technical points each semester.
“I worked from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Stagstock operating the camera for the Ham Channel,” he said. “For nine hours of work I got five points, and it was enjoyable.”
“Its even better [than class] because it is the actual experience.”
“Hands-on learning helps but I don’t think you should necessarily be forced to do things,” said Eric San George ’10.
New media majors that registered as freshmen now have to complete the 10 points.
“I didn’t find out about it until our majors meeting,” said San George.
“The class is able to teach us these things and if you want to do these things outside of class, then great,” said San George, who agreed with Mayzik and Henderson about the advantage that the system encourages students to do hands-on work.
“People should sign up for the Ham Channel because they want to,” said San George, “not because they have to get points.”
“Part of the reason I came to Fairfield was you could use the equipment when ever you want as a freshman,” he added.
San George said he is unsure as to whether the program would turn away potential film majors. He said that his decisions may have been different had these rules been in effect before he came to Fairfield.
“If I was a freshman now I would be pissed,” said San George.
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