Spring 2022 Emerging Media Lab

COVID-19 Policies & Information

In process of being updated; last updated 01/04/22.

Updated: Changes accounting for Spring 2022's developments. 

Mandatory Policies

• All students, faculty and staff must wash their hands or use hand sanitizer when entering the Emerging Media Lab (EML).
• All students, faculty and staff must wear masks at all times while in the EML. If a mask must be lowered for any reason, that individual must leave the facilities to do so.
• No consuming food or beverages of any kind within the EML. Leave all food, beverages (including water bottles) on the desk by the entrance.
• For more information, please see the MTP Post Production Lab Contract
• For even more information, please see the VMA Safety Packet

EML Schedule

• Follow this link to see the schedule. You may see the schedule in PDF form following this link.
• Please note the following:
  • All on-campus course sessions are labeled.
  • Hours open for reservations are displayed in white.
  • Closed hours are displayed in dark grey.
  • The EML manager, Eugene Kuznetsov, is on-campus from 9AM until 5PM from Monday to Thursday, and 12PM until 8PM on Fridays.

Classroom Configuration

• All computer workstations are placed 3 feet apart in the 312 Lab.
• In order to maintain a separate entrance and exit, the collapsing wall will be kept open permanently throughout the semester. See the images below for reference.
• All four rolling tables have been moved back into a U-shaped formation towards the middle of the room. For classes that have students primarily seated at these tables, it is strongly suggested to widen this U-formation , allowing for the foldable facility/temporary tables to be incorporated on the U's ends. This is to create more room for students to properly social distance themselves.
• Please Note:
  • The EML flatbed scanner is located by the 309 Studio workstation. See the Equipment Use section below for further information.
  • For classes that are not filled to capacity, I would advise students to use computers that are further apart from each other.

Class Entry and Exit Protocol

• Before entry, everyone needs to either wash their hands or use the hand sanitizer.
• Following the marked walking directions on the floor, students will take a seat at a workstation or at a table.
• 5 minutes before the end of class, the 312 Lab door will close. The next class will begin waiting in the lobby.
• Once class has ended, everyone in attendance will be directed to leave through the 309 Studio door.
• As soon as exiting commences, the next class will gradually enter the Lab in scattered waves, beginning with the professor, if present at the time of this procedure.
  • If beverages/consumables were left on the desk by the 312 door, it will be moved over to the 309 exit for students to pick up from. 
• Upon exiting through the 309 Studio, please use the hand sanitizer beside the door.
• Once the prior class has exited the EML, and the next has entered and begun their session, the Ansin 312 door will remain open until 5 minutes before the current class's end.

Reservations

• No walk-in reservations permitted. All reservations must be set up a minimum of 12 hours in advance to allow EML staff time to safely distribute the hardware.
  • That said, students are able to place reservations up to 2 weeks in advance. Please plan accordingly.
• No group reservations are permitted.
• Most reservations can be made via the WebCheckout Patron Portal
• For any specific requests, please email Eugene at eugene_kuznetsov@emerson.edu.

Equipment Use Protocols

• EML Workstations (Ansin 312): Workstations are available for reservations through the WebCheckout Patron Portal.
• Wacom Digital Pens and Cintiq Drawing Monitors: Pens will only be available for reservations through Patron Portal, and will require a workstation reservation be included. Pens will be placed at the reserved workstation before the reservation begins. Users will leave the pen at the workstation when their reservation is complete, and then pens will be retrieved and sanitized by EML staff.
• Epson 12000XL Flatbed Scanner: The Flatbed scanner will only be available via email request. Users will be required to wash or sanitize their hands before interacting with the scanner. The scanner will be sanitized by EML staff after use by a class or an individual using microfiber cloths.
• VR Systems (HMD and Controllers): VR systems are only available via online reservation, and will require a VR Suite to be included with the reservation. Users will be required to wash their hands before using the hardware. VR systems are kept in the EML office (314) until reserved by a student or faculty member. The VR Suite will be equipped with the VR system in advance of the reservation time by EML Staff, and then collected and sanitized by EML Staff afterwards.
• VR Suites: VR Suite reservations made by students not doing VR production will not need to reserve the VR headset. VR suite reservations will have a 15 minute lead time for any set-up, and a 1 hour turnaround time for sanitization of the workstation and suite.
• VR Studio: The 309 studio space will be available for reservation as it was in previous semesters, and will follow a similar protocol to the VR suites: studio reservations will have a 15 minute lead time for any set-up, and a 1 hour turnaround time for sanitization of the workstation and Suite.
• EML Print Kiosk: EML users must inform EML Staff whenever the print kiosk has been used. The print kiosk will be sanitized after each use, and at the end of each day.