Abstract

The School of Drama respectfully requests financial support to make necessary capital expenditures of computer and related technology. Historically, the School, like many non-profit arts organizations, is lagging behind in its ability to use and access new technology and innovations, yet the technology exists to assist artists and the School believes that drama students should have the opportunity to access these newest innovations like other departments. A grant from STF would not only help provide these opportunities, it would expand the reach of a recent sizable pledge by an anonymous donor to renovate/refurbish all School of Drama student spaces.

Background

The School of Drama rated as one of the top four theatre programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report concurrently offers degrees to undergraduates and graduate students and has been providing excellent theatre education since 1941. Preparing drama students for the challenges and opportunities offered in the professional world is a top priority. The experiences in the classroom and in production are extremely important and provide the bulk of their training, yet the importance of student¹s time outside the classroom and the theatre space should not be overlooked. Often students¹ ³lab² and networking opportunities happen in other spaces such as lounges and studios.
The lifestyle of the typical drama student is in many ways unique given the time they spend on particular projects in theatre spaces and studios. Their work is not easily done at home or at the library because there are the demands of rehearsal, working on a production crew, needing to work with others on a scene in a studio, etc... This work can also keep them at the theatre well into the late evening, so having access to computers while they are in a rehearsal, waiting to go onstage, or even trying to work before rehearsal instead of going all the way to their home becomes an enormous issue. Also, the art of theatre is a collaborative process and working in a lab or studio setting is highly beneficial. The School of Drama recognizes this need for students to have access to technology in spaces such as lounges and green rooms, and has tried to provide these services as much as possible. Trying to keep up with the fast changes in technology and its costs has become a loosing battle for the School of Drama and so other sources of support are necessary.
An anonymous donor has also recognized the need for improved student spaces and has the vision to do something about the situation. The School of Drama is pledged a $100,000 grant to renovate and refurbish all student spaces. This donation will only go so far and has to be spread over many facilities. It will cover paint, electrical, creating walls and closets, furniture, shelving, and other physical space design elements, but it is not enough to cover all our technology needs. The gift does provide a perfect catalyst for planning and implementing a proposal to STF for these capital expenses.

Benefits

The School of Drama is not located in only one building like many units on campus. Our students and their work requires them to utilize several theatre spaces, studios and lounges in Hutchinson Hall (headquarters for the School of Drama), and a Scene Shop and Design Studio on the other side of campus. While having all these wonderful facilities is a blessing and necessary for Drama to accomplish its work, it does cause some disconnection and it is not convenient, or even feasible, for all students to get to one central location to accomplish all their on-campus computing needs including emailing, internet research, drafting, printing, or even basic word processing. Therefore, the need for a number of new computers and related equipment in several spaces is necessary for students to work and interact efficiently and effectively.
Being in one of the technology hub cities of America, it would only seem natural that the UW campus should try to provide access to up-to-date technology resources for all students. Our Drama students need to work in an environment that allows them to explore and develop as artists and theatre technicians able to face the challenges in the professional theatre world. Experience on up-to-date equipment allows the students the ability to achieve their research goals by matching closely what they may experience in the professional arena. Much of the current technology that the School of Drama has been able to provide is very antiquated, unusable with newer software, and stretched to maximum usage. Sufficient opportunities would be provided through funding this capital investment.

Student Access

Most of the computers and related equipment will be available to all students who work, study, and inhabit the various School of Drama student spaces. Only the PH.D., Design Studio, and the Graduate Student Lounge computers will have any kind of access restrictions limited to the students in the PH.D., drama design, and graduate school programs ­ yet these do represent a significant number of students. Otherwise, all other computers and equipment will be accessible to undergraduate and graduate students alike. The School currently serves approximately 250 undergraduate and 60 graduate students. Historically, drama majors will be the primary users of the equipment since they work in these spaces the most, yet it will be available to all students in the public spaces. Hours are based upon building hours of Hutchinson Hall, the Penthouse, the Playhouse, the Design Studio, and the Scene Shop Building. The Cabaret space is open from 7 AM to 5 PM and if there is not a show in the Cabaret students can make arrangements for the space with UTS for times after 5 PM, but the bulk of our request involves Hutchinson Hall and the Scene Shop building, which are open the longest hours from 7 AM until 9 PM.

Available Resources

The School of Drama is fortunate to be able to supply significant resources towards this proposal and plan. Financial: All set-up and maintenance costs will be provided from either the anonymous donation or the School of Drama operations budget. The School recognizes the huge need for these resources and the benefits to students, so if the School was to receive this STF grant it is prepared to handle all maintenance costs and has developed a plan to cover those expenses.
Personnel: The School of Drama has a wonderful, new half-time computer services person, Mark Schrieber, who has handled many more computers than requested in past jobs, and can easily handle the maintenance of the added computers and equipment. Also, in the Scene Shop building, the computer lab space is overseen by faculty member Tom Burke who also teaches some computer related theatre courses in Mary Gates Hall.
Space: The School currently does have space for all of these requested items, even prior to renovations. The School will have even more efficient use of space once the renovations are completed. All new furniture, desks, shelving and other related support items will be financed through the anonymous donor's gift of $100,000.

Installation Timeline

The bulk of the renovations to student spaces will not begin until this summer, but there is need for these computers now in most of the student spaces. The following timeline takes into account the renovations. Month 1-2: Purchase and inventory computers and equipment for the Cabaret, the Graduate Student Lounge, the Hutchinson Hall main lounge, the Design Studio, PH.D. lab and the Scene Shop computer student lab. Month 3-5: Set-up all computer stations and ensure Ethernet access to Design Studio. Create procedures and protocols for use and training on the equipment. Month 6-11: Renovations of all student spaces. Month 12: Purchase and inventory for remaining computers and equipment to go into the Penthouse and Playhouse green rooms. Month 13+: Maintain, manage and utilize equipment (this will actually begin in month 3, but this is here to acknowledge the ongoing maintainence necessary once all work is done and equipment is installed.)

Departmental Endorsement

This letter is in support of the proposal for new internet terminals in
the School of Drama. I am the Head of BA Studies, an area that has
approximately 250 majors and many other non-majors, that use our building
and facilities. Many of these students are in the building from morning
to night taking classes, rehearsing projects for class, and working on
productions. Many students learn their rehearsal schedules, get notes
from acting classes, and correspond with each other regarding official
business and personal issues via email. There is also a substantial
number of students who do research for class over the internet.
The number of terminals in Hutchinson Hall is woefully small and does
not serve the undergraduate population (to say nothing of serving the
graduates which number 60 students). Leaving the building in the middle
of the day to check email and/or to research specific topics for class
and/or for production is sometimes not possible because of the time it
takes to do that. Many of the assignments that students in the School
have involve group work (scenes, plays, performances for classes), and
having facilities in-house would make the group work more efficient.

If you have questions, please contact me at 543.4220 and/or shangap@u.washington.edu
Shanga K. Parker, Head of BA Studies, School of Drama Box 353950,
University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 206.543.4220

To Whom It May Concern:
We all know that the computer has become one of the most - if not the most
- important research and communication tool for today's student. Increasingly faculty are
using email conversations and web sites as critical components of their
classes. Many of the School of Drama's students spend large amounts of
time in the performance studios in Hutchinson Hall and the theatres (
Playhouse and Penthouse) in which we work. The process of
rehearsing and performing dramatic work is not neat and tidy; " be there
for an hour, do your work and leave. It can mean being there for the
entire 6:30 - 10:30 rehearsal 5 nights a week and 4- 6 hours on
Sat. During this time a student rehearses for half an hour, has to wait
for half an hour or 15 minutes while the director works with others and
then works again for an hour, and so on.

If our students were able to access computers during these " breaks" it
would help them in their studies. Computers installed in our theatres and
"lounge spaces" would provide access to computers currently only available
in the Drama Library during its hours of operation.
Sincerely
Sarah NashGates, Chair and Executive Director of the School of Drama

To Whom It May Concern:
In the seven years I have been teaching at the Drama School, drama students with computer experience have had initial success in arts organizations upon graduation. Since 1979, computers have played an increasingly important part in the research and teaching of the School of Drama. Undergraduates and graduate students at the University of Washington have used computers extensively in theatre history research and theatre production. Examples of their work illustrate that far from being just a word processing or database tool, the computer can be used to explore the theatre's past through its architecture, archaeology, technology and social significance in the cultures of which it was a part. Recently projects have included image acquisition and manipulation, 3D computer modeling of architectural and archaeological structures, and applications of hypertext and hypermedia to expose a wider audience to theatre history and to the process of theatre design. This work requires extensive time with some specialized pieces of equipment. Therefore, receiving a grant from the Student Technology Fee would allow this valuable work to continue and expand the quality and quantity of student work.
The Drama proposal for the STF grant would give students access to computers and technology in all the major facilities of the Drama School. This is not currently possible. The courses I teach each quarter, meet in campus computer labs and use computer technology as part of the curriculum. Students in those classes have assignments and projects to complete outside of class time. Drama students are required to participate in at least 3 Mainstage productions that rehearse and perform in the evenings. Their training includes many hours each week of rehearsal outside of class time. This STF equipment will give them the access to equipment they need and in the facilities they inhabit on a daily basis. With this valuable access, the Drama School¹s computer tradition will continue and be moved forward by current and future students.
Sincerely,
Tom Burke, School of Drama Technical Director and Lecturer

Student Endorsement

Student Endorsements:
To Whom It May Concern:
Thank you for asking! As a design grad, I strongly support using
this donation on technology. You had said perhaps we would like a
computer with internet access in the design studio. Would we ever! We
all talk about how much easier it would be on us if we had internet in the
studio. As you may or may not know, the design grads spend about 90
percent of their time in that little room. We desperately need a
computer with internet access. So, please, please, please, spend some of this money on us.
-Heidi Ganser
Second Year Costume Design

To Whom It May Concern:
I have felt that it is such a disservice to send students out
into the world without fully exposing them to what is rapidly becoming the
accepted future present, especially at such a highly regarded institution
as the UW which happens to be at the center of one of the countries most
intense technology development centers.

That said, I can't speak for the actors, but in the Design Studio it would
be wonderful to have Ethernet Internet access, at least one reasonably
powerful graphics station (Pentium III or higher computer, scanner, CAD
capability, photo quality color printer capable of print sizes larger
than 8.5"x11", industry standard graphics software).

The small lab in the scene shop is woefully inadequate as there are really
only 2 machines capapble of anything beyond checking email, they are both
short on RAM and processing speed and one of them is constantly not
functioning despite the best efforts of the computing staff. That one is
conveniently the one hooked up to the scanner.

Another definitely nice thing would be a plotter/large scale copier. CAD
is basically useless without one. The one in the scene shop is touchy at
best and still uses ancient pen technology (yes, it actually moves a pen
back and forth while the paper scoots around underneath).

Thank you!
Ellen C. King, MFA Design Student

To whom it may concern,

Drama is not simply a major, it is a way of life. Consequently, between
attending classes and rehersing for countless projects, many drama
students practically live in Hutchinson Hall. The drama lounge is a very
important not only for a place to hang out between classes, but to make
phone calls, return emails and finish up last minute assignments. There
often is not enough time to run to Odegard to use the computer equipment
there. Good, working computers with Internet access are very useful. In
addition, a printer in either the lounge or the library would be very
much needed. Please consider this my endorsement of the Student
Technology Fee Program being put to good use to enhance the Drama
facilities around campus.

Andrea Bonner
Sophomore, Drama
I am a 3rd Year Lighting Student (MFA) and would like
to put in my two cents regarding some areas in need of
technology!!! The School of Drama rated as one of the top four theatre programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report concurrently offers degrees to undergraduates and graduate students and has been providing excellent theatre education since 1941. Preparing drama students for the challenges and opportunities offered in the professional world is a top priority. The experiences in the classroom and in production are extremely important and provide the bulk of their training, yet the importance of student¹s time outside the classroom and the theatre space should not be overlooked. Often students¹ ³lab² and networking opportunities happen in other spaces such as lounges and studios.
The lifestyle of the typical drama student is in many ways unique given the time they spend on particular projects in theatre spaces and studios. Their work is not easily done at home or at the library because there are the demands of rehearsal, working on a production crew, needing to work with others on a scene in a studio, etc... This work can also keep them at the theatre well into the late evening, so having access to computers while they are in a rehearsal, waiting to go onstage, or even trying to work before rehearsal instead of going all the way to their home becomes an enormous issue. Also, the art of theatre is a collaborative process and working in a lab or studio setting is highly beneficial. The School of Drama recognizes this need for students to have access to technology in spaces such as lounges and green rooms, and has tried to provide these services as much as possible. Trying to keep up with the fast changes in technology and its costs has become a loosing battle for the School of Drama and so other sources of support are necessary.
An anonymous donor has also recognized the need for improved student spaces and has the vision to do something about the situation. The School of Drama is pledged a $100,000 grant to renovate and refurbish all student spaces. This donation will only go so far and has to be spread over many facilities. It will cover paint, electrical, creating walls and closets, furniture, shelving, and other physical space design elements, but it is not enough to cover all our technology needs. The gift does provide a perfect catalyst for planning and implementing a proposal to STF for these capital expenses.

In the computer lab in the Shop (where ALL designer
students go for computer needs currently) is in
desperate need of upgrading. We currently have two
computers that are "web" accessible and loaded with
the necessary outdated software (only one of which
works currently). I think it would be fantastic to
get a few more machines with the appropriate software:

Photoshop
AutoCAD 2000
Web Accessable
Mini CAD
Lightwright 3.0
MS Office


We are also in desperate need of a plotter to plot
oversized drawings. A 36" format ink jet (HP) would
serve that function well.

In terms of other needs, the design studio has no
computer in it currently and it would be great to get
a machine that is web accessible in there.

So in a more concise fashion here is a list:

1. More computers in the Shop (loaded with software
and web accessible)
2. 36" Ink Jet printer for the shop
3. Computer (loaded with software and web accessible)
for the design studio
4. Oversized scanner/copier (36" format)

Steve TenEyck

Please, please, please could we have a computer with internet access in
the design studio. So many of our projects, both for school and outside
of school use the internet or email as a means of communicating with our
collaborators. The internet has also become an excellent tool for visual
research. Also, many of us use both the computer and internet for
preparing our portfolios, searching for internships and employment
opportunities, and just to see what else is going on in the world of
theatre. Being down in the design studio can be very isolating, and also
very far from a functioning computer.

It would be especially great if the computer could also have a scanner (to
scan research photos, show photos and drawings so they could be
manipulated in programs like photoshop), printer and CD burner
(permanent data storage, as well as a means of sending or portfolios to many people),
as we are always looking for access to these tools.
And a digital camera for taking portfolio shots to add to our web
pages.

Thanks!!!
LauraJean Wickman

To whom it may concern:

I am a doctoral student in the School of Drama. We are in desperate need
of new computer terminals in the Ph.D. workspaces in Hutchinson 215 and
301. At present, there is only one terminal with adequate power to do any
kind of web-based research. One or two new terminals would greatly
enhance our productivity. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

----------------------
Kenneth J. Cerniglia
UW School of Drama
Box 353950
Seattle, WA 98195
----------------------

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Nina Kliorina. I am a first year lighting
designer here at the UW and I think it would be great
if we had access to the Internet in our design studio.
Right now we have only one functional computer in the
computer lab in the scene shop. We do have a scanner,
but our color printer is broken, so that makes the
scanner pretty much useless. As a designer, I often
need to use internet for visual and other research,
for example to see what has been written about a
certain play, how it has been produced in the past,
who designed and so on. Often I use the Internet to
find pictorial research, which ranges from finding
photographs of the coast of South Africa to use in my
lighting design class to downloading Shakespeare in
Russian so I can read him in my native language.
Again, we only have one functional computer right now
for the whole design department, which is pretty
amazing for the university of this size.
Thank you so much for all your efforts and I hope you
find this little note helpful.

To whom it may concern;

My name is Erin Paynter, Drama Major at the UW. I believe that better
access to technology for the drama department would be significant
beneficial to all drama students. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Erin Paynter




I am writing in support of a terminal in the design lab. The internet is an invaluable tool in modern
design, and currently our only access to it is through terminals located
in another building; terminals which are often undergoing service because
of their constant use.

Talk to you tomorrow!

Cheers,
Tristan Miles Theopholis Dalley

To Whom It May Concern:

I am all for supporting more and better computer access for drama students.
Please add my voice in favor of this proposal. I would specifically ask for a
new computer or two for use by the PhD crew. Speaking as a doctoral student,
our current computer resources are tasked to the limit. Any and all assistance
in this area would be greatly appreciated by the students in the program. We
utilize these computers for our own academic work, as well as our employment
as TA's for the School of Drama. We currently have one computer running
Windows 3.1, and one computer capable of running Win98. Between research,
managing e-mail, and providing class material for our students, these
computers get quite a workout each day.

Yours,
Victor

Hi Michael, its Carin Towne, second year PATP. It would be very helpful
if we had access to some computers at the theatres. Since most of the
PATP is in rehearsal at night on location, it would be wonderful to have
access on those sites (i.e., the Playhouse and the Penthouse).

As a TA, I like to check my email every night in case there are any notes
or issues I need to address with any of my students. So having a
computer where we spend our evenings would be great.

Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Carin Towne

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to express my support for the use of funds from the Student
Technology Fee Fund for new computers in the School of Drama.
Specifically, I feel that there is a huge need in the
School of Drama for access to terminals with Photoshop capabilities
(i.e. terminals with scanners). As a graduate Directing student, I have a
need for such a computer almost daily.

Essential to my education is the ability to generate and manipulate visual
images for purposes of research and publicity. I am asked to do so for
three of my four courses this quarter, yet have no ability to do so within
the School of Drama. As a graduate student with a full schedule and a
Service Appointment, I have little time to trek back and forth across
campus every time I need to use Photoshop, particularly since most of the
images I am working with are housed in the School of Drama Library.

It is my hope that you will seriously consider using some of the money
from this fund to provide Photoshop access to all School of Drama students
(as I am certain that design students have an even greater need than
I). I thank you for your time and encourage you to contact me with any
questions pertaining to the school and its computer needs.

Sincerely,

Mark Jared Zufelt
Zufeltmj@u.washignton.edu
Professional Director Training Program
School of Drama
University of Washington

Hello!

This is an official response to the drama departments need for
computers. I strongly feel that a computer in the PATP lounge. We depend
on computers to find out rehearsal schedule, to get and give information
about auditions, and corresponding to equity theater houses.
I hope this request helps. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Hilda Guttormsen

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to express my hope, and the hope of many of my fellow students, that we could get another computer for student use in Hutchinson Hall. As a drama graduate student, my schedule is hectic and jam-packed. I often arrive at the building at 8AM and sometimes do not leave until 10PM at night. Having computers available for student use is vital to my study, allowing me to maximize the time I have to work during the day. In addition, the MFA directors, of which I am one, use the library workstations to do sound editing for our shows. Having more technical support in the building would greatly improve the work environment here at the School of Drama.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Amy Rebecca Boyce
MFA Director, School of Drama

Items

Below are the items making up the current proposal. The asterisk (*) beside items signify that they were approved by the committee. This however was not implemented correctly for our database before 2005, so earlier years may not show this.

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