Equipment Checkout Policies and Procedures

The Equipment Room at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York loans a variety of video and audio equipment to help students fulfill their academic studies. These privileges are available to currently registered students in good standing for support of their academic course work only.

Eligibility for Equipment Services

To be eligible to check out equipment, students must complete an intake process with an equipment staff member during the proper sign-up period. This process includes:

  • providing proof of property insurance that meets or exceeds the rental gear value
  • reading, understanding, and signing the Equipment Checkout Policies form
  • activating anr Equipment Portal account and receiving training on use of the site

An insurance plan specifically tailored to the program has been arranged with Haylor Freyer & Coon Inc. The enrollment, coverage, and claim information can be found at:

http://www.haylor.com/college/cuny-graduate-school-of-journalism/

Equipment Usage Guidelines

Any student eligible for equipment services will have access to making an equipment reservation through the Equipment Portal.

AVAILABLE EQUIPMENT

Equipment kits that support students’ coursework will be determined by faculty. The type of equipment kit available to a student depends on the class, equipment availability, and good standing.

Reservations must be made or modified online at least 24 hours prior to the desired pickup time; reservations requested by phone or email will not be honored.

Students may not have more than two active checkouts signed out at any given time.

Equipment must be returned before 1:30 p.m. on the due date or a late fine of $25 will be assessed.

Please arrive at least 10 to 15 minutes in advance to allow for processing the return. The Equipment Room closes every day from 1:30 – 1:45 p.m. 

All overdue equipment must be returned before additional equipment reservations can be made online.

Reserved and packed equipment for an upcoming checkout will be held until the end of the pickup day. Equipment not picked up by the end of that business day (6:30 p.m. during standard hours; 5:30 p.m. during summer and extended break hours) will cancel the reservation and incur a $10 “no-show” fine. Any equipment that is part of a canceled reservation will be unpacked and released for other students’ use.

Limited-time extensions are subject to class year, equipment availability, and the approval of faculty and the Manager of Equipment and AV Services based on need. Faculty should email extension request approvals to equipment@journalism.cuny.edu with name of student, equipment needed, amount of extension time needed, and a brief explanation. Extensions must be submitted at least two hours before equipment is due, or a standard late fee will apply.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Standard Hours

Monday – Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. brief closure)

Saturday & Sunday: CLOSED

Summer and Extended Break Hours

Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. brief closure)

Saturday & Sunday: CLOSED

Contact Information

Phone: (646) 758-7860

Email: equipment@journalism.cuny.edu

FINES & INVOICES

Students are responsible for the good care and intact return of all equipment borrowed and will be responsible for the cost of the repair and/or replacement of any missing or damaged equipment.*

All equipment is due back before 1:30 p.m. on the due date. Checkout privileges are immediately suspended after equipment is overdue one week. Privileges will be reinstated only after review by faculty and the Manager of Equipment and AV services.

A no-show fine of $10 will be assessed for equipment not picked up on the date requested without prior cancellation notification.

In order to maintain borrowing privileges, students may not have more than ONE outstanding fine. Students with TWO OR MORE outstanding fines will be placed on “HOLD” and will not have access to confirm a reservation request or to any checkouts.

If equipment is overdue by 24 hours or more, the J-School reserves the right to contact associates and employers of students in order to locate missing equipment.

Multiple instances of disregard for the policies and procedures as noted here will affect future borrowing privileges.

Students are required to resolve all outstanding fines and/or equipment repairs at the end of the current semester if they wish to begin the following semester with fully instated privileges.

*See University policy as outlined in CUNY’s Other-Than-Tuition-Charges document, section B, part 2, at http://portal.cuny.edu/cms/id/cuny/documents/informationpage/other_than_tuition_charges.pdf

Public holidays

The Equipment Room is closed on all holidays recognized by the University.

Use of equipment during extended break periods

Equipment may be reserved for use during any extended break periods only if required for completion of academic classes/coursework-related projects; equipment is not allowed to be booked for personal, private, or commercial projects.

Students can only borrow equipment with a total value equal to or less than the amount covered by the student’s insurance policy. Extra insurance can be purchased from HF&C.

Students working in the metropolitan area are subject to the usual procedures and policies stated above.

Students working outside the metropolitan area must get written approval from the Manager of Equipment and AV Services and the Assistant Director of Technology.

Inventory weeks

Periodically, the Equipment Room needs to account for all equipment, take stock of gear, and maintain and prepare everything for future equipment access and availability. All gear must be returned before these dates, and checkouts cannot occur during this time.

Disclaimer

Policies, guidelines, and regulations are subject to revision or amendment as necessary without prior notification.