Bobcat Vision has eyes all over campus

Looking to provide students and faculty with an easier way to access information, the Student Government Association (SGA) has installed new flat-screen televisions in numerous buildings around campus just in time for the opening of the fall 2008 semester. The new television system is being called “The Bobcat Vision.”

The Bobcat Vision is a system anticipated to supply students with a more organized method of communication about events and meetings scheduled to take place around campus. There have also been plans to make it an important instrument in reporting vital broadcasting information quickly, such as campus safety notifications.

One of the major ways the SGA intends for Bobcat Vision to positively affect GCSU is by letting the Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) publish and advertise campus events. Ryan Greene, President of SGA, comments on its expediential value in relation to the student community.

“(Bobcat Vision’s) overall purpose is to get out student-related messages to students in the university,” Greene said. “So, if you have RSO and student groups wishing to advertise upcoming events you can submit that and get it posted on Bobcat Vision.”

However, amidst the positive enforcement heading up the new program, many students show their opposition. Due to this semester’s RSO funding cuts, there have been questions raised about where the finances were produced to fund this program. Some students dispute that the money should have gone to the RSOs and not to a program buying several flat-screen televisions.

“I don’t think that Bobcat Vision was necessary. I doubt that it is helpful enough to make up for the money that was lost for the RSOs,” says sophomore Heather Luyk.

However, the more common response is voiced by senior history major Erin Beall.

“I think it’s a good idea, but as of right now I haven’t seen any pertinent information on the TVs around campus,” Beall said. But if they were to start using it for organizations and event notifications, that would be great.”

Almost as if hearing Beall’s comment, Greene explains how event announcements from RSOs and student groups are expected to begin showing by mid-September. Campus Life will be in control of the content and design going into the program. There will be forms available online to submit notices to be broadcast.

In response to the disputes about funding, Greene made clear that the funds for Bobcat Vision had no effect on the cuts made in RSO funding.

“The money funding Bobcat Vision did not come from last year’s fees. So the different RSOs whose funding got cut need to know it was not related to this project. The money came from a separate account,” Greene said.

RSO financing is directly related to the accessibility of student fees that come in every year. The money financing the Bobcat Vision project came from a reserve account Greene said, that had been put aside as a safety protocol in case of emergency.

The “reserve account” had gathered too much money, therefore SGA decided to put some to use with the installation of this new system. Justin Reeves, President of Eta Sigma Alpha and Justice on the Student Judicial Board, supports the new program.

“I think the Bobcat Vision televisions and broadcast systems that are being placed around campus are a great way to keep the student body informed during emergency situations as well as on a day to day basis,” said Reeves.

One of the main benefits from Bobcat Vision is also the positive reduction of paper waste on campus. With Bobcat Vision, there is hope to reduce the use of flyers on campus.

“One of the main benefits we foresee with Bobcat Vision is to cut down on paper waste. We are trying to be more sustainable and more green. We simply have too much paper waste. Our thought was to put LCD monitors around campus and allow information to be accessed that way,” says Greene.

Overall, with the 19 flat-screen monitors placed around campus there is hope to strength the student community and involvement, as well as maintain less paper waste. Perhaps Bobcat Vision will prove itself as a vital instrument to the campus.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 5 2008. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry