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ASG funds technology equipment for student organizations

Caitlin Varley

Miami University's Associated Student Government (ASG) has received a grant through the student technology fee to start a student organization technology exchange.

Student Body President Jonathan McNabb said they will use the grant - which amounts to more than $15,000 - to buy laptops, digital cameras, HD video cameras, flip video cameras and tripods, as well as bags and accessories. There will also be a projector available.

"They need things they can use on the go," McNabb said.

Student organization leaders will be able to check these items out from King Library for four to seven days, McNabb said.

McNabb said he hopes the program will be up and running by the end of September. They still need to purchase the equipment and are currently waiting for the university to set up the account codes from the grant.

McNabb said several student organizations put on performances or go on trips or conferences and could benefit from having access to this equipment.

"It's really important that they're able to document what they do," he said.

McNabb said there was nowhere else where they could get the equipment for a limited time.

"(It's) an essential service student organizations will use often," McNabb said. "We think it's a really positive step forward."

Rob Withers, assistant to the dean and associate librarian, said it is more economical to have the equipment for all of the student organizations, instead of individual organizations that may only use it once or twice per year.

ASG also plans to set up a training session in video editing software for student organizations, McNabb said.

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Withers said they started discussions about the program late spring.

"This is something the Associated Student Government approached us about doing," Withers said.

He said the service is very similar to something the library already provides so there is already a mechanism in place for tracking equipment and inventory.

"They'll tell us who has the access to it and we'll keep track of the equipment," Withers said.

Kris Buell, manager of access and administrative services for university libraries, said they will create records and check the equipment out like they do with other equipment.

She said she thinks student organizations will probably use the equipment.

"It's a good idea if it gets used the way it's supposed to," Buell said.

Withers said the technology fee that will fund this is designed to support services used by students.

"It's a win-win," Withers said.