Syllabus

COM 291P VSCC RADIO PRACTICUM

SYLLABUS----------------------Fall 2011-----------------------Revised 7-19-11

INSTRUCTOR:

Howard E. Espravnik, Associate Professor of Communication

Office: Ramer Bldg. Room 165

Office phone & voice mail: (615)230-3218

WVCP: (615)230-3618 Home: (615)452-3983

1. In compliance with the Americans Disabilities Act, it is the student’s responsibility to contact their instructor concerning any special accommodations required for completion of course requirements. In compliance with the American Disabilities Act, students are encouraged to register with the Office of Student Disabilities for assistance with accommodations. It is the student’s responsibility to voluntarily and confidentially disclose information regarding the nature and extent of a disability. The college does not assume responsibility for providing accommodations or services to students who have not identified themselves as having a qualifying disability.

2. Volunteer State Community College is an equal opportunity affirmative action educational institution. No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of the college because of race, color, national origin, age or handicap. The college also complies with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended and with the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Act of 1974 and the updates of 2003. The commitment to equal opportunity applies to all aspects of recruitment, employment and education of individuals at all levels throughout the college.

3. Please read this document carefully as some procedures have changed in this course from previous semesters.

4. COM 291P RADIO PRACTICUM is a non-traditional course. It is a practical course where students learn by doing. There is very little formal instruction. Students are trained by the instructor and by other students that have been at WVCP during previous semesters. Carefully read this syllabus, the policy book, and equipment handout to make sure that you get all of the needed information. Understand that to successfully complete the course you must fulfill your WVCP duties as well as doing the paperwork, quizzes and conferences. While no textbook is required for this course, it is important that you purchase a good pair of headphones. Carry them with you for each shift and newscast. Don’t leave them at the station. The type that seal around your ears are the best. They start at around $25 to $35. If your headphones have a 1/8" mini-plug, you are responsible for supplying your own 1/4" stereo adaptor.

5. The instructor is available between classes, early afternoons, and by appointment to give any extra help needed for you to complete your requirements in this course. You may telephone the instructor for help if needed. Come see me early. I am normally on campus at 7:00 A.M.

6. It is important for you to stay in communication with the instructor throughout the course. This is done by reading and signing the weekly staff notes, by checking the front of the station each time you come in, taking down and acting on any notes left there for you, reading the “Hot Board” next to control room door before each shift, and by coming in for your conferences when told to do so in the weekly staff notes.

7. The instructor may leave warning messages for you when he notices violation of WVCP policies or FCC rules. These warnings are recorded on the student's evaluation sheet. Repeated violations may result in a grade reduction or removal from the air.

8. Any extenuating circumstances that could interfere with your practicum responsibilities [my work hours changed, etc.] must be discussed with the instructor in advance or your grade will be penalized as described this syllabus. You must actually talk to the instructor. Leaving a note is not sufficient.

9. Athletes or other students with an excused absence must seek out the instructor each time within one week for a conference. Failure to do so will mean forfeiting the opportunity to make up work or receive points for in-class activities.

PRACTICUM ACTIVITIES:

The following are the activities normally assigned to students. If a student has an extremely difficult schedule they may be given different work assignments.

10. Students enrolled in one hour of credit must complete: A,B,C,D

11. Students enrolled in two hours of credit must complete: A,B,C,D,E

12. Students enrolled in three hours of credit must complete: A,B,C,D,E,F

A. Each student is required to review their progress with the instructor at three short conferences initiated by the student. The first will be around week three, and the second will be shortly after midterm. You will be reminded in the weekly practicum notes when it is time to come in for a conference. The first two conferences are worth 250 points each. The conferences are extremely important. The instructor cannot review your progress with you if you don’t ask for the conference. If all else fails, call the instructor for a telephone conference. The third conference will be during the final exam period and you should come by the office then to figure your grade.

B. Each student is required to read and sign the weekly staff notes. Reading and signing the staff notes each week is worth a total of 200 points for the term. The notes will be posted in the vestibule of WVCP Ramer 169 by 10:00 Monday morning. You must sign the notes by 5:00 p-m Thursday, each week.

C. There will be five quizzes. You may take them any time between 9:00 a-m and 1:30 p-m Monday through Thursday. The first will cover this syllabus. Two, three and four will cover the policy book. Quiz five is over the equipment. You will need to study the equipment handout given to you at your orientation session. Each quiz is worth 200 points. Answer all twenty questions, even if some are on the back. DO NOT CONFUSE SECTION NUMBERS WITH PAGE NUMBERS.

QUIZ NUMBER—WEEK OF----------DOCUMENT--------------SECTIONS

1. 9-12-11---------------------------*Syllabus-------------------------------all

2. 9-26-11-------------------------*POLICY BOOK---------------------1 to 13

3. 10-1--11------------------------*POLICY BOOK-------------------14 to 26

4. 10-24-11------------------------*POLICY BOOK------------------27 to end

5. 11-7-11-------------------*EQUIPMENT HANDOUT----------------------all

D. Each student is required to do at least one board shift per week. A reality of radio is that you will do shifts at all different times. However, we will not ask anyone to be at WVCP between midnight and 5:40 a.m. It's nice if you like the type of music during your shift, but keep in mind that a professional can do any format. Because we have to get all the shifts filled, a lottery may be used to assign times, and you may be asked to do a weekly shift at any time you are not scheduled for a class or have another work commitment. Successful completion of the shift will include following the rules of the FCC, following the designated formats, following the station policy book and completing the required logs and paperwork.

1. A no show/no call for your shift will result in a failing grade in the course. Anyone that does not follow the format on their shift or does not follow the policy book rules is in danger of failing the course and being taken off the air.

2. If you must miss your shift due to illness, you or your designate must notify the instructor ahead of time. If you call in sick and the instructor is not available to take the call, you must know whom you are giving the message to.

3. If you must miss your shift due to extenuating circumstances, remember that the "show must go on." It is your responsibility to find a reliable person to fill it. This would be in an emergency only. It is not acceptable policy to continuously ask someone else to complete your responsibilities. Your 291P grade may be lowered, or you may fail the course if the fill-in person does not show up. So be careful whom you trust your grade with.

4. It is very important that the station be on the air and on time. Those persons that sign-on the station have an extra responsibility. You must be on time for your shift. Dee Jays should arrive no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of their shift. If you are the first operator of the day, it is a good idea to arrive at 5:30. There will be a 100-point penalty imposed each time you are late for any shift.

E. Students enrolled in two or more hours of the course will have a responsibility in news as a 12:00 newscast reader or a news writer/producer. Your grade will be reduced by 200 points each time you don’t do your scheduled newscast or fail to do your weekly news responsibility. Being here is paramount to success in a performance course. We usually do not do news in the summer term, and students are given more board time.

NEWS READER

1. You must arrive at least 45 minutes prior to news airtime.

Your grade will be reduced by 100 points each time you arrive later than 11:15 to prepare the newscast. That's 45 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to deliver the newscast. Get the news printed quickly so that you can use the majority of the time to put it together and practice it.

2. See the instructions in the newsroom operations book on how to put the newscast together.

3. News responsibilities will begin slightly later than the start of the term. Your Com 291P orientation sheet will tell you when to first report for duties.

4. News writer/producers must prepare and write one news story per week with a sound bite or two included. You will be assigned a day of the week, and you need to have a story ready to air on that same day each week. List all actuality topics done on the board in the newsroom, and check it before doing a story. That keeps us of from having multiple people doing the same story.

F. Students that take three credit hours of COM 291P will do a third activity job once each week. These jobs start the third week of the term. You will be assigned a job that you will do from week three through the end of the semester.

PROFESSIONALISM:

1. The professional attitude is that the show must go on, no matter what. You are expected to fulfill all of your station responsibilities and to be on time.

2. All staff members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner. This includes, but is not limited to, following the station rules, cleaning up after yourself and not bothering other staff members.

3. You are expected to know and follow the rules and procedures in this syllabus, and in the WVCP policy book. Logging errors will count off of your grade after week three of the term. Everyone will make some mistakes and we are here to learn. However, your grade may be reduced if you repeat the same errors. We are not learning if we make the same mistakes over and over.

4. Any evidence of falsification of transmitter logs will be grounds for failure of the course. An FCC license is no longer required for the individual operators/announcers of AM, FM, or TV transmitters. All U.S. radio stations are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission and are subject to inspection any time they are on the air.

5. It is not acceptable policy for you to continually ask someone else to take care of your WVCP responsibilities. It is your responsibility to notify the WVCP Manager if you have asked someone else to cover a show or other responsibility for you. Your grade will be penalized as outlined in this syllabus if the person covering for you does not show up. There may be a reduction of points from your grade if you ask another person to cover a show or responsibility for you more than twice in a semester.

6. According to the Volunteer State Community College Student Handbook, "Plagiarism is using other people's ideas as your own work, copying all or parts of some else's work, having another person write the assignment, getting too much assistance in writing, or failing to document accurately the use of source material" (14). Plagiarism is punishable by possible failure in the course, to be judged by the teacher, and a definite zero on the project. Students are responsible for seeking help if they are unsure about how or when to cite sources; ignorance of the rules is not a justification for plagiarism.

7. Students who are receiving Title IV financial assistance (Pell Grant, Student Loan or SEOG Grant) must regularly attend class or be subject to repay PART or ALL of the Federal Financial Aid received for the semester.

IF THE FCC INSPECTOR CAME FOR A VISIT TODAY:

1. Ask for a federal badge and ID to make sure they are the real thing.

2. Notify manager and chief operator immediately.

3. Cooperate with the inspector and answer questions the best you can.

4. Do not answer questions on the phone from anyone claiming to be with the FCC. Give them the manager's phone number: 615-230-3218 and get a phone number and name from them.

5. The WVCP Public Inspection File is in the Ramer 169B Newsroom. Direct any persons with questions about the public inspection file to the station manager.

6. The inspector may ask you some questions about EAS. The control room operations manual has instructions on how to broadcast a test. The records of EAS tests/alerts sent and received are in the logs stored in the WVCP Programming Office, Ramer 166.

7. Designation of the chief and assistant chief operators for WVCP is in the WVCP Licenses Binder in the control room along with the efficiency factor of the transmitter and other important information. James Milliner, our engineer, is the chief operator. Howard Espravnik is the general manager and assistant chief operator. You can contact Mr. Milliner at 451-3831. Other phone numbers are in the Control Room Operations Manual. Please give all college personnel your cooperation and respect.

8. You must broadcast an EAS test if instructed by the manager. Directions are in the Control Room Operations Manual. Be sure to staple EAS test tape on each end to transmitter log in space provided at top. This is important for our federal records. Ask questions if needed. Staple the paper from any received EAS test or activation in the space at top or bottom of transmitter log. Do not cover one EAS paper with another. Sheets of paper with EAS print outs should be stapled to the back of today’s transmitter log.

The above list is not meant to be all-inclusive, but contains the things you would most likely need to know in the event of an FCC inspection.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

1. The student will demonstrate the ability to conduct a radio show following FCC rules and WVCP policies.

2. Following WVCP policy, the student will create and maintain logs and paperwork for a radio station.

3. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the items that an FCC inspector might ask for during a visit.

4. The student will demonstrate the ability to gather, edit, and broadcast AP news.

5. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the computerized audio systems in use at the station.

RADIO PRACTICUM GRADE SHEET

Normal Grading Scale:

Possible Points-----2350 Lowest A .92-----2162 Lowest B .82-----1927 Lowest C .72--------1692 Lowest D .62-----1457 F-----1456 or less

Scale Used when #13 below is included:

Possible------------3125 Lowest A .92-----2875 Lowest B .82-----2562

Lowest C .72----------2250 Lowest D .62-----1937 F-----1936 or less

ACTIVITY POSSIBLE POINTS YOUR POINTS

1. Quiz 1------------------------200--------------------------------___________

2. Quiz 2------------------------200--------------------------------___________

3. Quiz 3------------------------200--------------------------------___________

4. Quiz 4------------------------200--------------------------------___________

5. Quiz 5------------------------200--------------------------------___________

6. Read & Signed Staff Notes-----200----------------------------___________

7. First Conference--------------250-------------------------------___________

8. Second Conference-------------250-----------------------------___________

9. Promo Card in by Deadline-----125----------------------------___________

10.Read/Signed Operations Books--125-------------------------___________

11. Followed Policy Book Rules---200----------------------------___________

12. Logs & Paperwork Complete----200--------------------------___________

13. 3^rd Activity done 12 times----775----------------------------___________

14. Other Point Reduction as listed in Syllabus----------------___________

Semester Grade___________________________Total Points___________