Designed with students' needs, concerns, and frustrations in mind
I took the initiative to create a student handbook when I realized that policy changes had gone unnoticed by many students and that mere reprisals were only further confusing and alienating students. It was necessary to get students to understand the relevance and necessity of the changes, so they would "buy in" to the process and be more willing to cooperate with the faculty to help ensure the success of the overhauls to studio use policy and booking procedure.
This could only be accomplished by engaging with the students and understanding their perspectives. I made sure to take into account their experiences, expectations, and frustrations to help create the handbook. The first step: demystify the new "acceptable use" rules which were being routinely ignored and infringed.
Acceptable Use flowchart clearly and plainly illustrates the studio use permissions
The GOAL, while STRAIGHTFORWARD, was CHALLENGING: GET STUDENTS AND FACULTY — whose views on the situation were often at odds with one another — on the same page.
I had been known for my problem-solving skills in the Media Writing and Department program. During the previous year I assisted countless students and faculty members with technical and other issues in the studio which appeared to recur no matter how many times I made sure the necessary fixes were made.
I realized that making the handbook an indispensable resource for confused and beleaguered students could encourage them to consult it on a more regular basis. This, in turn, would greatly increase its relevance and pertinence to students on a day-to-day basis, and would encourage their adopting and cooperating with the policy guidelines therein.
I made sure that solutions and workarounds to a number of frequently-encountered issues were detailed within the handbook. Since many students had indicated uncertainty and helplessness in the past, when faced with technical issues in the studio, I made sure that important faculty contacts and key troubleshooting tips were listed in the handbook as well.
"Studio In Use" cards to help prevent interruptions during active recording sessions.
canceled bookings and session no-shows were dramatically reduced as the new policies gained broader acceptance
The addition of new classes, new ensembles, and new enrolled students meant that the MWP program was a dynamic environment of experimentation and innovation. Throughout that semester and the next, tweaks and adjustments to the studio policies and booking procedures had to be made as we took into account what was working and what wasn't. But the process of engaging with students and taking their reflections and concerns into account remained in practice. This helped Media Writing and Production adapt to the new and exciting challenges of becoming the fastest-growing academic program at the Frost School of Music.
