Media Cage

The Media Cage is an equipment lending center for current students registered for photography and video courses at the USF School of Art & Art History. The equipment is available to aid in creating and exhibiting photo and video art using digital or film media.

Media Cage Location: FAH 282
Hours:
9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Thursday.
Friday by appt.
Contact Forrest MacDonald @ fmacdonald@usf.edu for information
Phone: (813) 974-1566

Documents and Forms

• Media Cage Policy and Procedures

Signup Sheets

• Lighting Studio - FAH 226 – requires university email
• Print Output Studio - FAH 285 – requires university email
• Photo Group Wet Lab FAH 287 - requires university email
• Private Wet Labs
• Sound Studio - FAH 274 – requires university email
• VADA Production Studio - FAH 280
• CNC Router - FAH 144C

Items Available to Checkout

Darkroom Supplies

Media Cage Policy and Procedures

Please read the following explanation of rules and policy regarding checkout of equipment from the cage area.

1. All students must present a valid USF ID card and be currently enrolled in a Photography, Animation or Video class in order to check out equipment, keys, or otherwise utilize Cage cage services.
2. All students must fill out an appropriate Media cage checkout form to be kept on file. All Media Cage paperwork must be filled out, signed by their Professor and returned to the cage prior to checking out equipment. If students do not have their forms on file, they will not be allowed access to any equipment within the cage, any keys to any secured area facilities, or otherwise access any Cage cage services.
3. Equipment is not to be checked out unless the student has already received instruction in the use of the equipment from a teacher or lab assistant. If the student is unsure of any aspect of the equipment or its operation, they should ask their instructor or lab assistant for a review.
4. Certain items will be available for checkout on a priority basis to students enrolled in intermediate or advanced level classes.
5. Equipment will only be checked out to students in good standing with the cage.
6. Each time equipment is checked out, it is logged onto the Equipment Checkout System which specifies: date of checkout, when equipment is due, when items are return and all items the student has checked out.
7. Each student is fully responsible for loss or damage of equipment while in his or her possession. If you break or lose equipment, you must replace.
8. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that all equipment is in proper working condition prior to leaving the cage.
9. The student is never, under any circumstances, to loan the equipment to anyone at any time. All transfer of equipment must be handled through the cage. Only the student whose name the equipment is checked out under will be considered responsible for the equipment until it is returned to the cage.
10. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm the exact date and time the equipment is to be returned. See the return policy in the section below for more information. Some specialized pieces of equipment, such as any equipment dealing with printing and for use in the photography labs and highend video equipment has a one-day check out period.

Return Policy

Please understand that the following penalties will be strictly enforced in the event of an infraction of the above checkout policies.

1. Late return of equipment (failure to show up or contact Media cage at the due date and time for return) will be noted on the student’s checkout form.
2. Two late notifications will result in suspension of checkout privileges until Faculty clear student for equipment use.
3. A third late return of equipment will result in revocation of checkout privileges for the remainder of the semester.
4. Late days add up! Each subsequent day that equipment is late will be counted as an individual late day. I.e., if you return something three days late, that constitutes your three late days and your privileges will be revoked for the semester. If an emergency* arises, and students cannot return their equipment on time, they need to inform the cage. However, phoning in does not necessarily absolve the student from being late! A message can be left on voice mail at (813) 974-1566.
5. Transfer of equipment from one student to another without following correct cage checkout and return procedures will result in revocation of cage privileges for the remainder of the semester.
6. Students are responsible for the cost of replacing or repairing (at the discretion of the Photography and Video Faculty) any equipment that is lost or damaged while checked out in their names. Failure to resolve issues regarding lost or damaged equipment will result in suspension from the cage as well as a hold being placed on future USF registration, grades, or graduation.
7. Habitual mistreatment of, or damage to equipment while in student’s care, will result in permanent revocation of cage privileges.

Please treat the equipment as if it were your own! If you are unable to adequately safeguard the equipment, please do not check it out!

The above rules apply to all cage users.

* Emergencies, in this case, would be something serious, such as an accident or family emergency, something that can be verified with documentation!