Trouble In The A/V Lab

I recently visited UPEI's audiovi- sual lab, located in the AVC, and felt rather disappointed as I left. This was because the attendant told me that the equipment housed there was only available for students doing formal assignments. A professor's permission is required to bor- row any of the supplies: standard proce- dure, apparently.

But, what of the students in my position? I had intended to borrow the camera in order to record a short film. This was not decided on a whim, I have been interested in film making for some time, but lost access to a camera when I moved to Charlottetown. This somewhat disheartening experience serves as an antithesis to one of the basic principles of any university: To allow students to become free-thinking, functional members of society. If we, (the students) are not allowed to explore and pursue our inter- ests, this imposes a sort of "manufactured" free thought. Meaning that, we are only allowed to explore those areas that have already been deemed "useful" by society.

Of course, this could be for a simple reason: lack of demand. Perhaps, there aren't many students clamouring for

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audiovisual equipment to serve their non- academic needs. And the University has adapted to accommodate this. Basically, the "average" student has been shifted to describe those who are studious, but not very adventurous. As a result, UPEI has developed as a school with enthusiastic nurturing of academic pursuits, but is seemingly oblivious of other, "lesser" interests a student may wish to develop.

_turing of academi : _ is seemingly oblivic int

My interpretation of this situation is rather extreme. As with anything else, there may be another way for me to obtain the equipment I need (aside from actually buying it). In any case, more student inter-

est needs to be shown in areas such as these. Although, heightened awareness wouldn't completely solve the problem, it would serve to dispel the idea that univer- sity is a place of "manufactured" free thought.

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