November 21, 2002 News Releases
Released 11/20/02
UTAH
STATE TECHNOLOGY ENHANCES LEARNING EXPERIENCE
LOGAN — A select group of Utah State University faculty
and staff are staying at the forefront of technological innovations
to enhance the learning experience. University Executive Vice
President and Provost Stan Albrecht makes sure these accomplishments
are recognized with the Golden Mouse Award.
This year’s recipients are Chad Bingham, Kathy Bayn and
the Utah State Music Department.
“We give this award annually for outstanding innovation
in technology, teaching and learning,” said Albrecht.
Bingham, a clinical instructor in the department of communicative
disorders and deaf education, received the award for his use
of computer-based video conferencing that enhances his distance
education advising. This allows many of his students to receive
master’s degrees at remote sites around Utah.
“His innovation has saved hundreds of hours of travel
time, yet insured that students are effectively and personally
advised as they learn to become speech-language pathologists,”
said James Blair, department head for communicative disorders
and deaf education.
The second recipient, Bayn, sees countless students in her role
as academic advisor for the College of Engineering. Many of
those students need authorization for upper division classes,
often requiring a memo of approval. Recognizing the need to
streamline the process, Bayn now uses electronic signatures
for this authorization.
“In the past, Kathy sent us many memos to authorize students
into the upper division courses,” said Heidi Jo Beck,
interim registrar. “Now she goes into the system and authorizes
them electronically, and has done so 433 times this fall.”
Bayn joined the College of Engineering in 1984 as its advisor
— a time when there was only one other full time advisor
on campus (Karen Peterson in the College of Business). Her job
was patterned on that business position, and she’s been
an engineering student’s best friend ever since.
“Hundreds of students are assigned to me and I want to
see them all each semester,” Bayn said. “The juniors
and seniors move into the professional program with faculty
advisors, but they still stop in to see me. I enjoy working
with all the students.”
Electronic signatures provide a way to sign an email or form,
cutting time and eliminating the need to send students across
campus to submit a piece of paper.
The third recipient, the Utah State music department, was awarded
the Golden Mouse thanks to the efforts of Music Department Head
Bruce Saperston and faculty member and associate HASS Dean Nicholas
Morrison, said Albrecht. The endeavor was supported by the entire
music department and the FACT Lab. In a major undertaking, the
department is working with Sony Classical Music and FACT to
digitize more than 2,000 CDs with 50,000 tracks, making it available
online to professors and students in the department. The music
was converted from CD Audio to a Real Networks format for secure
delivery via streaming technology.
Music students converted the files and then entered data about
each CD — track, titles, composers and soloists, etc.
The Faculty Assistance Center for Teaching provided the technology
support and developed an online database, search engine and
shopping cart.
The system allows faculty to search the database for songs and
then create a listening list for their students. From anywhere
on the Internet, students are able to log in and listen to any
of the songs on the list. The music is secure and requires students
and faculty to enter a username and password.
The Golden Mouse Awards were started in 2001 to recognize the
importance technology plays in teaching and learning.
“We teach in different ways and technology can often enhance
our classrooms by complementing face-to-face instruction,”
said Joyce Kinkead, vice provost at Utah State. “Technology
gives distance education students the opportunity to earn their
entire education on-line. Technology also provides supplemental
resources that are up-to-date and visually stimulating.”
For more information on the Golden Mouse or to nominate a colleague,
visit www.usu.edu/provost/web/goldmouse.asp or call Kinkead
at (435) 797-1706.
November 20, 2002
Contact: Stan Albrecht (435) 797-1166
Writers: Maren Cartwright (435) 797-1355, Patrick Williams (435)
797-1354
COCA-COLA
FUNDS $1.4 MILLION PURCHASE FOR UTAH STATE ATHLETICS SCOREBOARD
AND EQUIPMENT
LOGAN — Trans-Lux, a full-service provider of integrated
multimedia systems for today’s communications environments
that has been in Cache Valley since 1973, designed and installed
the new LED videoboard in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at Utah
State University. The videoboard was funded by a campus-wide
sponsorship contract with Coca-Cola and Utah State last spring.
Along with the videoboard, Trans-Lux installed new scoreboards
in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, Chuck and Gloria Bell soccer
field and LaRae and LeGrand Johnson softball field in September.
Enhancements to the existing scoreboards and a new Bose sound
system were also installed by Trans-Lux. The new equipment cost
$1.4 million.
The 20-foot tall videoboard and ribbon ring, called the “RainbowWall,”
weighs almost 12,000 pounds and hangs in the center of the Dee
Glen Smith Spectrum. The equipment shows highlights, statistics
and advertisements during basketball and volleyball games as
well as gymnastic meets but can function at any event held in
the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
“Our greatest accomplishments are installing the new scoreboard
and videoboard at the Utah State venues,” said Bob Barson,
a USU engineering graduate and vice president of engineering
at Trans-Lux. “We are also proud of our large custom displays
for the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks
during the past few months.”
Barson led the design team of engineers and programmers in designing
the RainbowWall videoboard line. Barson said 90 percent of the
technical employees at Trans-Lux are Utah State graduates.
“We hire Utah State graduates because of the high caliber
people engineering graduates tend to be,” said Chris Merrill,
a Utah State graduate and vice-president of sales and marketing
at Trans-Lux. “They are loyal employees and usually want
to stay in the valley.”
Trans-Lux is one of the more prestigious and high-tech places
to work in Cache Valley, said Barson. The company works with
engineering students as early as their sophomore year at Utah
State to begin internship training. Many of the student interns
become new employees upon graduation.
Barson and Merrill both agreed that working for Trans-Lux is
a great experience because new employees have an immediate impact
and a whole lot of success. “Interns are creating and
selling projects they have developed at Trans-Lux to show possible
employers what they have learned,” said Barson.
“Trans-Lux is a great place to work,” said Aaron
Beddes, Utah State computer engineering graduate. “When
I was a student Utah State helped place me in an internship
with the company and when I graduated I stayed. I love it.”
“The best way to get a job at Trans-Lux is to start early
as a part-time intern,” said Barson. “That way we
have a couple of years to train them.We always look for new
Utah State engineering students to recruit.”
November 20, 2002
Writer: Heidi Broadwater, 797-1350, hab@cc.usu.edu
Contact: Bob Barson, 787-8671, bob@ise-tlx.com
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