Larry Burriss, Dean, College of Mass Communication. Co-sponsors: Robert Glenn, Vice President and De

lburriss@mtsu.edu, rglenn@mtsu.edu, rcampbel@mtsu.edu

Richard Campbell

Dean/Journalism

Open computer labs

COMM 269

Replacement of Existing Technology

Sidelines' present computer equipment is either inoperable or lacks sufficient memory and processing power to handle the advanced editing, layout, and design software necessary to produce a high-quality publication.

This College of Mass Communication project involves converting a third of the space in a current School of Journalism classroom - COMM 269 - into an open writing lab available to all College and university students. This lab will be supervised by writing instructors from the School. The project also involves converting the remaining space into a new, well-equipped newsroom for Sidelines, MTSU's student newspaper. The School of Journalism has entered into a partnership with Student Affairs under Dr. Robert Glenn to provide stronger support and a better learning environment for the newspaper. Moving the paper from JUB to the Mass Communication Building will more fully involve journalism and other MTSU students in the paper's production, both as part of their coursework and on an extracurricular basis. Such participation will give these students valuable work experience while helping meet Sidelines' need for skilled reporters, editors, designers, and business staffers. The project will directly benefit Sidelines' staff, the approximately 1,600 students enrolled each academic year in the school's writing, editing and graphics courses, and the estimated 50 to 75 MTSU students a day who will use the computer lab. Indirectly, an improved campus newspaper will benefit every student enrolled at the university.